I traveled throught the little town of Hunterstown, PA yesterday. This little hamlet played a role in the Battle of Gettysburg. There was actually some Cavalry fighting that took place here. Now, I am not an expert on Cavalry action by any means of the imagination. In fact, the only Cavalry that I can even pretend to understand is John Buford on July 1.
But Hunterstown is more than just Cavalry action (although my goal for the next month is to understand what happened there). One of the reasons I headed over there was to check out the Great Conewago Presbyterian Church Cemetery.
Anyone who knows me that I LOVE cemeteries. I can't get enough of them. I am a firm believer that you can't get to know the history of an area without visiting the local cemetery. I actually have files in my computer just full of pictures of different cemeteries and the headstones of those who are buried in them. The older the cemetery, the more there is to learn!
At this particular one, I ran into the headstone of Major Robert Bell. Robert Bell was the commander of the 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry, Co. B. which fought on June 26, 1863 in conjunction with the 26th PA Militia. This whole action is a complicated thing to understand and, again, one of my goals for the month of July. But to see his headstone was probably the coolest thing. I didn't have much time to hang out or I would have written down just what his heastone said. That's for my next trip. There is a plague in the cemetery with the names of all the Civil War soldiers that are buried there listed. There is also one for the Revolutionary War. My next trip will be to document all of this.
When visiting Hunterstown, you must stop to visit George Armstrong Custer's monument at the corner of Hunterstown Road and the main street through the town (boy, I wish I could remember what that road is called....but then, does it matter? Its the only road in town!) General Custer is my 5th cousin, twice removed! A fact that I'm not sure I'm proud of or not. Afterall, he may have been crazy (just ask all the guys at Little Bighorn). But, he did well at Gettysburg, so I'm sort of proud of him.
The tiny town of Hunterstown is so far off the beaten path, but it played a role in what we, here in Gettysburg, are commemorating this week...so it needs to be remembered along with the main battle itself.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Billy Bayly Pt. 2
I've been doing some additional reading up on Billy Bayly. One thing that I do much of the time is find a civilian or whoever and go through my books to see what I can learn about them. In this case, I learned so much that I don't think I could put it all into 2 or 3 posts.
I remember being introduced to Billy about 5 years or so ago. I know that it was definitely before I moved here that I first laid eyes on his name. Something about this boy intrigued me. Here was this thirteen year old boy who watched the battle firsthand while trying to stay hidden away. Firsthand accounts are fascinating.
Billy's whole name was William Hamilton Bayly. His uncle was William Hamilton and his cousin was John Hamilton. Now, John plays a role in what happened to Billy while he was trying to see just what war was all about.
Some of this information that I'm about to impart I got from the late Greg Coco's book "A Vast Sea of Misery" (which, if you do not have in your Gettysburg library, is a MUST have). Greg did much legwork on this topic so I am very thankful to him for all his work in this area.
Billy and his brother and cousin left the Seminary Ridge area and started to head home after the first cannons were fired. Some of the cannonballs were getting a little too close to them. The three boys headed up the Newville Road (Biglerville Road today) until they reached a blacksmith shop. According to Greg, this blacksmith shop was actually owned by his cousin John Hamilton. One of the things that I was going crazy trying to figure out...searching the Warren map....searching books, etc....was where exactly was this blacksmith shop. Once I figured this out, everything else just fell into place. The blacksmith shop was on the Newville Road at Keckler's Hill. For those not familiar with Keckler's Hill, its the hill at the intersection of Biglerville Road and Herr's Ridge Road.
Billy talks about how from the blacksmith's shop they watched the dust and then finally the emergence of Confederates from a hill. Well, after thinking about this, I figured that the troops who were coming from that direction had to be Rodes' Division. Rodes took his men down modern day Rt 34 and when they heard the sound of battle, they turned and followed the ridge to the fighting. The ridge that they followed was Herr's Ridge....which means that they turned down this road and advanced under the cover of the trees from the ridge. They kept advancing until they got to Oak Hill and this is where they set up for the fight. The troops he saw advancing up the hill HAD to be Rodes. Cool!
