Along Route 7: Battle of Third Winchester

These markers along U.S. 7 remind us that a large battle took place here in 1864. Third Winchester, sometimes called the Battle of Opequon, was the largest battle of the struggle for control of the Shenandoah Valley.

Text for marker J 3:
Third Battle of Winchester

Here Confederate forces under General Jubal A. Early, facing east, received the attack of Sheridan’s army at noon on September 19, 1864. Early repulsed the attack and countercharged, breaking the Union line. Only prompt action by General Emory Upton in changing front saved the Union forces from disaster. At 3 P.M. Sheridan made a second attack, driving Early back to Winchester.

Text for marker J 13:
Third Battle of Winchester

On a hill, approximately one-half mile to the west, Philip H. Sheridan established his final position on September 19, 1864. General Jubal A. Early held the ground one-half mile further to the west. At 4 P.M., Sheridan advanced with massed cavalry and infantry and broke Early's line.

Nearby is a historic home that is easily missed because it has been disguised by vines.

Wood House, or Spout Spring

This house, now dilapidated, stands next to the Opequon Water Reclamation Facility. See the NPS page on Third Winchester for mention of Spout Spring. Interesting old photos of the house and nearby spring can be seen at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~usgenweb/va/photo/frederick/pfrederi.htm.

For information on touring the relatively unknown sites of this battle, see Third Winchester information at:

• HMDB.org Walking Tour
  
• CWPT
  
• Johns Military History
  

Expand this Battlefield Park at Winchester

The Civil War Preservation Trust is struggling to raise enough money to preserve 209 additional acres at the Third Winchester Battlefield. See their Save Third Winchester page. It has some good links as well as basic information.

Over the past few years, interpretative signs and some very nice trails have been added at Third Winchester. Local residents enjoy walking, jogging, and riding bikes there, and of course Civil War buffs come from far away to view the battlefield.

The sign below is one of several at the Redbud Road entrance to the battlefield park. It tells of famous people who were present at the battle. They included two future presidents, two senators, a state governor, and several military leaders. The portraits on the marker are of Rutherford B. Hayes, William McKinley, John B. Gordon, Henry A. DuPont, Fitzhugh Lee, Phil Sheridan, George Custer, Emory Upton, Jubal Early, and Wesley Merritt. For the full text, see "A Gathering of Future Leaders" at HMDB.org.

See also our Third Winchester Field Trip

and all my blog posts about 3rd Winchester.

New Monument on Newly Preserved Land

A new monument now stands at the trail head of the West Woods on Third Winchester Battlefield. This is on recently-preserved land that's near a busy shopping center and directly across from the Town Place Suites by Marriott, so there was a sense of urgency for the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation to get this 28.5 acre parcel purchased and out of the path of development.

 The reflection on the monument is of the hotel. If you want to visit this site, it's on Getty Lane.

Even though this is brand new, the wording is old-fashioned, starting out "North Carolina remembers and honors her gallant sons who fought in defense of home and country in the Army of the Valley District commanded by Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early at the Battle of Third Winchester Sept. 19 1864."

In case you are not familiar with this battle (sometimes called the Battle of Opequon), it was large (involving 54, 440 soldiers), intense, and a Union victory.

 The rear of the monument is inscribed with names of units from North Carolina that were present at Third Winchester. They were in divisions headed by Ramseur, Rodes, and Wharton.

Major General Rodes, by the way, was killed in this battle and Wharton was wounded. A month later, Ramseur was mortally wounded at Cedar Creek.

This memorial was created before the controversy over Civil War monuments became violent in Charlottesville this August. Perhaps the people behind the design would think twice about displaying the Confederate flag if they were planning it today. Personally I feel the flag detracts from the purpose of this stone, which is to honor people who risked all for their communities. While they may have been mistaken in believing they represented what is right, I think they felt strong loyalty to their families and localities, and certainly they served bravely.

