Monterey in Highland County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Monterey
Headquarters Town
Monterey, the seat of Highland County government, also served as the headquarters for Confederate and Union forces at different times during the Civil War. Confederate Gen. Henry R. Jackson, who led a brigade under Gen. Robert E. Lee during the First Campaign (or Mountain Campaign) of 1861, established his headquarters here. In the winter of 1861-1862, skirmishes occurred across the county as the no-man's-land between the armies shifted from the Allegheny Mountains on today's state line to West View in Augusta County.
On April 6, 1862, Union Gen. Robert H. Milroy and his forces occupied Monterey, and Milroy used the Osborne Wilson-Fenn House on Main Street as his headquarters. The town remained in Federal hands until after the Battle of McDowell on May 8, 1862, near the beginning of Confederate Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's Shenandoah Valley Campaign.
Many western Virginians were ambivalent about choosing sides. Highland County's government waited until June 1862, after Jackson's success in driving the Federals from the Shenandoah Valley, to take the oath of allegiance to the Confederacy.
Erected by Virginia Civil War Trails.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Political Subdivisions
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Location. 38° 24.769′ N, 79° 34.938′ W. Marker is in Monterey, Virginia, in Highland County. Marker is on West Main Street (U.S. 250) just east of Spruce Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 165 W Main St, Monterey VA 24465, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Walk of Honor (a few steps from this marker); Highland County Confederate Monument (a few steps from this marker); The Charles Pinckney Jones Law Office (within shouting distance of this marker); The Charles Pinckney Jones House (within shouting distance of this marker); Highland Inn (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Camp Allegheny (approx. 7.1 miles away); The Mansion House (approx. 7.2 miles away); Highland County / West Virginia (approx. 7.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Monterey.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This marker has replaced the linked marker.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 9, 2021. It was originally submitted on May 9, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 145 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 9, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
