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Lorton in Fairfax County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Pohick Church

Civil War Balloon Outpost

 
 
Pohick Church Marker image. Click for full size.
May 4, 2013
1. Pohick Church Marker
Inscription. During the Civil War, the prominent hilltop location of Pohick Church made it a target for occupation and vandalism, but it also served as an aeronautical center. On November 12, 1861, Union Gen. Samuel P. Heintzelman’s 2nd Michigan Volunteers raided the church. One of those present, Lt. Charles B. Haydon, was outraged at the soldiers’ looting of artifacts from George Washington’s church: “They were all over it in less than 10 minutes tearing off the ornaments, splitting the woodwork and pews, knocking the brick to pieces & everything else they could get at.”

Within two months, the church became a balloon outpost for Thaddeus S.C. Lowe, the famous aeronaut, and the building served as quarters for the garrison stationed here. The men’s graffiti is still visible on the church walls, doorposts, and quoins, as are bullet holes on the exterior brick.

At this location, Lowe repeatedly launched his balloon, Intrepid, to track Confederate troop movements along the Occoquan River. On March 2, 1862, he observed the Confederates evacuating the Occoquan area – the first indication that they were withdrawing from northern Virginia to a more defensible position along the Rappahannock River. Later and elsewhere, Lowe’s aeronauts successfully located Confederate forces, reported on force strength, and directed artillery
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fire. Lowe’s earliest successes for the short-lived Federal Balloon Corps, which disbanded a year-and-a-half later, occurred here at Pohick Church.

(Sidebar): Completed in 1774, this colonial church replaced a wooden building located two miles south of here. The congregation had been founded by 1732, when the Virginia House of Burgesses created the geographical district of Truro Parish north of the Occoquan River. For this reason, Pohick Church is often referred to as “the Mother Church of Northern Virginia.” Vestry members George Washington and George Mason, among other patriots, met at Pohick Church in 1774 for early discussions of the Fairfax Resolves, a step on the road to independence. Because of Washington’s membership here, the British reportedly raided the church during the War of 1812 and disfigured a memorial to our nations’ first president.
 
Erected 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 March 1862.
 
Location. 38° 42.547′ N, 77° 11.595′ W. Marker is in Lorton, Virginia, in Fairfax County. Marker is at the intersection of Richmond Highway (U.S. 1) and Old Colchester Road
Pohick Church Marker image. Click for full size.
May 4, 2013
2. Pohick Church Marker
(Virginia Route 611), on the right when traveling north on Richmond Highway. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 9301 Richmond Highway, Lorton VA 22079, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Old Telegraph Line (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named Pohick Church (here, next to this marker); The West Family of Alexandria (within shouting distance of this marker); Revolutionary War Patriots and War of 1812 Veterans (within shouting distance of this marker); Col. John Augustine Washington (within shouting distance of this marker); Peter Wagener, III (within shouting distance of this marker); The Herris Stone (within shouting distance of this marker); Wagener (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lorton.
 
More about this marker. The lower left of the marker displays a painting captioned Pohick Church, painted by Union Pvt. Robert K. Sneden when he was posted here in 1862. - Courtesy Virginia Historical Society. The upper left of the marker has a map captioned Map of Pohick Church area Courtesy Virginia Historical Society and a portrait captioned Thaddeus S.C. Lowe Courtesy Library of Congress.
 
Also see . . .
1. Pohick Episcopal Church
Pohick Church image. Click for full size.
May 4, 2013
3. Pohick Church
. National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form (Submitted on May 4, 2013.) 

2. Professor Thaddeus Lowe. (Submitted on May 4, 2013.)
3. History of Pohick Church. (Submitted on May 4, 2013.)
 
Close-up of map on marker image. Click for full size.
May 4, 2013
4. Close-up of map on marker
Close-up of Sneden water-color on marker image. Click for full size.
May 4, 2013
5. Close-up of Sneden water-color on marker
Thaddeus S. C. Lowe image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, December 26, 2018
6. Thaddeus S. C. Lowe
Close-up of photo on marker
19th century graffiti at Pohick Church image. Click for full size.
May 4, 2013
7. 19th century graffiti at Pohick Church
Civil War graffiti and sword marks at Pohick Church image. Click for full size.
May 4, 2013
8. Civil War graffiti and sword marks at Pohick Church
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on December 29, 2018. It was originally submitted on May 4, 2013. This page has been viewed 2,189 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on May 4, 2013.   6. submitted on December 27, 2018, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.   7, 8. submitted on May 4, 2013. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 28, 2024