Miller's Mill

The brick house at Miller's Mill marks the farthest advance of the Confederate army

Ann & Rob Simpson

Quick Facts

Location:

Middletown, Virginia

Significance:

Part of Cedar Creek Battlefield

OPEN TO PUBLIC:

No

MANAGED BY:

Private

Amenities

2 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Parking - Auto

The property on the Meadow Brook was an active and important merchant's grist mill through the 19th century. The millers' brick house marks the farthest advance of the Confederate army. Gen. Early formed his line along Miller Lane, modern Cougill Road. Early believed by this time that the Confederates had won the battle. His "fatal halt" would haunt him— and military historians— for years to come. 

The mill no longer stands but the miller's residence does. It is on private property, not open to the public.

• Stop 7: Miller's Mill

  
  

  Fighting among the cemetery headstones, Federal Brig. Gen. G.W. Getty's 2,400-man division held this prominent hill for one and a half hours before withdrawing.

  Credit / Author:

  NPS

  Date created:

  01/01/2021

  Audio Transcript

  We are now located at stop #7 on the auto tour, this is called Miller’s Lane. Named after the Miller house, a battle witness structure located just behind me, and the Miller Mill, all owned by Mr. Miller. The mill was located across the road over here to your left and no longer exists. The house which still exists in the woods and bushes behind me is privately owned. You are looking west right now, and we are standing along what is today called Cougill Lane or Cougill Road. Back then it was known as the Miller Lane named after the Miller’s. And this marks the final Confederate line, or at least part of the final Confederate line on the morning of the battle. Around 10:30 after the Confederates pushed out to this area. Around that same time as the Confederate advance finally halted, and the Confederates were beginning to reorganize their lines, discovering as we discussed at stop #6, that up to a third of the men were back looting the Union camps, another controversy occurred in the Confederate army. And that would go down as the Fatal Halt. General Gordon, second in command of the Confederate army, was arguing with Jubal Early, the top commander, that they should be pushing forward, moving north to your right because that is where the Union army is rallying, about a mile to our north. And they should push the Union army off the battlefield. Gordon is arguing that the battle is not over, the Union army is not defeated, and that they should push on. Early, however, is saying we have done enough for one day, the Confederates are too disorganized, remember all those Confederates are looting and as far as he was concerned the Union army was done. At this point, the Confederacy captured over 1,000 Union prisoners and 24 cannon. Early figured the best the Union army could do, since they were so badly defeated was retreat to Winchester their main base of operations about 15 miles to the north. As far as Early was concerned this battle was over. So he would gather in his captured spoils, wait till nightfall. He had won the great victory that Lee had hoped for in the Valley and would retreat under the cover of darkness. This controversy would go down again as the Fatal Halt. While they were arguing they suddenly hear cheering off in the distance off in along the Union lines. And this would involve one of the most famous incidents in the entire battle. And that incident we will discuss at our next stop, stop 8.