Lawrenceville in Brunswick County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Brunswick County Courthouse
Edward R. Turnbull, the clerk of the county court, left his office here in the courthouse (then on the right inside the front door) just before the Federals arrived. First, however, he draped his Masonic apron over some county records on a table. Twenty minutes later, a Union guard rode up to his house and handed him the apron. When Turnbull returned to the courthouse after the raiders departed, he found his office a foot deep in scattered, ink-soaked papers. On closer inspection, however, he discovered that the apparently vandalized records were merely blank forms and blank pages torn from birth and death registers. No county records were damaged, probably because someone in the raiding party was a Mason himself.
Kautz hinted at the vandalism in his official report: “We here [at Lawrenceville] captured forage and bacon for the command and a few prisoners, and encamped for the night. …I have to … deplore a disposition to pillage and plunder on the part of some of the men.” The raiders left the next morning.
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Edward Randolph Turnbull, a Brunswick County native, served as Brunswick County court clerk from April 24, 1843, until his death in 1885. His son Robert Turnbull, who was about 13 years old at the time of Kautz’s raid, was with his father during the raid and wrote his recollections in 1915 at the request of Virginia State Archivist Morgan P. Robertson.
Erected 2012 by Virginia Civil War Trails.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1994.
Location. 36° 45.503′ N, 77° 50.813′ W. Marker is in Lawrenceville, Virginia, in Brunswick County. Marker is on North Main Street (Business U.S. 58) south of Bank Street, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Lawrenceville VA 23868, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Veterans Memorial (a few steps from this marker); Col. John Jones (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Goronwy Owen (approx. ¼ mile away); Saint Paul's College (approx. 0.3 miles away); Saint Paul's College and James Solomon Russell-Saint Paul's College Museum (approx. 0.3 miles away); Hospital and School of the Good Shepherd (approx. 2.1 miles away); Fort Christanna (approx. 2.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lawrenceville.
More about this marker. (captions)
Gen. August V. Kautz Courtesy Library of Congress
Brunswick County Courthouse. ca. 1900 - Courtesy Brunswick County Government
Edward Randolph Turnbull Courtesy Brunswick County Clerk’s Office
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on January 5, 2013, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 697 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 5, 2013, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.