Port Republic in Rockingham County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Madison Hall
"Well, sir, go back and fight them"
| | Stonewall's Narrow Escape (June 8, 1862) | |
Photographed by Bradley Owen, August 29, 2026
1. Madison Hall Marker
When Union cavalrymen dashed into Port Republic on the morning of June 8, 1862, Confederate Gen. "Stonewall" Jackson was here at his headquarters at Madison Hall, which sat atop the hill in front of you. The army's critical supply train and cattle herds were sprawled out behind the house.
When the Union cavalry crossed into the village at 8:30 a.m., a 16-year-old soldier rode up to Madison Hall and reported the news to Jackson, who replied, "Well, sir, go back and fight them," then jumped on a horse and galloped down Main Street towards the critical covered bridge over the North River.
Partway there, he came across Dr. Hunter McGuire, who was confronting wavering ambulance drivers, using "some profane language" as he threatened to shoot the first man who left. The pious Jackson stopped and said, "Doctor, don't you think you can manage these men without swearing?"
Jackson made a razor-thin escape at the bridge and scrambled to rally troops to charge back into town, but the Confederate supply train was still at great risk. The commander of the Union cavalry, Col. Samuel Carroll, placed a cannon on Main Street,
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Meanwhile, farther east, the fighting around the covered bridge was moving towards a climax.
(Sidebar):
Madison Hall was built in the mid-1700s for John Madison, the first Court Clerk of Augusta County (which then included this area of Rockingham County). During the Civil War, it was the home of Dr. George W. Kemper, Sr. The building was razed in 1906; the current house was built with lumber salvaged from the original building.
(Captions):
The original Madison Hall.
John Walter Wayland Papers, Stewart Bell Jr. Archives, Handley Regional Library, Winchester.
Confederate Lt. Henry Kyd Douglas, one of Jackson's staff members, was at Madison Hall when the fighting broke out. "I escaped by some very swift riding," he wrote, "& as I waved adieu to [the Yankees] they returned the salute with a volley of shot from carbine & pistol."
Image courtesy Antietam National Battlefield.
Dr. Hunter McGuire. McGuire was captured during the action but escaped amidst the chaos.
Erected by The
Photographed by Bradley Owen, August 29, 2026
2. Madison Hall Marker
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable Buildings • War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is June 8, 1862.
Location. 38° 17.644′ N, 78° 49.217′ W. Marker is in Port Republic, Virginia, in Rockingham County. It is on Main Street (Virginia Route 605) 0.1 miles south of Leroy Road ( Route 605), on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8080 Main Street, Port Republic VA 24471, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. 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 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Riverside Graveyard (approx. Ό mile away); Palmer Lot at Middle Ford (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Frank Kemper House (approx. half a mile away); Port Republic Battlefield (approx. half a mile away); North River Bridge (approx. 0.6 miles away); The Point (approx. 0.6 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 2 miles away); a different marker also named Veterans Memorial (approx. 2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Port Republic.
Other markers no longer nearby. Madison Hall (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Port Republic Foundry (was about 800 feet away, measured in a direct line but has been confirmed missing); a different marker also named Riverside Graveyard (was approx. Ό mile away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named The Frank Kemper House (was approx. half a mile away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Historic District (was approx. half a mile away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named North River Bridge (was approx. 0.6 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This marker has replaced another at this location.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 31, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 31, 2026, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 31, 2026, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.
