Small monument to one of the more colorful Confederate generals of the Civil War, who was mortally wounded near this spot on May 11th, 1864 at the Battle of Yellow Tavern. The monument is now cared for by the United Daughters of the Confederacy. My GPS took me short of the actual location, but eventually I found it.
J.E.B. Stewart was the cavalry commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, under Lee. But while Lee and Grant were facing off at Spotsylvania Court House to the north, Union Gen Phillip Sheridan broke off to harass the Confederate rear. Stewart was sent to stop him.
By this point in the war, Union cavalry was equal if not superior to their Confederate counterparts. It also helped that Sheridan outnumbered his opponent 10,000 to 4,500. The results were predicable. A unit under General George Custer (yes, THAT Custer) lead an attack on Stewart's left flank; Stewart tried to rally his men, but was shot in the stomach. Stewart died the next day, ordering that his spurs and sword be given to his son, his last words "I am resigned; God's will be done."
There's not much to say about the monument; just a regular obelisk, nothing fancy, with a few Confederate flags surrounding it. Apparently if you follow the NPS directions you may find some earthworks for Richmond's outer defenses, but the 'tavern' itself is long gone. Now, all you see in the area are modern houses, which make it difficult to imagine the sound of battle. read more