Payne's Farm battlefield trail photos

George Thomas

Corporal
Joined
Aug 28, 2017
Location
Greater Boston (MA) area
Trailhead for 1.5 mile loop trail starts immediately across Rt. 611 from the church

20181018_Payne Trailhead.jpg

A few photos from a mid-October 2018 visit I made to the Payne's Farm battlefield in Virginia, part of Meade's 1863 Mine Run campaign (November 27, 1863).

The property (preserved by the Civil War Trust) is about 5 miles northwest of the Wilderness Battlefield. You travel west on modern Rt. 20 past the Wilderness Battlefield for about 3 miles, then turn right on Rt. 611 (modern Zoar Rd., aka Raccoon Ford Rd. at the time of the battle) Follow Zoar Rd. for about 2 miles. There is a sign cluster and parking on the left at Zoar Baptist Church.

Zoar Baptist Church

20181018_Zoar church.jpg


Marker with trail map

20181018_Payne trail marker.jpg


The battle started as a clash between elements of the Union III Corp. under French and Edward Johnson's Confederate division at the intersection of Raccoon Ford Rd. and Jacob's Ford Rd. (modern Rt. 603, aka Indiantown Rd.)

20181018_Payne crossroads.jpg


Marker near the crossroads

20181018_Payne crossroads marker.jpg


Fighting spread into the dense woods around the intersection. Most of the trail is still heavily wooded. You need to carefully follow the blue blazes on the trees.

View from trail looking towards Jacob's Ford Rd. (modern Rt. 603, Indiantown Rd.)

20181018_Stalemate view.jpg


Marker along road

20181018_stalemate marker.jpg


Blue blazes mark the heavily wooded trail

20181018_blue blazes.jpg


Eventually the trail starts uphill towards the fields of the Payne Farm

20181018_uphill view.jpg


Marker near uphill view

20181018_Baptism of fire marker.jpg


After the gradual uphill climb, the trail reaches a worm fence held by the Union III Corp. at the edge of the Payne Farm field

20181018_Payne worm fence.jpg


Marker at worm fence

20181018_worm fence marker.jpg


Meanwhile, the Confederate Stonewall Brigade advanced north from Raccoon Ford Rd. (modern Rt. 611) and reached the Payne Farm field near the right flank of the Union III Corp. along the worm fence.

View of Stonewall Brigade into the Payne Farm field

20181018_view of Stonewall brigade.jpg


Stonewall Brigade marker

20181018_Stonewall bridge marker.jpg


Other elements of Johnson's division advanced up the Payne Farm lane and then wheeled to their left into the Payne Farm field. The Union forces occupied the distant wood line over the rise in the distance. The Stonewall Brigade was in the treeline to the left

20181018_Payne field.jpg


Marker for the Confederate advance across the Payne Farm field

20181018_Confederate wheel.jpg


The fighting ended in at night in a stalemate, and the Confederates withdrew back down the Payne Farm lane. The walking trail follow the farm lane back to the parking area.

20181018_Payne farm lane.jpg


End of trail near parking area at Zoar Church

20181018_End of trail.jpg
 
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What a surprise to read this thread as my GGGrandfather was captured on November 27, 1863 at Payne’s Farm.

Private Joseph Piner belonged to the 3rd North Carolina Infantry, Stuert’s Brigade, Johnson’s Division, Ewell’s Corps. He was sent to Point Lookout till paroled in September 1864.

Thank you for the pictures just hope you might have more?
Regards
David
 
What a surprise to read this thread as my GGGrandfather was captured on November 27, 1863 at Payne’s Farm.

Private Joseph Piner belonged to the 3rd North Carolina Infantry, Stuert’s Brigade, Johnson’s Division, Ewell’s Corps. He was sent to Point Lookout till paroled in September 1864.

Thank you for the pictures just hope you might have more?
Regards
David

@Ole Miss
I am so glad the post was meaningful to you. Here is a closer view of the crossroads where Jacob's Ford Rd. intersects Raccoon Ford Rd. My understanding is that the 3rd NC of Stuert's brigade initially would have been located to the far right side of this photo along Raccoon Ford Rd. The 3rd NC is shown on the Civil War Trust map, as well as in Bradley M. Gottfried's book, "The Maps of the Bristoe Station and Mine Run Campaigns," Savas Beatie, 2013. I have attached a scan of pages 128-129 below, which shows the opening of the fight at Payne's Farm. Subsequent pages of Gottfried's book show the 3rd NC falling back from the crossroads a bit to the south, then regrouping and pushing back to the crossroads and a bit north through a ravine along along the northwest side of Jacob's Ford Rd. It looks like they were primarily engaged with the 84th PA and 74th NY regiments. I highly recommend the book if you want to get into the details of the battle. The description of the fight at Payne's farm runs from pages 126 to 151 and the 3rd NC is mentioned several times.

