Saint Mary of Sorrows

Civil War Trails sign at this 1858 church describes the action here Aug. 8, 1864 when Confederate horsemen led by John Singleton Mosby routed a Union cavalry encampment.  Given the church's important location on the main road from Fairfax Courthouse to the depot of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad (now Fairfax Station), the area, with St. Mary's as an identifying point, quickly became an important objective for both Northern and Southern armies vying to dominate the railroads in the area.