Oakland in Louisa in Louisa County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Clayton's Store
Sheridan's Camp
| | The Battle of Trevlian Station | |
Photographed by Evan Dwyer, June 11, 2026
1. Clayton's Store Marker
Union Gen. Wesley Merritt's brigade bivouacked south along the Marquis Road (Rte. 669, Ellisville Drive), with Merritt's headquarters at the Buck Chiles farm. Gen. George A. Custer's camps were farther south toward Louisa Court House, while Col. Thomas C. Devin encamped his brigade on the Woolfolk Farm on the Fredericksburg Road (Rte. 613, Oakland Road).
Sheridan planned to continue to nearby Gordonsville and Cobham Station on the Virginia Central Railroad the next day. One division, two brigades, and Sheridan's wagon train would move down this road to your left toward Trevilian Station. Custer's
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Photo Caption:
Sgt. Joshua P. Graffam, 1st Maine Cavalry, Gregg's Division, courtesy Library of Congress. While the cavalrymen were on picket duty here protecting the Union camps the night of June 10, they stumbled across a field of "fat cattle" and quickly harvested one or two. The next day would be one of the hardest for the men from Maine.
Courtesy Library of Congress
Erected by Virginia Civil War Trails.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is June 10, 1864.
Location. 38° 5.691′ N, 77° 59.918′ W. Marker is in Louisa, Virginia, in Louisa County. It is in Oakland. It is at the intersection of Ellisville Drive (County Route 669) and Oakland Road (County Route 613), on the right when traveling north on Ellisville Drive. Located at a pull off by the intersection, stop three on the self guided driving tour of the battlefield. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area:
Photographed by Evan Dwyer, June 11, 2026
2. Clayton's Store Marker
Context view. Clayton's Store (Sheridan's headquarters) was on the rise at distant right.
Regionally, this marker is in the Piedmont and in Central Virginia. 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 are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Bibb's Crossroads (approx. 2.8 miles away); a different marker also named First Contact (approx. 3.6 miles away); Netherland Tavern (approx. 4.4 miles away); The Netherland's Tavern (approx. 4½ miles away); Oakland Cemetery (approx. 4.6 miles away); Decisive Confederate Victory (approx. 4.6 miles away); Battle of Trevilians Memorial (approx. 4.6 miles away); Trevilians Schoolhouse (approx. 4.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Louisa.
Other markers no longer nearby. Clayton's Store (was within
Photographed by Evan Dwyer, June 11, 2026
3. Clayton's Store Marker
View from the marker towards the site of Clayton's Store. The original marker referred the reader to the house on the ridge for identifying where the store stood - but because of the growth of the tree (bush?) on the opposite side of the road, that house is now totally obscured from view.
More about this marker. This marker is an updated version of a previous Civil War Trails Marker (HMDB # 4843) that featured photographs of Gen. Merritt and Col. Devin instead of the photo of Sgt. Graffam.
Note also that, despite it being marked as a Civil War Trails site on both this marker and the previous version of same, the Poindexter House property remains in private hands and is not a trail site. There is, however, a trailhead for numerous hiking and horse trails owned by the Trevilian Station Battlefield Foundation on the east side of the road across from the Poindexter Farm.
Also see . . .
1. American Battlefield Trust - Trevilian Station. An authoritative source for information on the battle and battlefield preservation. (Submitted on August 14, 2026, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia.)
2. Trevilian Station Battlefield Foundation. The TSBF has worked to preserve core areas of the Trevilian Station Battlefield,
Photographed by Evan Dwyer, June 11, 2026
4. Merritt's Brigade Campground
Gen. Merritt's men camped in this vicinity, immediately east of the marker.
3. Battle of Trevilian Station Virtual Tour by Markers. A set markers of that document the Battle of Trevilian Station, June 11-12, 1864. The order of appearance is generally aligned to the Trevilian Station Battlefield Foundation driving tour, with accommodations made for convenience both in the town of Louisa at the beginning of the tour, and on the eastbound side of Route 33 headed back towards the cemetery. Because the C.G. Trevilian House at the 'modern' station does not have its own marker, reviewing this database for accompanying information when reading about the railroad tracks there is recommended for added interpretive value. (Submitted on August 14, 2026, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia.)
Photographed by Evan Dwyer, June 11, 2026
5. Dilapidated Garage
This mid-century cinderblock garage stands on the same corner as the marker and forms the basis for the parking area and a landmark for approaching drivers looking for the pull-off. It is very much a post-war structure and is not part of the battlefield, and remains private property.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 15, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 14, 2026, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 12 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 14, 2026, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia.
