The Ashby’s Gap Turnpike GeoTrail
Mt. Defiance Battlefield Park
Presented by the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area
This cache is part of a series that takes you along the former Ashby’s Gap Turnpike. For centuries, this path was a vital thoroughfare across Northern Virginia. From its beginnings as a Native American trail, through its use as a colonial road and 19th century turnpike, to its transformation into a modern highway, this road has seen a lot of history. The Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area invites you to follow in the footsteps of Native hunters, colonial settlers, enslaved African-Americans, Civil War soldiers, and more.
The cache is not at the posted coordinates!
The area known as Mt. Defiance takes its name from a historic land dispute that pitted two local planters against one another. There’s not much of a mountain here, just a slowly rising ridge as you travel west from Middleburg. A stone blacksmith shop is situated alongside the road, and in former days the blacksmith made a living off of the turnpike traffic. As you explore the park, keep an eye out for the historic roadbed of the Zulla Road, which connected the Ashby’s Gap Turnpike with the village of The Plains to the south.
On June 19th, 1863 the quiet of the crossroads here was shattered by the sounds of furious combat. Confederate cavalry under the command of General J.E.B. Stuart were tasked with defending the Blue Ridge passes as the rest of Robert E. Lee’s army moved north through the Shenandoah Valley. Anxious to know Lee’s whereabouts, US cavalry led by Colonel David Gregg pressed westward, leading to a series of battles at Aldie, Middleburg, and Upperville. These proved to be the opening fights in the campaign that would culminate two weeks later at Gettysburg.
The action began early on the 19th, and by the end of that scorching summer day nearly 10,000 men would be involved in the battle, and nearly 500 would be killed, wounded, or captured. Stuart was forced from the field, but reestablished his defenses further west. The US troops, exhausted by the heat and the heavy fighting, temporarily halted their advance, leaving Ashby’s Gap in Confederate hands. Fighting would continue for the next two days.
The coordinates will lead you to a convenient parking location. To find the cache, explore the battlefield and answer the following questions:
A = How many officers from the 1st Maine Cavalry lost their lives during the battles of Aldie, Middleburg, and Upperville?
B = What is the weight (in pounds) of at 3-inch Ordinance Rifle? B00
C = How many voters in Middleburg voted against secession?
D = What was the designation of the Pennsylvania Regiment that led the initial attack at Mt. Defiance? The Dth PA Cavalry
E = The number of guns in the battery of Lt. William Fuller MINUS the number of companies of the 10th NY Cavalry on the map "The Battle Begins"
FG = How many Confederates were captured by the 1st Maine Cavalry? FG prisoners
H = Heros Von Borcke carried a sword that measured 3H inches long
I = How many Non-Comissioned Officers of the 1st Maine Cavalry were lost at Aldie, Middleburg, and Upperville?
J = The muzzle diameter of a 12lb "Napoleon" is J.62 inches
The cache can be found at N 38° AB.CDE W 77° FG.HIJ
Checksum is 45.
VPHA has permission from NOVA Parks to place this cache. Please seek the final stage during daylight hours only.
VPHA’s mission is to educate and advocate for the preservation of the extraordinary historic landscape and culture of the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area for future generations. The Area includes all or parts of five counties in the northern Virginia Piedmont and lower Shenandoah Valley: Loudoun, Fauquier, Clarke, Prince William, and Warren Counties.
By telling our stories, we hope to inspire people to care for and protect our outstanding historical resources.