May 6, 1864 was a day of changing fortunes as the Union fought the Confederates along Orange Plank Rd. It began with a 5 AM attack by the Union II Corps, reinforced by divisions from V and VI Corps, under command of General Hancock. The attack drove General A.P. Hill’s III Corps from its positions. They fled west towards Parker’s Store. The 7 AM arrival of General Longstreet’s I Corps stemmed the rout. Longstreet’s counter attack at Tapp Field drove the Federals back toward their starting positions to the east. By 10 AM the two armies were at a standstill facing each other astride Orange Plank in the vicinity of the monument to Union General James Wadsworth.
Exhibit 15: Unfinished Railroad Cut
General Lee sent his Chief Engineer, General Smith, to see if there was a way to break the stalemate. Smith and his party walked east along the unfinished railroad, which lay south of the Union’s flank. Both armies were aware of the unfinished railroad about ¼ mile south of and parallel to Orange Plank. In the chaos of battle, neither army had thought about using it as an attack route, or about defending it against such an attack, until Smith’s reconnaissance. Smith found the railroad grade undefended. He returned and reported his findings to Longstreet.
Longstreet sent four brigades to attack
the Union flank under the command of his aide Lt. Col. Sorrel. Sorrel arranged the men along the railroad
grade and, when all men were in position, began the attack shortly after 11
AM. It burst upon the Union flank in
total surprise. In addition, as soon as
the fighting started on the flank, Longstreet’s remaining troops attacked the
Union’s front.
McAlister’s brigade on the Union flank
was first to feel the Confederate onslaught.
It was quickly routed. Soon all eight
Union brigades south of Orange plank had collapsed like dominos. Union General Wadsworth, in command of Union
forces north of Orange Plank, heroically attempted to organize a defense on the
north side of the road. It was to no
avail leaving him mortally wounded. By
12:30 PM, all Union positions had been overrun with the defenders withdrawing
east to Brock Road or north to the Lacy House (Ellwood Manor).
The Confederate’s success quickly
turned to failure. While riding to the
front to direct a continued advance, General Longstreet was accidentally shot
by soldiers of the 12th Virginia of Mahone’s Brigade. While he
survived, it wasn’t until four hours later that the Confederates were able to
reorganize and resume the attack. By
then the Union had strengthened its defenses along Brock Road. The renewed attack failed. In addition to the short term loss, it would
be months before Longstreet recovered sufficiently to resume command.
Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my homeworth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.
To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.
Initially, this series on History in Our Backyard
described how the Wilderness became the Wilderness. Now we will delve into the early inhabitants
who came to what would become known as “The Wilderness.” All things Wilderness
were synonymous with Alexander Spotswood, the colony’s Royal Lt Governor in the
early 1700s. He initiated the economic progress of the region through his
efforts to establish Germanna fort and an iron industry. One source states that
“there, thirty miles from the last outlying farms, the Germans set to work,
clearing a site on the riverbank and building a fortified town.” The same
source references the fort being supplied by pack-trains of mules and horses.
Exhibit 2 Germanna Fort
Those same pack-trains were instrumental in his 1716
venture into the mountains to the west. His band of adventure-seeking explorers
departed from the Germanna fort accompanied by animals laden with supplies
including a healthy supply of spirits. He later awarded each participant with a
golden horseshoe pin thereby identifying them as the “Knights of the Golden
Horseshoe” for eternity.
At the time of Spotswood’s term as Lt Governor of
Virginia in 1722, he had firmly established his presence in the area. Through a
somewhat devious plan he had accumulated over 80,000 acres of land. Records
show that he never sold a single acre of the land, choosing instead to lease
lots, mostly in 50 acre parcels, a few in parcels of up to 500 acres.
English law at that time dictated that settlers
construct a home and plant an orchard on their leased property within three
years. They also had to clear and plant a minimum one-acre garden and/or cropland.
Initially, many chose to plant tobacco. The Colony was cash-strapped in those
days and tobacco became the medium of exchange in most commercial transactions.
A 1724 inventory of Spotswood’s properties shows that
he owned his fort, his large home, dozens of farm animals and the basis of the
iron works, namely the Tubal site, about 12 miles east of his residence. At
Germanna, he established the first County seat of Spotsylvania and held court
in his home. The presence of the court quickly brought its own society;
travelers arrived routinely for appearances before the justices.
County courts developed “Order Books” in those days.
Both the Spotsylvania and later Orange (after 1734) books contain references to
orders issued to Spotswood, primarily dictating that he organize work crews to
maintain the road to Germanna and the bridge over Wilderness Run, located near
the present day intersection of State Route 3 and US 20. Local residents
provided the labor for the crews, usually their slaves. Spotswood did maintain
the ferry that operated over the Rapid Anne River, today’s Rapidan. He also
maintained his own road from Germanna to the Tubal Iron Works.
