Across the street on Little River Turnpike sat Gooding's Tavern in the middle of the 1800s. Halfway between Annandale and Fairfax Courthouse, it was a resting spot for travelers on the Turnpike and the site of a toll house.
In August of 1863, it was the site of a skirmish between Col Mosby and the 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry - his late war nemesis. In his memoirs, Mosby wrote: On the morning of August 24, with about 30 men, I reached a point (Annandale) immediately on the enemy's line of communication. Leaving the whole command, except three men who accompanied me, in the woods, concealed, I proceeded on a reconnaissance along the railroad [CPH: He refers to the RR through Accotink that can be reached a few miles south] to ascertain if there were any bridges unguarded. I discovered there were three. I returned to the command just as a drove of horses with a cavalry escort of about 50 men were passing. These I determined to attack and to wait until night to burn the bridges. I ordered Lieutenant Turner to take half of the men and charge them in front, while with the remainder I attacked their rear.
In the meantime the enemy had been joined by another party, making their number about 63. When I overtook them they had dismounted at Gooding's Tavern to water their horses. My men went at them with a yell that terrified the Yankees and scattered them in all directions. A few taking shelter under cover of the houses, opened fire upon us. They were soon silenced, however. At the very moment when I had succeeded in routing them, I was compelled to retire from the fight, having been shot through the side and thigh. My men, not understanding it, followed me, which gave time to the Yankees to escape to the woods. But for this accident, the whole party would have been captured.
As soon as I perceived this, I ordered the men to go back, which a portion of them did, just as Lieutenant Turner, who had met and routed another force above, came gallantly charging up.
Over 100 horses fell into our possession, though a good many were lost in bringing them out at night; also 12 prisoners, arms, etc. I learn that 6 of the enemy were killed. In this affair my loss was 2 killed and 3 wounded. I afterwards directed Lieutenant Turner to burn the bridges. He succeeded in burning one.
Note: with 30 men he charged a group of 50 that grew to 63. He frequently counted on the bold initiative to overcome the enemy’s numerical superiority. Also, he wrote the 24th in his communication to JEB Stuart over one month later but most sources say it occurred on the 23rd. It was one of several times that Mosby was knocked out of action for serious wounds.
[Mosby] was wounded on August 24, 1863, shot through the side and thigh, as he attacked the 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry who halted to water their horses at Billy Gooding's Tavern on the Little River Turnpike. He was carried to the nearby woods, where he was attended to by their surgeon, Doctor W. L. Dunn. Due to the painful nature of his wounds, Mosby could travel but slowly; he was carried into the pines, where he lay concealed while the pursuing Federals passed by, whereupon he was taken up in their rear and removed South where he was permitted to recuperate.
The Gooding family cemetery is still there- across the LRT from the pond at NVCC.