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.