Near Fredericksburg in Spotsylvania County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Union Counterattack
Photographed by Craig Swain, October 18, 2008
1. Union Counterattack Marker
On the morning of May 3, Col. Emlen Franklin's Union brigade shifted from south of the Orange Turnpike to this vicinity. Here, they met Pender and Thomas head on. Lt. Col. Jonathan H. Lockwood of the 7th Virginia (Union) remembered what happened when his brigade arrived and attacked the Confederate left flank: "We opened on them a volley of musketry that apparently shook the ground they walked on. We immediately charged them, putting them to flight." The Confederates fell back all the way to the earthworks where they had begun the attack, west of the modern visitor center.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is May 3, 1863.
Location. 38° 18.743′ N, 77° 38.428′ W. Marker is near Fredericksburg, Virginia, in Spotsylvania County. It can be reached from Plank Road (State Highway 3) north of Elys Ford Road (County Road 610), on the right when traveling west. The marker stands at trail stop six on the Chancellorsville History Trail, at the Chancellorsville Battlefield. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8920 Elys Ford 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: Flanking of Hays' Brigade (approx. 0.2 miles away); Chancellorsville Clearing (approx.
this page online
Also see . . . Battle of Chancellorsville. National Park Service page. (Submitted on October 22, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
Photographed by Craig Swain, October 18, 2008
2. Chancellorsville History Trail - Stop Six
Photographed by Craig Swain, October 18, 2008
3. Another View of the Marker Location
This is the view from the west along the trail. Note the marker is placed along the crest of a low ridge line.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 15, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 22, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,003 times since then and 22 times this year. Last updated on March 15, 2026, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 22, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
