General J.E.B. Stuart's Christmas Raid of 1862

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Oakham Farm, an historic Greek Revival-style home near Middleburg, Virginia, was primarily built in 1847 by Hamilton Rogers. However, other buildings on the property, a prosperous farm for many years, date back as far as the late 1700s. During the Civil War, the home served as a headquarters for Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart and was the birthplace of “Mosby’s Rangers”, one of the most legendary rebel units in that conflict. A major Classical Revival-style addition and renovation to the main dwelling was completed in 1927 under the direction of the prominent Richmond architectural firm Baskervill & Lambert and the home’s owner, Eugenia Fairfax. The property was added to the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.

2. Sully Plantation and Historic Site

This 1794 plantation was built by Richard Bland Lee, uncle of Confederate general Robert E. Lee. The home on the site, a three-section frame farmhouse, retains much of its original woodwork. The plantation was home to the Lee family from 1794 until 1811 and hosted many prominent guests, including George Washington. The house passed through many hands until the land was purchased in 1957 by the Federal Aviation Agency for what is now Dulles International Airport; an act of Congress prevented the FAA from demolishing the house. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. The current historic site presents information about the Lee family as well as the enslaved persons who worked on the plantation. The grounds include model slave quarters and outbuildings.

3. Merrybrook, Laura Ratcliffe, and Mosby's Rock

Merrybrook is a historic home in Herndon, Fairfax County, Virginia. Formerly known as Brooskide, it was built in 1820 and is particularly significant for being the last surviving home of Laura Ratcliffe, a Confederate spy during the American Civil War. Ratcliffe was notable for her connection to Confederate raiders Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart and Col. John S. Mosby. She is buried nearby. Merrybrook was added to the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. Also located in the vicinity is Mosby's Rock, an information drop site and meeting place shown to Mosby by Laura Ratcliffe.

4. Fairfax County Historic Courthouse and Jail

The Fairfax County Historic Courthouse is one of the oldest buildings in Fairfax. Since it was constructed in 1799 to serve as the government seat of Fairfax County, this courthouse has been the focal point of public affairs. It was central in events ranging from local civil disputes and legal matters to the Civil War, changing hands several times between Union and Confederate troops. Much like other courthouses in early America, the Fairfax Courthouse was necessary for the economic, social, and political growth of the town and county. What makes this courthouse exceptionally historically important, however, was the role it played during the Civil War. The Fairfax County Historic Courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. It is now home to the Fairfax County Circuit Court Historic Records Center; in addition, on one Friday each month, the Circuit Court uses the Historic Courthouse to conduct civil motions. The jail, located behind the courthouse, was built in 1885 and added to the National Register in 1981.

5. The Orange and Alexandria Railroad Trestle at Accotink Creek

The original, wooden Orange and Alexandria Railroad trestle over Accotink Creek was built in 1851. The bridge was an important target during the Civil War; while it was most famously burned during Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart’s Christmas Raid of 1862, it was also the site of many other rebel raids. The tracks on each side of it were moved in the early 1900s, and a new, iron bridge was built in 1917. A concrete and steel bridge, the one that stands there today, was built sometime later. In 1918, the creek was dammed by the US Army Corps of Engineers to supply water to Camp A.A. Humphreys (now Fort Belvoir). The dam was torn out in 1922 after it was realized that it was damaging the railroad bridge. A new dam was built in 1943. The surrounding land was eventually purchased by the Fairfax County Park Authority, who operate it as Lake Accotink Park. The current bridge is owned by the Norfolk Southern Railway but used by the Virginia Railway Express and Amtrak.

6. Burke's Station

Burke's Station, built along the Orange and Alexandria Railroad around 1857, was the center of the town of Burke for decades as well as an important location during the Civil War. Several skirmishes occurred in and around Burke and the railroad, the most famous of which was Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart’s Christmas Raid of 1862. Burke's Station was where Stuart sent his famous telegram to the Union Quartermaster General complaining about the quality of the mules he had captured. The railroad was moved north in the early 1900s and the old station was rotated ninety degrees. Today, it is home to a Nationwide Insurance office. The current station, built in 1972, is located in Pohick Park and is serviced by Amtrak and the Virginia Railway Express.

7. Selecman's (Snyder's) Ford Historical Marker

Selecman’s (also known as Snyder’s) Ford, formerly located on the Occoquan River between Fairfax and Prince William Counties, Virginia, was the site of several minor engagements during the Civil War. In addition to featuring in General J.E.B. Stuart’s Christmas 1862 raid, it was also the site of Confederate raids on December 19th, 1862 and March 22nd, 1863. The original ford was destroyed by the creation of the Occoquan Reservoir in the 1950s. Today, one historic marker stands near the reservoir in Sandy Run Regional Park on the Fairfax County side, and another is located near Antietam Elementary School in Prince William County.

8. Mill House Museum, Occoquan Historical Society

Occoquan Historical Society operates this local history museum at the site of an ironworks and mill that dates back to the late 18th-century and might be the first automated mill in American history. On display are a number of exhibits and displays, as well as a collection of historic photographs, documents, and artifacts related to the city of Occoquan. Many believe the real attraction is the mill house itself, the last remaining part of a large mill that dates back to the 18th century. The mill was originally part of an ironworks complex before it was converted to a mill. It may have even been the first automated gristmill in the US.

9. Old Hotel / Williams Ordinary / Love's Tavern

The Old Hotel, historically known most widely as both Williams Ordinary and Love’s Tavern, is located in Dumfries, Prince William County, Virginia.Though widely believed to have been built around 1765, dendrochronology testing done in 2016 on wooden timbers in the building's framework suggested a date of 1786 or 1787. It is the only surviving Georgian-style building in Dumfries and Virginia's only colonial header-bond-brick structure. The Hotel was added to the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. It is now owned by the county and used for its Historic Preservation Division.

This Tour is a Driving or Biking Tour.

General J.E.B. Stuart's Christmas Raid of 1862

Created by Benjamin Woodard on June 27th 2020, 3:20:18 am.

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In late December 1862, Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart set off from rebel lines and raided Union strongholds in northern Virginia. The raid, one of Stuart's most daring actions of the Civil War, ended with the creation of the famous "Mosby's Rangers", which would operate in the area for the rest of the war. For the story of the raid, read this article at Emerging Civil War: https://emergingcivilwar.com/2014/12/26/please-furnish-better-mules-jeb-stuarts-1862-christmas-raid/. For a compilation of detailed original reports from the commanders involved, read pages 721 to 758 here: https://hdl.handle.net/2027/coo.31924077723017.

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General J.E.B. Stuart's Christmas Raid of 1862

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