Mahone’s Tavern
Courtland, United States
One of the oldest buildings in Southampton County, Mahone’s Tavern was a social, transportation, and political hub of Jerusalem (now Courtland) because of its proximity to the county courthouse. Beginning in 1796, the structure served as a tavern, operated by different proprietors as Kello’s Tavern (1799-1828) and Vaughan’s Tavern (1829-1839) until Fielding Mahone bought it in 1840. Mahone also bought Hart’s Tavern next door and connected the buildings with a passageway to form Mahone’s Tavern.<br><br> William Mahone, the future Confederate general, was thirteen years old when he moved to the tavern and later claimed that his winnings from gambling here enabled him to enter the Virginia Military Institute. In 1853, he was appointed chief engineer of the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad; he became president in 1860. After Virginia seceded in 1861, Mahone served as lieutenant colonel of Virginia volunteers, then rose in rank to brigadier general. He was promoted to major general after the 1864 Battle of the Crater in Petersburg for preventing the city’s capture. Historian Douglas Southall Freeman later wrote, “Many officers who were competent, even conspicuous, at a particular rank failed when given larger duties. Mahone reversed this. A brigadier with achievements scarcely above the army average, he proved himself within three months one of the ablest divisional commanders the army ever had.”<br><br> Early in May 1863, Kemper’s brigade (including two companies of Southampton County soldiers ) had passed through Jerusalem to reunite with the Army of Northern Virginia. The men encamped around Mahone’s Tavern for three days, allowing them a last visit with family before the march to Gettysburg. The building also was used as a Confederate hospital during this time.