Bristow in Prince William County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Lee Catches Meade
Bristoe Station
At approximately 2 pm, the lead elements of Lee's army reached the hills in front of you. These men were part of Lt. Gen. Ambrose Powell Hill's Corps and they saw before them a rare opportunity to intercept and destroy a significant portion of the Union army. The Union Fifth Corps had crossed Broad Run off to your right, apparently in the process of withdrawing to Manassas Junction. After chasing the Army of the Potomac for nearly a week, Hill saw this as their last chance to strike a decisive blow.
With the Union troops resting unsuspecting of the Confederate approach, Hill ordered his three divisions (nearly 22,000 soldiers) forward and beckoned Lee to Bristoe with the rest of the Confederate army. Hill announced his presence to the Union force by placing artillery on the hill in front of you and began a furious cannonade on the surprised Union troops who quickly began to scatter and withdraw northward towards Manassas Junction. Hill ordered three brigades of Gen. Henry Heth's Division under Gen. William Kirkland, John Cooke and Henry Walker forward toward the retreating Union troops.
"It was aspontaneous retreat, including all branches of the service — Artillery, Cavalry, General and Staff officers all took their heels and beat a disgraceful retreat, crowding and pushing one another in painful disorder and eagerness to get beyond the range of the guns..."
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— Capt. Francis Donaldson, 118th Pennsylvania Infantry
Erected by Prince William County Department of Public Works, Historic Preservation Division.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil.
Location. 38° 43.652′ N, 77° 32.591′ W. Marker is in Bristow, Virginia, in Prince William County. Marker can be reached from 10th Alabama Way, 0.1 miles south of Iron Brigade Unit Avenue, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 11619 Iron Brigade Unit Ave, Bristow VA 20136, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Lee's Last Move North: The Bristoe Station Campaign of 1863 (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Bristoe 1863 Trail (about 300 feet away); Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park (about 300 feet away); Battles at Bristoe Station (about 400 feet away); Confederate Cemeteries (about 400 feet away); In the Footsteps of North Carolina
Credits. This page was last revised on August 17, 2020. It was originally submitted on June 13, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 187 times since then and 15 times this year. Last updated on August 16, 2020, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 13, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
