Culpeper Star Exponent Friday, August 25, 2006 ON THE MARCH: Each spring, Civil War re-enactors converge on Culpeper for a re-enactment of the Battle of Kelly's Ford. (Staff Photo, Vincent Vala) (http://ads.mgnetwork.com/RealMedia/ads/click_nx.ads/starexponent.com/[email protected]?x) The Battle of Cedar Mountain On Aug. 9, 1862, Confederate and Union forces clashed six miles south of the town of Culpeper in an area that became known as Cedar Mountain (along U.S. 15). Gen. Stonewall Jackson and his Rebels, marching north from Orange County, narrowly defeated a force marching south from Culpeper led by Gen. Nathaniel Banks. Some accounts say it was the hottest battle of the war, with temperatures hitting 98 degrees and men dying on the long, dusty march. This is considered the opening battle of the Second Manassas campaign. Today the area is privately owned farmland with four roadside markers and an interpretive walking trail. The Battle of Kelly's Ford On March 17, 1863, Union cavalry crossed the Rappahannock River at Kelly's Ford in what has been called "the first purely cavalry fight east of the Mississippi River" of any appreciable size. The battle, which caught Confederates off guard, was the first opportunity for Union cavalry to amass a significant force. In the end, the Southern horsemen repulsed the attack. Public access to this area and the river are provided by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. A marker denotes the spot of Confederate Major John Pelham 's fatal wounding, and another larger monument is on U.S. 29 in Elkwood. Battle of Brandy Station On June 9, 1963, the Battle of Brandy Station became the largest cavalry battle fought on the North American continent. Of the 20,000 soldiers involved, about l7,000 were on horses. Brandy Station was also the first battle of the war's most famous campaign -- Gettysburg. For the first time in the Civil War, union cavalry matched the Confederate horsemen in skill and determination. But, again, the Rebels narrowly won the day. Today, the area is a picturesque view of rolling farmland. Interpretive markers and walking trails offer descriptions of the area, highlighting significant sites. Most of the area is privately owned.