Orange in Orange County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Gen. R.E. Lee

Photographed by Evan Dwyer, November 15, 2025

1. Gen. R.E. Lee Marker

Inscription. Gen. R.E. Lee tied "Traveller" to this tree regularly when he attended services in St. Thomas Church Winter of 1863-1864

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Religion & Religious Structures • War, US Civil. A significant historical year for this entry is 1863.

Location. 38° 14.635′ N, 78° 6.803′ W. Marker is in Orange, Virginia, in Orange County. It is on Caroline Street (Virginia Route 20) south of West Main Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 119 Caroline Street, Orange VA 22960, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Northern Virginia

and in the Piedmont.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in 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

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are within walking distance of this marker: St. Thomas Church (a few steps from this marker); Lafayette’s Tour (within shouting distance of this marker); Capt. Andrew Maples Jr., Tuskegee Airman (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Montpelier and Madison's Tomb (about 700 feet away); World War I Memorial (about 700 feet away); Korean War Memorial (about 700 feet away); World War II Memorial (about 700 feet away); Honoring the People of Orange County (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Orange.

More about this marker. The marker is on the brick wall between the property of St. Thomas Episcopal Church and the private residence at 109 Caroline Street. It is on the church side of the wall.

Regarding Gen. R.E. Lee. The tree indicated by the marker likely no longer stands - the parish history says “Lee is known to have tied his horse, Traveller, to a locust tree on the church grounds when attending St. Thomas’s, and a locust continues to stand at that spot today" - language which, when coupled with the small size of the gnarled locust tree just beyond the marker, does not lend confidence

Photographed by Evan Dwyer, November 15, 2025

2. Gen. R.E. Lee Marker

Marker is on the wall with the subject locust tree "Lee's Locust" - or rather its descendant - immediately beyond in the neighboring yard.

to that tree still surviving. 150 years would be quite old for a locust and it should, probably, have a substantially thicker trunk than the example that stands there. The original tree was at least still standing in the 1965, when it was noted by the Orange local newspaper as having been damaged in a storm. The tree there now is doubtless grown from the stump or roots of the original.

"Lee's Locust" image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Evan Dwyer, November 15, 2025

3. "Lee's Locust"

This is the tree referenced by the marker, though, as noted elsewhere on this page, it is more likely a descendant of the tree that Traveller was physically hitched to - it was noted as being "massive" in 1965 and this tree is decidedly not massive, though it is gnarled and seems to have had a rough go of it.

St. Thomas Episcopal Church image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Evan Dwyer, November 15, 2025

4. St. Thomas Episcopal Church

The marker and tree are just out of frame to the left of the parking area at lower left. The church itself was completed in 1834 and hosted Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee, A.P. Hill, and Robert Rhodes, among others, in the winter of 1863-64 while the Army of Northern Virginia was camped in Orange County. Jefferson Davis also attended once. Following the battles of Cedar Mountain, Chancellorsville, The Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Courthouse, the church was used as a temporary hospital.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 19, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 12, 2025, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 61 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 12, 2025, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.