Billy also talks about a young Confederate soldier who came to stay with them for a while. This young soldier had had enough of the war and just left. He showed up at the Bayly's door in the middle of the night and asked for help. This young soldier was just a few years older than Billy and Billy says that he wasn't much taller than he was. They put him to bed and then gave him civilian clothes so that he would blend in. Funny thing, the boys were handing out branches from the cherry trees they had and giving them to the Confederates as they walked past. This young soldier helped them do this....and the Confederates never knew that he was one of them. I wish I knew who this boy was. The only thing that Billy says about him was that he was from North Carolina. I wonder what ever happened to him. Did he get home? Was he considered a coward by his friends and family? Did he have to leave home because of the stigma of desertion? Oh the questions I have and the answers I don't have!
I've been going through Billy's account word by word trying to determined the who's, what's, when's and where's of what Billy did. This is turning into a delightful journey into the life of a thirteen year old boy (something that I have never been....well, I was 13 once....but never a boy). While reading this, I've been wondering what I would have done if I had been Billy. I'm not sure, but I'm positive I would never have gone looking for the war.
I remember being introduced to Billy about 5 years or so ago. I know that it was definitely before I moved here that I first laid eyes on his name. Something about this boy intrigued me. Here was this thirteen year old boy who watched the battle firsthand while trying to stay hidden away. Firsthand accounts are fascinating.
Billy's whole name was William Hamilton Bayly. His uncle was William Hamilton and his cousin was John Hamilton. Now, John plays a role in what happened to Billy while he was trying to see just what war was all about.
Some of this information that I'm about to impart I got from the late Greg Coco's book "A Vast Sea of Misery" (which, if you do not have in your Gettysburg library, is a MUST have). Greg did much legwork on this topic so I am very thankful to him for all his work in this area.
Billy and his brother and cousin left the Seminary Ridge area and started to head home after the first cannons were fired. Some of the cannonballs were getting a little too close to them. The three boys headed up the Newville Road (Biglerville Road today) until they reached a blacksmith shop. According to Greg, this blacksmith shop was actually owned by his cousin John Hamilton. One of the things that I was going crazy trying to figure out...searching the Warren map....searching books, etc....was where exactly was this blacksmith shop. Once I figured this out, everything else just fell into place. The blacksmith shop was on the Newville Road at Keckler's Hill. For those not familiar with Keckler's Hill, its the hill at the intersection of Biglerville Road and Herr's Ridge Road.
Billy talks about how from the blacksmith's shop they watched the dust and then finally the emergence of Confederates from a hill. Well, after thinking about this, I figured that the troops who were coming from that direction had to be Rodes' Division. Rodes took his men down modern day Rt 34 and when they heard the sound of battle, they turned and followed the ridge to the fighting. The ridge that they followed was Herr's Ridge....which means that they turned down this road and advanced under the cover of the trees from the ridge. They kept advancing until they got to Oak Hill and this is where they set up for the fight. The troops he saw advancing up the hill HAD to be Rodes. Cool!
Billy also talks about a young Confederate soldier who came to stay with them for a while. This young soldier had had enough of the war and just left. He showed up at the Bayly's door in the middle of the night and asked for help. This young soldier was just a few years older than Billy and Billy says that he wasn't much taller than he was. They put him to bed and then gave him civilian clothes so that he would blend in. Funny thing, the boys were handing out branches from the cherry trees they had and giving them to the Confederates as they walked past. This young soldier helped them do this....and the Confederates never knew that he was one of them. I wish I knew who this boy was. The only thing that Billy says about him was that he was from North Carolina. I wonder what ever happened to him. Did he get home? Was he considered a coward by his friends and family? Did he have to leave home because of the stigma of desertion? Oh the questions I have and the answers I don't have!
I've been going through Billy's account word by word trying to determined the who's, what's, when's and where's of what Billy did. This is turning into a delightful journey into the life of a thirteen year old boy (something that I have never been....well, I was 13 once....but never a boy). While reading this, I've been wondering what I would have done if I had been Billy. I'm not sure, but I'm positive I would never have gone looking for the war.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Ball's Bluff...Big Little Battle
Ball's Bluff had some really significant action that played a role in what would happen for the remainder of the war. Some of these repercussions may have effected the outcome of the war....or at least the length of the war. Other results were that some careers were ruined....in more ways than one.
Result #1: Col. Edward D. Baker was killed. Now a Colonel being killed at a battle isn't big news....it happened in every battle that took place. The significance of Baker's death was that he was the only sitting Congressman to have ever been killed in battle. Edward Baker was a Congressman from Oregon. He had put together a brigade which he called the "California Brigade" because he wanted to bring California into the battle. However, most of the men in this brigade were actually from Philadelphia. After Baker's death, the brigade renamed itself and they became the Philadelphia Brigade. The regiments in the brigade had been known as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th California. They later became known as the 69th, 71st, 72nd, and 102nd Pennsylvania. We never had before...nor since....an acting Congressman being killed in a war.
