(10/13) The Fairfield Borough Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee dedicated a "Civil War Trails" wayside in the borough on October 11 commemorating a Confederate raid that occurred during the American Civil War.
Numerous local officials attended the event along with borough Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee members and county and state officials under a perfect sky for an outdoor event.
The wayside sign was dedicated on the actual 150th anniversary of Confederate Cavalry General James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart's raid into Pennsylvania that ultimately included the community of Fairfield which occurred on October 11, 1862.
The dedication was held at the Fairfield Inn where the sign had been installed several weeks previous to await its formal dedication.
Introductory remarks at the dedication in October will be made by Jack Inskip, chairman of the borough Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee, committee member and publisher Dean Thomas, and Fairfield Mayor Bob Stanley.
The sign was unveiled by Frank Orlando, portraying Confederate General Robert E. Lee, and his wife, Bonnie, portraying Mrs. Lee, and by Kirk Davis, portraying a Union cavalry officer, all of Gettysburg.
"Stuart’s Raid" was launched by the renown Confederate cavalry commander on August 9,m 1862, with a force of 1,800 troopers. The raid swept up from Virginia through Frederick County, and entered Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, on October 10.
The cavalry then proceeded to Fairfield on October 11, rode down to Emmitsburg, then circumvented Union cavalry in the Frederick area to re-enter Virginia
The raid resulted in the "requisitioning" of some 1,200 horses while traversing 130 miles during the three-day raid, which also included the destruction of railroad equipment in Chambersburg.
The raid only further reaffirmed the seemingly unstoppable threat posed by Stuart’s cavalry as the brazen rebel force continued to exasperate the Union command in the effort of protecting its perimeters and supply routs.
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