In June of 1863, in the Prelude to Gettysburg, Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, screened by the Blue Ridge Mountains, moved north through the Shenandoah Valley to its ultimate destiny at Gettysburg.

Union Brig. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton with his 8,000 cavalrymen was ordered to move across Loudoun Valley and locate Lee's army. The task of Confederate Maj. Gen J.E.B. Stuart with his 9,000 troopers was to prevent that.

Following the skirmish in the village of Aldie, the cavalry fighting spread up the Snickersville Turnpike with the 2nd Virginia defeating the 4th New York in the surrounding rolling fields.

The sharpshooters from the 2nd and 3rd Virginia dismounted and hid behind the stone wall at the Furr House, supported by Confederate cannon. Successive charges by a 1st Massachusetts cavalry regiment resulted in two thirds being killed, wounded or captured. Later, the Virginians were driven from their positions by the 1st Maine Cavalry, concluding the Battle of Aldie.

By the fifth day the battle had spread to Upperville. Four brigades of cavalry, numbering about 6,000, battled each other across the farms known today as Ayshire and Kirkby. In addition, Confederate Captain Roger Chew's four cannons shot devastating canister at Union Colonel William Gamble's three cavalry regiments, but ultimately, continuing charges by the Federals caused J.E.B. Stuart's forces to withdraw to safety on the slopes of the Blue Ridge near Paris.

The Battles of Aldie, Middleburg and Upperville covered the five-day period June 17 through 21, but the Union forces withdrew before they could attain Snickers or Ashby Gaps to discover what Lee was up to.

Relive all this action June 14 – 16, 2013, as the Prelude to Gettysburg, the Cavalry Battles of Aldie, Middleburg and Upperville are commemorated along Rt. 50 in Loudoun and Fauquier Counties.

Sat. June 15, 10 a.m. cavalry skirmish in the Village of Aldie, behind Aldie Mill. Between 1 and 3:30 Saturday afternoon the Battle of Aldie will happen along Snickersville Pike. Sunday morning action moves to Middleburg and then to the Goose Creek Bridge for action at 11:15 a.m. The Tuscarora Brass Band will entertain at Buchanan Hall in Upperville at noon to be followed at 2 p.m. by the Battle of Upperville on Trappe Road. The complete schedule is available at www.civilwarinloudounvalley.com.