Battle of Williamsburg
To the east of the road here, centering at Fort Magruder, was fought the battle of Williamsburg on May 5, 1862. The Union General Mc- Clellan was pursuing General Johnston's retiring army, the rearguard of which was commanded by General Longstreet. Johnston ordered Longstreet to hold off McClellan's attacking forces until the Confederate wagon trains, bogged down in mud, were out of danger. This mission was accomplished and Johnston continued his retirement.
1948 text, presented as a historical document.
Many of these markers have since been replaced or their texts revised. The marker program and its current texts are maintained by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Virginia Department of Historic Resources ↗
Digital Commonwealth, Boston Public LibraryBarry Lawrence Ruderman Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDigital Commonwealth, Boston Public LibraryDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Marker data: Virginia Department of Conservation and Development, State Historical Markers of Virginia, 6th ed. (1948)
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