Near Chancellorsville in Spotsylvania County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Confederate Breakthrough
Photographed by Craig Swain, October 18, 2008
1. Confederate Breakthrough Marker
At about 7:00 a.m. on May 3, a dangerous gap in the Union line opened near the Orange Turnpike, Ό mile to your right. Federal troops on your right, led by Hiram Berry, retreated about ½ mile and established a new position. The blue-clad soldiers on your left under Brig. Gen. Joseph Revere, grandson of the Massachusetts patriot, did not withdraw in time. Three Confederate brigades swept across the ground in front of you and smashed into Revere's exposed flank. Separated from the rest of the division and short of ammunition, Revere made the controversial decision to march his men off the field.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1970.
Location. 38° 18.692′ N, 77° 38.752′ W. Marker is near Chancellorsville, Virginia, in Spotsylvania County. It can be reached from Plank Road (State Highway 3) east of Bullock Road, on the right when traveling west. Located at trail stop four on the Chancellorsville History Trail, at the Chancellorsville Battlefield. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8613 Plank Rd, Spotsylvania VA 22553, 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: Junction of Earthworks (within shouting distance of this marker); The Union Army Escapes (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Flanking of Hays' Brigade
this page online
Also see . . . Battle of Chancellorsville. National Park Service site. (Submitted on October 21, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
Photographed by Craig Swain, October 18, 2008
2. Chancellorsville History Trail - Stop Four
Photographed by Craig Swain, October 18, 2008
3. The Wilderness
Looking at a spot just east of the marker along the trail. The growth here is many generations removed from what it looked like at the time of the battle. Still the dense undergrowth restricts visibility. In this environment, it was easy for units to become confused and disconnected with adjacent units.
Photographed by Craig Swain, October 18, 2008
4. Section of Earthworks near the Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on March 15, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 21, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,137 times since then and 16 times this year. Last updated on March 15, 2026, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 21, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
