Robert E. Lee planned to move his army into Pennsylvania using mountains as a screen. Union General Hooker ordered General Alfred Pleasonton to find Lee's Army. Pleasonton's sent cavalry northwest after Lee toward Winchester, Berryville, and Harper's Ferry. Lee gave J.E.B. Stuart the task of blocking the Union pursuers. Thus Stuart sent three brigades to three points where they might effectively delay Pleasonton's cavalry: Thoroughfare Gap, Aldie Gap, and Rectortown.
The battle at Aldie took place on June 17, 1863. It was the bloodiest small cavalry battle of the Civil War. Our field trip began at Aldie and followed U.S. Route 50 through Middleburg and Upperville, ending at Ashby's Gap not far from Winchester.
For pictures of Aldie Mill and the story of Mosby's incident there, see this previous trip.
Click on a photo to see a larger version
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Page 2: More pictures of this Tour
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Photos taken by Linda
Walcroft, September 2004 Comments?
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