Eventually, small enterprises sprang up in the area.
Those that were not located at the Court complex would be found along the
Germanna Road. Retail stores, grain mills, saw mills, post offices, wagon
makers and leatherworks businesses all found their place. Physicians took up
residence in the area and church spires began to become part of the local
scenery. By 1725 there were 7 plantations alone in the area surrounding the
Tubal Iron Works site. The new Wilderness society was beginning to take shape.
Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my homeworth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.
To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.
Early May 1864 witnessed the first time that
Confederate General Robert E. Lee and Union General Ulysses S. Grant – the two
giants of the Civil War – met in battle in an area known then and forever more
as the Wilderness. The area had been
known as the Wilderness for more than one hundred years before the Civil War
but it was this bloody battle that would put the Wilderness on the map and in
the history books forever. What made
these seventy square miles different from the rest of early Virginia? How did the Wilderness become the
Wilderness? To answer these questions,
we must go back to the early 1700’s when Virginia was still a British colony
and Lieutenant Governor Alexander Spotswood envisioned starting an iron
smelting industry in this area.
Spotswood arrived in Hampton Roads in June, 1710,
after being appointed Lieutenant Governor of the Virginia Colony. Iron ore was known to exist in the area that
would become the Wilderness even before Spotswood arrived in Virginia. The British Government at that time restricted
manufacturing to the home islands and looked to the colonies to produce and
export raw materials back to England while importing finished goods
manufactured from those raw materials.
Despite the lack of permission from the British Government to smelt iron
in the colonies, Spotswood initiated the iron smelting operation in Virginia
anyway. His initiative was in fact the first attempt at moving away from an
agricultural to an industrial based economy in Virginia and actually in any of
the colonies.
There are three elements in that land that are
critical to the smelting of iron ore:
the ground must contain iron ore; there must be large forests for fuel,
and water for power must be available.
All of these features were abundant in what was to become the Wilderness
and Spotswood began acquiring land in this area shortly after his arrival in
Virginia. Within just a couple years he controlled over 80,000 acres in present
day Orange and Spotsylvania Counties.
But there was still one feature missing before
Spotswood could turn his dream into reality and that was the presence of
experienced manpower that could conduct the smelting operations. So he arranged for the emigration of German
iron workers to Virginia; the first emigrants began arriving here in April,
1713. They were the original settlers of
the Germanna community, located on the south bank of the Rapidan River near
today’s State Route 3 and Germanna Community College. By 1715 Spotswood had established the Tubal
Furnace below the confluence of the Rapidan and Rappahannock rivers and was
smelting iron. By 1750 there would be at
least six blast furnaces smelting the area’s iron ore.
The smelting process required a fire hot enough to
reach the iron ore’s melting point, 2,190 to 2,810 degrees Fahrenheit, and it
had to be burning continuously for weeks at a time. The amount of fuel for smelting the iron was enormous
– nearly two acres of hardwood per ton of smelted iron – and some furnaces
could burn as much as seven hundred acres of timber per year. To obtain the fuel required clear cutting
vast segments of the virgin forest in the area.
The second growth forest that sprang up afterward consisted of smaller,
scrubbier trees which allowed the growth of ground covering vegetation. The vines, briars, honeysuckle, poison ivy
and other lower growing vegetation created an almost impenetrable wall of
vegetation and resulted in the area, by at least 1750, becoming known as “The
Wilderness.”
Exhibit 1 The Wilderness Virginia
It was this second growth forest that was in place
during the Civil War. Although the 1863
Battle of Chancellorsville was fought in and around the Wilderness, it was
really the first encounter of Lee and Grant in May 1864 – right in our backyard
– that the iconic name of “The Wilderness” became forever etched in Civil War
and American history.
Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my homeworth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.
To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.
History in our Backyard, a product of the Friends of
Wilderness Battlefield (FoWB), was created by FoWB’s Special Programs and
Education Outreach Committees. It
consists of a series of articles designed to share the history of the
Wilderness region with the residents who live in and around this hallowed
ground. The articles focus on either a
particular event or a historical period that brings to life the area’s rich and
vibrant history dating from the earliest settlers to the present day. These brief glimpses into the Wilderness’
history are intended to encourage residents of all ages living in and around
Spotsylvania and Orange Counties to learn and appreciate the significant impact
that this area has had on our local and national history.