Result #2: Because this was the 2nd major disaster for the Union, Congress decided that they needed to find out why the North was losing these battles (the first one was 1st Bull Run). So they put together a group and named themselves "The Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War"....a group that would be looking over the shoulders of each and every Union commander for the remainder of the war. Now, what possible significance could this have? Well, these commanders were afraid to make a mistake and possibly slowed things down a bit because they certainly didn't want to end up arrested for a mistake. Could things have come to an end sooner if they weren't afraid of these men who were Monday Morning Quarterbacking back in Washington days later. Its hard to say, but that possibility does exist. And this is something to think about when studying each battle.
Result #3: Charles P. Stone. Charles Stone was an up and coming commander in the Union army. Its quite possible that if the battle at Ball's Bluff hadn't happened or ended the way it had, he might be one of the more highly respected commanders from the North. His name could be up there with the "BIG" names: Lee, Grant, Hancock, Meade, Longstreet, and Stone????. Here is why his life was changed. Because this battle was a huge fiasco, the Committee decided that they needed a scapegoat. Funny thing about this: Stone NEVER set foot on the battlefield at Ball's Bluff. The highest ranked commander on the battlefield at Ball's Bluff for the Union was Edward Baker. Well, Baker couldn't get blamed for the battle for three reasons: (1) he was killed in the battle, (2) he was really good friends with President Lincoln (after all, Lincoln named his second son after Baker) and (3) he was a Congressman. So, who do you blame? Well, you go up one rung on the ladder and that person happened to be Charles Stone. They went into his house early in the morning and arrested him. He was thrown into a prison which is no longer in existence, but it sits in the area of one of the bridges in New York Harbor. And he was left there for 6 months. No one told him why he was being arrested or what this was all about....NOTHING. Just as suddenly as he was arrested, he was left go. There was no evidence that he had done anything wrong. When he went to come back to the army, there was such a stigma attached to his name that he was forced to resign from the army. Stone didn't leave the world without leaving his own mark out there: he was the one who built the base that the Statue of Liberty sits on.
Ball's Bluff was such a tiny battle...4 regiments on either side. Maybe a total of 2500 men. But the repercussions of this battle were felt for years afterward. To this day, this battle has been long forgotten, except by the ones who really truly understand the Civil War, but it lived forever in the lives of those who fought there and those whose lives it effected. As a student of the Civil War, I find that its the minor battles that made a permanent scar on the large battles and how we know they were fought.
Result #1: Col. Edward D. Baker was killed. Now a Colonel being killed at a battle isn't big news....it happened in every battle that took place. The significance of Baker's death was that he was the only sitting Congressman to have ever been killed in battle. Edward Baker was a Congressman from Oregon. He had put together a brigade which he called the "California Brigade" because he wanted to bring California into the battle. However, most of the men in this brigade were actually from Philadelphia. After Baker's death, the brigade renamed itself and they became the Philadelphia Brigade. The regiments in the brigade had been known as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th California. They later became known as the 69th, 71st, 72nd, and 102nd Pennsylvania. We never had before...nor since....an acting Congressman being killed in a war.
Result #2: Because this was the 2nd major disaster for the Union, Congress decided that they needed to find out why the North was losing these battles (the first one was 1st Bull Run). So they put together a group and named themselves "The Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War"....a group that would be looking over the shoulders of each and every Union commander for the remainder of the war. Now, what possible significance could this have? Well, these commanders were afraid to make a mistake and possibly slowed things down a bit because they certainly didn't want to end up arrested for a mistake. Could things have come to an end sooner if they weren't afraid of these men who were Monday Morning Quarterbacking back in Washington days later. Its hard to say, but that possibility does exist. And this is something to think about when studying each battle.
