Among the big names of the American Civil War, Wilmer McLean is pretty far down the list. You might not have ever heard of him. But his presence is found in the geography of the war. McLean was a wealthy man with a grocery store, a plantation, and a family. He was a staunch advocate for the Confederacy, and volunteered his home in Manassas, Virginia, on the banks of Bull Run Creek, as Confederate headquarters. You can guess what happened there- twice. McLean and his family bugged out two times while their home and property were ravaged in battle. Yet he grew richer still during wartime.
After the second battle, McLean moved his family to a safer spot, in a village called Appomattox Court House. There, he once again learned what having the nicest house in town will get you. Weird History tells us of McLean's somewhat coincidental role in the Civil War.
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