Willow Grove Mill
N 38° 39.232 W 078° 27.751
17S E 720807 N 4281422
Willow Grove Mill was a victim of the Union's infamous 'Burning' during the Valley Campaign of 1864.
Waymark Code: WMD5ZA
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 11/23/2011
Views: 6
During the Valley Campaign of 1864, after crushing Lt. Gen. Jubal Early's Confederate army at Fisher's Hill in Shenandoah, VA, Union Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan continued to march his army south through the valley. One of the tasks assigned to Sheridan by Gen. U. S. Grant at the beginning of the campaign was to destroy Confederate supply sources and in early October 1864, Sheridan ordered 'The Burning' (as it would come to be known). Farms, mills, crops, grain stores were put to the torch across the Shenandoah valley. Livestock was slaughtered. The destruction was devastating.
Willow Grove Mill in Mundellsville (prior to the establishment of Luray) did not escape the arson. The mill, saw mill, barn, stables, corn cribs, wheat stores were all set on fire. A water mill with its 18' wheel was rebuilt after The Burning and stands on the Civil War Discovery Trail near Luray.
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