Fauquier County has 12 sites on the Virginia Civil War Trails, a statewide system of five trails with more than 250 sites were significant or interesting action occured during the war. Fauquier's sites are part of the Northern Virginia trail. "Cross-roads of conflict." Brochures/are available at the Warrenton Fauquier County
Visitor Center.
Each site on the trail has an interpretive marker which describes what happened there. "Trailblazer" signs lead the way to the markers.
Fauquier's signs provide a fascinating mix of information about actual battles, human interest stories, local history and the escapades of Col. John S. Mosby, the "gray ghost" of the Confederacy. The signs are illustrated with old photographs, maps and engravings from period publications.
Although several historically-significant incidents here such as the first transport of troops into battle by train at Pidemont Station (now Delaplane) and Gen George McClellan's notification at Recotrtown that he's been relieved of command by President Lincoln, it is oftenthe lesser-known anectodes which capture the imagination of visitors. These include:
Pickets of opposing armies sometimes swapped Yankee coffee for Rebel Tobacco
Dr Thomas Settle, whose family lived at Mount Bleak Farm near Paris (now Sky Meadows State Park), was the physician who felt for John Brown's pulse and pronounced him dead before he was cut from the gallows.
The conductor of a train which was carrying Confederate troops from Piedmont Station to Manassas was tried and executed on the spot when the soldiers suspected him of deliberately causing repeated delays.
In a memo to Gen. J.E.B. Stuart, Col. John S. Mosby reported that his men had stolen more than 100 horses and mules and six wagons and captured 75 yanks, all without losing a man.
In a "death raffle" held by Col Mosby in Rectortown, a Union drummer boy drew a fatal slip. A young officer who convinced Col Mosby to allow a second drawing drew the death lot.
Gen Robert E. Lee narrowly escapted capture in Salem (now Marshall).
A "Jessie scout" (spy) was caught and hanged in The Plains. The named derives from Jessie Fremont, wif of Union Gen John Fremont, who suggested that Federal spies avoid, detection by dressing in Confederate Uniforms.
The owner of the mill at Thoroughfare Gap was so distressed by the ruin of his building by troops from both sides that he ended the war in a lunatic asylum.
Warrenton changed hands 67 times during the war.