Spotsylvania County

Spotsylvania County, Virginia
Spotsylvania County Courthouse
Seal
Location in the U.S. state of Virginia
Virginia's location in the U.S.
Founded	1721
Named for	Alexander Spotswood
Seat	Spotsylvania Courthouse
Largest community	Spotsylvania Courthouse
Area
• Total	414 sq mi (1,072 km2)
• Land	401 sq mi (1,039 km2)
• Water	13 sq mi (34 km2), 3.1%
Population (est.)
• (2016)	132,010
• Density	315/sq mi (122/km²)
Congressional districts	1st, 7th
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website	www.spotsylvania.va.us

Spotsylvania County is a county in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2016 estimate, the population was 132,010. Its county seat is Spotsylvania Courthouse. Spotsylvania County is a part of Northern Virginia and the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area.

At the time of European encounter, the inhabitants of the area that became Spotsylvania County were a Siouan-speaking tribe called the Manahoac.

Spotsylvania County was established in 1721 from Essex, King and Queen, and King William counties. The county was named in Latin for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia Alexander Spotswood.

Many battles were fought in this county during the Civil War, including the Battle of Chancellorsville, Battle of the Wilderness, Battle of Fredericksburg, and Battle of Spotsylvania Court House.

Stonewall Jackson was shot and mortally wounded in Spotsylvania County during the Battle of Chancellorsville. A group of Confederate soldiers from North Carolina were in the woods and heard General Jackson's party returning from reconnoitering the Union lines. They mistook him for a Federal patrol and fired their weapons, wounding him in both arms. His left arm was amputated. General Jackson died a few days later from pneumonia at nearby Guinea Station. Confederate wounded were being gathered there for evacuation to hospitals further to the south and away from enemy lines.