Near Winchester in Frederick County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

War In The Backyard

Photographed By Bradley Owen, October 15, 2021

1. War In The Backyard Marker

Inscription.

War In The Backyard. . , When the First Battle of Kernstown took place, William Wood Glass was living on this farm. Just two months earlier, he had been discharged for health reasons after serving in the 51st Regiment, Virginia Militia under "Stonewall" Jackson. The opening of the 1860s were years of loss for Glass. His older sister had died in 1860. In the summer of 1861, while William was on active duty with his regiment, his wife died. His father passed away a few months later, leaving William to manage the farm. Then late in the afternoon of March 23, 1862, a battle was waged around a stone fence on his property.,

We walked over a portion of it - where the fight was the thickest… the trees were scarred all over and branches shot off […] the ground discolored by the blood of our men and Yanks also. I got a bullet that one of the Yanks fired at our men when our men were behind the stone wall - or fence rather … Mr. M. assisted to bury our men - 79 in a tiny trench - side by side and a rail fence around them … it was truly sad to see them - a haversack belonging to some of our men was lying on the ground by the fence, a piece of grey blanket and an old coat, part of a red flannel shirt… I brought away a piece of that stone fence - am going to preserve it. , Kate Sperry, a young woman from Winchester, writing in her diary about her visit to Rose Hill several days after the First Battle of Kernstown.

, [Sidebar:] , Other Civil War Action at Rose Hill , June 1863 - Northern and Southern troops moved through farm fields during the Second Battle of Winchester. , July 1864 - Northern and Southern troops moved through farm fields during Second Battle of Kernstown. , Early August 1864 - William Wood Glass sold grain to Southern troops. , August 17, 1864 - Northern Troops destroyed the barn, wheat and hay worth $2,590. , August 17, 1864 - Southern forces defeated Northern cavalry at Rose Hill. , Winter 1864-65 - Northern cavalry from Gen. George A. Custer's division camped here, burning 16,700 fence rails and 132 cords of wood worth $1,565. , , [Captions:] , Sarah Catherine "Kate" Sperry (1843-1886) was still a teenager, living in Winchester, when the First Battle of Kernstown took place. She kept a diary throughout the Civil War. - Courtesy Winchester Frederick County Historical Society, William Wood Glass (1835 - 1911) by Edward Caledon Bruce, about 1860. Rose Hill was the Glass family farm. , Courtesy Museum of the Shenandoah Valley., William Wood Glass lived in the Rose Hill farmhouse, pictured in the 1950s photograph (today a private home), during the First Battle of Kernstown and throughout the remainder of the Civil War.

When the First Battle of Kernstown took place, William Wood Glass was living on this farm. Just two months earlier, he had been discharged for health reasons after serving in the 51st Regiment, Virginia Militia under "Stonewall" Jackson. The opening of the 1860s were years of loss for Glass. His older sister had died in 1860. In the summer of 1861, while William was on active duty with his regiment, his wife died. His father passed away a few months later, leaving William to manage the farm. Then late in the afternoon of March 23, 1862, a battle was waged around a stone fence on his property.

We walked over a portion of it - where the fight was the thickest… the trees were scarred all over and branches shot off […] the ground discolored by the blood of our men and Yanks also. I got a bullet that one of the Yanks fired at our men when our men were behind the stone wall - or fence rather … Mr. M. assisted to bury our men - 79 in a tiny trench - side by side and a rail fence around them … it was truly sad to see them - a haversack belonging to some of our men was lying on the ground by the fence, a piece of grey blanket and an old coat, part of a red flannel shirt… I brought away a piece of that stone fence - am going to preserve it.
Kate Sperry, a young woman from Winchester, writing in
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her diary about her visit to Rose Hill several days after the First Battle of Kernstown.

[Sidebar:]
Other Civil War Action at Rose Hill
June 1863 - Northern and Southern troops moved through farm fields during the Second Battle of Winchester.
July 1864 - Northern and Southern troops moved through farm fields during Second Battle of Kernstown.
Early August 1864 - William Wood Glass sold grain to Southern troops.
August 17, 1864 - Northern Troops destroyed the barn, wheat and hay worth $2,590.
August 17, 1864 - Southern forces defeated Northern cavalry at Rose Hill.
Winter 1864-65 - Northern cavalry from Gen. George A. Custer's division camped here, burning 16,700 fence rails and 132 cords of wood worth $1,565.

[Captions:]
Sarah Catherine "Kate" Sperry (1843-1886) was still a teenager, living in Winchester, when the First Battle of Kernstown took place. She kept a diary throughout the Civil War. - Courtesy Winchester Frederick County Historical Society

William Wood Glass (1835 - 1911) by Edward Caledon Bruce, about 1860. Rose Hill was the Glass family farm.
Courtesy Museum of the Shenandoah Valley.

William Wood Glass lived in the Rose Hill farmhouse, pictured in the 1950s photograph

Photographed By Bradley Owen, October 15, 2021

2. War In The Backyard Marker

Rose Hill can be seen in the background.

(today a private home), during the First Battle of Kernstown and throughout the remainder of the Civil War.

Erected by Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (MSV).

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is March 23, 1862.

Location. 39° 9.133′ N, 78° 13.182′ W. Marker is near Winchester, Virginia, in Frederick County. Marker can be reached from Jones Road (Virginia Route 621) 0.6 miles south of Cedar Creek Grade (Virginia Route 622), on the right when traveling north. Marker is located on the walking trail at Rose Hill Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1871 Jones Road, Winchester VA 22602, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. How To See the Battlefield (within shouting distance of this marker); Rose Hill (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The First Battle Of Kernstown (about 400 feet away); Fight for the High Ground (about 500 feet away); Northern Victory, Southern Defeat (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Defense of the Stone Wall (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Order for Retreat (approx. ¼ mile away); The Advance of Tyler’s Brigade (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Winchester.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 3, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 2, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 203 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 2, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.