Dumfries in Prince William County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Dumfries - Love’s Tavern

Dumfries Civil War Trails Marker image. Click for full size.

October 28, 2007

1. Dumfries Civil War Trails Marker

Inscription.

Dumfries - Love’s Tavern. . Dumfries, an important Potomac River port chartered in 1749, became strategically significant in the autumn of 1861 when Confederate forces built batteries along the Potomac River nearby to blockade Washington, D.C. Gen. William H.C. Whiting, commanding Confederate forces, established his headquarters here at Love’s Tavern (Williams’s Ordinary) while winter camps were erected around Dumfries. After the Confederates evacuated the town in March 1862, Col. Charles Candy’s Federal troops moved in., On December 27, 1862, Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuart and 1,800 cavalry troopers attacked the Federal garrisons at Dumfries and Occoquan. Part of Stuart’s command, led by Gens. Fitzhugh Lee and W.H.F. Rooney Lee, assaulted Dumfries from the north and south. Stuart’s Horse Artillery bombarded the town, destroying many buildings, but Candy’s Federals repulsed numerous attacks. The losses on both sides were relatively light., (caption of picture on left) , McDowell Map of Northern Virginia, 1862 Courtesy Library of Congress, The Confederates shelled the town until dark and the next morning moved north to join their comrades then riding into Fairfax County, where Stuart engaged the Union garrison at Occoquan and captured supplies at Burke Station. Dumfries remained under Federal control for the rest of the war, but various Confederate partisan bands launched attacks periodically until the close of the war., (caption of picture, upper right) , Civil War Dumfries, Harper's Weekly sketch by A.R. Waud - Courtesy George Mason University, “Gen. Johnston arrived here [Dumfries] this evening, and is now staying at Gen. Whiting’s head quarters. He will remain here a day or two inspecting the army and then return to Centreville. His arrival has been a course of much rejoicing, and hundreds have been in town today, to get a glimpse of their Chief. They will have an opportunity tomorrow.” – Times dispatch, November 27, 1861, (caption of pictures, lower right) , Gen. W.H.C. Whiting . Col Charles Candy . Gen. Fitzhugh Lee . Gen. W.H.F. Rooney Lee , All courtesy of Library of Congress

Dumfries, an important Potomac River port chartered in 1749, became strategically significant in the autumn of 1861 when Confederate forces built batteries along the Potomac River nearby to blockade Washington, D.C. Gen. William H.C. Whiting, commanding Confederate forces, established his headquarters here at Love’s Tavern (Williams’s Ordinary) while winter camps were erected around Dumfries. After the Confederates evacuated the town in March 1862, Col. Charles Candy’s Federal troops moved in.

On December 27, 1862, Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuart and 1,800 cavalry troopers attacked the Federal garrisons at Dumfries and Occoquan. Part of Stuart’s command, led by Gens. Fitzhugh Lee and W.H.F. Rooney Lee, assaulted Dumfries from the north and south. Stuart’s Horse Artillery bombarded the town, destroying many buildings, but Candy’s Federals repulsed numerous attacks. The losses on both sides were relatively light.

(caption of picture on left)
McDowell Map of Northern Virginia, 1862 Courtesy Library of Congress

The Confederates shelled the town until dark and the next morning moved north to join their comrades then riding into Fairfax County, where Stuart engaged the Union garrison at Occoquan and captured supplies at Burke Station. Dumfries remained under Federal control for the rest of

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the war, but various Confederate partisan bands launched attacks periodically until the close of the war.

(caption of picture, upper right)
Civil War Dumfries, Harper's Weekly sketch by A.R. Waud - Courtesy George Mason University

“Gen. Johnston arrived here [Dumfries] this evening, and is now staying at Gen. Whiting’s head quarters. He will remain here a day or two inspecting the army and then return to Centreville. His arrival has been a course of much rejoicing, and hundreds have been in town today, to get a glimpse of their Chief. They will have an opportunity tomorrow.” – Times dispatch, November 27, 1861

(caption of pictures, lower right)
Gen. W.H.C. Whiting • Col Charles Candy • Gen. Fitzhugh Lee • Gen. W.H.F. Rooney Lee
All courtesy of Library of Congress

Erected 2007 by Virginia Civil War Trails.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Military • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1862.

Location. 38° 34.129′ N, 77° 19.401′ W. Marker is in Dumfries, Virginia, in Prince William County. It is at the intersection of N Main Street (U.S. 1)

Love's Tavern - Williams's Ordinary image. Click for full size.

October 28, 2007

2. Love's Tavern - Williams's Ordinary

and Colonial Street, on the right when traveling south on N Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Dumfries VA 22026, 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: History of Dumfries (approx. 0.2 miles away); Graham Park (approx. 0.2 miles away); Dumfries Raid (approx. 0.2 miles away); Revolutionary War Campaign of 1781 (approx. 0.2 miles away); Prince William Resolves (approx. 0.3 miles away); Dumfries Methodist Church Bell (approx. 0.3 miles away); Prince William County Court House (approx. 0.3 miles away); Weems-Botts House (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dumfries.

Other markers no longer nearby. Colonial Dumfries - Williams Ordinary (was here, next to this marker but has been confirmed missing); History at Dumfries (was a few steps from this marker but has been permanently removed).

Also see . . .
1. The Williams Ordinary. Information about Williams's Ordinary, collected by Historic Dumfries Virginia, Inc. (Submitted on November 1, 2007, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.)

2. How Ordinary is Williams Ordinary?. An article about Williams Ordinary by Aileen M. Streng, published in the Potomac News on January 30, 2006. (Submitted on November 1, 2007, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.)

3. National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form. (Submitted on November 1, 2007, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.)

Love's Tavern - Williams's Ordinary, c. 1935 image. Click for full size.

Library of Congress

3. Love's Tavern - Williams's Ordinary, c. 1935

http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hhh.va0847

Love's Tavern - Williams's Ordinary, c. 1969 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by NPS - National Register

4. Love's Tavern - Williams's Ordinary, c. 1969

Credits. This page was last revised on January 3, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 28, 2007. This page has been viewed 3,515 times since then and 61 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 28, 2007. 3, 4. submitted on November 1, 2007, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.