Near West Point in King William County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Campaign of 1781

Lafayette's Encampment

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, December 22, 2009

1. Campaign of 1781 Marker

Inscription. On 13 August 1781, the Marquis de Lafayette encamped his army in King William County. He placed his militia four miles east between the Pamunkey and Mattaponi Rivers and stationed his light infantry - commanded by Gen. John Peter Gabriel Muhlenburg and Lt. Col. Christian Febiger - a mile south of here. From these positions Lafayette spied on the British army under Gen. Charles Cornwallis entrenching downriver at Yorktown, and prepared to block its escape routes. Early in September, Gen. George Washington and his army arrived from the north, accompanied by Rochambeau's French forces, to join Lafayette and begin the siege of Yorktown.

Erected 1997 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number OC-22.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Patriots & Patriotism • War, US Revolutionary. In addition, it is included in the The Washington-Rochambeau Route, and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1781.

Location. 37° 35.506′ N, 76° 53.797′ W. Marker is near West Point, Virginia, in King William County. It is at the intersection of King William Road (Virginia Route 30) and Sweet Hall Road ( Route 634), on the right when traveling

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west on King William Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: West Point VA 23181, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Virginia’s Middle Peninsula.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in the Tidewater,

and in the Chesapeake Bay Region.

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. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: St. John's Church (approx. 2.2 miles away); a different marker also named Campaign of 1781 (approx. 3 miles away); Uttamusack (approx. 3.2 miles away); Mattaponi Indians (approx. 4.6 miles away); Lanesville Christadelphian Church (approx. 4.8 miles away); Carriage House (approx. 5.4 miles away); Eastern View Schoolhouse (approx. 5.4 miles away); Trice Mill Stones (approx. 5½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in West Point.

King William Road & Sweet Hall Road image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, December 22, 2009

2. King William Road & Sweet Hall Road

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on December 25, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,340 times since then and 37 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 25, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.