Falmouth in Stafford County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Hard Hand of War
The Civil War in Stafford County
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Photographed by Evan Dwyer, April 29, 2025
1. Hard Hand of War Marker
Between 1861 and 1865, Stafford County experienced the hard hand of war. Huge Confederate and Union camps, supply depots, and fortifications transformed the county's landscape. Armed clashes occurred along the shores of the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers, in small hamlets, and along roads and railroads. County residents who joined Confederate military units fought and died in the places they knew from childhood, as well as on battlefields far from home.
Soldiers in blue and gray from other places came to Stafford County, enduring the drudgery of camp life and guard duty punctuated by periodic combat. On April 17-18, 1862, Union and Confederate forces skirmished several miles north of where you now stand. Southeast of here, from positions along the Stafford Heights, the Union's Army of the Potomac launched its ill-fated attack on Fredericksburg from December 11-15, 1862.
For some of the region's African American population, the war brought opportunities to escape enslavement and fulfill the promise of a better life. On April 18, 1862 (Good Friday), John Washington of Fredericksburg, vowing "to be a slave no more," joined
this page online
Erected by Virginia Civil War Trails.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1862.
Location. 38° 19.468′ N, 77° 28.387′ W. Marker is in Falmouth, Virginia, in Stafford County. It can be reached from Washington Street 0.1 miles south of Warrenton Road (Business U.S. 17), on the right when traveling south. This marker is in the parking lot for Gari Melchers Home and Studio (Belmont), operated as a museum by the University of Mary Washington. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 228 Washington Street, Fredericksburg VA 22405, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area, in Northern Virginia, and in the Piedmont. 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. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Gari Melchers and his wife Corinne (here, next to this marker); Caretaker Cottage (a few steps from this marker); Cow Barn, 1921 (a few steps from this marker); A Working Farm (a few steps from this marker); Preserving Meat (within shouting distance of this marker); Belmont's Horseshoe Staircase (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Welcome To Our Trails (about 300 feet away); A Family Memorial (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Falmouth.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 15, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 10, 2025, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 182 times since then and 20 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on May 10, 2025, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. A wide shot of the marker in context. • Can you help?
