Stuart's Ride

In May 1862, Union Gen. George B. McClellan led the Army of the Potomac up the Peninsula to the gates of Richmond. Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee assumed command of the Army of Northern Virginia in June and began planning a counterattack. On June 12, Gen. J.E.B. Stuart led 1,200 cavalrymen on a daring 3-day reconnaissance and discovered that the Union right was unsecured. Stuart’s ride around McClellan gave Lee the vital information he needed to launch the offensive known as the Seven Days’ Battles on June 26. At about 1 P.M. on June 14, 1862, Stuart and his cavalrymen had crossed the Chickahominy River and, with the river between them and pursuing Union cavalry, continued through Charles City County at a slower pace toward Richmond. Stuart had earlier selected two New Kent County residents from the 3rd Virginia Cavalry to guide the column through New Kent and Charles City counties. One of them, Lt. Jones Rivers Christian, born at Sycamore Springs 6 miles north of here, led the way from Tunstall’s Station to the Chickahominy River. He escorted the troopers across Charles City County to the homes of kinsmen and other trusted acquaintances, where they gathered intelligence and briefly rested their horses. The first stop was Green Oak, the home of Thomas Christian, where Stuart was offered coffee and rested for about two hours. Stuart then rode on to Woodburn, the home of Judge Isaac Christian, while his men moved on to Buckland, the home of Judge James M. Wilcox. At Buckland, Stuart placed Col. Fitzhugh Lee in command with instructions to let the men rest until 11 P.M. before resuming the ride to Richmond. Stuart departed with a few escorts to reach Richmond and report to Gen. Robert E. Lee. Jones R. Christian was later captured and was among the Immortal 600 Confederate prisoners whom the Union army used as human shields during the shelling of Charleston, South Carolina. He spent the last years of his life at the R.E. Lee Camp No. 1 Confederate Soldiers Home in Richmond and is buried at Hollywood Cemetery.

Virginia · United States