Result #3: Charles P. Stone. Charles Stone was an up and coming commander in the Union army. Its quite possible that if the battle at Ball's Bluff hadn't happened or ended the way it had, he might be one of the more highly respected commanders from the North. His name could be up there with the "BIG" names: Lee, Grant, Hancock, Meade, Longstreet, and Stone????. Here is why his life was changed. Because this battle was a huge fiasco, the Committee decided that they needed a scapegoat. Funny thing about this: Stone NEVER set foot on the battlefield at Ball's Bluff. The highest ranked commander on the battlefield at Ball's Bluff for the Union was Edward Baker. Well, Baker couldn't get blamed for the battle for three reasons: (1) he was killed in the battle, (2) he was really good friends with President Lincoln (after all, Lincoln named his second son after Baker) and (3) he was a Congressman. So, who do you blame? Well, you go up one rung on the ladder and that person happened to be Charles Stone. They went into his house early in the morning and arrested him. He was thrown into a prison which is no longer in existence, but it sits in the area of one of the bridges in New York Harbor. And he was left there for 6 months. No one told him why he was being arrested or what this was all about....NOTHING. Just as suddenly as he was arrested, he was left go. There was no evidence that he had done anything wrong. When he went to come back to the army, there was such a stigma attached to his name that he was forced to resign from the army. Stone didn't leave the world without leaving his own mark out there: he was the one who built the base that the Statue of Liberty sits on.
Ball's Bluff was such a tiny battle...4 regiments on either side. Maybe a total of 2500 men. But the repercussions of this battle were felt for years afterward. To this day, this battle has been long forgotten, except by the ones who really truly understand the Civil War, but it lived forever in the lives of those who fought there and those whose lives it effected. As a student of the Civil War, I find that its the minor battles that made a permanent scar on the large battles and how we know they were fought.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
The Council of War on July 2, 1863
The Council of War that took place at Lydia Leister's house in Gettysburg has always interested me. I found a neat little quote from John Gibbon about the Council of War that I am going to put here. It's pretty much self explanatory. Enjoy!
"A staff officer from army headquarters met General Hancock and myself and summoned us both to General Meade's headquarters where a council of war was to be held. We at once proceeded there and soon after our arrival all the corps commanders were assembled in the little front room of the Leister house-- Newton who had been assigned to the command of Doubleday, his senior; Hancock, Second; Birney, Third; Sykes, Fifth; Sedgwick, who had arrived during the day with the Sixth, after a long march from Manchester; Howard, Eleventh, and Slocum, Twelfth Corps; and myself, Second. IT will be seen that two corps were doubly represented, the Second by Hancock and myself and the Twelfth by Slocum and Williams. These twelve were all assembled in a little room not more than ten or twelve feet square, with a bed in one corner, a small table on one side, and a chair or two. Of course, all could not sit down; some did, some lounged on the bed and some stood up, while Warren, tired out and suffering from a wound in the neck, where a piece of shell had struck him, lay down in a corner of the room and went fast asleep and I don't think heard any of the proceedings.
The discussion was at first very informal and...each one made comments on the fight and told what he knew of the condition of affairs. In the course of this discussion Newton expressed the opinion that "this was no place to fight a battle in." General Newton was an officer of engineers (since chief engineer of the army) and was rated by me, and I suppose most others, most highly as a soldier. The assertion, coming from such a source, rather startled me and I eagerly asked what his objections to the position were. The objections he stated, as I recollect them, related to some minor details of the line of which I knew nothing except so far as my own front was concerned, and with those I was satisfied; but the prevailing impression seemed to be that the place for the battle had been selected for us. Here we are; now what is the best thing to do? It soon became evident that everybody was in favor of staying where we were and giving battle there. General Meade himself said very little excepting now and then to make some comment, but I cannot recall that he had any decided opinion on any point, preferring apparently to listen to the conversation. After the discussion had lasted some time, Butterfield suggested it would perhaps be well to formulate the question to be asked, and, General Meade assenting, he took a piece of paper on which he had made some memoranda and wrote down a question; when he had done this he read it off and formally proposed it to the council.
I had never been a member of a council of war before (nor have I been since) and did not feel very confident I was properly a member of this one; but I was engaged in the discussion and found myself (Warren being asleep) the junior member in it. By the customs of war the junior member votes first, as on courts-martial; and when Butterfield read off his question, the substance of which was "Should the army remain in its present position of take up some other?" he addressed himself first to me for an answer. To say "Stay and fight" would be to ignore the objections made by General Newton, and I therefore answered somewhat in this way: "Remain here, and make such correction in our position as may be deemed necessary, but take no step which even looks like retreat." The question was put to each member and his answer taken down, and when it came to Newton who was first in rank, he voted pretty much the same way I did, and we had some playful sparring as to whether he agreed with me or I with him; the rest voted to remain.
