Mobilizing for War
Stafford’s prewar (1860) population was 8,633, including 3,394 enslaved (39 percent). Nearly 1,000 Staffordians – about half the white males — entered Confederate service. In the year between April 1861 and April 1862, over 9,000 Confederate forces occupied Stafford’s sector of the Potomac Defense Line from Mount Vernon to the Rappahannock. They harassed ships with artillery, defended the river line with artillery and infantry, and organized and trained several infantry and cavalry units.
The 47th Virginia Infantry Regiment was organized at Stafford Court House and “Camp Clifton” (at Clifton Church) in Widewater.
The 30th and 40th Virginia Infantry Regiments camped at Marlborough Point and near Brooke Station respectively.
The 55th Virginia Infantry occupied outpost positions on the Stafford side of the Rappahannock River and camped in Fredericksburg.
The 9th Virginia Cavalry Regiment camped in the Courthouse area and near Berea Church where they conducted covering and screening operations.
The Stafford Light Artillery trained at “Camp Maury” in Brooke.
The Fredericksburg Artillery, with some 23 Staffordians, also served in Stafford and in King George.
