Image above: Wayside marker at the location of the former Todd's Tavern. Courtesy America's Best History.
Spotlight on Lesser Known History
Battle of Todd's Tavern
Virginia
America's Best History Spotlight
On this page we're going to Spotlight the lesser known historic sites and attractions that dot the history landscape across the USA and are worth a visit if you're in their area. And while they may be lesser known, some are very unique, and will be that rare find. You'll be, at times, on the ground floor, or maybe even know something others don't. It'll be fun. Visit them.
Battle of Todd's Tavern, Virginia
The Battle of Todd's Tavern was a testament to how different the strategy of the Civil War would be in the Eastern Theater of the war after General U.S. Grant came east and started the Overland Campaign. The actions at Todd's Tavern were held on the day between the battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania, both battles which cost America at least twenty thousand casualties each. No, the battle of Todd's Tavern was not that large, and it was mostly a cavalry battle, but it would prove that Grant would pursue and fight Lee every day if needed, a promise made to President Lincoln, to end the Civil War.
Photo above: Photo of the original Todd's Tavern, located at the junction of Brock and Catharpin Roads, 1861/5, G.O. Brown. Courtesy Library of Congress.
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Info, What's There Now, History Nearby
Battle of Todd's Tavern, Virginia
Troops of both sides were leaving the area of the Wilderness battle as well as still arriving from the various fords of the Rapidan River at Ely's Ford, < href="https://americasbesthistory.com/spotlight2023-7.html">Germanna Ford, and U.S. Ford. Troops were traveling down the Plank Road, as well as the Brock Road, which would lead to the intersection with Brock Road and Catharpin Road where a local watering hole known as Todd's Tavern stood. Both wanted to prevent the other from catching up. Both wanted to get to the area of Spotsylvania first, the next stop toward Richmond.
So, U.S. Grant told General Meade to send his cavalry to clear the Brock Road. Todd's Tavern had been held by the Union during the Battle of the Wilderness by the cavalry of General Phil Sheridan, but had moved during the night of May 6 toward the Plank Road, allowing Confederate General Fitzhugh Lee to occupy it by the morning of May 7, 1864.
Image above: Photo of a portion of another wayside at the pull-off location showing part of the battle movements at Todd's Tavern, which was held in the fields in front and woods to the right of the Tavern and further down both Brock and Catharpin Roads. Below: Stereograph of Todd's Tavern, 1865, G.O. Brown. Courtesy Library of Congress.
Where Is It
The Battle of Todd's Tavern was held from the end of the Wilderness Battlefield down Brock Road. The tavern itself was at the intersection of Brock Road and Catharpin Road. The auto tour will also take you down Catharpin Road to Corbin's Bridge where the Confederates cut a road through the forest to bypass the intersection. Most of the wayside exhibits are across the street from today's Todd's Tavern Market.
Minute Walk in History
It was a specialty of General U.S. Grant that whether in defeat, stalemate, or victory at the previous battle that he would follow General Lee wherever he would go, and fight every step of the way. In this video, evidence of this first tactic in the Overland Campaign would occur; one day after the Battle of the Wilderness, he would fight along the way to the next major battle, Spotsylvania, at what is called the Battle of Todd's Tavern. A mostly cavalry engagement, listen to the words of the Union commanders as they go back and forth with action reports of the fight. Also, try to spot the one wayside that states that this tavern area had also been involved in the American Revolution.
What is There Now
Todd's Tavern
An auto tour courtesy of the National Park Service takes you along the path of the Battle of Todd's Tavern, essentially a race and cavalry battle fought between the Battle of the Wilderness and the Battle of Spotsylvania. There are wayside exhibits at the intersection of Brock and Catharpin Road, across from a current Todd's Tavern Market. The Corbin Bridge, which is down Catharpin Road, was about the furthest in that direction that the battle took place. Some of this land has been purchased by the American Battlefields Trust, and other is owned by the State of Virginia, as the Oakley Forest Wildlife Management Area.