The next question put by Butterfield was: "Should the army attack or await the attack of the enemy?" I voted not to attack, and all the others voted substantially the same way; and on the third question, "How long shall we wait?" I voted "Until Lee moves". The answer to this last question showed the only material variation in the opinion of the members.
When the meeting was over, General Mead said, quietly but decidedly, "Such then is the decision" and certainly he said nothing which produced a doubt in my mind as to his being in accord with the members of the council."
I took this from my book "Gettysburg" by Earl Schenck Miers and Richard A. Brown but it was originally taken from "Battles and Leaders of the Civil War.
"A staff officer from army headquarters met General Hancock and myself and summoned us both to General Meade's headquarters where a council of war was to be held. We at once proceeded there and soon after our arrival all the corps commanders were assembled in the little front room of the Leister house-- Newton who had been assigned to the command of Doubleday, his senior; Hancock, Second; Birney, Third; Sykes, Fifth; Sedgwick, who had arrived during the day with the Sixth, after a long march from Manchester; Howard, Eleventh, and Slocum, Twelfth Corps; and myself, Second. IT will be seen that two corps were doubly represented, the Second by Hancock and myself and the Twelfth by Slocum and Williams. These twelve were all assembled in a little room not more than ten or twelve feet square, with a bed in one corner, a small table on one side, and a chair or two. Of course, all could not sit down; some did, some lounged on the bed and some stood up, while Warren, tired out and suffering from a wound in the neck, where a piece of shell had struck him, lay down in a corner of the room and went fast asleep and I don't think heard any of the proceedings.
The discussion was at first very informal and...each one made comments on the fight and told what he knew of the condition of affairs. In the course of this discussion Newton expressed the opinion that "this was no place to fight a battle in." General Newton was an officer of engineers (since chief engineer of the army) and was rated by me, and I suppose most others, most highly as a soldier. The assertion, coming from such a source, rather startled me and I eagerly asked what his objections to the position were. The objections he stated, as I recollect them, related to some minor details of the line of which I knew nothing except so far as my own front was concerned, and with those I was satisfied; but the prevailing impression seemed to be that the place for the battle had been selected for us. Here we are; now what is the best thing to do? It soon became evident that everybody was in favor of staying where we were and giving battle there. General Meade himself said very little excepting now and then to make some comment, but I cannot recall that he had any decided opinion on any point, preferring apparently to listen to the conversation. After the discussion had lasted some time, Butterfield suggested it would perhaps be well to formulate the question to be asked, and, General Meade assenting, he took a piece of paper on which he had made some memoranda and wrote down a question; when he had done this he read it off and formally proposed it to the council.
I had never been a member of a council of war before (nor have I been since) and did not feel very confident I was properly a member of this one; but I was engaged in the discussion and found myself (Warren being asleep) the junior member in it. By the customs of war the junior member votes first, as on courts-martial; and when Butterfield read off his question, the substance of which was "Should the army remain in its present position of take up some other?" he addressed himself first to me for an answer. To say "Stay and fight" would be to ignore the objections made by General Newton, and I therefore answered somewhat in this way: "Remain here, and make such correction in our position as may be deemed necessary, but take no step which even looks like retreat." The question was put to each member and his answer taken down, and when it came to Newton who was first in rank, he voted pretty much the same way I did, and we had some playful sparring as to whether he agreed with me or I with him; the rest voted to remain.
The next question put by Butterfield was: "Should the army attack or await the attack of the enemy?" I voted not to attack, and all the others voted substantially the same way; and on the third question, "How long shall we wait?" I voted "Until Lee moves". The answer to this last question showed the only material variation in the opinion of the members.
When the meeting was over, General Mead said, quietly but decidedly, "Such then is the decision" and certainly he said nothing which produced a doubt in my mind as to his being in accord with the members of the council."
I took this from my book "Gettysburg" by Earl Schenck Miers and Richard A. Brown but it was originally taken from "Battles and Leaders of the Civil War.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Travels in Southeast Pennsylvania
I was fortunate enough to be able to spend some time in Southeast Pennsylvania this past weekend. I took a sidetrip to Mongomery Cemetery and a bigger trip to Valley Forge park. I want to talk about Valley Forge a bit....but its a Revolutionary War park....what's it got to do with the Civil War???? Well, there is quite a bit of Civil War history that can be taken from Valley Forge. Let me explain....
