History

The County of Amelia is rich in history and her citizens take an active interest in her past. The County, named for Princess Amelia, daughter of George II of England, was created by a legislative act in 1734, and in 1735, it was created from Prince George and Brunswick Counties. Then, in 1754, Prince Edward County was formed from Amelia County, and later the County was reduced to its current size when Nottoway County was separated in 1789.

During the Revolutionary War, in 1781, Amelia was raided by British forces under General Tarleton. Eighty-four years later, the Amelia County records amazingly survived through the Civil War. According to legend, they were saved in April, 1865 because Federal General George Custer, of Little Big Horn fame, placed a guard over the Amelia County Clerk’s Office with orders that all records be preserved.

The County of Amelia’s Courthouse, located on a two-acre square in the center of the village, was moved several times before finally reaching its present location. The first Courthouse, located near Pridesville, was destroyed by fire in 1766. Another location for the Courthouse was chosen at Dennisville. In 1849, the Courthouse was moved to its present location. The Courthouse building presently in use was constructed in 1924. A Confederate Monument, erected in 1905 by the Amelia Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, stands in the courtyard in honor of the sons of Amelia County who served the Confederacy. General Robert E. Lee and his Army spent the days of April 4 and 5 at Amelia Courthouse on the retreat to Appomattox in 1865.

The last major battle of the Civil War was fought at what is now Sailor’s (Sayler’s) Creek Battlefield Historical State Park located on the western edge of Amelia County. The 220-acre state-owned battlefield is operated by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation through its Division of State Parks. The Sailor’s (Sayler’s) Creek site commemorates the battle which took place on April 6, 1865. In this battle alone, General Lee lost half his army during the three days of conflicts. The Confederate Army suffered a crippling defeat which led to General Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox seventy-two hours later. The Hillsman House, restored in 1945 and located at the park, was used as a federal field hospital during the battle. The park offers an audio tour with maps and markers of the battlefield. Reenactments of the Sailor’s (Sayler’s) Creek Battle are also held in the park.