Smith Run Trail #2 - Battleground Traditional Geocache

This cache has been archived.

goingtopot: ran its course. thanks for all of the interest over time.

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Hidden : 7/29/2009
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
3 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Congrats to Barkfeather for the FTF!

This cache series - Smith Run - is located along a Fredericksburg City Public Trail, created and supported by the Fredericksburg Pathways Partnership, accessible from two trailheads just off Cowan Boulevard.




SMITH RUN TRAIL


The West end trailhead has less convenient parking than the East end trailhead and for that reason, the East end trailhead area parking is identified at the PK waypoint below. Based on discussion with the Fredericksburg City Police Department, the preferred parking area for trail use is Todd Bahr Boulevard, the entrance road to the Fredericksburg City Police Department facility, which includes parallel parking along the boulevard and a visitor's parking area.


All caches in the series can be reached from the trail. During your trail passage you will pass City law enforcement facilities, City Public Works facilities, within view townhome residences, and within view subdivisions, but there is no reason to enter or cross any of those areas.


Smith Run Trail cache #2 focuses on the Smith Run Battleground. A 2001 Free-Lance Star article is excerpted here to summarize the importance of the preserved area surrounding the trail:

On the evening of May 4, 1863, this area became the focal point of fighting between the North and South. In less than two hours of fighting at Smith Run, nearly 1,000 men were killed or injured.

The Smith Run story has been largely overshadowed by intense fighting that took place during the Battle of Chancellorsville the previous three days. Nearly 30,000 men died or were wounded in that clash off what is today State Route 3 in Spotsylvania County.

Chancellorsville may have proved an important victory for Lee's army, but at Smith Run Union troops held their ground.


Confederate soldiers launched a three-pronged attack on a wing of the Union's VI Corps commanded by Gen. John Sedgwick. Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee was trying to crush the federals before they retreated across the Rappahannock River.

The fighting there came the day after Confederate Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson was killed by friendly fire at Chancellorsville. Lee got word that Union troops in the city had taken Marye's Heights and were heading west.

Lee swung his troops back toward Fredericksburg, thwarting an advance at Salem Church on Route 3.

Finding his soldiers in a superior position, Lee struck hard. But it was a failed bid.

Difficult terrain around Smith Run, and the tenacious effort of a Vermont unit that Lee didn't expect, bought Union troops time to slip back across the river.

Four soldiers were later awarded the Medal of Honor for their bravery here.


 Enjoy the cache! You'll be experiencing some of the difficult terrain in the area.

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