December 14, 1862. The new Provost Marshal takes peaceable possession of Fairfax County Courthouse

"H’d Qr’s 16th Vt Vols

Camp between Centreville

and Bull Run, Va

Dec. 14th 1862

"My Darling Wife,

"We marched to Fairfax Court House day before yesterday 18 miles, camped over night, and my Regt was sent out to picket Bull Run yesterday. I stationed them from Blackburns Ford to Island Ford. I had but 24 sick men to leave at Camp Vt. All the rest made the marches But they are a little sore now. I think we shall go to Fredericksburg way soon. So my own sweet angel I cant see you quite yet."

"My H’d Qrs are at a house now, but shall move to day. The [remainder] of the Brigade is back at Fairfax Ct H." ~   Col. Wheelock G. Veazey, Sixteenth Regiment, Letter to Julia, December 9, 1862. UVM Center for Digital Initiatives 

"Fairfax Court House"
William Henry Jackson, pvt. 12th Regt. Co. K

"I received an order to “report with the least possible delay” at Gen. Stoughton’s headquarters for instructions as Provost Marshall at Fairfax Courthouse to which I was appointed...and early I was on hand, received my instructions, took peaceable possession of a fine brick building, two stories high, entered as an office for the County and Probate Clerks, cleaned it out and put things into condition for work. ... I have the whole building, two rooms besides entrance and stairs 20 feet or so square and 10 feet high with two windows on each side of both rooms and a fine open fireplace at one end of each....In this building I occupy are kept the records of the county court. Probate court and the U.S. District Court. Until recently the will of George Washington was in file here but that and some of the more important papers have been removed for safety to Alexandria.*  But the office is full of old papers going back two centuries or more. I use for my pillow one of these old volumes. 

"There commenced a great battle at Fredericksburg yesterday and is continued today with what results I do not hear, but trust that it is favorable to our side. It is about time to hear of Union victories here in Virginia if we ever expect to bring this war to a close." ~ Lt. Col. Charles Cummings, Sixteenth Regiment, Leftter No. 10  December 14, 1862. VHS. 


*The will of George Washington had been buried for a time in a chest under a pile of coal, then taken to Richmond for safekeeping. See also Fairfax County Clerk's Letter;  THE FAIRFAX COUNTY COURTHOUSE