Confederate Trenches at Roberts Road (Site)

These coordinates mark the estimated location of the earthworks. No visible remains exist.


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Additional Fortifications
George Mason University History Trail

Redoubt fortifications were not typically constructed in isolation. Near the redoubt at Farr's Cross Roads, a trench line was established alongside a farm road, parallel to the old Courthouse Road (today's Ox Road). Recent development has eliminated most evidence of its existence.

Three trench lines were constructed across Mountain Road, (today's Braddock Road) as shown on the map to the right. Due to modern development in the area no remnants of these trench lines exist.

Soldier's diaries and unit reports indicate that in 1861 Confederate forces constructed trench lines just east of today's intersection with Robert's Road (1 mile east) and near today's intersection with Guinea Road (3 miles east). Working in tandem, these trench lines were intended to allow Confederate forces to monitor and hinder the the westward movement of Federal forces along the road, as occurred on July 17, 1861.

In 1863, Federal forces constructed a trench line 1.5 miles west of Farr's Cross Roads. As with the Confederate trench lines, this trench line was intended to monitor and hinder troop movements -- in this case any eastward movement of Confederate troops along the road.