When Open and How Much
Open dawn to dusk. Primitive camping available at Oakley Forest Wildlife Management Area, which was part of the battlefield fought over. No charge to visit wayside or driving tour locations. Camping charge $4 per night.
Fees and hours are subject to change.
Websites
NPS Driving Tour - Battle of Todd's Tavern
History Nearby
You are, when at the former site of Todd's Tavern, within the epicenter of the war between the two capitols; Washington, D.C. and Richmond, Virginia. Therefore, a vast amount of Civil War battlefields as well as Colonial history is just around the corner, including Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Battlefield Park, Richmond, Monticello, Mount Vernon, and more. If you want to see it all, take off all next year.
Photos, History, and More Spotlights
Wilderness to Todd's Tavern to Spotsylvania
The bloody battle of the Wilderness had been a two day stalemate, despite Grant's army holding a distinct advantage in men, 122,000 to 66,000, and cost thousands of lives, an injury to Confederate General Longstreet, and had been a logistical nightmare in thick new growth woods. With Fitzhugh Lee now occupying Todd's Tavern, midway to Spotsylvania, General Grant told Meade to send General Sheridan with two divisions, Merritt's advancing south at Catherine Furnace to clear the Brock Road, and Gregg's from Aldrich Farm west on Catharpin Road, to take the tavern and open the road for his troopers to follow.
The two Union commanders met at Todd's Tavern, and although what seemed like disorganized orders from commanders, their plan worked, pushing General Fitzhugh Lee and his troopers from the Tavern intersection. Merritt met the enemy three quarters of a mile from the intersection to the north. Gregg arrived around noon and pushed Lee from the area, General George Custer one of the first to meet the enemy. After the intersection was cleared, Gregg continued southwest down Catharpin Road, chasing Rosser's brigade of Hampton's division to Corbin's Bridge. When Rosser received support, Gregg withdrew back to the tavern.
Merritt's division chased the Confederate cavalry south down Brock Road, engaging the enemy late in the afternoon, who had thrown up barracades across the road, near Piney Branch Road. Some reports contend that this action was the deadliest of the conflict. The Confederates would hold their position into darkness; Merritt returned to Todd's Tavern.
Photo above: Lithograph of the Battle of the Wilderness. Courtesy Library of Congress.
The Commanding Generals
When General George Meade arrived at the tavern near midnight, he was very displeased that Gregg's and Merritt's division of Sheridan's Corp were sleeping there and immediately ordered both divisions to complete the tasks they were given; remove Fitzhugh Lee, under command of JEB Stuart, from the area and get to Spotsylvania first. While the later did not become true, the tactic delayed the Confederates, allowing General Warren to get his soldiers into position on Laurel Hill at Spotsylvania only one half hour after the Confederates had arrived.
Image above: General Phil Sheridan, 1862/4, Brady's National Photographic Portrait Galleries. Courtesy Library of Congress. Below: Confederate Cavalry General J.E.B. Stuart, 1861-4, J. Gurney & Son. Courtesy Library of Congress.
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Todd's Tavern Today
The battlefield is not yet interpreted fully, with the American Battlefield Trust purchasing one hundred and thirty-seven acres of the Todd's Tavern area as well as the fields in front of the waysides at the intersection and going north up Brock Road. The Virginia Wildlife Management Area of Oakley Forest owns much of the land of the battle down toward Corbin's Bridge. Now to the fate of Todd's Tavern itself; it is no longer there, but had been on the side of the road which is marked by the Civil War waysides. It was owned by Flavius Ballard since 1848 and served as a residence, post office, tavern, and store. It was gone by 1884. Today, across the street, is a small store, now called the Todd's Tavern Market.
Photo above: Todd's Tavern Market, the replacement for the former Todd's Tavern. Wayside pullout is across from the market with fighting fields directly ahead of them. Courtesy America's Best History.
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