Charting the Course at Bridgeside - Mercersburg, PA

Stuart's Ride around McClellan - 1862

Painted by Ron Lesser, the original oil painting (23" x 42") was commissioned by The First National Bank Mercersburg for the 2002 Commemoration of the 140th Anniversary of J.E.B. Stuart's Raid through Mercersburg in October 1862.

Pictured here, left to right is Lieutenant Richard Channing Price - Stuart's ADG, Colonel William E. "Grumble" Jones - 7th Virginia Cavalry, Major General James Ewell Brown Stuart - Cavalry Division Commander, and Colonel Williams C. Wickham - 4th Virginia Cavalry.

Preparing to leave Mercersburg, General J.E.B. Stuart and his staff discuss a detailed map taken from a Mercersburg resident. This map was invaluable and helped Stuart and his troopers to avoid the main roads where they were likely to encounter Federal cavalry, expeditiously sweep the area for horses, and target Federal buildings, ripe with supplies and currency. Behind Stuart, captured horses are crossing the stream as the 2nd South Carolina Cavalry rides out of town on their way to Chambersburg.

The bridge shown here no longer exists.