June 23, 2024: Small but Important Riots: The Cavalry Battles of Aldie, Middleburg, and Upperville - A tour led by cavalry historian and author Bob O'Neill

Small but Important Riots: The Cavalry Battles of Aldie, Middleburg, and Upperville

A tour led by cavalry historian and author Bob O'Neill.

June 23, 2024

As General Robert E. Lee launched his Northern invasion in June 1863, the much-maligned cavalry of the Army of the Potomac under Alfred Pleasonton stepped to center stage in their attempts to locate Lee’s army and determine their objectives. The ensuing fighting in Virginia’s Loudoun Valley from June 17 – 22 at Aldie, Middleburg, and Upperville are some of the most overlooked engagements of the Gettysburg campaign.

The tour is based on Bob O’Neill’s thirty years of research and access to previously unpublished documents that shed much new light on these encounters, particularly Pleasonton’s Union cavalry.

WHEN: Sunday June 23, 2024.  Meet 8:30 AM  -- Estimated end 4:30 PM.

WHERE:  We will begin at Mt. Zion Church at 8:30 am. The church is located at 40309 John Mosby Hwy (Rt. 50) – just east of the intersection of Rt 15 and Rt 50. We will have an opportunity to organize the car caravan and leave extra cars, if necessary. There is no bathroom here. We will return to this location at the end of the day.

WHAT: Scheduled stops include Mt. Zion Church, Furr house (Aldie), Haystacks fight, Horse Memorial in Middleburg, site where 1st Rhode Island Cavalry met its demise, Rector home in Atoka (Rector’s Crossroads during the war), Goose Creek Bridge, Vineyard hill and head toward the scene of John Buford’s fight on Trappe Road.

LUNCH: Due to limited food options in the area, please bring your own lunch! We will make a lunch stop at Mickie Gordon Memorial Park.  

REGISTRATION: Due to parking limitations, we have to limit ourselves to five vehicles – approx. 20 people at the most!

$50.00 per person for the full day, maps, and water.