Near Orange in Orange County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Lee's Headquarters

Photographed by Craig Swain, January 12, 2008

1. Lee's Headquarters Marker

Inscription. Half a mile west, at the Rogers farm called Middle Hill, Gen. Robert E. Lee kept his headquarters from Dec. 1863 to May 1864. His Army of Northern Virginia, in winter camp, guarded the south side of the Rapidan River from the vicinity of Liberty Mills in Somerset east to Morton's Ford. While Lee strove to reinforce and resupply his depleted ranks, across the river in Culpeper County Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade trained and strengthened the Army of the Potomac for the spring campaign. On 4 May 1864, the Wilderness campaign began anew.

Erected 1998 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number JJ-2.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series list. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1864.

Location. 38° 14.656′ N, 78° 4.545′ W. Marker is near Orange, Virginia, in Orange County. It is on Constitution Highway (State Highway 20), on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Orange VA 22960, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Northern Virginia

and in the Piedmont.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

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 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Bloomsbury (approx. 1.4 miles away); a different marker also named Bloomsbury (approx.

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

1.4 miles away); Battle of Orange Court House (approx. 1.9 miles away); Orange County Visitor Center (approx. 1.9 miles away); Welcome to… The Town of Orange (approx. 1.9 miles away); Historic Downtown Orange (approx. 1.9 miles away); The Orange Railroad Depot (approx. 1.9 miles away); Orange Train Station (approx. 1.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Orange.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Town of Orange (was approx. 1.9 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Regarding Lee's Headquarters. A previous marker numbered JJ 2 named Lee's Headquarters read, "Half a mile west Robert E. Lee had his headquarters December, 1863, to May, 1864, while his army held the line of the Rapidan River. Lee left this place to begin the Wilderness Campaign early in May, 1864."

Photographed by Craig Swain, January 12, 2008

2. Lee's Headquarters Marker

Lee's Headquarters Site image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, April 30, 2011

3. Lee's Headquarters Site

General Robert E. Lee's army headquarters was located on this site during the winter of 1863-1864

Site of Lee's Headquarters image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, April 30, 2011

4. Site of Lee's Headquarters

View of the winter encampment site from Lee's Headquarters image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, April 30, 2011

5. View of the winter encampment site from Lee's Headquarters

Middle Hill/Rogers Farm image. Click for full size.

Photographed by John C. Hendricks, circa 1936

6. Middle Hill/Rogers Farm

The farmhouse at Middle Hill, shown here in a photograph from the 1930s Works Progress Administration's Virginia Historical Inventory, stood about 700' northwest of the marker's position. Before it was the Rogers' Farm, it belonged to the White family.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 31, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 13, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 5,403 times since then and 203 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 13, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 3, 4, 5. submitted on May 1, 2011, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. 6. submitted on May 31, 2026, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia.