| Battle of Deserted House | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the American Civil War | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States (Union) |
 CSA (Confederacy) | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Michael Corcoran | Roger Atkinson Pryor | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 8,000 | 1,800 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
22 killed 108 wounded 12 missing 142 total[1] |
8 killed 31 wounded 39 total[1] | ||||||
The battle of Deserted House, or the Battle of Kelly’s Store, was a minor engagement during the American Civil War in southeast Virginia.
Confederate forces under Brig. Gen. Roger A. Pryor crossed the Blackwater River into southeast Virginia on a foraging expedition.[1] Maj. Gen. John J. Peck commanded the Union garrison at Suffolk. Peck organized a force to drive Pryor out of the area and assigned Brig. Gen. Michael Corcoran to its command.[1] Anticipating an attack from the Union garrison, Pryor prepared his forces for battle near Kelly’s Store, located 8 miles west of Suffolk.[1]
Corcoran’s cavalry engaged Pryor’s forces near a place called Deserted House. The Confederates retreated two miles before making another stand. The 13th Indiana Infantry charged and routed this new line. A final stand by the Confederates was made along the Blackwater River which was broken by the 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry.[2] Although suffering far more casualties than the Confederates (142-39), the Union forces prevailed. Corcoran's troops returned to Suffolk the following day.[citation needed]
In April, a larger foraging effort and demonstration against Suffolk was carried out by Lt. Gen. James Longstreet.[citation needed]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e "Browse | Cornell University Library Making of America Collection". collections.library.cornell.edu.
- ^ "THE BATTLE OF DESERTED HOUSE; Full Details of the Repulse of the Rebels Under Pryor. CORRECTED LIST OF CASUALTIES". The New York Times. 3 February 1863.