Heaton's Crossroads

Heaton's Crossroads
Part of the American Civil War
Date July 16, 1864 Location Loudoun County, Virginia Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
United States of America	Confederate States of America
Commanders and leaders
Col. William B. Tibbits	John C. Breckinridge Bradley T. Johnson
Location of the battle in Virginia

Heaton's Crossroads, also known as the Purcellville Wagon Raid, was an American Civil War skirmish that took place between Federal cavalry under Brig. Gen. Alfred N. Duffié and Confederate infantry under Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge on July 16, 1864, near present-day Purcellville, Virginia in Loudoun County as part of the Valley Campaigns of 1864. The action was tactically inconclusive.

Following the Battle of Fort Stevens on July 12 in Washington D.C., Confederate Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early decided to withdraw his army across the Potomac River into Virginia and return to the Shenandoah Valley. The Confederates withdrew along the Georgetown Pike into Montgomery County, Maryland towards Poolesville. On the July 14 they reached Conrad's Ferry (present day White's Ferry) and crossed making camp at Big Springs just north of Leesburg, Virginia.

Nearly a full day after Early set out towards Virginia, Union forces under Maj. Gen. Horatio Wright set out in pursuit. Under his command was the entire VI Corps, part of the XIX Corps as well as several divisions of "100-days" troops recruited to defend Washington. On the afternoon of July 15, Wright arrived in Poolsville and learned of the arrival of the Army of West Virginia at Harpers Ferry.