Shepherdstown

On September 19, 1862, two days after the bloodletting at Antietam, elements of Maj. Gen. Fitz John Porter's V Corps pushed across the Potomac River at Boteler's Ford and attacked the Confederate rearguard commanded by Brig. Gen. William Pendleton. Early the next day, Porter pushed elements of two divisions across the river to establish a bridgehead. Gen. A. P. Hill's division counterattacked while many of the Federals were crossing the river, inflicting heavy casualties. Porter pulled back to the Union side of the river. This rearguard battle discouraged Federal pursuit of Robert E. Lee’s defeated army back to Virginia and ended Lee’s Maryland Campaign. On November 7, President Lincoln relieved McClellan of command for not aggressively pursuing Lee's retreating army