Camp McGowan Winter Hut Encampment - Orange County VA USA
N 38° 13.702 W 078° 10.966
17S E 746600 N 4234906
In the early months of 1864, Confederate General McGowan's South Carolina Brigade set up winter encampment in the area surrounding Montpelier.
Waymark Code: WM8MRZ
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 04/20/2010
Views: 4
During the winter of 1863 - 1864, both the Union and Confederate armies went into encampment suspending major operations until the spring. After the Gettysburg campaign in the summer of 1863, Gen. Robert E. Lee had retreated to Orange County, VA and stationed his troops along the Rapidan River.
Gen. Samuel McGowan's South Carolina Brigade set up their winter camp in the fields surrounding Montpelier, James Madison's mansion. The men built huts excavating a shallow foundation and using logs and their tents for the walls and roofs. They used mud to chink the cracks and a hearth was built into each hut for warmth. Nearly 500 men occupied this hut city. It was laid out for quick deployment. When orders came to evacuate for Wilderness in the spring, the soldiers were out of there in 30 minutes.
Today, woods stand where the fields did, but wander up a trail and you will see the huts and you might see Confederate soldiers wandering around camp carrying out duties, building more huts, cooking over fires, practicing shooting their muskets -- just everyday activities of camp life. You can check out their tents and huts, look at the duty roster, see their supplies and equipment. One of the soldiers might even share some of his roasted corn kernels or stick bread (corn meal dough wrapped around a stick and baked in the fire) while you share stories. Another will demonstrate how a musket was loaded and fired. They might even try to enlist you into some log-pulling. Be forewarned that all trails are guarded by a sentry, but he is usually friendly and will invite you right into camp.
Civil War reenactors from the 3rd Regiment of the Army of Northern Virginia are usually in camp in the spring and summer on the 3rd Sunday of every month. Check the calendar of events for more info.
References: