Strategic Crossing

— 1862 Valley Campaign —

Just west of modern route 11 is the Daniel Stickley Farm. The ruins of the Stickley Mills are located beside the creek just below the house. During the war, the Valley Turnpike ran past the brick Stickley house and turned right onto a covered bridge over Cedar Creek. The bridge no longer stands but the original abutments are still visible.

In early March 1862, the Federal army advanced south "up" the Shenandoah Valley in pursuit of Stonewall Jackson's Confederates. Jackson assigned Col. Turner Ashby's cavalry to act as his army's rear guard. Ashby made his stand here at Cedar Creek. Private George Neese of Chew's "horse battery" recorded the scene here March 18, 1862: "The enemy advanced rapidly and we were ordered to Cedar Creek to oppose their onward march. We put our guns into position about a half mile from the creek on the west side of the pike, on a hill which commanded the bridge and its approaches... When they came within a mile of our position, we opened fire on them with our rifled guns. Their artillery wheeled four guns into battery immediately after we opened and returned our fire. Both sides thundered with a lively exchange for about twenty-five minutes.... Our men burnt the Cedar Creek bridge today before we turned the creek over to the Yanks. The bridge was burning when we were firing on their battery."

On March 24, Chew and Neese occupied the same position during the retreat from Kernstown. A few months later, on May 24, as the Federals retreated to Winchester, Collis' Zouaves (Union) were cut off and nearly captured by Jackson when they were left at the bridge to act as a rear guard.

Ashby's cavalry again burned the bridge behind Jackson's retreating army on June 1.

(Picture Caption) This covered bridge, rebuilt on the original abutments and photographed prior to 1900, is, according to local historians, a close copy of the span burned by Ashby in March 1862. The bridge would be burned and rebuilt (often the following day) at least four times during the war. It was carried away by the spring floods in 1865.

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Show me all markers in:  Strasburg, VA  |  Shenandoah County  |  22657  |  Virginia  |  United States of America

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