For years the Battle of
the Wilderness has been under-appreciated by most Americans. Experience tells
us that local residents have a limited knowledge of the 1864 battle’s impact,
as the first battle in the Overland Campaign and the first face-to-face
encounter between Generals Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee. Further, many residents are unaware that the
history of the Wilderness in general is both a microcosm of Virginia history even predating the birth of our Nation and a story of agricultural and general
economic development in a rural setting.
History in our Backyard is also designed to capture our FoWB
members’ wealth of knowledge about various aspects of the Wilderness. We encourage our volunteers to share with
others a particular moment, event, or period in Wilderness history about which
they are knowledgeable. These are not
intended to be scholarly works of history but rather tidbits of information about
the land for the people who share that land today. We hope our neighbors will become more
engaged with their surroundings by having their neighbors – our
volunteers – share their insights into the region through this brief
picture.
Our initial concept was
to make these short pictures into history available to local communities’
newspapers, magazines, newsletters, and websites. But History
in our Backyard is growing beyond our initial expectations. We anticipated no more than a handful of
articles a year but that number is increasing and we are reaching more local
communities and at least one county-wide medium. Possibly the most significant expansion will
be this compilation of all the articles, as they get published elsewhere,
residing on our webpage.
We welcome your comments and suggestions for improving our product and for future subjects. We would even welcome your participation as an author of an article on a topic that is of interest to you and would add to the knowledge of our readership.
Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my homeworth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.
To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.
I love the diversity of Virginia, especially Fredericksburg/Orange county areas; I find it surprising when people say it’s “boring”. Here at Lake of the Woods we are so close to so many other different local areas: including Culpeper, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania. There’s plenty to do – some things are even free. Explore downtown Culpeper or Fredericksburg, on a warm sunny day; adventure out of the house for a little bit during the cold Christmas season too! Just dress warm, of course – but don’t let it hold you back from a beautiful brisk night out on the town. The immediate counties and towns by Lake of the Woods are full of beautiful holiday decorations and lights – and it doesn’t cost a dime to enjoy them (other than a little bit of gas, if they’re not within your walking distance). In addition to the historic downtown areas, Culpeper, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, and even Orange all have many battlefield sites; did you know there’s a pyramid in Fredericksburg? I sure didn’t until one of my best friend’s took me there and now, I can’t help but mention it whenever someone suggests there’s nothing here to do. There are so many different battlefields spread throughout the area, if you feel like adventuring outside and learning some history, you will have many options! So check out: Meade’s Pyramid to start, Wilderness Battlefield, and the Spotsylvania Battlefield to name a few. With some detailed research you can certainly plan a day trip or even a whole weekend, if you’re really feeling adventurous! Right in Orange, Virginia (less than a 40 minute drive from Lake of the Woods) is the Inn at Willow Grove, if you fancy a nice meal while you’re out. The grounds are beautiful and right down the road is James Madison’s Montpelier and Museum; if you’re looking for a ‘boozier’ adventure, try taking a wine trail tour. There are multiple wineries, cideries, breweries and distilleries between Fredericksburg and Charlottesville, Virginia. Check out the popular wineries and breweries in Orange and if you visit – let us know what you think! If you’re up for spending a little bit of money and going on a drive, there are a couple drive-thru movie theaters I would highly recommend! Check out my reviews here. And they’re less than 2 hours away from Lake of the Woods. There’s also the classic bowling or dinner and a movie! Most notably in Fredericksburg and Culpeper. Fredericksburg holds a unique establishment in which, they have bowling, pool tables, a restaurant and a movie theater all in one – there’s certainly no room for boredom there. Both Fredericksburg and Culpeper are only about a 30-minute drive from Lake of the Woods. The drive is beautiful especially in the fall, when the trees alongside Route 3 are starting to change. It’s always nice to window shop around the local Spotsylvania mall, or antique shop in downtown Culpeper, Orange or Fredericksburg. In the warmer days it’s even more enjoyable to visit the local parks and downtown shops, especially if you have a fur-friend to bring along! Many local area businesses are dog-friendly (especially in downtown Fredericksburg) it only takes a quick moment to look them up before you bring Fido to make sure he/she will be allowed inside. One place Fido is always welcome: the Shenandoah National Park! They have many hiking trails and lodging available for you and your companion(s) among the mountains. The best part is that it’s only a 45-minute drive from Culpeper and from Fredericksburg, less than a 2-hour drive. It’s certainly an adventurous way to spend the day with your best pal(s). From the historical cities and battlefields, to the drive-in theater, bowling alley or trip to the mountains, there is always something to do. What are some of your favorite places to visit in Virginia? We’d love to hear about them! Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your professionals for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia, we are your proven Real Estate professionals. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my homeworth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata. To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.
