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Waterloo is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, in the United States, straddling the Rappahannock River at its confluence with Carter's Run.
The village has existed since at least 1749, when the decision was made to build a road from Warrenton (about 8 miles (13 km) east) to serve the growing number of farms along the river. With Fauquier County on the north side and Culpeper County on the south side, Waterloo is surrounded by relatively flat tracts of arable land.
In 1829, construction began on a canal to eventually connect Waterloo with Fredericksburg, about 58 miles (93 km) to the southeast. Finished in 1849, the canal included 44 locks and 20 dams, with 14 miles (23 km) of dug canal.
Commercial activities in Waterloo began to thrive as the canal was constructed, because the water also could power mills. Eventually there was a sawmill, a clothing mill, a blacksmith, and a plan for a group of shops and factories on the Fauquier side to serve the community and the canal. However, when the Orange and Alexandria Railroad commenced operation in 1852, canal traffic rapidly declined, and venture ceased to operate in 1853.
During the Civil War, both Northern and South soldiers at various times occupied Waterloo. In 1861, CSA General Stonewall Jackson defeated USA General James Shields in an early skirmish; Shields' troops crossed the Waterloo Bridge from Culpeper to Fauquier on his retreat back to Washington, and in March 1862 he would return to help hand CSA General Jackson a rare tactical defeat at the Battle of Kernstown I (about 50 miles (80 km) to the north). On August 22, 1862, General J. E. B. Stuart's army started its ride around the army of USA General John Pope Pope in Waterloo. Stuart's force captured Pope's headquarters wagons and destroyed Union supplies and army material, shortly before the second battle of Manassas. By war's end, all but a couple of Waterloo's buildings were destroyed or dismantled. See also "Battle of Rappahannock Station I".
The current Waterloo Bridge was constructed in 1878 [1] for $7,050 by the Virginia Bridge and Iron Company. A one-lane, wrought iron bridge, it may be the oldest such bridge in Virginia. The counties of Fauquier, Culpeper, and Rappahannock all contributed to the funding, in order to enable local farmers and merchants to deliver goods to market. U.S. Route 211 was routed across the bridge from 1926 until about 1930.
Today, all that remains of the once busy nexus of commerce is a one-lane bridge, a home built around 1830 by John Spillman Armstrong, and the Waterloo Post Office (now a private residence) built on the Culpeper side in 1870 by Armstrong under contract to the U.S. Post Office. Local residents believe the post office was built by the U.S. government as a way of re-establishing its authority following the Civil War.
Fauquier County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,972. The county seat is Warrenton.
Culpeper County is a county located along the borderlands of the northern and central region of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 52,552. Its county seat and only incorporated community is Culpeper.
Culpeper is an incorporated town in Culpeper County, Virginia, United States. The population was 20,062 at the 2020 census, up from 16,379 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Culpeper County.
Remington is a small incorporated town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. The population was 598 at the 2010 census. It is near the highways, U.S. Route 15, U.S. Route 17, U.S. Route 29, and Virginia State Route 28. Remington is less than a mile northeast of the Culpeper County line.
Warrenton is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, of which it is the seat of government. The population was 10,057 as of the 2020 census, an increase from 9,611 at the 2010 census and 6,670 at the 2000 census. The estimated population in July 2021 was 10,109. It is at the junction of U.S. Route 15, U.S. Route 17, U.S. Route 29, and U.S. Route 211. The town is in the Piedmont region of Virginia just east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The well-known Airlie Conference Center is 3 miles (5 km) north of Warrenton, and the historic Vint Hill Farms military facility is 9 miles (14 km) east. Fauquier Hospital is located in the town. Surrounded by Virginia wine and horse country, Warrenton is a popular destination outside Washington, D.C.
U.S. Route 211 is a spur of US 11 in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known for most of its length as Lee Highway, the U.S. Highway runs 59.09 miles (95.10 km) from Interstate 81 (I-81) and Virginia State Route 211 in New Market east to US 15 Business, US 29 Business, and US 211 Business in Warrenton. US 211 connects the Shenandoah Valley with the Piedmont town of Warrenton via Luray and Sperryville, where the highway runs concurrently with US 340 and US 522, respectively.
Bealeton is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States, at the intersection of U.S. Route 17 and State Route 28. The population was 4,435 at the 2010 census.
The First Battle of Rappahannock Station, as took place on August 23, 1862, at present-day Remington, Virginia, as part of the Northern Virginia Campaign of the American Civil War.
The Manassas Station Operations included the operations known as Bristoe Station, Kettle Run, Bull Run Bridge, or Union Mills. It took place August 25–27, 1862, in Prince William County, Virginia, as part of the Northern Virginia Campaign of the American Civil War.
The Bristoe campaign was a series of minor battles fought in Virginia during October and November 1863, in the American Civil War. Maj. Gen. George G. Meade, commanding the Union Army of the Potomac, began to maneuver in an unsuccessful attempt to defeat Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Lee countered with a turning movement, which caused Meade to withdraw his army back toward Centreville. Lee struck at Bristoe Station on October 14, but suffered losses in two brigades and withdrew. As Meade followed south once again, the Union army smashed a Confederate defensive bridgehead at Rappahannock Station on November 7 and drove Lee back across the Rapidan River. Along with the infantry battles, the cavalry forces of the armies fought at Auburn on October 13, again at Auburn on October 14, and at Buckland Mills on October 19.
Amissville is an unincorporated community in Rappahannock County in the U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. It is located on U.S. Route 211 about halfway between Warrenton and the small town of Washington, Virginia.
State Route 229 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known for most of its length as Rixeyville Road, the state highway runs 14.66 miles (23.59 km) from U.S. Route 15 Business and US 29 Business in Culpeper north to US 211 near Waterloo. SR 229 connects Culpeper with Catalpa and Rixeyville in northern Culpeper County.
James French Strother was a nineteenth-century American politician and lawyer from a noted Virginia political family of lawyers, military officers and judges. He was the grandson of French Strother who served in the Continental Congress and both houses of the Virginia General Assembly, son of Congressman George Strother and grandfather of Congressman James F. Strother.
Opal is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. It is on U.S. Highway 15/U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 29, at an elevation of 449 feet (137 m). The population as of the 2010 census was 691.
Timeline of Fauquier County, Virginia in the Civil War
Alexander John Marshall was a Virginia lawyer, businessman and politician who served many years as Clerk of Fauquier County, helped secure construction of the Rappahannock Canal, and was a Virginia state senator during the American Civil War (1862–1865).
The 4th U.S. Artillery, Battery E was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The unit fought at the battles of Kernstown, Port Republic, Rappahannock Station, Second Bull Run, Chantilly, Antietam, and Fredericksburg in 1862. The battery transferred to the Cavalry Corps where it served for the rest of the war. In 1863, 4th U.S. Artillery, Battery E fought at Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Culpeper, Bristoe Station, and Mine Run. In 1864, the unit fought at the Wilderness, Todd's Tavern, Yellow Tavern, Totopotomoy, Cold Harbor, the Wilson-Kautz Raid, Opequon, Fisher's Hill, and Cedar Creek. In 1865, it saw action at Dinwiddie Court House, Five Forks, Sailor's Creek, and Appomattox before taking part in the Grand Review of the Armies.