Beginning on Saturday, June 8, and going through Sunday, August 11, Friends of Wilderness Battlefield Interpreters will be available to give tours of Payne’s Farm on weekends, from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Payne’s Farm is the site where a Civil War Battle took place during the Mine Run Campaign, which occurred November 27 – December 2, 1863. There were around 2,000 casualties there, and the battle only lasted about an hour, but the events leading up to it, and that happened right after it, are also quite interesting.
Zoar Baptist Church is across the street from this site and their address is 31334 Zoar Road, Locust Grove, VA. As you approach the intersection of Hwy 20 (then called Orange Turnpike) and Zoar Road, pull off into the parking lot of the Exxon Station for a moment and look at that intersection. General Warren’s Fifth Corps was right there, looking towards Orange, and Confederate Troops were just on the other side of Mine Run, facing Locust Grove. Visitors can see what is left of the old well belonging to Robinson’s Tavern, which was where the Exxon sits today. There are several historical markers visitors can read, as well. Turn at the Exxon on Zoar Road (you are going to the side of the Exxon) and go about 2.5 miles down, and you will come to Payne’s Farm on your right.
This is a wooded trail, and good walking or hiking shoes are recommended. The only bathroom facility is a porta potty, so visitors might want to stop at the Locust Grove Town Center before they arrive. The trail is around 1.5 miles or visitors can walk a quarter of a mile and just view the field where the battle took place.
This property is owned by the American Battlefield Trust, and Friends of Wilderness Battlefield is working closely with them to help Preserve, Promote, and Protect it.
The tours are free, and donations are welcome.