WASHINGTON
Washington during the Civil War
In 1861, Virginia seceded from the Union. Which is not to say any battles or even skirmishes were fought in the Town of Washington during the Civil War. But the War did not bypass the town. A large Union encampment of more than 45,000 soldiers occupied the elds east of the town. Three buildings in Washington are believed to have served as headquarters or hospitals for the opposing armies during the Civil War.
The Union army set up a hospital in the circa 1840 home called "Tranquility" on Gay Street (town Lot 19), which would later become the home of French Pendleton Carter, who was an o cer in Company G, 12th Virginia Calvary.
Diagonally across the street to the northeast, the Union army headquartered and treated ailing soldiers in the circa 1830 Washington Academy (“Rabbit Gum,” on town Lot 34).
The Meadows plantation, located on Porter Street west of the town, and formerly the home of William Porter, one of the founders of the town, served as a hospital for both Confederate and Union soldiers.
Adding to Washington's Civil War history, Middleton Miller of The Maples (now the Middleton Inn) owned Glen Mills, a woolen mill at Waterloo on the Rappahannock River where he manufactured the “Rebel Grey” uniforms worn by Confederate soldiers.
Charlie Dear, whose family owned Dear's Hotel on town Lot 8, was a member of the famous Mosby's Raiders.
A Confederate Monument was erected in 1900 at
the north end of the courthouse complex through the e orts of the local chapter of the Daughters of the Confederacy, to honor the men from Rappahannock County who served their cause in the Civil War.
In 2006, the monument was found to be in poor condition, and the county contracted with Conservation Solutions, Inc., to repair and refurbish it. In addition, two Virginia Civil War Trails markers are located on the courthouse grounds.
One deals with the Confederate monument; the other describes the case of Kitty Payne, a freed slave who was kidnapped and held in the jail for her safety while her legal case was being considered by the court.
Editor’s note: This information was culled from Maureen I. Harris’ book, “Washington, Virginia, a History, 1735-2018.”
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Rappahannock County continues to celebrate Black History Month, with the next upcoming event being the Scrabble School presentation by Terry Miller, curator of the Carver Center's 4-County Museum.
Miller will kick o her new virtual exhibit “When Women Use Their Power” during a Zoom presentation set for Thursday, Feb. 25, from 6 to 7 p.m. The exhibit launches in March.
She will provide an overview of the exhibit, including why eight African American women were chosen to be highlighted during this month of February, given their contributions to this region. AQ&A will follow Miller's presentation. Registration by email is a must in order to receive the Zoom link to join the presentation. Contact@ scrabbleschool.org no later than Wednesday, Feb. 24, by 7 p.m.
Call 540-661-2013 for more information.
PRAYER REQUEST
In your daily prayers each day please remember Beverly Exline’s sister, Lois Racer. She has been having some issues of late. Keep her in your prayers.
Be safe and stay healthy.