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| Add Photo — Add Link — Add Commentary — Correct this page — Print | | Near Luray in Page County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic) |
White House Bridge
Critical Crossing
— 1862 Valley Campaign —
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By J. J. Prats, September 29, 2006 | |
| | | 1. White House Bridge Marker | | |
Inscription. On May 21, 1862. Confederate Gen. Thomas J.
“Stonewall” Jackson’s Valley Army plodded north
along this road to threaten Front Royal and out
flank Union Gen. Nathaniel Bank’s position at Strasburg. With the addition of Gen. Richard S.
Ewell’s division, Jackson’s command numbered
nearly 17,000 men and 50 guns. Philip Kauffman,
a young man at the time, remembered the Confederates as they crossed the Shenandoah River
on the White House Bridge and: “...Stonewall
himself as he ran the gauntlet, with bared head,
through the marching columns of his ‘foot cavalry.’
His faded gray uniform with stars on the collar,
his black beard and uncovered head, as he loped
by the White House on Old Sorrel, are as fresh
in my mind as on that day.”
Jackson’s Valley Army reached Front Royal
May 23. There, aided by spy Belle Boyd, it overwhelmed Banks’ 1,000-man detachment and
continued toward Winchester to attack the main
Union army, now in full retreat from Strasburg.
Jackson’s success was complete. He had defeated
and driven Banks from the Valley and alarmed
the Lincoln administration. In response to Jackson’s bold moves, a two-pronged Federal advance
was to converge at Strasburg in an attempt to
cut off Jackson’s line of withdrawal south.
Jackson marched south to escape. Two
Federal | | | | 
By J. J. Prats, September 29, 2006 | |
| | | 2. White House Bridge Marker | | Massanutten Mountain is in the background. | | |
columns followed in close pursuit—Gen.
John C. Fremont on the Valley Pike and Gen.
James Shields in the Page Valley. If Shields could
march quickly enough to overtake Jackson's force
in the main Valley. he and Fremont could unite
and attack with a superior force. To prevent this
combination, Jackson ordered his cavalry commander, Turner Ashby, to destroy both the White
House and Columbia bridges. Ashby dispatched
Capt. Samuel Coyner’s Page County Company
which rode through “one of the most dreadful
thunderstorms” in time to burn the White House
Bridge at 4 a.m. on June 2—only one hour before
Shields’ advance guard reached the swollen river.
Shields, delayed for three days by the rising river,
was forced to abandon his plan to join Fremont
at New Market. Jackson defeated Fremont’s and
Shields’ commands separately at Cross Keys and
Port Republic June 8-9.
White House Bridge takes its name from
the small building immediately north of the
present-day bridge. This early structure was the
first home of pioneer Martin Kauffman. For a time
it served as a meeting house where, as a minister,
Kauffman served a Mennonite congregation.
Erected by Virginia Civil War Trails.
Marker series. This marker is included in the Virginia Civil War Trails marker series.
Location. | | | | 
By Robert H. Moore, II | |
| | | 3. White House Bridge Marker | | |
38° 38.858′ N, 78° 31.873′ W. Marker is near Luray, Virginia, in Page County. Marker is on U.S. 211 west of the U.S. Route 380 South turnoff, on the right when traveling west. Click for map. Marker is in this post office area: Luray VA 22835, United States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 5 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, as the crow flies. White House (a few steps from this marker); The Reverend John Roads (Rhodes) (within shouting distance of this marker); Massanutton (approx. 0.6 miles away); Calendine (approx. 1.2 miles away); Mauck Meeting House (approx. 1.3 miles away). Click for a list of all markers in Luray.
More about this marker. In the center of the marker is a campaign map of the Shenandoah Valley with an inset photo of the White House.
Regarding White House Bridge. This marker is one of several detailing Civil War activities in Page County, Virginia. Please see the Page County Civil War Markers link below.
Also see . . .
1. Page County Civil War Markers. (Submitted on February 25, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
2. Avenue of Armies: Civil War Sites and Stories of Luray and Page County ,Virginia. (Submitted on March 20, 2009, by Robert H. Moore, II of Winchester, Virginia.)
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By Robert H. Moore, II, circa 2001 | |
| | | 4. Remains of the east abutment of the old White House bridge | | |
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By Craig Swain, October 4, 2008 | |
| | | 5. White House | | The White House just upstream of the modern bridge. The old bridge crossed between the house and the modern bridge. Some sources indicate the bridge was covered, but this cannot be confirmed. | | |
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By Robert H. Moore, II, circa 2001 | |
| | | 6. South abutment of the old Columbia Bridge, near Honeyville and Alma | | |
| | | | | | | 7. Capt. Samuel Brown Coyner | | From Confederate Veteran Magazine, Vol. 3. | | |
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By J. J. Prats, September 29, 2006 | |
| | | 8. Current U.S. 211 River Crossing | | |
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By Bronwyn Pettit, December 19, 2008 | |
| | | 9. White House | | |
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Credits. This page originally submitted on January 3, 2007, by J. J. Prats of Springfield, Virginia. This page has been viewed 3,613 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 3, 2007, by J. J. Prats of Springfield, Virginia. 3. submitted on January 13, 2009, by Robert H. Moore, II of Winchester, Virginia. 4. submitted on February 6, 2009, by Robert H. Moore, II of Winchester, Virginia. 5. submitted on October 13, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 6, 7. submitted on February 6, 2009, by Robert H. Moore, II of Winchester, Virginia. 8. submitted on January 3, 2007, by J. J. Prats of Springfield, Virginia. 9. submitted on December 20, 2008, by Bronwyn Pettit of Luray, Virginia.
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