| Virginia (Augusta County), Churchville — W156 — James Edward Hanger |
| | Born near Churchville on 25 Feb. 1843, Hanger joined the Churchville Cavalry at Phillipi, W.Va., on 2 June 1861, where the next morning he was wounded. The resulting amputation of his leg was probably the first of the Civil War. He convalesced at his parents' house, which stood nearby. Within three months he had invented the first artificial limb modeled on the human leg and hinged at the knee. Hanger constructed factories in Staunton and France and England. On 15 June 1919 he died and was buried in Washington, D.C., his home since 1906. — Map (db m15905) |
| Virginia (Augusta County), Churchville — Mountain House — Jackson's March — 1862 Valley Campaign |
| | The Battle of McDowell began three miles to the southeast (near the intersection of Routes 629 and 716) when Confederates were fired upon by Union cavalry on May 7, 1862. After skirmishing, Federals rushed to the base camp here, sounding the alarm as they rode through. A Northern cavalryman wrote, “Our company was the only company in the fight. They were the furthest company out – five miles beyond Shenandoah Mountain. They were cut off by Johnson’s force, and the only way they had . . . — Map (db m16657) |
| Virginia (Augusta County), Dooms — JD-14 — Jarman's Gap |
| | Five miles east, formerly known as Woods’ Gap. Michael Woods, his three sons and three Wallace sons-in-law (Andrew, Peter, William), coming from Pennsylvania via Shenandoah Valley, crossed through this pass into Albemarle County in 1784 – pioneers in settling this section. In 1780-81 British prisoners taken at Saratoga went through this gap en route to Winchester. In June 1862 part of Jackson’s army, moving to join Lee at Richmond, used this passage — Map (db m16644) |
| Virginia (Augusta County), Fishersville — W-155 — Tinkling Spring Church |
| | This was first the Southern Branch of the “Triple Forks of Shenandoah” Congregation, which called John Craig as pastor in 1741. A church was completed here about 1748; two other buildings have succeeded it. Beginning with 1777, James Waddel, the noted blind preacher, was supply for some years. R.L. Dabney, of Stonewall Jackson’s staff, was the minister here, 1847-1852. — Map (db m16437) |
| Virginia (Augusta County), Fort Defiance — A-100 — Augusta Military Academy |
| | Soon after the Civil War ended In 1865, Confederate veteran Charles S. Roller began teaching at the Old Stone Church nearby at Ft. Defiance. By 1874 he had founded Augusta Male Academy and incorporated military discipline into its classical curriculum by 1880. Roller renamed it Augusta Military Academy in 1890; it was the first military preparatory school in Virginia. In 1919, the Academy was among the first schools in America to adopt a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program. The . . . — Map (db m11900) |
| Virginia (Augusta County), Mount Solon — D 40 — Mossy Creek |
| | Colonists first settled Mossy Creek in the 1740s. Mossy Creek Iron Works was founded by 1775, when partners Henry Miller and Mark Bird began operating an iron furnace, forge, and mills here. The ironworks became an important industrial enterprise and produced pig iron and finished pieces that were sold throughout western Virginia. Bird sold his interest in the ironworks to Miller in 1779. A community grew up around the ironworks, which likely ceased operation during the Civil War. By 1852 the . . . — Map (db m1841) |
| Virginia (Augusta County), New Hope — Battle of Piedmont — Final Action at New Hope |
| | The Battle of Piedmont, fought on June 5, 1864 between Union Gen. David Hunter and Confederate Gen. William E. "Grumble" Jones. ended here. It began more than a mile northeast when the 12,000-man strong Federal army, whose mission was to scour the Shenandoah Valley of Confederates and then destroy the rail center at Charlottesville, encountered Jones's combined force of 6,000 infantry and cavalry. The third Union assault uphill against Jones's fortified line ended in Confederate disaster when . . . — Map (db m8250) |
| Virginia (Augusta County), New Hope — Piedmont Battlefield |
| | Here on June 5, 1864, was fought the Battle of Piedmont for the possession of Staunton.
Union Forces under Gen. David Hunter 12,015 men and suffered a loss of 130 killed and 650 wounded. Confederate forces numbering 5,600 men under Gen. W.E.Jones defeated with loss 460 killed, 1450 wounded and 1,000 prisoners. Gen Jones was killed near this spot. — Map (db m4237) |
| Virginia (Augusta County), Raphine — A 31 — Old Providence Church |
| | Two and a half miles northwest. As early as 1748 a log meeting house stood there. In 1793 a stone church (still standing) was built. In 1859 it was succeeded by a brick church, which gave way to the present building in 1918. In the graveyard rest ancestors of Cyrus McCormick, inventor of the reaper, and fourteen Revolutionary soldiers. — Map (db m23759) |
| Virginia (Augusta County), Swoope — West View — Confederate Camps — 1862 Valley Campaign |
| | In 1862, West View was a village of about 15 buildings including a flour mill, post office, store, wagon shop and saw mills. About 3,000 soldiers camped in the surrounding fields from April 20 to May 6. Confederates under Gen. Edward “Alleghany” Johnson withdrew to this area in April 1862, after they abandoned Camp Allegheny, 58 miles west of here at the present-day West Virginia border. Federals under Gen. Robert Milroy followed Johnson on the Staunton-to-Parkersburg Turnpike, . . . — Map (db m15788) |
| Virginia (Augusta County), Verona — A-99 — Willow Spout |
| | Here stood, from the early 19th century until the mid-1900s, the tavern and stagecoach stop first owned by Peter Hanger. In 1848 its second proprietor, Samuel Harnsbarger, planted a willow tree in a spring here, across the newly-constructed Valley Turnpike from the tollhouse. Spring water flowed up the trunk and out a spout driven in its side, falling unto a wooden trough. For more than a century, three successive “willow spouts” provided water for thirsty travelers, horses, and automobiles. — Map (db m11811) |
| Virginia (Augusta County), Waynesboro — Z-111 — Nelson County / Augusta County |
| | Nelson County. Nelson County was named for Thomas Nelson, Governor of Virginia from June to November, 1871. It was formed in 1807 from Amherst County. Oak Ridge, birthplace of William Cabell Rives and later the residence of Thomas Fortune Ryan, is located near Lovington, the county seat. The area of the county’s 471 square miles.
