Major George Duffey: Alexandria’s Silversmith & Confederate Soldier. A Fascinating Historical Journey

Born on April 6, 1820, Major George Duffey was a third-generation silversmith in Alexandria and lived until July 10, 1895. He lies at rest in The Methodist Protestant Cemetery. His grandfather, John Duffey, was responsible for crafting the silver trowel used by President George Washington on September 18, 1793, to lay the cornerstone of the … Read more

Wilmer Mclean: from Bull Run to Appomattox – a Story of War, Surrender, and Loss

Who Was Wilmer McLean? Wilmer McLean (1814–1882) was a Virginia merchant whose life became linked to both the beginning and the end of the American Civil War. His Yorkshire farm near Manassas was caught up in the fighting surrounding the First Battle of Bull Run in 1861. Nearly four years later, General Robert E. Lee … Read more