Near Spotsylvania Courthouse in Spotsylvania County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Confederate Catastrophe
The Battle of Chancellorsville
— Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park —
Photographed By Craig Swain, November 10, 2007
1. Confederate Catastrophe Marker
Near this spot around 9:15 p.m. on the night of May 2, 1863, the Confederate cause suffered disaster. As "Stonewall" Jackson and his party returned from their reconnaissance down the Mountain Road, Confederate musketry erupted south of the Plank Road (Route 3). The scattered fire rippled northward, directly across Jackson's path.
A Confederate officer yelled, "Cease firing! You are firing into your own men!" Through the darkness, a voice shouted back: "Who gave that order? It's a lie! Pour it into them, boys!" The flash from dozens of rifles illuminated the darkness. Two bullets crashed into Jackson's left arm; a third pierced his right hand. Later that night his left arm would be amputated. On May 10, 1863, Jackson died in a farm office at Guinea Station.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is May 2, 1887.
Location. 38° 18.662′ N, 77° 38.988′ W. Marker is near Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia, in Spotsylvania County. Marker is on Plank Road / Germania Highway, on the right when traveling west. Located behind the Chancellorsville Visitors Center to the Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park,
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Chancellorsville Campaign (within shouting distance of this marker); The Battle of Chancellorsville (within shouting distance of this marker); Memorializing Jackson's Death (within shouting distance of this marker); Jackson Monuments (within shouting distance of this marker); A Fatal Reconnaissance (within shouting distance of this marker); Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Chancellorsville Campaign (within shouting distance of this marker); Jackson (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Spotsylvania Courthouse.
More about this marker. On the lower left, "This map shows the route of Jackson's fatal reconnaissance. You are standing near the spot where the general was shot."
On the upper right is "The last portrait of Jackson, taken at a Spotsylvania County farm about ten days before his mortal wounding. Mrs. Jackson regretted that the image showed 'a sternness to his countenance that was not natural.'"
In the lower center is a copy of a sketch showing the wounding incident. "After
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 17, 2021
2. Confederate Catastrophe Marker
The marker has weathered.
Regarding Confederate Catastrophe. This is one of several markers for the Battle of Chancellorsville along the Wounding of Stonewall Jackson walking trail. See the Wounding of Stonewall Jackson Tour by Markers in the links section for a listing of related markers on the tour.
Also see . . .
1. Jackson's Wounding. A map on this site points out the locations of the wounding in relation to modern landmarks. (Submitted on December 4, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
2. Wounding of Stonewall Jackson Virtual Tour by Markers. This virtual tour includes markers on the Wounding of Stonewall Jackson walking trail and sites associated with the Jackson's death on May 10, 1863. (Submitted on December 8, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
Photographed By Craig Swain, November 10, 2007
3. Confederate Catastrophe Marker
Photographed By Craig Swain, November 10, 2007
4. Location of Jackson's Wounding
Jackson was wounded at a spot within a few strides from the modern visitors center.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 21, 2012
5. Jackson's Raincoat
The raincoat that Gen. Jackson was wearing on the night of his wounding is on display at the VMI Museum in Lexington, Va.
Photographed By Brandon Fletcher, July 18, 2008
6. Visitor Center Illustration of Jackson's wounding
Photographed By Bradley Owen, October 17, 2016
7. Grave of Captain James Boswell
Located at the Confederate Cemetery in Fredericksburg, Virginia, Boswell was killed in the same “friendly fire” event that wounded Stonewall Jackson.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 9, 2021. It was originally submitted on December 4, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,844 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on December 4, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 2. submitted on April 20, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3, 4. submitted on December 4, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 5. submitted on August 24, 2012, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 6. submitted on July 25, 2015, by Brandon Fletcher of Chattanooga, Tennessee. 7. submitted on May 4, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.
