Miller-Argabright-Cover-Kite House

Miller-Argabright-Cover-Kite House (HM18S)

Location: Elkton, VA 22827 Rockingham County
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Country: United States of America
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N 38° 24.542', W 78° 36.957'

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Inscription

Stonewall Jackson's Headquarters, April 19-30, 1862

— 1862 Valley Campaign —

Less than a month after his defeat at Kernstown, Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson retired to the Elk Run Valley to rest his troops and plan for the spring campaign. With his men camped all along Elk Run and into Swift Run Gap, Jackson made his headquarters here in Elkton (then Conrad's Store). Jackson used this house, then the residence of the widow of John Argabright. According to staff member Henry Kyd Douglas, Jackson's room was empty of furniture except for a thin mattress on the floor.

In the days that followed, the house became a beehive of activity with the arrival and departure of couriers and officers including Gens. Edward "Allegheny" Johnson and Richard S. Ewell as well as mapmaker Jedediah Hotchkiss. A major disagreement developed here between Jackson and Col. Turner Ashby over the lack of discipline in the cavalry following a botched attempt to burn bridges in neighboring Page County.

While Jackson was consumed with militaryaffairs, he did not forget his wife, Mary Anna.Unlike in Winchester a few months before, she wasunable to join him here. "I do so much want tosee my darling," wrote Jackson, "but fear such aprivilege will not be enjoyed for some time to come."

Within days of leaving Conrad's Store on April 30, Jackson gave Union observers the impression he had retreated from the Valley. However, in a series of stealthy moves, he reentered the Valley, and by May 8 had attacked and defeated General Robert H. Milroy's Federal army at McDowell.

(sidebar): This house was built in 1827 by Henry Miller. Jr. (the grandson of Adam Miller, perhaps the first settler in this part of the Shenandoah Valley). Samuel Gibbons, a local resident, performed the joining and carpentry. Gibbons' son, Simeon Beauford Gibbons, was later a student of Jackson at the Virginia Military Institute and, at the time of Jackson's stay here, a colonel of the 10th Virginia Infantry, which encamped nearby. Col. Gibbons was the most senior Confederate officer killed at the Battle of McDowell.
Details
HM NumberHM18S
Series This marker is part of the Virginia Civil War Trails series
Tags
Placed ByVirginia Civil War Trails
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Thursday, October 23rd, 2014 at 10:28am PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)17S E 708159 N 4253891
Decimal Degrees38.40903333, -78.61595000
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 38° 24.542', W 78° 36.957'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds38° 24' 32.52" N, 78° 36' 57.42" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)540
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 554-564 E Rockingham St, Elkton VA 22827, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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