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Pelham's Corner
John Pelham! The name conjures up the image of gallant youth. Schooled at West Point, Pelham resigned from the academy to side with the South in 1861. On December 13th, 1862, just south of Fredericksburg, this innovative artillerist positioned two cannons on the flank of a powerful Union line of battle, preparing to attack. Using the cover of a morning fog, he pushed far in advance of the Confederate lines. Bringing his two guns into battery near the Richmond Stage Road (modern day Route 2/17), Pelham held up the Federal assault for nearly two hours. The corner of Route 2/17 and Benchmark Road has long been memorialized as the site where Pelham made his stand that morning. The CVBT sought to preserve this area early in its existence, but the property owner had every intention of developing that historic quadrant of the crossroads. Still, in 1999, the CVBT purchased two very small parcels nearby. In and of themselves, this limited acreage (0.63 acres total) was of negligible importance, but we held on to them in anticipation of some future advantage.
The Silver Company acquired the historically significant corner several years later and began to discuss a land swap with the CVBT. In return for our two tiny lots, the Silver Company agreed to transfer a full acre of ground at the corner, the very site memorialized as Pelham’s Corner. In December 2007, the Silver Company transferred title of this site to the CVBT. In addition, they provided another $10,000 for landscaping and also reserved several parking spaces for visitors. While the surrounding area has been developed, this critical acre is owned by CVBT, so it can be maintained as a key component of the Fredericksburg battlefield. Once again, the Silver Company has worked with a local preservation organization to preserve a site of national significance and we thank them for their generosity.
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