Fredericksburg, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
The Stephens House
The Battle of Fredericksburg
— Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park —
The foundation outlined before you marks the wartime home of Edward and Martha Stephens. On December 13, 1862, the house was caught in the vortex of Union attacks against the Sunken Road. Confederate sharpshooters fired from the house windows and roof. The Union artillery shell that killed General Thomas Cobb passed through the house before exploding.
Legend holds that Martha Stephens, unlike most local residents, remained in her house throughout the battle. She purportedly made repeated, dangerous trips to her well and tore strips from her own garments to bind the wounds of the fallen. Mrs. Stephens lived until 1888; she is buried in the plot to your left. The house survived the battle but was destroyed by fire in 1913.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is December 1824.
Location. 38° 17.724′ N, 77° 28.092′ W. Marker is in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Marker is on Sunken Road, 0.1 miles north of Lafayette Boulevard (Virginia Highway 1), on the right when traveling north. Located on the Sunken Road walking trail, which starts at the Fredericksburg battlefield visitor center. The Sunken Road is closed to vehicle
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Mrs. Martha Stevens (here, next to this marker); Cobb (here, next to this marker); Thomas R. R. Cobb (a few steps from this marker); Stephens Family Cemetery (a few steps from this marker); The Confederate Line (a few steps from this marker); Innis House (within shouting distance of this marker); The Union Attacks Begin (within shouting distance of this marker); Field of Battle (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fredericksburg.
More about this marker. On the right side of the marker is an undated photograph of house.
Also see . . . Sunken Road Tour. National Park Service page detailing the Sunken Road, including the Stephens House. (Submitted on June 25, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
Photographed By Craig Swain, May 25, 2008
2. The Stephens House Marker
This is a previous iteration of the marker. While the inscription is identical, there was not yet a caption for the image.
Photographed By Craig Swain, July 6, 2008
4. The Stephens House Foundation Trace
Photographed By Craig Swain, July 6, 2008
5. Well Beside the Stephens House
Internet Archive
6. House by the Stone Wall in which General Cobb Died
from Battles and Leaders of the Civil War by Robert Underwood Johnson and Clarence Clough Buel, Vol. 3, 1887.
Photographed By Dennis Gallahan, circa January 2, 2022
7. The Stephens House Foundation
Credits. This page was last revised on March 5, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 25, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 3,335 times since then and 94 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on March 5, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 2. submitted on June 25, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 3. submitted on March 5, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 4, 5. submitted on July 12, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 6. submitted on December 10, 2018, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. 7. submitted on January 2, 2022, by Dennis Gallahan of Spotsylvania, Virgiia.
