Bristoe Station | Oct 14, 1863
The Opportunity
The 152-acre tract we have the opportunity to preserve at Bristoe Station saw action two separate times during the Civil War: the first time in the lead-up to the August 1862 Battle of Second Manassas and the second in the Battle of Bristoe Station, which many view as the conclusion of General Lee’s last major offensive. Beyond the fighting, this land also served as a field hospital where Union surgeons cared for the wounded, adding another important layer to its historic significance.
Preserving these 152 acres would greatly expand the protected Union battlefield and ensure this remarkable story endures. Already zoned for residential development, they will most certainly be lost forever if we don’t secure them now. Every donation will be multiplied $27-to-$1, making this a rare opportunity to save an irreplaceable piece of American history.
Want to learn more? Visit this page for more information and history related to this campaign.
The History
On October 14, 1863, A.P. Hill’s corps stumbled upon two corps of the retreating Union army at Bristoe Station and attacked without proper reconnaissance. Union soldiers of the II Corps, posted behind the Orange & Alexandria Railroad embankment, mauled two brigades of Henry Heth’s division and captured a battery of artillery. Hill reinforced his line but could make little headway against the determined defenders.
After this victory, the Federals continued their withdrawal to Centreville unmolested. Lee’s Bristoe offensive sputtered to a premature halt. After minor skirmishing near Manassas and Centreville, the Confederates retired slowly to Rappahannock River destroying the Orange & Alexandria Railroad as they went. At Bristoe Station, Hill lost standing in the eyes of Lee, who angrily ordered him to bury his dead and say no more about it.
