Action at Annandale (Historical Marker)

Here follows the inscription written on this roadside historical marker:

Action At Annandale

The roadbed for the unfinished Manassas Gap Railroad was located in this immediate area and crossed Indian Run creek in Poe Terrace Park. The stone bridge abutments are still visible. Financial problems caused work to stop on the railroad in 1857, but the roadbed provided a route that both the Federal and Confederate armies used during the Civil War. Where the roadbed crossed Little River Turnpike, approximately 200 Confederate cavalrymen overran a barricade defended by the 45th New York Volunteers on 2 December 1861. The skirmish ended when reinforcing troops from the 32nd New York Regiment joined the fight and the Confederates retreated west toward Centreville.

Marker Erected 2010 by The Fairfax County History Commission.

Editor's note: the bridge abutment at Indian Run is about 150 yards southeast of this marker in Poe Terrace Park.


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Thanks to local resident and history enthusiast Steven Berkowitz for pointing out an important skirmish in Annandale, which took place between Union and Confederate forces along Little River Turnpike. He describes the skirmish in his Civil War Washington, D.C., blog:

Action at Annandale, December 2, 1861:
Today's posting is about a spirited 1861 skirmish in Annandale along Little River Turnpike (also known as Rt. 236) between Union and Confederate forces.

Detachments from two New York regiments were on picket duty on the afternoon of December 2, 1861 at the intersection of the unfinished Manassas Gap railroad roadbed and the Little River Turnpike. Later investigation suggested that some of the soldiers manning the barricade may have been drinking liquor and/or sleeping. At approximately 1 PM, the pickets observed approximately 200 cavalrymen approaching. As the Southerners were wearing blue uniforms, a not uncommon occurrence in the early days of the war, the pickets mistook them for a friendly force. However, the galloping South Carolinians pronounced their unfriendly intentions by unleashing a volley of fire.

However, with reinforcements, the New Yorkers repelled the attack and the Confederates retreated towards Centreville. Union cavalry pursued the southerners for several miles. A New York trooper wrote, "We were stationed in the woods, behind Annandale Church, and hearing the long roll beat, immediately formed in line outside of the woods, and opened a heavy fire on them, and charged. They retreated in all directions, we pursuing them and taking two prisoners and some horses, sabres, and revolvers. The effect of our fire was not ascertained. We had 25 men and the enemy numbered over 150."

In his after-action report, Union Brigadier General Louis Blenker reported that two Confederates were captured and at least two were killed. Only one Union soldier was reported killed in the skirmish. Blenker noted that a local farmer was arrested on suspicion of providing the Confederates with intelligence on the Union position at Annandale and signal had allegedly been seen emanating at night from his farm house. However, Blenker lamented that he did not have enough evidence to hold the secessionist farmer and released him and his sons.