Civil War Balloon Outpost

During the Civil War, the prominent hilltop location of Pohick Church made it a target for occupation and vandalism, but it also served as an aeronautical center. On November 12, 1861, Union Gen. Samuel P. Heintzelman's 2nd Michigan Volunteers raided the church. One of those present, Lt. Charles B. Haydon, was outraged at the soldiers' looting of artifacts from George Washington's church: "They were all over it in less than 10 minutes tearing off the ornaments, splitting the woodwork and pews, knocking the brick to pieces & everything else they could get at."

Within two months, the church became a balloon outpost for Thaddeus S.C. Lowe, the famous aeronaut, and the building served as quarters for the garrison stationed here. The men's graffiti is still visible on the church walls, doorposts, and quoins, as are bullet holes on the exterior brick.

At this location, Lowe repeatedly launched his balloon, Intrepid, to track Confederate troop movements along the Occoquan River. On March 2, 1862, he observed the Confederates evacuating the Occoquan area - the first indication that they were withdrawing from northern Virginia to a more defensible position along the Rappahannock River. Later and elsewhere, Lowe's aeronauts successfully located Confederate forces, reported on force strength, and directed artillery fire. Lowe's earliest successes for the short-lived Federal Balloon Corps, which disbanded a year-and-a-half later, occurred here at Pohick Church.

(Sidebar): Completed in 1774, this colonial church replaced a wooden building located two miles south of here. The congregation had been founded by 1732, when the Virginia House of Burgesses created the geographical district of Truro Parish north of the Occoquan River. For this reason, Pohick Church is often referred to as "the Mother Church of Northern Virginia." Vestry members George Washington and George Mason, among other patriots, met at Pohick Church in 1774 for early discussions of the Fairfax Resolves, a step on the road to independence. Because of Washington's membership here, the British reportedly raided the church during the War of 1812 and disfigured a memorial to our nations' first president.

Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.

Show me all markers in:  Lorton, VA  |  Fairfax County  |  22079  |  Virginia  |  United States of America

Pohick Church
Old Telegraph Line
The Herris Stone
Wagener
The Washingtons at Pohick Church
William Brown, M.D.
Noman Monroe Cole, Jr.
Lorton Station
Telegraph Road
Joseph W. Jordan

• GPX
• KML
• LOC

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.