Monuments can have their place. This one is educational for passers-by who might otherwise not know that a significant battle took place here, and will be useful for descendants of North Carolina soldiers who fought here.  Personally I support markers for historical places, although I can't defend hero-worship monuments that stand in places where that person never was. Localities have the right to look at their own monuments and figure out whether they represent accurate history.

A paved trail leads from this monument into the West Woods. I did not follow it but I have explored other trails on the Third Winchester Battlefield. Preservation of battlefield lands in Winchester has done as much for citizens seeking trails and green space as it has for history buffs. Civil War historians may have led the charge to save these lands from development, but the benefits include recreation and wildlife habitat.

Stonewall Cemetery

When our "Advanced Civil War" class toured the Third Winchester battlefield last spring, we didn't stay long at the Stonewall Confederate Cemetery because a rain storm was moving in. Last month I went back to the cemetery and took some photographs.

The Confederate Cemetery is part of Winchester's Mt. Hebron Cemetery. It is located between the National Cemetery (which you can easily reach from Route 7) and Pleasant Valley Road. (See map.)

The plaque above reads: Stonewall Cemetery 3000 Confederate Soldiers Rest Here Dedicated 1866 Left: Monument to Unknown Confederate Soldiers

Right: Marker gives a brief history of Third Winchester, starting with: THE THIRD BATTLE OF WINCHESTER (The Battle of the Opequon) September 19, 1864 The decisive assault in the campaign set in motion by General Grant to free the Shenandoah Valley from the control of the Confederacy took place here. This high ground was part of Winchester’s defensive rampart against attack from the east. The text concludes with: These Honored Remains: Destiny’s Debris When Diplomacy Fails For more about this marker, see Historical Marker Database, Marker 2660.

Previous Post: More of 3rd Winchester to be Preserved

Touring the Third Winchester Battlefield

In October I spent a Saturday touring sites of the Battle of Third Winchester with a group from Lord Fairfax Community College. Our leader was Professor Jonathan Noyalas. Previously I've taken two classes with Prof. Noyalas: Uncertain Freedom: The African Americans' Civil War in the Lower Shenandoah Valley and the Battle of Cedar Creek.We began our tour at the north parking lot of the county school complex on First Woods Drive. (See the HMDB map.) These pictures show the first part of our walking tour, which was rather long but pleasant.
The battlefield park features a number of interpretative signs. One of the first ones we saw starts out like this:

The Third Battle of Winchester - September 19, 1864
Bloodiest Battle of the Shenandoah Valley

Gen. Jubal Early assuming that Gen. Phil Sheridan was yet another cautious Union commander, divided his roughly 14,000 troops on a wide front north from Winchester. Sheridan planned to use his army of 39,000 men to attack the portion of Early's force near Winchester. Early, however, learned of the impending attack and raced to concentrate his army at Winchester.

For the rest of the text, see HMDB.org.

Confederate Soldier, Winchester

In front of the old Court House in Winchester, Virginia stands this memorial to Confederate Soldiers. This seems appropriate to share today, the 150th anniversary of the Third Battle of Winchester, although not everyone in Winchester was a Confederate sympathizer.

Third Winchester, also known as the Battle of Opequon, is not one of the most famous battles of the Civil War but it was a significant Union victory. I've shared several posts about Third Winchester previously.

Linking to: Orange You Glad It's Friday

and Skywatch Friday

More of Winchester's Battlefield to be Preserved

I read that 209 additional acres of the Third Winchester Battlefield will be preserved. The $3.35 million purchase price will be funded through a partnership between the Shenandoah Battlefields Foundation, the Civil War Preservation Trust, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and private partners. Read CWPT's Press Release. These are photos I took this summer on a park-like section of the battlefield which was previously purchased. People were walking and biking the trails and enjoying the natural beauty of the area.

Since Winchester is only an hour from my home (and one of the places we go for medical appointments and shopping), I've had a chance to visit various points on the battlefield and I must say, it covers a HUGE area! It's an example of why we cannot preserve all sites that were "hallowed" by Civil War battles: they take up large portions of the Shenandoah Valley, including valuable privately-held land in cities like Winchester.