Augusta County. Augusta County was named in honor of Princess Augusta, mother of George III. It was formed from Orange County in 1738 but because of the . . . — Map (db m21701) |
| Virginia (Augusta County), West Augusta — "It was cold business" |
| | February 23, 1862
My Dear Penelope,
I write a few lines this morning to let you know that I am well & doing as well as I have since Iv been in the service. Well, Dear, wee had an alarm Friday knight about two oclock, and the way wee got around quick untwill we were all way ready was a site. The regiment formed & was ready in ten minutes. March up to the intrenchments, got in the ditches and they were hald full of snow. It was cold business, sure. I marked time for three hours to keep my . . . — Map (db m16776) |
| Virginia (Augusta County), West Augusta — “… to go wee did not know where” |
| | On April 20, 1862, the Confederate garrison left Fort Johnson to protect Staunton, and to avoid being cut off from the rear by another advancing Union Army. Lt. Pryor describes the retreat from the mountain.
Camp at Westview, 7 mil N, Of Staunton
My Dear Penelope, I take the opportunity this morning to let you know what weev been doing since I last wrote you. Wee were lying quietly at Camp Shenandoah. Gen. Jackson dispatched to Gen. Johnson to meet him at Harrisonburg. Johnson went in 6 . . . — Map (db m16783) |
| Virginia (Augusta County), West Augusta — “We had a hardscrabble up…” |
| | Union forces now occupied Fort Johnson and were moving to capture Staunton. “Stonewall” Jackson, moving with speed and secrecy, had arrived at the foot of Shenandoah Mountain and moved west to defeat Union Generals John C. Fremont and R.H. Milroy at the Battle of McDowell two days later on May 9, 1862. Major Jedediah Hotchkiss, Jackson’s mapmaker, tells how he led an attack on Fort Johnson up the steep slopes below it: Wednesday, May 7th. The General and part of the staff . . . — Map (db m16784) |
| Virginia (Augusta County), West Augusta — “Wee are faring badly…” |
| | Camp Shenandoah April 9th, 1862 My Dear Penelope, I take the opportunity this morning to write you a few lines to let you know that I am yet in the land of the living and enjoying good health. I thought last week that it was done snowing up here, but wee are now having an awful time certain. The citazens say this is about the last snow that will be here this spring. It is sleeting now fast & sleet is about 4 inches deep now. Wee are faring badly now in tents, I assure you. Cant stay by the . . . — Map (db m16777) |
| Virginia (Augusta County), West Augusta — “Wee are now looking out for a fight…” |
| | Camp Shenandoah April 18th, 1862 My Dear Penelope, I take the opportunity this evening to write you a few lines to let you know that I am yet in the land of the living &, thank God, enjoying good health. Wee are now looking out for a fight here; wee had yesterday morning an alarm. Wee had to march up to the top of the mountain about ten oclock – it was quite warm – it is four miles, I think. I never suffered so much with heat before in my life. They on the top have a signal when . . . — Map (db m16781) |
| Virginia (Augusta County), West Augusta — W 149 — Fort Edward Johnson |
| | Confederate troops, the remnant of the Army of the Northwest commanded by Brig. Gen. Edward “Allegheny” Johnson, constructed this fortification about 1 Apr. 1862 to protect the Shenandoah Valley, the “Breadbasket of the Confederacy.” Federal troops briefly occupied the fort after he withdrew to West View near Staunton later that month. With Maj. Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson’s Army of the Shenandoah, Johnson’s command confronted Union forces under Brig. . . . — Map (db m15791) |
| Virginia (Augusta County), West Augusta — Healing the Wounds |
| | After surviving the Battle of McDowell, in which he lost many comrades, Lt. “Shep” Pryor was later wounded in battle near Culpepper, Virginia. He survived the war, returned to his beloved Penelope, and became Sheriff of Sumter County, Georgia. Lt. Pryor died on May 2, 1911 at the age of 82. The 12th Georgia Volunteer Infantry fought with honor in Jackson’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign and then moved on to fight with the Army of Northern Virginia, General Early’s Shenandoah Valley . . . — Map (db m16785) |
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