First, I want to tell a bit about heading to Montgomery Cemetery. This is the cemetery where Civil War generals Winfield Scott Hancock, Samuel K. Zook, and John F. Hartranft are buried. I visited all three of them. I took my 9 year old brother with me and I got to give him a lesson on the Civil War. It was very exciting (for me, anyway). The cemetery has added a large kiosk full of pictures and paragraphs about the history of the cemetery. Both sides of this board is just full of pictures. That was really cool. And it talked about all the "famous" people buried there. Most are of local lore, but there are a few that those of us familiar with the Civil War would recognize. The cemetery is being taken care of....evidently someone had recently mowed (not an easy task considering its 70+ acres) and the grass is growing in places I hadn't seen grass in recently. I was happy with what I saw there.
Then we moved on to Valley Forge. Now, one of the houses on the field is the house where Samuel K. Zook grew up. He was born Samuel Kurtz Zook but changed his middle name to Kosciuszko in memory of Thaddeus Kosciuszko who was a general at the Valley Forge encampment. Samuel Zook was killed in the Wheatfield at Gettysburg on July 2, 1963.
But the one thing that I really liked about my time at Valley Forge was something that I think more parks should do. They have these "storytelling" stations throughout the park. I think there were five of them. It had a circular bench that everyone could sit on (I think it only sat about 8 people) and a person who would stand and tell stories. Now, when I first saw it, I thought...."oh brother, what is this?" But my little brother wanted to hear a story....so we sat and listened. The man who told us the story checked the ages of the kids and then told a story based on their ages. He actually gave us a choice of 3 stories and took a vote. So we heard a story about the tallest man in the Continental Army. It was only a few minutes long. I don't think we were there for more than 10 minutes, but he told us this story about a man named Peter. The kids LOVED it. I liked it, too. This is something that could really get the kids attention at any park....Revolutionary War, Civil War, or whatever. This is a tool that could really reel the kids into history. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go to the other stations due to time constraints. But I really like this idea.
The park has also changed tremendously. They have taken away some of the roads, taken away parking lots and reconfigured other roads. I was sort of impressed. I understand getting rid of some of the roads and parking lots....they weren't used much and it adds to the history of the park by not having them there....but it really confused me. I knew that park like the back of my hand and now, I'm not so sure where I was or what I was doing.
The deer population at Valley Forge is horrible. You can drive that park at any time of the day and see hundreds of deer. Gettysburg is taking steps to control the deer population. I like how I've lived here for 4 years and have only seen 6 deer in the park....EVER. We don't have to worry about driving for fear of hitting Bambi.
There are parallels between National Parks....be it historic or natural or whatever. In some ways, the parks can learn from each other. There are lessons that Valley Forge can learn from Gettysburg and lessons that Gettysburg can learn from Valley Forge. But each park is different...with a different goal....and different lessons to be learned. I for one enjoy traveling to the different parks to see what I can glean from each one.....because learning helps me become a better me.
First, I want to tell a bit about heading to Montgomery Cemetery. This is the cemetery where Civil War generals Winfield Scott Hancock, Samuel K. Zook, and John F. Hartranft are buried. I visited all three of them. I took my 9 year old brother with me and I got to give him a lesson on the Civil War. It was very exciting (for me, anyway). The cemetery has added a large kiosk full of pictures and paragraphs about the history of the cemetery. Both sides of this board is just full of pictures. That was really cool. And it talked about all the "famous" people buried there. Most are of local lore, but there are a few that those of us familiar with the Civil War would recognize. The cemetery is being taken care of....evidently someone had recently mowed (not an easy task considering its 70+ acres) and the grass is growing in places I hadn't seen grass in recently. I was happy with what I saw there.
Then we moved on to Valley Forge. Now, one of the houses on the field is the house where Samuel K. Zook grew up. He was born Samuel Kurtz Zook but changed his middle name to Kosciuszko in memory of Thaddeus Kosciuszko who was a general at the Valley Forge encampment. Samuel Zook was killed in the Wheatfield at Gettysburg on July 2, 1963.
But the one thing that I really liked about my time at Valley Forge was something that I think more parks should do. They have these "storytelling" stations throughout the park. I think there were five of them. It had a circular bench that everyone could sit on (I think it only sat about 8 people) and a person who would stand and tell stories. Now, when I first saw it, I thought...."oh brother, what is this?" But my little brother wanted to hear a story....so we sat and listened. The man who told us the story checked the ages of the kids and then told a story based on their ages. He actually gave us a choice of 3 stories and took a vote. So we heard a story about the tallest man in the Continental Army. It was only a few minutes long. I don't think we were there for more than 10 minutes, but he told us this story about a man named Peter. The kids LOVED it. I liked it, too. This is something that could really get the kids attention at any park....Revolutionary War, Civil War, or whatever. This is a tool that could really reel the kids into history. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go to the other stations due to time constraints. But I really like this idea.
