A History of the Town of FairfaxRust, Jeanne Johnson
History
A History of the Town of Fairfax
Rust, Jeanne Johnson
Fairfax (Va.) -- History
General Beauregard stating that he "never wished to see the 'Stars
and Bars' on another battlefield" designed a Battle Flag which
consisted of a St. Andrew's Cross in blue with a white border along
the sides, mounted on a field of red. Thirteen five pointed stars
were placed on the blue stripes.
Flags of Gen. Beauregard's design were made by three Miss Carys
(Constance, Hetty and Jennie) of this area and sent to Gen.
Johnston, Gen. Beauregard and Gen. Van Dorn in October. The flags
were accepted by these officers before massed troops of the Army in
a ceremony at the fort on "Artillery Hill" in Centreville.
In December, a spectacular military display was held at Yorkshire,
when Gen. Beauregard presented Battle Flags to various regiments of
the Confederate Army.
On this occasion a new song, "My Maryland", by J. R. Randall, was
played by the band. However, one of the first renditions of "My
Maryland" had been given in Fairfax in September of 1861, by Miss
Constance Cary and others, when they sang to soldiers of the
"Maryland line".
On October 1, 1861, President Jefferson Davis with General Joseph E.
Johnston, Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard and General Gustavus W. Smith met
at the Willcoxon Tavern to confer regarding the success of the First
Battle of Manassas. They decided that the Confederates were in no
condition to take advantage of their success and begin an offensive
against Washington. On Oct. 3, 1861, President Davis reviewed "a
brilliant turnout" of troops at the court house.
There were two more skirmishes at the court house in November of
1861. By December of 1862 the town found itself under the command of
an Unionist, Brigadier General Edwin H. Stoughton, who was living at
the home of Dr. William Presley Gunnell (present Truro Rectory) when
Mosby made his famous raid.
Here is the story in Mosby's own words, written to a friend in
Richmond.
"I have already seen something in the newspapers of my recent raid
on the Yankees, though I see they call me Moseley instead of Mosby.
I had only twenty men under my command. I penetrated about ten miles
in their line, rode right up to the General's Headquarters
surrounded by infantry, artillery and cavalry, took him out of his
bed and brought him off. I walked into his room with two of my men
and shaking him in bed said, 'General, get up!' He rose up and
rubbing his eyes, asked what was the meaning of all this. I replied,
'it means, sir, that Stuart's Cavalry are in possession of this
place, and you are a prisoner!...' I did not stay in the place more
than one hour.
We easily captured the guards around the town, as they never dreamed
we were anybody but Yankees until they saw pistols pointed at their
heads, with a demand to surrender...."
Stoughton was taken by Mosby to Culpeper and turned over to Fitz
Lee, with whom Stoughton had attended West Point.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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