After his victory at Chancellorsville in May 1863, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee led the Army of Northern Virginia west to the Shenandoah Valley, then north through central Maryland and into Pennsylvania, while Union Gen. George G. Meade, who replaced Gen. Joseph Hooker on June 28, led the Army of the Potomac in pursuit. On the evening of June 27, 1863, Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuart passed by here on his way to Rowser's Ford, a little-known and treacherous Potomac River crossing named for the Rowzee family, with about 5,000 men, including three cavalry brigades under Gen. Wade Hampton, Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, and Gen. John Chambliss, who was replacing the wounded Gen. W.H.F. "Rooney" Lee, along with six pieces of horse artillery under Capt. James Breathed. Diverted from his original route by the Union II Corps at Haymarket, Stuart took a longer path north to Fairfax Court House early on June 27, skirmished there with the 11th New York Cavalry, halted to rest his men and horses, and found abundant supplies in a village that had been Hooker's headquarters until the previous day. From the courthouse, Stuart and most of his command traveled by Hunter Mill Road to Dranesville and crossed the Potomac River here on the way to Pennsylvania, while Hooker and his army crossed miles upriver at Edward's Ferry. Both movements ended badly for the commanders: Hooker resigned the next day, and Stuart missed the opening two days of the Battle of Gettysburg, which began on July 1 and was followed by the Confederate retreat back across the Potomac into Virginia on July 14.