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THE CONFEDERATE ARMIES had successfully blocked General McClellan's Peninsula Campaign in battles around Richmond in July 1862. Thus, McClellan was withdrawing his battered divisions from that area, while General Pope was driving his Union Army south along the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. Crawford and Bank's advance divisions had already secured the town of Culpeper, unaware that Stonewall Jackson was bringing his army of 24,000 (three divisions under A.P. Hill, Winder and Ewell) north from Gordonsville to halt Pope's advance.
 On August 9, 1862, the two opposing armies clashed 6 miles south of Culpeper in an area known as Cedar Mountain, along the banks of a little stream called Cedar Run. Here, the only recorded time in the war, Jackson drew his sword. The Confederate Army was victorious. On the morning of August 11, the Federal Troops under a flag of truce requested permission to treat their wounded and bury their dead. That night, under the cover of darkness, Jackson withdrew across the Rapidan and Robinson Rivers, from whence he had come. The Battle of Cedar Mountain was over. Nineteen days later, Jackson defeated Pope's army at the second Battle of Manassas. For more information on the Battle of Cedar Mountain, visit www.friendsofcedarmountain.org.
- The Gate/Jackson on the Field: Jackson rallied his panic-stricken men near this point after Union attacks shattered the Confederate line.
- The Confederate Line: Christopher C. Augur's Union attack started from this point, and traversed a cornfield to strike the Confederate line.
- Crawford's Attack: Samuel W. Crawford's Union attack struck Jackson's line in this area. When Crawford fell back to his original line, four companies of the 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry dashed across this area in a rare ill-fated mounted cavalry charge against infantry.
 Mitchell's Station Road: The Union line ran along the Mitchell's Station Road, now Rte. 649. Union artillery along the road shelled the Confederates across the fields, but took terrible fire from Confederate artillery advantageously located on the shoulder of Cedar Mountain.
- Augur's Attack: The Cedar Run Creek lent its name to this battle. It was here that Augur's attack started.
- Last Confederate Line: Confederates drove Nathaniel P. Banks' Union troops from the Mitchell's Station Road past the Cedar Run Baptist church, which sits on its wartime foundation.
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