On SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2026, Culpeper Battlefield Tours, LLC will commemorate the 163rd anniversary of the Battle of Brandy Station with a landmark event: the first-ever public tour of the legendary Hansbrough’s Ridge.
The “Union’s Valley Forge”
Often referred to by historians as the “Union’s Valley Forge,” Hansbrough’s Ridge was a vital anchor during the Stevensburg Phase of the Battle of Brandy Station and later served as the 1863-64 winter encampment for the Army of the Potomac. This was the sacred ground where the Union army tempered itself into the professional force that would eventually win the war.
A “Cathedral in the Woods”
Because the site is protected by a dense forest canopy, the landscape remains a literal time capsule. Historian Clark “Bud” Hall has described the experience of entering these woods as stepping into a “grand European cathedral.” Hidden beneath the trees is the largest concentration of untouched Civil War encampment features in the United States, including original trenches, hut-sites, fire-pits, fighting platforms, and the skeletal remains of military roads.
A Rare, Limited Opportunity
Due to the extreme sensitivity of the archaeological features, Hansbrough’s Ridge is typically closed to the public. This event represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the restricted site alongside Clark “Bud” Hall, the authoritative expert on the Battle of Brandy Station.
Lecture: Grant’s Arrival in Culpeper
In addition to the Ridge tours, Clark Hall will deliver a midday lecture at Old House Vineyard detailing General Ulysses S. Grant’s pivotal arrival in Culpeper County in 1864— a moment that shifted the entire trajectory of the American Civil War.
Event Schedule – June 6, 2026:
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