Leesburg in Loudoun County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Ball’s Bluff Masked Battery
Photographed by Craig Swain, March 10, 2007
1. Ball's Bluff Masked Battery Marker
Nearby is the likely site of the Confederate “masked battery” (concealed artillery) that was an object of Federal concern early in the Civil War. On 21 Oct. 1861, elements of the 13th Mississippi infantry near there engaged 35 horsemen of the 3rd New York Cavalry sent to draw attention from the Union force upriver at Ball’s Bluff and to reconnoiter Confederate positions in the direction of Leesburg. After a brief firefight, the New Yorkers withdrew to Edward’s Ferry. The Confederate victor at the Battle of Ball’s Bluff, Col. Nathan G. “Shanks” Evans, was later promoted to brigadier general while the Union commander, Brig. Gen. Charles P. Stone, was imprisoned at the scapegoat for the Federal defeat.
Erected 2005 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number T-51.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1861.
Location. 39° 6.837′ N, 77° 31.643′ W. Marker is in Leesburg, Virginia, in Loudoun County. It is at the intersection of Edwards Ferry Road and Battlefield Parkway, on the right when traveling west on Edwards Ferry Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Leesburg VA 20176, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area and in Northern Virginia. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers.
this page online
Regarding Ball’s Bluff Masked Battery. This marker is one of a set along the Balls Bluff Battlefield walking trail. See the Balls Bluff Virtual Tour by Markers link below for details on each stop.
Also see . . .
1. Battle of Ball's Bluff. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on May 9, 2024, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
2. Staff Ride Guide: The Battle of Ball's Bluff. U.S. Army Center of Military history PDF (Submitted on May 9, 2024, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
3. Gen. Nathan “Shanks” Evans. Marion County, SC in the War Between the States website entry (Submitted on July 1, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
4. Ball’s Bluff and the Fall of Charles Stone. Emerging Civil War website entry (Submitted on May 9, 2024, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
5. Balls Bluff Battlefield Virtual Tour by Marker
Photographed by Craig Swain, June 21, 2007
2. Ball's Bluff Masked Battery Marker
In the wooded area adjacent to the marker (right), an artillery camp supported both nearby Fort Evans and the Masked Battery. Pits where the winter huts stood are still evident.
Photographed by Craig Swain, January 17, 2009
3. Ball’s Bluff Masked Battery
The masked battery itself stands across Edwards Ferry Road, about 200 yards east of the marker location. The site is private property, but easily seen from the road.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 1, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 1, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 3,238 times since then and 46 times this year. Last updated on February 28, 2021, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 1, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 3. submitted on January 31, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
