In May 1862, George McClellan’s Union army stood on the outskirts of Richmond and threatened the Confederate capital. At the Dabbs House, Robert E. Lee opened his headquarters as new commander of the Army of Northern Virginia on June 1, 1862, and within four days had formed the strategy that would free Richmond from the Army of the Potomac. Two notable conferences took place there. On June 11, Lee and cavalryman J.E.B. Stuart planned Stuart’s famous ride around the Union army, a feat of 100 miles in 72 hours that revived morale among citizens and soldiers and marked the first flash of Stuart’s meteoric career. On June 23, Lee gathered his top subordinates for the first time and, using information from Stuart’s ride, revealed his plan to drive the Northern army away from Richmond. Often called the Dabbs House Meeting, this was the first step in the series of battles known as the Seven Days, which introduced Lee to the world as a talented general. Known as High Meadow before the Civil War, the two-story brick house was the home of Josiah and Mary Dabbs when the war began. After Josiah died in January 1862, Mary moved into Richmond, leaving the house unoccupied when Lee established his headquarters there.