The Union army led by Custer -- yes, that Custer of Little Big Horn infamy – arrived in Charlottesville on March 3rd. Town and University officials met him at the bottom of Carr’s Hill with a flag of truce. The Union forces occupied Charlottesville for three days and foraged the countryside for food. And African-Americans flocked to the Union camp.
Over a thousand African-Americans followed Union troops as they left the town and headed toward Scottsville. Today, March 3rd is remembered in Charlottesville as Liberation and Emancipation Day.
This Week in Virginia History is a member of WTJU's Virginia Audio Collective, online at VirginiaAudio.org.
