Town of Orange - Civil War Discovery Trail Sites on Waymarking.com

After the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and his army returned to Virginia and set up winter encampment in Orange County from 1863-64. Orange County was south of the Rapidan River and Southwest Mountains which provided natural defenses against Gen. George Meade and the Union army on the other side. One of the camps was set up by the South Carolina Brigade on the grounds of Montpelier, home of James Madison.

Lee established his headquarters in the town of Orange near the railroad which the Confederates depended on for the transport of supplies and reinforcements. Unfortunately, the Orange & Alexandria Railroad was woefully lacking in keeping up with the constant demand and Lee constantly worried about sustaining his men with supplies. Gen. James Longstreet and 10,000 men were forced to march into Orange back from a Tennessee campaign in the spring because the train could only transport 1500 men at a time.

During the winter, the Confederates including Gen. Lee, Gen. A. P. Hill, and even Jefferson Davis attended services at the St. Thomas Episcopal Church. The pew Lee sat on and the locust tree to which he tied his horse Traveler still exist.

The posted coordinates are to the location of a CWDT interpretive sign near the railroad tracks at the old train station which is now the home for the Orange County Visitors Bureau. St. Thomas Episcopal Church which is also listed on Virginia's Civil War Trails is nearby at:

• N 38° 14.621' W 078° 06.801'

References:

• A Civil War Driving Tour of Orange County, Virginia, pg. 7-8
• Orange, VA - - The Journey Through Hallowed Ground
• On-site information

Type of site: Transportation Route or Facility Address: 122 E. Main St. Orange, VA USA 22960 Phone Number: 540-672-1653 Toll Free 877-222-8072 (Orange County Visitors Bureau) Admission Charged: No Charge Website: [Web Link] Driving Directions: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   03/12/2015 Sneakin Deacon visited it