The fighting at Mount Zion Church (Aldie, VA) was a cavalry skirmish that took place on July 6, 1864 during the American Civil War. A Union patrol of 100 troopers from the 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry and 50 men from the 13th New York Cavalry under Maj. William H. Forbes encountered Confederate forces under the command of Colonel John S. Mosby near Aldie in Loudoun County, Virginia, as part of Mosby's Operations in Northern Virginia to aid Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early's plan to invade Maryland. After successfully raiding the Union garrison at Point of Rocks, Maryland, Mosby's Rangers routed Forbes command, which had been sent into Loudoun County to hunt down Col. Mosby and his Rangers. The engagement resulted in a Federal rout and a complete Confederate victory. Union casualties were 12 killed, 37 wounded and 57 captured/missing, including Maj. Forbes. The Rangers suffered 1 killed and 6 wounded.
by: Terry E. Rouch