Willow Grove Mill - Civil War Discovery Trail Sites on Waymarking.com

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.

References:

• Closing the Back Door [The Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864]
• Thoughts, Essays, and Musings on the Civil War: The 1864 Valley Campaign, Part 3: Cedar Creek

Type of site: Other Address: Stoneyman Rd E of Rt. 340 Luray, VA USA 22835 Admission Charged: No Charge Website: [Web Link] Driving Directions: Follow 340S (Virginia Ave.) from Luray to left on Stoneyman Rd. Phone Number: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   07/25/2020 Markerman62 visited it