The park has also changed tremendously. They have taken away some of the roads, taken away parking lots and reconfigured other roads. I was sort of impressed. I understand getting rid of some of the roads and parking lots....they weren't used much and it adds to the history of the park by not having them there....but it really confused me. I knew that park like the back of my hand and now, I'm not so sure where I was or what I was doing.
The deer population at Valley Forge is horrible. You can drive that park at any time of the day and see hundreds of deer. Gettysburg is taking steps to control the deer population. I like how I've lived here for 4 years and have only seen 6 deer in the park....EVER. We don't have to worry about driving for fear of hitting Bambi.
There are parallels between National Parks....be it historic or natural or whatever. In some ways, the parks can learn from each other. There are lessons that Valley Forge can learn from Gettysburg and lessons that Gettysburg can learn from Valley Forge. But each park is different...with a different goal....and different lessons to be learned. I for one enjoy traveling to the different parks to see what I can glean from each one.....because learning helps me become a better me.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Pennsylvania Memorial at Gettysburg
One of my favorite monuments on the Gettysburg Battlefield is the Pennsylvania Memorial. The size in and of itself is monumental. Its the largest monument on the battlefield. But what I like the most about this particular monument is the artwork on it. Now, I'm not an artist and I don't have an artist's eye, but there are some things on this monument that have really caught my eye.
Just below the dome and above the arches, on all four sides, are bas relief carvings of the four Corps that were here at Gettysburg. One the first side it the Infantry Corps, then the Cavalry Corps, then the Artillery Corps, and last but not least (and the one people seem to forget about the most) is the Signal Corps. Each scene shows an "average" scene of each Corps in battle. Take a good look at each one....they are pretty cool.
Then on either side of the arches are statues of folks from Pennsylvania who played a role in the battle. The only exception to this is that there is a statue of President Lincoln and as far as I know, he never lived in Pennsylvania. Governor Andrew Curtain (the governor of PA at the time of the battle) is also represented up there. He played a major role in the forming of the National Cemetery. There are also statues of different generals up there as well. Now, sitting here, I can't name them all, but let's see who I can remember: Gregg, Hancock, Meade, Birney....that's it....I'm drawing a blank. Oh well.
On one of the pillars, you can see a doorway. Go through that door and head up the steps. The stairs are circular and VERY narrow but once you get to the top, I promise, it will be worth the trouble. This brings you to an observation deck that is right below the dome. From up there you can see most of the battlefield. Thankfully, there are signs on the walls that show you exactly which direction to look for what landmark. I know that you can see Oak Hill, Culp's Hill, both Round Tops, and most importantly, the field that Pickett, Pettigrew, and Trimble's men crossed on July 3. This field is actually the easiest to see. The view from up there lets you make out some of the undulations of the ground the men crossed. Now, its easier to experience on the field, but from up there you can sort of see it.
On the bottom of the monument are bronze plaques. These are a listing of every single soldier who was on the roles from Pennsylvania at the time of the battle. Now, there are mistakes....it can't be perfect, but they have done the best job that they can to make sure that every name that belongs up there IS up there. Its neat to be able to walk around the base and see the names of the Pennsylvanians who fought here. There were SOOOO many of them. And each name represents an actual person....a person who had family, and a life, and hopes and dreams. There are markers behind each person that was mortally wounded or killed. Its so sad to see these names. So many people come to the monument to find the names of their ancestors. I often see people rubbing over the names of their family members who fought here. What an awesome thing to be able to do and see.
This monument is one of the few that is REALLY identifiable on the battlefield. When you see a picture of it, you know exactly what it is that you are looking at. I find it one of the more fascinating monuments on the field because I really like the art on it!
Just below the dome and above the arches, on all four sides, are bas relief carvings of the four Corps that were here at Gettysburg. One the first side it the Infantry Corps, then the Cavalry Corps, then the Artillery Corps, and last but not least (and the one people seem to forget about the most) is the Signal Corps. Each scene shows an "average" scene of each Corps in battle. Take a good look at each one....they are pretty cool.
