 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
During the Civil War many
confrontations took place in our area and the surrounding countryside. Our farm is
located in an area known as Sulphur Springs in the 1800s and early 1900s and now known
as Fauquier Springs, which was a strategic battle area due to the high ground situated on
both sides of the Rappahannock River. Additionally, our farm is located
approximately 50 miles west of Washington, D.C., which was the Union Capital during the
Civil War. The Jeffersonton Baptist Church, located 2 miles to the west and across the
river, was used as a hospital by both the Union and Confederate Armies during the war.
One of the most significant battles of this area took place in August of 1862, but was
overshadowed by the events that happened several days later. With both armies
building forces and additional soldiers arriving |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
daily, Remington, (known as
Rappahannock Station then) located approximately 10 miles south of our farm, was the
center of Civil War activity in early to mid August of 1862. The Confederacy was
occupying the ground on the south side of the river and the Union was holding the ground
north of the river. With a fierce volley of infantry fire taking place for several
days near Remington, the Confederate forces started moving upstream to cross the river and
attack the Union's right flank.
On the afternoon of August 22, 1862, Confederate General Jubial Early and his |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
forces, under the direction of General
Robert E. Lee, crossed the Rappahannock one mile downstream from our farm. While
crossing, a very heavy thunderstorm occurred and caused the river to rise rapidly,
separating Early's men from the rest of the Confederate forces. Early's soldiers set
up on the high ground north of the river overlooking Great Run in |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
anticipation that the Union Army would
be marching from Fayetteville (now Opal) to Sulphur Springs.
Shortly before dark, on the evening of August 23, Union General Pope and his men arrived
on the south side of Great Run, where it borders our farm. Unable to cross due to
high water, Pope and Early's men exchange gun fire for several hours, well into the
night. Our residence is at the site where Jubial Early spent that night fearful that
he would be overtaken as soon as the high waters of Great Run receded. At
approximately 2 a.m., Early sent word to General Lee that his forces needed to recross
the Rappahannock and join the Confederate forces on the south side of the river or they
would be overtaken by Pope's men at sunrise. At 3 a.m. Early received orders from
Lee to cross the river. Immediately his forces started their move. Early's
last soldiers crossed the river at dawn, about the same time that Pope and his men claimed
the area where Early and his forces had been just a few hours before and the adjacent high
ground on our side of the river.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
With the Confederate troops numbering 80 thousand men located on the high ground across
the river, which you can see to the west of our farm, and the Union troops numbering near
the same on our property and the other high ground on this side of the river, a blistering
volley of infantry fire
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
took place for the next
several days. During this time on August 24, General Lee gave General Stonewall
Jackson orders to circle around behind the enemy and attack their supply lines. Upon
hearing his orders Jackson stated, "I will be moving within the hour" and true
to his word, he and his 24 thousand troops started one of the most famous marches of the
Civil War. While Generals Lee, Longstreet, and Stuart's men exchanged cannon fire
with General Pope's forces, unknown to the Union army, Jackson and his men marched through
Jeffersonton to Waterloo Landing, crossed the river and continued to Marshall, turned east
and marched through Thoroughfare Gap and onto Manassas Junction. There they attacked
and devastated the Union supply lines and marched to the sight of the first battle of Bull
Run to wait for the Union counterattack that was sure to happen. The Union Army did
attack, however caught totally off guard, they suffered one of their most devastating
defeats of the Civil War at the Second Battle of Bull Run within a week of the
confrontation that took place on our farm.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|