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civil war
IN THE EARLY 1860's, one of the most hotly contested areas in the world was North-Central Virginia.
Culpeper's strategic location made it a highly prized position for both sides and thus the county witnessed more troop movement than any location in the nation. Within the County, Grant headquartered, Lee camped, Jackson fought and Stuart wintered. In fact, there were more than 160 skirmishes in and around Culpeper during the Civil War.
Important Civil War battles were fought in Culpeper County at Cedar Mountain,
Kelly's Ford and Brandy Station and within the town of Culpeper Courthouse,
now called the Town of Culpeper. On June 9, 1863, more than 17,000 saber-wielding
horsemen and 3,000 infantry clashed at Brandy Station in the Western
Hemisphere's largest cavalry battle. The Winter Encampment of the Union army
during
the winter of
1863-64 was the largest encampment of the Civil War, numbering up to
120,000 soldiers.
About an hour's drive east and north of Culpeper, you can visit other significant battlefields including Chancellorsville, Wilderness, Fredericksburg and Manassas.
The Museum of Culpeper History is an excellent place to begin immersing yourself in Virginia history. The Museum offers a variety of interactive exhibits explaining Culpeper's rich Civil War history, among other topics. Guided bus tours of the Battlefields and walking tours of the historic downtown are also offered through the Museum. Walking tours originate at the Visitors Center at the Depot. For more information on the Museum of Culpeper History, call (540) 829-1749.
Be sure and pick up a free brochure, "Civil War Culpeper: A Driving Tour",
available at the Visitors Center, or through
this website. This full-color
driving tour brochure is full of great information, historical
facts and human interest stories, and allows you to discover Culpeper
County's
battlefields at your own pace. Additional Civil War-related brochures
are available at the
Visitors Center. Click here to order this free brochure.
Read more about the Battle of Brandy Station, the Battle
of Kelly's Ford and the Battle of Cedar
Mountain.
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Virginia Morton, author of the book Marching through Culpeper offers
2-hour Civil War Walking Tours of Historic Downtown Culpeper. On this
tour, you will learn about "Extra Billy" Smith, two-time governor of
Virginia, and the oldest general in either army; General J.E.B. Stuart,
the gallant Major John Pelham and their good friend Judge Henry Schackleford.
Also on the tour route is a stop at the Culpeper County Court House,
the boyhood home of General Ambrose Powell (A.P.) Hill, and many other
exciting and historic points of interest.
Tours are by appointment only.
Profits will be donated to the Friends of Cedar Mt. Battlefield.
For reservation information, fees on
small or large groups, or to join an existing tour, contact
Virginia Morton at 540-825-9147, morton@edgehillbooks.com,
www.edgehillbooks.com.
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