Hanging Rock is an unincorporated community in

Roanoke County Roanoke County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 96,929. Its county seat is Salem, but the county administrative offices are located in the unincorporated Cave ...

, Virginia, United States located directly north of

Salem Salem may refer to: Places Canada Ontario * Bruce County ** Salem, Arran–Elderslie, Ontario, in the municipality of Arran–Elderslie ** Salem, South Bruce, Ontario, in the municipality of South Bruce * Salem, Dufferin County, Ontario, part ...

. The community is named for a prominent rock outcrop. The intersection of Virginia State Route 311 and Virginia State Route 419 is in Hanging Rock.

Battle

In the Battle of Hanging Rock in the Civil War, a retreat to West Virginia by Union General David Hunter was briefly disrupted by the forces of Confederate Generals

Jubal A. Early Jubal Anderson Early (November 3, 1816 – March 2, 1894) was a Virginia lawyer and politician who became a Confederate States of America, Confederate general during the American Civil War. Trained at the United States Military Academy, Early r ...

and

John McCausland John McCausland, Jr. (September 13, 1836 – January 22, 1927) was a brigadier general in the Confederate army, famous for the ransom of Hagerstown, Maryland, and the razing of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War. Early ...

. On June 21, 1864, Hunter and his men were seeking refuge after failing to capture Lynchburg, 60 miles to the east. About 100 union soldiers were killed partly because their way was blocked by trees that had been felled across the road. "On June 21, 1864 General Hunter, retreating from defeat at Lynchburg by General Early, met Confederate forces led by General John McCausland. After losing some of his artillery here, Hunter continued his withdrawal northwest through New Castle to Lewisburg." "Hunter retreated along the Lynchburg-Salem Turnpike (today's U.S. 460) in a wagon train that stretched for 11 miles. Union Gen.

Alfred Duffie Alfred may refer to: Arts and entertainment *''Alfred J. Kwak'', Dutch-German-Japanese anime television series * ''Alfred'' (Arne opera), a 1740 masque by Thomas Arne * ''Alfred'' (Dvořák), an 1870 opera by Antonín Dvořák *"Alfred (Interlu ...

was ordered to burn the wool mill and depot at Bonsack, Virginia, cut telegraph wires and burn the rail depots in Big Lick (now Roanoke) and Salem. McCausland pursued Hunter by crossing the

Peaks of Otter The Peaks of Otter are three mountain peaks in the Blue Ridge Mountains, overlooking the town of Bedford, Virginia, which lies nine miles (14 km) to the southeast along State Route 43. These peaks are Sharp Top, Flat Top, and Harkening Hill ...

and headed toward Salem on the Great Valley Pike (the primary corridor for today's I-81 and

U.S. Route 11 in Virginia U.S. Route 11 (US 11) is a north–south United States highway in western Virginia. At , it is the second longest numbered route (after US 58) and longest primarily north-south route in the state. It enters the state from Tennessee as ...

), which was a better road and a faster way to get to the Roanoke Valley. McCausland and Confederate Gen.

Robert Ransom Jr. Robert Ransom Jr. (February 12, 1828 – January 14, 1892) was a major general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. His brother Matt W. Ransom was also a Confederate general officer and U.S. Senator. Early life Ransom ...

's men caught Hunter's army, which was slowed by the narrow gap through Hanging Rock up Catawba Mountain toward

New Castle, Virginia New Castle (historically spelled as one word; "Newcastle") is the only town in Craig County, Virginia, United States. The population was 125 at the 2020 census.https://www.census.gov/search-results.html?searchType=web&cssp=SERP&q=New%20Castle%20to ...

. Local militia had blocked the road with fallen trees, further slowing the retreat." Maps Number 10 and 10a by

Jedediah Hotchkiss Jedediah Hotchkiss (November 30, 1828 – January 17, 1899), known most frequently as Jed, was a teacher and the most famous cartographer and topographer of the American Civil War. His detailed and accurate maps of the Shenandoah Valley are c ...

, 1828-1899, concern the battle. "No. 10. Map of engagement at Hanging Rock, Roanoke County, Va., Tuesday June 21st 1864, to accompany report of Jed. Hotchkiss, Top. Eng., A.V.D. Scale 1:40,000 -- No. 10a. Map of engagement at Hanging Rock, Roanoke County, Va., Tuesday June 21st 1864. Scale 1:40,000."

Markers

There are several markers at the site commemorating the battle. One was placed there in 1932 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Another one commemorates the battle and was placed there by the Virginia Civil War Trails. Another marker,
Two Future Presidents In Wartime Retreat: Hanging Rock Battlefield Trail
commemorates two future presidents, William McKinley and Rutherford B. Hayes, who were present at the conflict. Another marker described the attack, and was erected in 1999 by County of Roanoke, the City of Salem, and the Hanging Rock Battlefield and Railway Preservation Foundation.McCausland Attacks; Hanging Rock Battlefield Trail
" The United Daughters of the Confederacy also placed a marker commemorating the 100th anniversary of the battle.
100th Anniversary of Hanging Rock
" The inscription reads: "Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Skirmish at Hanging Rock, June 21, 1864. Erected by the William Watts Chapter, U. D. C. June 21, 1964."

References

Bibliography

* Berrier, Ralph

Roanoke Times ''The Roanoke Times'' is the primary newspaper in Southwestern Virginia and is based in Roanoke, Virginia, United States. It is published by Lee Enterprises. In addition to its headquarters in Roanoke, it maintains a bureau in Christiansburg, ...

. June 20, 2014. * " ttps://civilwar.vt.edu/hanging-rock/ Battle of Hanging Rock Virginia Center for Civil War Studies. Virginia Tech. * Miller, Suzanne
Discover History & Heritage. Our Region in Portrait
2017.

. * Rice, Clive E. 2003.
Havoc at Hanging Rock
. Journal of the History Museum and Historical Society of Western Virginia. 15, no. 2: 63-66. https://web.archive.org/web/20140720163248/http://www.salemmuseum.org/guide_archives/HSV5N3.aspx {{authority control Unincorporated communities in Roanoke County, Virginia Unincorporated communities in Virginia