Fortunately, we can still preserve large tracts in some places, enabling visitors to imagine what soldiers experienced. Furthermore, preservation of this area protects Red Bud Run, a tributary of the Opequon which in turn runs into the Potomac. Thus water quality for Red Bud Run will benefit, helping its downstream watersheds including the Chesapeake Bay -- an example of historic preservation leading to environmental protection.

A Trail Crossing Red Bud Run

Previous Posts on 3rd Winchester:

• Along Rt. 7, Third Winchester
• Opequon Creek
• Red Bud Run (video)
• Fort Collier

The Maples Have Changed.

A cold front blew in last night. It blew so hard, in fact, it woke me up and I had trouble getting back to sleep due to roaring of the wind plus pain that I've had in my hips for a few weeks. I felt anxious as well as uncomfortable.

Today the maple trees were brightly colored.

I drove to Winchester this morning for a physical therapy appointment, my first this year. The doctor that I saw last week for hip pain prescribed physical therapy so I can get advice for the right exercises. I have piriformis syndrome with shooting pain, and it comes and goes, and when it acted up a couple weeks ago, I did too much of the wrong exercises which brought on really acute pain in one hip, which they say is bursitis.

A year ago I graduated from a long program of physical therapy for my right foot and ankle. I had surgery on that foot three years ago and it took a long time to heal, partly because my ankle ligaments are too mobile. I could have gone back to that physical therapy group but decided instead to go to a provider in Winchester that I saw for core strengthening about five years ago. So far I think this was a good choice.

The problems are connected. My wobbly ankles cause strain on my hips, and if I walk a lot or climb too many stairs, the pain spreads up my back and even causes a sore neck.

Okay, enough of that. After my appointment I had lunch and sought out a Civil War site that I read about recently. It is on a parcel of the Third Winchester Battlefield that was recently opened to the public.

A monument was unveiled there in September, marking the location of the Alabama Brigade’s farthest advance during the Third Battle of Winchester. It was funded by a man who was descended from one of the Alabama soldiers. I could see the monument from the gate but did not walk out to it. A cold wind was still blowing plus I want to let me hip stop hurting before I take walks. I saw a man jogging on the path, reminding me of one of the advantages of preserving the battlefield: it serves as a park for people who want to run or just walk in a nice quiet area.

I remember when this battlefield was mostly farmland and not accessible to the public. The first part of the park was acquired in 1995. Now Third Winchester Battlefield Park is around 600 acres.

The new monument and this portion of the trail system can be reached from Averell Avenue in Regency Lakes subdivision.

Sharing with the Fences Blog Hop.

I'm including a picture of one of the lakes in the subdivision. 

Since I was near Route 7, I decided to follow it to Berryville on the way home. I stopped at the historical marker for Harry F. Byrd near Rosemont. This marker was down for a long time and has now been replaced with a new marker.

While the marker is very similar to the old one, this sentence has been added: “He led Virginia's Massive Resistance to public school desegregation.” and “political machine” has become “political organization.”

Massive resistance was an effort to avoid integration by closing the public schools (1958-59). Eventually it failed and the schools were open to all children.

For more information:
This marker on HMDB. 
Massive Resistance in Wikipedia.

Russell Hastings Marker in Winchester

The Third Battle of Winchester ranged over a wide area and touring the entire battlefield today is best done partly on foot and partly by vehicle. The new battlefield park is east of I-81 but other sites lie about 3 miles away, within the city of Winchester and west of the interstate.

Portions of the battle took place near Fort Collier, whose earthworks still exist. Near there is a large industrial park, and inside a patch of grass surrounded by asphalt is a lone marker. It marks the site where a Union officer named Russell Hastings was wounded.
Hastings survived the bullet, which damaged his knee, and lived until 1904. He commissioned the marker after the war. The top of the marker reads Gen. Russell Hastings 23rd Ohio Inf. The side of the marker reads Wounded 19 Sept. 1864.

