Question about the Civil War battle of Norman's Ford [Aug.2, 1862]. We
can't find any information about this battle, and we need your help.
Details? Units engaged?  Bruce Catton doesn't mention it, nor does the
'Civil War Dictionary' Thanks!     --------  WhiskyJack

Hello,

This page (http://www.kerenhappuch.com/sonellienormanford.html) has a
history of Norman's Ford and places it just south of Remington, Va. It
turns out there was a Civil War battle there in August 1862. The
(first) Battle of Rappahannock Station, a relatively minor skirmish,
took place from Aug. 22-25, 1862. See the following National Park
Service site for more information:
(http://www2.cr.nps.gov/abpp/battles/va023.htm).

Note that according to americancivilwar.com
(http://americancivilwar.com/statepic/va62.html), that battle was the
only one in the viscinity of Norman's Ford in 1862.

I have been unable to find anything about a battle taking place Aug.
2, 1862. I suppose it's possible a small skirmish broke out there on
that date, or perhaps you're missing a number from your date.
Incidentally, the 20th NY Vols. apparently were not fighting on Aug. 2
or Aug. 22 at Norman's Ford, according to this regimental history:
(http://gkkapp.home.infi.net/A%20Regimental%20History%20of%20the%2020th%20NYSV.htm).

For more information on the Civil War history of the area, try the
Museum of Culpeper History at (540) 825-1973 or the Fauquier County
Historical Society at (540) 347-5525.

I hope this leads you in the right direction.

Search strategy:

New York Civil War regiments
<://www.google.com/search?q=New+York+Civil+War+regiments&hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1>

Fauquier County history
<://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=Fauquier+County+history>

Culpeper County History
<://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=Culpeper+County+history>

Virginia civil war campaigns
<://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=Virginia+civil+war+campaigns>

Rappahannock Station 1862
<://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=Rappahannock+Station+1862>

Norman's Ford
<://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=Norman%27s+Ford>

Civil War timeline
<://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=Civil+War+timeline>

This is the only mention of a battle at Norman’s Ford that I have
found.  Perhaps it might give another researcher a useful lead.

An article written by Joshua G. Borthwick and originally published on
March 29, 1879, in the Catskill "Examiner” has the following: “Charles
A. Simmons enlisted Sept. 5, 1861, in Co C., 20th NY Vols. He was in
McDowell's command, and was in the battles of Norman's Ford, Sulphur
Springs, Gainesville, Chantilly, South Mountain, Antietam,
Fredericksburgh and Gettysburgh, where he was taken prisoner and taken
to Belle Isle, where he died.”  
http://www.rootsweb.com/~nygreen2/borthwick_number_5.htm

Dear mwalcoff,

This page says that the 2nd Light Artillery was engaged, but I didn't
include it as an answer as I hadn't managed to find a battle
description.

http://www.civilwararchive.com/Unreghst/unmearty.htm

search strategy:
August 1862 "norman's ford"

Interesting, ozguru. If you look carefully, you'll see that the
soldiers were at the ford on Aug. 2, 1863, not 1862. Perhaps the
questioner had the year wrong, not the date. I'll do some further
checking.

A thought: Perhaps Norman's Ford was not a battle after all but just a
campsite. That's how the Maine regiment history seems to read. Union
troops obviously would have wanted to guard such an important river
crossing. Interestingly, the regiment history of the 20th NY Vols. I
cited above says the regiment had been dissolved by midsummer 1863, so
it could not have been at Norman's Ford in August 1863, either.