Wayne's Crossing

On 26 May 1781, Brig. Gen. Anthony Wayne began moving south from PA to reinforce the Marquis de Lafayette, who was maneuvering against British Lt. Gen. Charles Cornwallis in VA. Wayne’s troops, including three infantry battalions of the PA Line and one Continental artillery unit, reached the Potomac River on 31 May and crossed at Noland’s Ferry, 3.5 miles northeast of here. After passing through Leesburg, Wayne joined Lafayette about 70 miles southwest of here in Orange County on 10 June. Under Lafayette’s command, the combined force marched toward Charlottesville to deter British raids in central Virginia and then shadowed Cornwallis as he left the region and moved toward the coast.