Hastings was adjutant general to Lt. Col. Rutherford B. Hayes (later President). After the war, Hastings was elected to the Ohio legislature and served in other public office until 1872. He remained friends with Hayes and also William McKinley. In 1878, Hastings married President Hayes' niece. See Hasting's bio with links to his memoirs.

You may notice that Third Winchester is called Battle of Opequan there, which should be spelled Opequon. The Opequon is a long meandering creek in the area, and locals pronounce it with the accent on the second syllable, uh-PECK-un. (I had thought it would sound like Occoquan, but there's no relationship except that both names were Native American words.) Anyway, the battle can be called either Third Winchester of Opequan.*

On the day we toured the battlefield, strong shadows made it impossible for me to get a clear photo of the marker, although I enjoy the odd appearance of this picture. You can see a conventional photograph of the marker along with location specifics on the HMDB page.

* For more about battles with alternate names, read this.

Walking Third Winchester

Today was beautifully warm, almost a shock for February. Naturally I wanted to take a walk but recent rains have left trails muddy. Knowing that there was a paved path at Third Winchester Battlefield, we headed there. The parking lot on Redbud Road was almost full, and we saw many people walking or riding bikes.

The Battlefield was preserved for its Civil War history but it is very much enjoyed as a park and natural area.

We saw many dogs on the trail, enjoying the outdoors with their owners. We only walked as far as Redbud Run. I've walked other portions of the trail on earlier occasions, starting at the school complex on First Woods Drive. (See all my Third Winchester posts.)

My tracking app said we walked 1.52 miles.

Redbud Run

Sharing with Weekend Reflections and Shadow Shot Sunday

and Sundays in My City and My Town Shootout

Third Winchester Tour Posted

I'm finally posting the Battle of Third Winchester pages on my Civil War Field Trips site. I put off doing it because I use a multi-page format for each trip and it takes a long time. This trip report actually took less time than the others because it was shorter than most so I got all the thumbnails on a single page.

Dr. Poland shortened that trip because a rain storm was approaching. We barely made it to Winchester as rain started. But we had enjoyed a pleasant morning in Harper's Ferry and en route to Winchester.

Lecture at Fort Collier, Winchester

Here we see Professor Jonathan Noyalas (on the right) telling the story of Fort Collier. He mentions that Yankee prisoners were put to work building the fort. They were taken at the Battle of Falling Waters in nearby West Virginia.

(This post is part of a series about the Battle of Opequon/ Third Winchester. See all Third Winchester posts.)

Brief video — Click Arrow to View

Heated Civil War Hospital Tents

LFCC Field Trip, 10/30/2010

We ended our Third Winchester Tour at Shawnee Springs Preserve, site of the Sheridan Field Hospital after the battle in 1864.

A few years ago, tents were erected there on platforms as part of a Civil War Living History event. Professor Noyalas explained that the hospital tents were heated from under the floor using a trench warmed by a fire pit at the end.

The Battle of Third Winchester (Opequon) resulted in thousands of casualties. It was the beginning of the end of Confederate control of the Shenandoah Valley.

Links:

• Drawings of Field Hospitals from Harper's Weekly
• My Page on Another 3rd Winchester Tour (NVCC)

October Landscape, 3rd Winchester Battlefield

Winchester, VA

The battlefield park for Third Winchester was in private hands until a few years ago, so it is not cluttered with monuments like some Civil War battlefields. The landscape is partly wooded and partly open fields.

Trails here can be reached from the First Woods parking area or the Redbud Road entrance. The graded trails are pleasant for walking but extensive enough for a nice hike. Although the park was opened primarily as a historic site, it is much enjoyed by local residents as a place to walk or ride bikes. There are no facilities as far as I know, so bring drinking water if you plan to spend the afternoon.

Below we see the Hackwood House. Originally built in 1777, it caught fire during the Third Battle of Winchester. Union troops used buildings on the site for a hospital, September 1864.

Path with Dogs and Fences, Third Winchester

Third Winchester Battlefield

Redbud Road Entrance

Site of a Civil War battle in September 1864.

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and Signs, Signs
and Thoughtless Thursday
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