Brandy Station in Culpeper County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Battle of Brandy Station

St. James Church Trail

Photographed by Mike McKeown, August 2, 2025

1. Battle of Brandy Station Marker

Inscription. Welcome to the Brandy Station battlefield. If you stood here on June 9, 1863, you would have beheld a scene of terrible carnage as horsemen in blue and gray clashed in the largest cavalry battle of the Civil War. You could have seen the Union commander, Gen. Alfred Pleasonton, make his headquarters at the Gee house, which stood a short distance to your right. The Battle of Brandy Station proved to be the opening engagement of the Gettysburg Campaign and later that year, after months of arduous marching across Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, the Union Army of the Potomac sprawled around you in a massive winter encampment.

The beautiful fields before you were once slated for commercial development, but the American Battlefield Trust and its preservation partners stepped in to purchase this historic acreage. Since its founding in 1987, the American Battlefield Trust has preserved more than 60,000 acres of historic battlefield land. This battlefield will be incorporated into Virginia State Parks in 2024. As you walk this now peaceful ground, take time to contemplate- and remember the ordinary Americans who performed extraordinary deeds and their vital role to our country's story.

(caption) This one-mile loop trail takes you past wayside exhibits interpreting the 1863 fighting at St. James Church and

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the 1863-64 Winter Encampment. Please stroll this trail with reverence and respect for the soldiers who fought and died on the St. James Plateau. Allow at least one hour to walk the grassy trail; please do not stray from the path. Beware of ticks, snakes and other wildlife that thrive in the surrounding fields.

Erected by American Battlefield Trust.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is June 9, 1863.

Location. 38° 31.321′ N, 77° 51.946′ W. Marker is in Brandy Station, Virginia, in Culpeper County. It is on St James Church Road west of Beverly Ford Road, on the right when traveling west. Located next to the parking lot for the Battle of Brandy Station, St. James Church Walking Trail. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Brandy Station VA 22714, 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. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A different marker also named Battle of Brandy Station (here, next to this marker); Lee's Forgotten Warrior (about 400 feet away); a different marker also named Battle of Brandy Station (about 800 feet away); St. James Episcopal Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named Battle of Brandy Station (approx. 0.3 miles away); a different marker also named The 1863-64 Winter Encampment

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(approx. 0.4 miles away); a different marker also named The Battle of Brandy Station (approx. half a mile away); a different marker also named Battle of Brandy Station (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Brandy Station.

Other markers no longer nearby. Battle of Brandy Station (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); The 1863-64 Winter Encampment (was about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line but has been permanently removed); a different marker also named The Battle of Brandy Station (was approx. ¼ mile away but has been permanently removed).

Also see . . . Brandy Station Battlefield (American Battlefield Trust). (Submitted on August 2, 2025, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland.)

Credits. This page was last revised on August 8, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 2, 2025, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 123 times since then and 25 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on August 2, 2025, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.