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Ballenger Mansion (Site)

GPS Coordinates: 38.7907128, -77.0768199
Closest Address: 5834 North Kings Highway, Alexandria, VA 22303

Ballenger Mansion (Site)

These coordinates mark the exact spot where the house used to be. No remains are visible here. The farm here was named the Mount Pleasant Farm.


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Here is an excerpt from Donald Hakenson's "This Forgotten Land" tour guide:

Ballenger's Hill got its name from its land owner, Peyton and Jane Ballenger. Peyton and Jane had at least three sons that served in the Confederate Army. Private Clinton P. Ballenger enlisted with Company H, Seventeenth Virginia Infantry on July 1, 1861 and was killed in action on May 5, 1862 at Williamsburg, Virginia and was buried at that location. Private Robert Washington Ballenger enlisted April 20, 1861 in Company F, Sixth Virginia Cavalry. He was captured February 19, 1864 at Upperville, in Fauquier County. On May 5, 1865 Private Ballenger signed his parole at Fort Delaware, Delaware. On November 16, 1919, Private Ballenger passed away at his daughter's home, aged eighty-two years old and was buried at St. Paul's Cemetery, Alexandria, Virginia. Frank Ballenger enlisted in Company H, Seventeenth Virginia Infantry on March 5, 1862. He was captured June 30, 1862, and sent to Fort Columbus, New York Harbor and Fort Warren, Massachusetts. Exchanged July 31, 1862 and killed in action at Second Manassas around August 30 or 31, 1862. The Ballenger House was located in Jefferson Manor across from Fort Lyon. Brigadier General Samuel Heintzelman made the Ballenger mansion his headquarters in late 1861 thru early March 1862.

MOSBY VISITS HEINTZELMAN'S HEADQUARTERS:
According to the memoir, Mosby and His Men, written by one of Mosby's own followers Ranger J. Marshall Crawford revealed an interesting incident that is not documented anywhere else.

Crawford states in early 1862 John S. Mosby, at that time an independent scout for Major General J.E.B. Stuart, observed some puzzling Union troop movements while scouting near the Potomac. He informed Stuart of this activity and was ordered to ascertain the reason. Mosby, with two men, silently penetrated the Federal lines near Fort Lyon, outside of Alexandria and proceeded to General Samuel Heintzelman's headquarters at the Ballenger House, across today's North Kings Highway from the Huntington Metro Station. There, Mosby just missed Heintzelman, but learned from his staff officers of McClellan's Peninsula plans. Whether this narrative is true or not will never be solved or proved, but does make for a wonderful story. Almost one year later Mosby would bag a Northern general out of his bed at Fairfax Court House without a single shot being fired.


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Here is an excerpt from the Fall 2020 edition of the "Franconia Legacies" newsletter published by the Franconia Museum:

THE INSOLENT TROOPER FOGLE
By Don Hakenson

After the Union disaster at First Manassas, Union infantry, field artillery and cavalry units were rushed to the nation’s capital to help defend and protect the Federal government and President Abraham Lincoln. A ring of defenses were quickly established in and around the cities of Washington and Alexandria. Almost overnight they sprang up to strengthen the Union position against an anticipated attack by the Confederate Army. It would not be wrong to say that a large part of the Union Army learned the fundamentals of firing a weapon and the discipline of Army drill at the various forts and camps situated on North Kings Highway, Franconia Road and Cameron Run.

Not all of the stories that came out of this war were about death and destruction, and some of the narratives were amusing and entertaining. I am going to tell you a true story that happened around the Franconia landscape, as documented by a Union officer in the regimental history of the Third Pennsylvania Cavalry.

In the latter part of August 1861, Company H, Third Pennsylvania Cavalry was posted at Fort Lyon, which was located on North Kings Highway, outside of Alexandria, Virginia. The cavalry unit was attached to Brigadier General Samuel Heintzelman’s Division. Heintzelman’s headquarters was located at the Ballenger Mansion house which was located on the hill that is in Jefferson Manor today.

Assigned to Company H was a character known by the name of “Fogle,” who was known to be fearless and independent. On one certain occasion he was sent in from the outposts with a verbal message to General Heintzelman from the colonel in command, “that a strong force of the enemy was in his front and would soon attack him, and to hurry out reinforcements with all possible dispatch.” Fogle was ordered to carry the message to headquarters as fast as his horse could run. Fogle, thinking that the fate of the entire army depended on the celerity of his movements, galloped his horse at the top of his speed, and, reaching General Hientzelman’s quarters, rushed in without ceremony and delivered his message.

The General had been annoyed at several false alarms, and, to the amazement of the trooper, remarked with a strong nasal twang, that “he didn’t believe a word of it.” Fogle, fresh from the excitement prevailing at the outposts, and obviously somewhat exasperated, was thunderstruck at the General’s apparent indifference and quickly replied, regardless of rank, “I don’t give a damn whether you do or not.”

Had this insolence happened later in the war, the General would have made a spread eagle of Fogle and hung him up for a time to cool off. Or worse, he may have been court-martialed for insubordination. Unfortunately, the writer was not able to identify the true identity of our man Fogle. A review of the muster roles of Company H, and all of the other companies assigned to the Third Pennsylvania Cavalry were reviewed and failed to identify anyone with the first or last name of the insolent trooper Fogle. It is a mystery I hope to one day solve.

ABOUT ME

Award-winning local historian and tour guide in Franconia and the greater Alexandria area of Virginia.

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ADDRESS

Nathaniel Lee

c/o Franconia Museum

6121 Franconia Road

Alexandria, VA 22310

franconiahistory@gmail.com

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