Castle Hill

Albemarle County, VA
Marker No. W-204

Marker Text: The original house was built in 1765 by Doctor Thomas Walker, explorer and pioneer. Tarleton, raiding to Charlottesville to capture Jefferson and the legislature, stopped here for breakfast, June 4, 1781. This delay aided the patriots to escape. Castle Hill was long the home of Senator William Cabell Rives, who built the present house.

Location: On Route 231 (Gordonsville Road), two miles northwest of Cismont. Erected by the Conservation & Development Commission in 1928.

  Today, we pick up the story of Jack Jouett and his ride from Cuckoo to Charlottesville here at Castle Hill.

  After leaving Cuckoo, VA and after Jack Jouett began his horseback ride toward Charlottesville. About an hour later at 11 p.m. on June 3, 1781, Tarleton paused for a three hour rest near the Louisa County Courthouse. He began his march again at about 2 a.m. He soon encountered a train of 11 or 12 supply wagons at Boswell's Tavern bound for South Carolina where Nathanael Greene led the main branch of the Continental Army in the South. Tarleton decided to burn the wagons rather than take them, in order, to prevent any further delay and continued forward.

Photo taken looking south on Route 231.  Click any photo to enlarge.

  Just before dawn on June 4, Tarleton reached the plantations of Castle Hill, (about 12 miles from Charlottesville) Doctor Thomas Walker's home, and a splinter group of British arrived at Belvoir, the home of his son, Continental Congress member John Walker. Tarleton captured or paroled various important figures at the two plantations. Various legends have sprung up about the stop at Castle Hill.

  The principal story says that Dr. Walker cunningly offered Tarleton an elaborate breakfast, the consumption of which so delayed the British Dragoons, that Jack Jouett had the needed time to beat Tarleton to Monticello and Charlottesville. Another legend has British dragoons stealing, one after the other, two breakfasts which had been prepared for their commander and Dr. Walker telling Tarleton that he would have to post a guard on the kitchen if he desired nourishment. This was done, the story continues and the cook finally served the third breakfast to the Colonel intact.

Knights of the Golden Horseshoe

Marker No. JE-2
Madison County, VA

Marker Text:  Near here Governor Alexander Spotswood and his troop of gentlemen, Knights of the Golden Horseshoe, on their way to explore the land beyond the mountains, camped on August 31, 1716.

Location: On U.S. Route 15 (James Madison Highway) near the intersection with Madison Mills Lane, 3.3 miles north of Orange, near Rapidan River crossing, near Madison/Orange County line. Erected by the Conservation & Development Commission in 1961.

  Today's marker located near the Madison and Orange County line on Route 15 marks one of the locations where Lt. Governor Alexander Spotswood's expedition camped during their trip through the wilderness to cross the Blue Ridge Mountains into the Shenandoah Valley. Only a couple of his camp locations are indicated by a historical marker. Looking around the location of the marker, the area is much changed from what Spotswood and his men would have seen and experienced. If you can imagine this area without roads, bridges or clear fields, but a wilderness thick with trees and brush and all types of wild animals, bears, rattlesnakes, etc. To read more go to posts, “Knights of the Golden Horse Shoe – 1934” and “Knights of the Golden Horse Shoe – 2004”

Photo taken looking north on Route 15.

  John Fontaine who was one of the men who traveled with Lt. Gov. Spotswood maintained a journal of this expedition and provides simple descriptions of the daily challenges these men faced.