Civil War: The Battles of South Mountain • Fox's Gap • Turner's Gap • Crampton's Gap • Frostown Gap
Park Info: George Townsend • Gathland • Washington Monument • AT North • AT South
Park Tours: South Mountain State Battlefield Driving Tour • Fox's Gap Walking Trail

Frostown Gap
By Paul Miller

As fighting escalated on Fox’s Gap, Confederate Major General Daniel H. Hill sensed his left flank was vulnerable to a Union assault.  At about noon, Hill ordered Brigadier General Robert Rodes’ Brigade of Alabamians to the mountaintop.  As the brigade snaked its way to the summit, Hill promptly ordered them to cover the large expanse of the Frostown Gap to the north.

Almost mirroring the Confederate’s move into the Frostown Gap, the Union First Corps, commanded by Major General Joseph Hooker, advanced west on the National Road towards South Mountain.  Upon reaching Mount Tabor Road, the First Corps turned right and marched north towards the Frostown Gap.  Halted around the intersection of the Mount Tabor and Frostown Roads, the First Corps formed in a line of battle with Brigadier General George Meade’s Division comprising the right flank and Brigadier General John Hatch’s Division comprising the left flank.  At about 3:30 p.m., after the Union divisions were formed, they cohesively advanced towards the Frostown Gap.   
Initially struck by cannon fire from Lane’s Battery (who responded to Rodes’ plea for artillery support), Meade and Hatch’s Divisions soon engaged Confederate pickets spread out across the lower elevations of the gap.  Notwithstanding the Union force’s numerical strength, the Confederate pickets quickly retired to their main line of infantry posted along the crest.

Following the Confederate skirmishers closely, Meade’s Division was surprised by the initial volley fired by Rodes’ main line.  As Rodes and Meade wrestled for control of the Frostown Gap’s northern boundary, Hatch’s Division approached the summit nearly unopposed.  Fortunately for Rodes, at about 5:00 p.m. Major General James Longstreet arrived from Hagerstown with reinforcements in time to thwart Hatch’s advance.  All units across the Frostown Gap now partook in heavy combat.  With darkness falling, ammunition dwindling, and lack of more reinforcements, the thin and battered Confederate line began to give way.  Meade’s Division, however, was ordered to halt due to poor visibility.  To their left, combat with Hatch’s Division devolved into sporadic gunfire into the darkness.  Using night as a veil, the Confederate forces withdrew from the Frostown Gap vicinity.