An excerpt from page 140 of Gottfried's book (describing the fighting at 4:45-5:00 pm):

"Col. Stephen Thruston's 3rd North Carolina, now effectively Steurt's left regiment, headed for the Federals deployed on both sides of Jacob's Ford Road (the 84th Pennsylvania and the 74th New York). Thruston noted in his report that 'the action was quite sharp for a short time, when the men with a yell charged the position.' The Tar Heels' oblique approach in the rapidly fading light (coupled with the 1st North Carolina on its right) unnerved the New Yorkers and Pennsylvanians while striking the right front of Col. Robert McCallister's small 150-man 11th New Jersey."

Later, on page 150, Gottfried, sums up the battle and points out that:

"With 72 casualties, the 3rd North Carolina fighting on the left center of Steurt's wheeling column lost the most men of any regiment in Johnson's command."


20181018_Payne Farm crossroads closeup.jpg


Civil War Trust map, available at: https://www.battlefields.org/learn/maps/battle-mine-run-paynes-farm-november-27-1863

mine-run-paynes-farm.jpg


Gottfried excerpt, p. 128

Gottfried, p. 128.jpg


Gottfried excerpt, p. 129

Gottfried, p. 129.jpg
 
Trailhead for 1.5 mile loop trail starts immediately across Rt. 611 from the church

View attachment 211048
A few photos from a mid-October 2018 visit I made to the Payne's Farm battlefield in Virginia, part of Meade's 1863 Mine Run campaign (November 27, 1863).

The property (preserved by the Civil War Trust) is about 5 miles northwest of the Wilderness Battlefield. You travel west on modern Rt. 20 past the Wilderness Battlefield for about 3 miles, then turn right on Rt. 611 (modern Zoar Rd., aka Raccoon Ford Rd. at the time of the battle) Follow Zoar Rd. for about 2 miles. There is a sign cluster and parking on the left at Zoar Baptist Church.

Zoar Baptist Church

View attachment 211046

Marker with trail map

View attachment 211049

The battle started as a clash between elements of the Union III Corp. under French and Edward Johnson's Confederate division at the intersection of Raccoon Ford Rd. and Jacob's Ford Rd. (modern Rt. 603, aka Indiantown Rd.)

View attachment 211051

Marker near the crossroads

View attachment 211052

Fighting spread into the dense woods around the intersection. Most of the trail is still heavily wooded. You need to carefully follow the blue blazes on the trees.

View from trail looking towards Jacob's Ford Rd. (modern Rt. 603, Indiantown Rd.)

View attachment 211053

Marker along road

View attachment 211054

Blue blazes mark the heavily wooded trail

View attachment 211055

Eventually the trail starts uphill towards the fields of the Payne Farm

View attachment 211056

Marker near uphill view

View attachment 211057

After the gradual uphill climb, the trail reaches a worm fence held by the Union III Corp. at the edge of the Payne Farm field

View attachment 211058

Marker at worm fence

View attachment 211059

Meanwhile, the Confederate Stonewall Brigade advanced north from Raccoon Ford Rd. (modern Rt. 611) and reached the Payne Farm field near the right flank of the Union III Corp. along the worm fence.

View of Stonewall Brigade into the Payne Farm field

View attachment 211063

Stonewall Brigade marker

View attachment 211064

Other elements of Johnson's division advanced up the Payne Farm lane and then wheeled to their left into the Payne Farm field. The Union forces occupied the distant wood line over the rise in the distance. The Stonewall Brigade was in the treeline to the left

View attachment 211067

Marker for the Confederate advance across the Payne Farm field

View attachment 211068

The fighting ended in at night in a stalemate, and the Confederates withdrew back down the Payne Farm lane. The walking trail follow the farm lane back to the parking area.

View attachment 211071

End of trail near parking area at Zoar Church

View attachment 211072
Great post. Very educational and the photos are well placed. Thank you again for your dedication to detail.
 
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