Stuart's "Very Narrow Escape"
Posted by: 
flyingmoose
N 38° 16.313 W 077° 53.779
18S E 246627 N 4239949
Located along the Eastbound side of Route 20. There is no parking here.
Waymark Code: WMHAW
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 07/14/2006
Views: 21
At dawn on 18 Aug. 1862, Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart was awakened near here by the clatter of approaching cavalry. Expecting Maj. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee to join him in scouting Maj. Gen. John Pope's Union army, Stuart was surprised by Federal troopers instead. Mounting his horse Skylark, Stuart vaulted a fence and barely escaped, but lost his hat. The next day, he wrote his wife that "I am greeted on all sides with congratulations and 'where's your hat!' I intend to make the Yankees pay for that hat." On 22 Aug., raiding Catlett Station, Stuart captured Pope's guady dress uniform coat and later suggested an exchange of "prisoners" to no avail.
Marker Number: JJ 12
Marker Title: Stuart's "Very Narrow Escape"
Marker Location: Corner of VA Route 20 and SR 621
County or Independent City: Orange
Web Site: [Web Link]
Marker Program Sponsor: Department of Historic Resources 1998
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