Opequon Church

This church at Kernstown stands on historic ground. A church was built here in 1732. It is the oldest Presbyterian Church west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and is called the
"Mother Church of the Valley."

During the Civil War, the church was damaged by battles and was even used as a stable. In 1873, it burned down but was eventually rebuilt.

By the way, Opequon Creek is nearby, but it flows for a long distance and the "Battle of Opequon" (Third Winchester) took place north and east of here.

The picture below is one I altered in Photoshop because the landscape reminded me of an impressionist painting.

Links:

• See a painting of this church by Mort Kuntsler
• Opequon Church Marker at HMDB
• Opequon Church Website
• Map of Opequon Creek
• Read all my posts on Opequon-Winchester

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
  

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

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.

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

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

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.

Opequon Creek

This is the Opequon Creek as seen from Route 7 at the Frederick/Clarke County line. Not to be confused with the Occoquan River farther south, it is an historic body of water.


It was named for the Opequon tribe. George Washington spelled it Opeckon on a 1766 survey. It was a significant geographic feature in the Battle of Third Winchester, also called the Battle of Opequon.

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

Cow and Battlefield

These pictures are from the same general location as yesterday's post from Redbud Road. There's a very nice park there just north of Winchester. Extensive walking trails cross a portion of the Civil War battlefield. Even if you know nothing about the third battle of Winchester (also called the Battle of Opequon, after the river), the park offers pleasant walks and bird watching.

In case you are wondering, the battle took place in 1864, involved cavalry charges, and was a significant Union victory.

See posts about "Third Winchester."

See Gosia's Fence linkup.

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)

Behind the Opequon Church

The Opequon Presbyterian Church is next to Kernstown Battlefield just south of Winchester.  I've written about it before.

There's an old cemetery next to the church and a much smaller one behind it. As you can see, this tiny plot is close to a housing development.  The houses are designed for people over the age of 55.

Several of the markers are for members of the Cruickshank family. This one tells us that Elizabeth Cruickshank was born in Scotland in 1845.

From the church we can see the old farm that lies on the Kernstown Battlefield, site of two Civil War battles.

Visit the Kernstown Battlefield website.

Sharing with InSpired Sunday and The Barn Collective

Opequon Church, Kernstown Barns.

Opequon Presbyterian Church is in Kernstown, a historic town that has been absorbed into Winchester. The original church, which burned in 1873, is mentioned in Civil War accounts of the Battle of Kernstown. (See my January 2009 post.)

A cute blessing box has been added in front of the church. A shelf for give-away books is inside with a larger area for free food.

On the back of the stone church is a sprawling addition.

InSpired Sunday.

From the church parking lot you can see Kernstown Battlefield. This large barn was not there at the time of the battle.

At the other end of the battlefield is Rose Hill Park, which has a walking trail that takes you past battlefield sites and a farm.

Since I'm linking to the Barn Collective today, let me show you one more barn. This is near Boyce and I've wanted to photograph it for some time but it's on a busy road. Last week I saw "For Sale" sign at a house being built nearby so I pulled off at the driveway and got a picture.

Viewing Kernstown Battlefield

Here are three well-marked places to view the Kernstown Battlefield. They all have historical markers, but the previously-mentioned Opequon Church is the most accessible in that the parking lot is always open. You can find it behind the 7-11 in Kernstown; watch for the sign to the Civil War marker.

Right: Battlefield seen from Opequon Church. Below: View from the Pritchard-Grim Farm in Kernstown, now a battlefield park. Plan to visit between May and October (weekends are your best bet).
	Left: Historical Marker at Winchester's Rose Hill Farm, Jones Road near Cedar Creek Grade (not far from Route 37). Significant in the First Battle of Kernstown, this farm is the site of Jackson's dispute with Garnett.

Rose Hill farm is occasionally open to visitors for a walking tour; see the Museum of the Shenandoah's website. A map and more information can be found on Historical Marker= Database (marker #2646).

See also my previous post on the Pritchard-Grim Farm.

Color in Kernstown

The town of Kernstown has been pretty much swallowed up by the city of Winchester. It is still known for Civil War battles that took place there in 1862 and 1864.

I stopped there on Thursday and noticed that irises were still blooming at Popeye’s.

I took a picture of Kernstown Battlefield from the Opequon Church parking lot.