The Grand Review, Brandy Station Foundation, September 2026
President: Howard Lambert; Vice President: Gregory A. Mertz; Treasurer: Betty Franklin ; Secretary: Peggy Misch (newsletter editor)
Board of Directors: Elicia Belle, Jane Brookins,, Michael Carter, Jr., Gavin Haley, Myra Lane, Basil Moncrief, Jr., Larry Pullen, and Paul Warmack; Honorary Director: Helen Geisler, Honorary Member of the Brandy Station Foundation Board of Directors
Raffle tickets will be sold by Culpeper Paranormal to win a paranormal
investigation at the Graffiti House at a later date. All proceeds will benefit the
Brandy Station Foundation. In addition, there will be tours of the Graffiti House's Civil War graffiti, treats and sharing ghost stories by a campfire.
Whispers in the Wallpaper Tours October 10th & 17th, 2026
Over sixty-five names still cover the walls of the Graffiti House in Brandy Station —Civil War soldiers' handwriting left behind more than 160 years ago. Join Cheryl Kay Johnson for "Whispers in the Wallpaper," a family-friendly ghost tour walking the same stairs and rooms where Civil War soldiers once wrote their names — and where visitors and volunteers still hear things today. Cheryl uses her storytelling ability to make history come alive, honoring the individuals who came before us.
For Cheryl, every ghost story has a historical energy waiting to be shared. She
also conducts ghost tours in Charlottesville and Staunton.
- Location: Graffiti House, 19484 Brandy Road, Brandy Station
- Dates & Times:
- Saturday, October 10, 2026, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
- Saturday, October 17, 2026, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
- Price: $10 per person
- Capacity: 15 people per session
- Additional Info: Refreshments will be provided. Recommended for ages 12 and
above. Pre-registration and ticket purchase required at:
Founding BSF Member Preston Fray donates Kunstler print in
honor of his friend Boo Ingram and family
On September 2nd, founding BSF member Preston Fray donated a Mort Kunstler print in honor of Boo Ingram and her family. The print is titled Candlelight and Roses. It depicts General J.E.B. Stuart arriving at the Culpeper Ball on June 4, 1863, just days before the Battle of Brandy Station. The Foundation thanks Preston for this generous donation.
Brandy Station Foundation participation in BSVFD Parade
The 75th annual Brandy Station Volunteer Fire Department (BSVFD) parade took place on Thursday, August 13, 2026, as part of the Brandy Station Firemen's Fair held from August 12–16, 2026.
BSF Treasurer Betty Franklin and her sister-in-law Stephanie Hanson (pictured to left of the car) distributed candy to children along the parade route, while Betty’s husband Rex drove their 1990 Chrysler TC by Maserati.
Brandy Station Historic District Bus Tour
On August 1st, the BSF sponsored a morning and afternoon van tour led by local
historian Jim Bish: the Brandy Station Historic District Bus Tour. The BSF thanks Jim and Our Father’s House for their contributions to the success of this event. Some of the tour highlights included George Washington's first survey in Culpeper County, Lafayette’s 1781 Encampment, and the Maddensville Historic Site which features a granite obelisk and Civil War Trails markers honoring local United States Colored Troops (USCT) and the legacy of the Madden family.
Tour leader Jim Bish (at far right in the photo) spent more than 30 years teaching American and Virginia History in Prince William County, Virginia and spent two years as an educator at the National Museum of the Marine Corps.
Brandy Station Foundation Open House on June 6, 2026
Clockwise from top left: Bob O’Connor, Charles Jameson, and Mary Helen Thompson with BSF President Howard Lambert.
On June 6th, the Brandy Station Foundation held an Open House at the Graffiti
House. In addition to regular tours of the Graffiti House, and as part of the 2026
Brandy Station Foundation Speaker Series, the BSF welcomed three special guest speakers at the Graffiti House: Charles Jameson: “Culpeper Minutemen at the Battle of Great Bridge”; Bob O'Connor: "Little Known Facts About the Civil War”; Mary Helen Thompson: “Brandy Station and Rochester, N.Y. Connection" the Battle of Great Bridge”; Bob O'Connor: "Little Known Facts About the Civil War”; Mary Helen Thompson: “Brandy Station and Rochester, N.Y. Connection" Save the Date: Holiday Open House, Saturday, December 5, 2026
The BSF Holiday Open House will be at the Graffiti House on December 5th from
1PM-4PM. Join us for holiday fare and music by the Wilderness Run Players.
David E. Anderson, Great Great Grandson of Sion Harrington Oxford, 22nd NC Regiment Signs Hall of Honor the Battle of Great Bridge”; Bob O'Connor: "Little Known Facts About the Civil
War”; Mary Helen Thompson: “Brandy Station and Rochester, N.Y. Connection"
Save the Date: Holiday Open House, Saturday, December 5, 2026
The BSF Holiday Open House will be at the Graffiti House on December 5th from
1PM-4PM. Join us for holiday fare and music by the Wilderness Run Players.
David E. Anderson, Great Great Grandson of Sion Harrington Oxford, 22nd NC Regiment Signs Hall of Honor
North Carolina residents David and Julie Anderson visited the Graffiti House on
September 6th. David (top right) is the great great grandson of Sion Harrington Oxford, 22nd NC Regiment (top left). He joined the regiment in 1861 in Caldwell
County, NC. David shared photos of Sion’s letter-along with David’s transcription to his sister, Miss R.M. Oxford, along with a photo of Sion. David viewed the original letter at the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Duke University. David signed the Hall of Honor at the Graffiti House. Below is a large part of the transcribed letter:
Camp near Brandy Station, Va Oct 28th 1863 to Miss R. M. Oxford
Dear Sister I avail myself of this opportunity to drop you a few lines. I rec’d yours & Father’s of the 16th … I was truly glad to hear that you were all well and in reply I am glad to inform you that myself & Little Bean, friends of this company, are well at present. We are still at the same camp yet & faring tolerable well. There has not anything of much interest taken place in this section since we arrived here. The cavalry takes a little brush occasionally. We haven’t any war news of any interest to write. I am sorry to inform you that it is certain that our friend Robert Blair is dead. He was not left back at the battleground as I stated in my last letter. He was sent on to Gordonsville & died soon after he arrived there. Lewis & P. Sherrill staid with him & waited on him till he died.
I am sorry to hear of the loss of our friends in the western army & also sorry to
hear of the hard fare of the soldiers there. The reason of Bro William not getting
any of my letters I cant account for. I have been writing to him regular but hardly ever get a letter from him. I want Father to go to see him & take him his clothing or something as soon as he can. I very much regret to say that I have not heard anything more from Bro James yet. Our friend & my chum arrived here last Saturday. He seems to be very well satisfied & I am confident that he will be as his other teachers a number one candidate. He brought me some pretty apples & other things you sent us. The apples was a great luxury to us. I was also glad to get the boxes & socks you sent me. You sent the gloves I wanted. As for the other clothing you wanted to be in a hurry I am doing very well in the way of clothing yet. I have not written out my application for a furlough yet but I expect to in the course of a month or so. I don’t know whether it will be successful in it or not but I will make a trial.
And if I am successful I will get home in time for my other without forwarding
them. I hope this war will close before a great while so we may all return home to our friends again. But this war can never stop anything short of our
Independence. Our soldiers are in fine health & spirits generally. Tell Father that I will write to him soon. I want you all to write as often as convenient, give my respects to the neighbors & friends if any may see proper to inquire. As I have nothing more of interest to write I will close for the present hoping these lines will find you all well.
Your brother as ever S. H. Oxford
