Mason's Hill (Historical Marker)

Here follows the inscription written on this roadside historical marker:

Mason’s Hill:
During the Civil War, Confederate Col. J. E.B. Stuart used Mason’s Hill and nearby Munson’s Hill as outposts for the First Virginia Cavalry from late July to the end of Sept. 1861. Capt. Edward Porter Alexander of the Signal Corps established a signal station on Mason’s Hill. On the Mason residence’s observation tower, he installed a six-foot “astronomical glass” to observe Washington, D.C. The telescope could “count the panes of glass in the windows in Washington.” Confederate spy E. Pliny Bryan, of Maryland, was to signal messages from his District rooming-house window to the station. Before this scheme could be implemented, however, the Confederates abandoned Mason’s Hill.

Marker Erected 2000 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number T-50.)


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Also see . . . General Edward Porter Alexander. Multi-page article by Colonel Jack Travis on The Cape Fear War Roundtable website. “Being on the staff of General Beauregard, Alexander was given an unusual assignment to do some secret service work. The Confederates needed more information on the movements and troop strength of the Federal army. Alexander created a system of spies and methods of receiving their information. He appointed E. Pliny Bryan, of Maryland, as his chief spy. With Bryan in Washington, DC, Alexander could receive signal messages. Bryan would get a room in a hotel that Alexander could see from Mason Hill in adjacent Virginia with his telescope, and would signal Alexander with a coffee pot reflecting from the sun or movement of the window drapes. This method worked extremely well. The famous Rose O’Neal Greenhowe, Augusta Morris, and Mrs. Baxley were in this system of spies. Unfortunately, this all ended. The Federals got suspicious and arrested them all. However, they were later released due to insufficient evidence.”