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Witness Trees on Culpeper's Civil War Battlefields

Witness trees are those flora that have withstood the test of time — persisting amidst moments that forever changed the trajectory of a nation and its people. Often, they are associated with tragedy and hardship, as silent sentinels that stood by soldiers in the whirl of conflict or provided them cover and shade when a fairly serene second could be sought.

Many of these time-honored trees remain scattered across historic landscapes, providing context for the life-altering events that flitted across the soil they are tied to. And while trees cannot be firmly dated until the rings of their core are counted, foresters can also estimate the age of a tree by considering the average growth factor of its particular species, which are defined and accessible figures.  The formula, developed by the International Society of Arboriculture, is simple: multiply the tree’s diameter* by its species’ growth factor. For example, if you wanted to approximate the age of a white oak tree with a 20-inch diameter, you’d multiply 20 by the average growth factor of white oaks, which is five. You’d find that your white oak is roughly 100 years old.

Today’s preserved battlefields, varying in the types and degrees of flora and fauna that cover their ground, create opportunities for the public to admire and learn from wartime witness trees. While the world around these towering guards moved fast and furious, they stood still, soaking it all in.

Brandy Station Battlefield - Fleetwood Hill

Witness Trees at Fleetwood Hill, Brandy Station Battlefield, Culpeper County, Va.
Witness Trees at Fleetwood Hill, Brandy Station Battlefield, Culpeper County, Va. Jennifer Michael

These two tall trees stand upon Fleetwood Hill — the most contested, camped upon and trekked about hallowed ground in the nation. Now, at more than 150 years old, these wooden witnesses on the hill’s northern terminus saw the strategic location covered with soldiers in blue and gray as early as the spring of 1862, when Confederate Gen. Joseph Johnston’s men passed over and camped on its slopes. Several other soldiers followed suit — the grounds experienced a near constant flow of hard-fought actions and dense troop occupation as armies vied for control of the “Rappahannock River Line.” Situated three miles southwest of the river and touching the Orange and Alexandria Railroad on its southern base, Fleetwood Hill was a magnet for wartime activity.

Of the activities that unfurled across the land, mounted combat was frequent. In fact, Fleetwood’s southern end saw more of it than anywhere else in the country.  During the June 1863 Battle of Brandy Station, more than 7,000 troopers fought for control of this portion of land in the largest cavalry engagement fought on American soil and beginning of the Gettysburg Campaign. The history of Fleetwood Hill and beyond will be a primary focus as the American Battlefield Trust works alongside the Commonwealth of Virginia to establish Culpeper Battlefields State Park, set to open in June 2024

Cedar Mountain Battlefield

Witness Tree, Cedar Mountain Battlefield, Culpeper County, Va.
Witness Tree, Cedar Mountain Battlefield, Culpeper County, Va. Jennifer Michael

At Cedar Mountain, you can find oak trees that are estimated to predate the birth of the nation. Two oaks are located near the road heading northwest from General Winder Road near the Crittenden Gate. Another, a chestnut oak, is situated near the old homesite of the Throckmorton family. With a diameter of 14 inches, it is estimated the tree could be around the likes of 300 years old.  Meanwhile, a pin oak near the Stonewall Brigade Monument is larger in diameter but younger in age than the chestnut oak... all thanks to the different species’ growth factors!

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Source: https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/silent-witness