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(January 2008) Enlarge From the north side of Mountain Run looking across toward Hansborough Ridge and Duffie's line of march. Stuart had dispatched a detachment of Col. William Wickham's 4th Virginia Cavalry, under the command of trusted scout William Farley, to aid Col. Matthew Butler's 2nd SC Cavalry confronting Duffie. Farley sent the mounted elements forward to Butler on the ridge, but retained a cannon to cover Norman's Mill Ford, seen here in the trees next to Mountain Run near where modern CR 663 crosses the creek |
(January 2008)
Enlarge Looking to the
north at the rise used by Farley's gun. Farley was well acquainted with
the nearby terrain and knew this point would bottleneck Duffie's column.
The single gun could in effect block the advance long enough to form a
better defense close to Brandy Station. From around noon until 3 p.m.
Duffie was blocked here and could not reinforce Federal efforts at
Fleetwood Hill |
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(January 2008)
Enlarge
Marker-1
Marker-2 Close-up
During one of the short respites of the day, Farley and Butler were
discussing the action when a Federal cannon shot wounded both men.
Farley was mortally wounded and would die within hours. A simple
monument marks the spot here next to the markers and kiosks at the tour
pull off |
(January 2008)
Enlarge The ground around
Mountain Run and Norman's Mill was used later by the Army of the
Potomac's II Corps during the winter of 1863-64. When the army moved out
on the Overland Campaign, the corps would march across the ford here,
and move south to the Orange Turnpike toward Germanna Ford. Their
eventual destination on that day in May 1864 was a place called "The
Wilderness" |
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(January 2008) Enlarge Another view of the south end of Hansorough Ridge and the ground contested by Butler's and Duffie's troopers |
(January 2008) Enlarge Signal Hill did not play a significant role during the Battle of Brandy Station, but had been used the year before by the Union Signal Corps as a station during the Second Manassas Campaign. The hill was used again during the winter of 1863-64 and for the early stages of the overland campaign |
