A Walk Around the Fox House at North Anna
On this date, May 23, in 1864, Ulysses S. Grant rudely interrupted an afternoon glass of buttermilk Robert E. Lee was enjoying on the porch of the Fox house, just south of the North Anna River. By the end of the day, a Confederate staffer would be buried under a pile of chimney bricks.
Recently, the American Battlefield Trust preserved this property. Although it is not yet accessible to the public, to commemorate today’s anniversary, the Trust granted me access to the Fox House for a special video for Emerging Civil War.
Lee was on the front porch of the Fox House when Federal artillery opened from across the river. There’s damage to the front door frame allegedly from that bombardment (below). (In the photo above, it’s obscured by my big head!)
Last year, I posted some research I’d done on the Fox house—also known as Ellington—including several cool historic photos. I also had the chance to give viewers a tour inside the house as part of a Facebook LIVE event hosted by the American Battlefield Trust.
I want to offer a special thank you to Tom Gilmore and Matt George from the American Battlefield Trust, who facilitated my visit.
What an amazing addition to the preserved part of the North Anna Battlefield and campaign.
–Chris Barry
Had a rare opportunity in 1999 to meet the owner who was very kind. I stopped by and asked to visit the Chimney. He said I was welcome anytime to stop and follow the old Telegraph Road trace, as long as I checked in with him on arrival. Wonderful owners out there if you have the courtesy to ask. Glad the ABT now manages the property.
That’s how I first had the chance to walk the property years ago. Dan Turner was the grown son of the woman who owned the property. He was super gracious. He runs a small country store down at Hanover Junction that sells a mean homemade BBQ!