A Strong and Sudden Onslaught: The Cavalry Action at Hanover, Pennsylvania

While the battle of Gettysburg remains the centerpiece of this June/July, 1863 campaign, there is an increasing interest in less-studied peripheral events that were an integral part of the operation. One such event occurred the day before the battle of Gettysburg began – the cavalry action on June 30, 1863 at and around Hanover, Pa. This important event is worth examining more closely since it played a key role in the campaign’s outcome: it deflected Confederate General Jeb Stuart’s main cavalry units away from the impending battle at Gettysburg and helped prevent it from uniting and participating with General Robert E. Lee’s main battle force until the last day at Gettysburg. Although relatively little information is contained in the official reports on the action at Hanover, especially on the Confederate side, author John Krepps has constructed a fascinating account about the action at Hanover from many previously unpublished sources often overlooked. They include soldiers’ diaries and letters, and civilian eyewitness accounts, including damage claims filed afterwards. This detailed narrative is presented with comprehensive maps that bring clarity to this obscure subject.