On Monday, June 15, 1863 after decisively routing Union forces at Winchester and Stephenson’s Depot approximately four miles north of Winchester, Confederate troops began crossing the Potomac River near Williamsport.
Federal losses were high with 95 killed, 348 wounded, and approximately 4,000 reported captured or missing. The victorious Confederates in these battles seized 23 artillery pieces, 300 loaded wagons, over 300 horses, and large quantities of commissary and quartermaster’s stores.
As Lincoln was calling for 100,000 militia from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, and West Virginia to deal with Lee’s invasion, Joseph Hooker wrote Lincoln that “it is not in my power to prevent” Lee from invading the American North. One has to believe that Abraham Lincoln was most distressed and not at all pleased to receive this message from Hooker.