Old Farmstead On A Battlefield - Brandy Station VA
N 38° 32.569 W 077° 51.668
18S E 250639 N 4269925
The remains of an old farm are found on a Civil War battlefield.
Waymark Code: WMDD2X
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 12/27/2011
Views: 6
Abandoned buildings from an old farm are hidden in a corner of a Civil War
battlefield
in Brandy Station, VA. The land where the greatest cavalry battle of the Civil War was fought in June 1863 was saved from further development by the Civil War Preservation Trust. Ofttimes when the land is preserved, it is left as is which may include any structures.
Although according to history, this area was the location of the Green and Thompson farms during the 1860s, it is highly unlikely any of the buildings are from that era. Even if they had survived the battle, they most probably would have been dismantled during the Union winter encampment of 1863-64 for the construction of huts and firewood.
According to an article
in the Culpeper Star Exponent, Jean Scott donated 349 acres of the Beauregard Farm as a conservation easement in 2010. The Civil War News reports that this acquisition includes the land defended by the Confederate army during the battle that took place on June 9, 1863, which is the area the old farmstead is located. It is concluded that these buildings are not the actual Beauregard Farm since that is a working farm today and located further west. The Virginia Dept. of Historic Resources
lists the easement as the Nalle parcel. In a NRHP nomination draft
(pg. 5) for the Brandy Station Battlefield (dropped from the register), the 1900 Nalle house is mentioned with "a barn and a fallen-in house on the property and two sheds just outside the property" and to the east are "two Button houses" and four sheds.* All were designated as non-contributing structures.
In conclusion, very little is known about the previous owners or the years of operation for this old farm complex. It is obvious that these buildings have been vacant for many years as they are falling down and overgrown.
*Please note that it is not confirmed these are the same buildings, but pure speculation based on the available info.