Then on either side of the arches are statues of folks from Pennsylvania who played a role in the battle. The only exception to this is that there is a statue of President Lincoln and as far as I know, he never lived in Pennsylvania. Governor Andrew Curtain (the governor of PA at the time of the battle) is also represented up there. He played a major role in the forming of the National Cemetery. There are also statues of different generals up there as well. Now, sitting here, I can't name them all, but let's see who I can remember: Gregg, Hancock, Meade, Birney....that's it....I'm drawing a blank. Oh well.
On one of the pillars, you can see a doorway. Go through that door and head up the steps. The stairs are circular and VERY narrow but once you get to the top, I promise, it will be worth the trouble. This brings you to an observation deck that is right below the dome. From up there you can see most of the battlefield. Thankfully, there are signs on the walls that show you exactly which direction to look for what landmark. I know that you can see Oak Hill, Culp's Hill, both Round Tops, and most importantly, the field that Pickett, Pettigrew, and Trimble's men crossed on July 3. This field is actually the easiest to see. The view from up there lets you make out some of the undulations of the ground the men crossed. Now, its easier to experience on the field, but from up there you can sort of see it.
On the bottom of the monument are bronze plaques. These are a listing of every single soldier who was on the roles from Pennsylvania at the time of the battle. Now, there are mistakes....it can't be perfect, but they have done the best job that they can to make sure that every name that belongs up there IS up there. Its neat to be able to walk around the base and see the names of the Pennsylvanians who fought here. There were SOOOO many of them. And each name represents an actual person....a person who had family, and a life, and hopes and dreams. There are markers behind each person that was mortally wounded or killed. Its so sad to see these names. So many people come to the monument to find the names of their ancestors. I often see people rubbing over the names of their family members who fought here. What an awesome thing to be able to do and see.
This monument is one of the few that is REALLY identifiable on the battlefield. When you see a picture of it, you know exactly what it is that you are looking at. I find it one of the more fascinating monuments on the field because I really like the art on it!
98th PA
Ok....its taken me awhile, but I have finally gotten around to writting about the 98th PA....my great great grandfathers regiment. Peter Stroup was born and lived his entire life in and around the Germantown section of Philadelphia. His daughters, daughter was my grandmother on my dad's side of the family. In 1861, the 17th PA was being pulled together, and for whatever reason, he decided to join up. This was a three month regiment, so after 3 months he was mustered out and he rejoined with the 21st PA. Again, this was a three month regiment and at the end of the three months, he again was mustered out. Then he joined up again and this regiment became the 98th PA. I'm not sure but I believe the 17th PA just turned into the 21st and the 21st turned into the 98th....but I don't know that for sure. Its just that a lot of the names are the same in each of the regiments.
The 98th PA seems to have participated in most of the major battles. Although it seems that they were held in reserve in quite a few....or that's what my research has found. I know that they were at Chancellorsville (although they technically fought at Marye's Heights in Fredericksburg) and they were also at Antietam (although they were following Darius Couch on a mission of wandering the valley and never actually made it into the fight). I do know that they DID participate in the Battle at Gettysburg. And here is what they did at Gettysburg.
The Sixth Corps made an incredible march of 26 miles from Manchester, Md all the way to Gettysburg in about 24 hours, arriving on July 2. As they arrived, they were to go to the middle part of the battlefield and be held in reserve. The 98th was the lead regiment in this march and as they approached Gettysburg, somehow they missed the message of where they were supposed to go. They ended up on Little Round Top....on the northern slope of the hill.
As the battle was progressing, the fighting in the Wheatfield was heating up. General Samuel Wylie Crawford decided that he had had enough and he grabbed the colors from the color-bearer, who refused to let him have them, and he grabbed some troops that he found in the area (mostly the U.S. Reserve troops of Day and Burbank), including the "lost" 98th PA, and off they went to end the fighting in the Wheatfield. From the slopes of Little Round Top, they went down, through the Valley of Death (Plum Run Valley) and up Day's Hill to the edge of the Wheatfield. They weren't able to regain the Wheatfield (which had changed hands at least 6 times) but they were able to push the Confederates back so that at the end of the fighting, the Wheatfield was considered No-Man's Land.
After this fight, the 98th PA was reunited with its brigade, who happened to be on the farm lane that led up to the Althoff farm (or the John Weikert Farm....depending on which farmer you choose to name the farm after). Today, there are two monuments to the 98th PA: one on the northern slope of Little Round Top and one back by the Weikert/Althoff house.
My great great grandfather may not have been one of the "big" heroes of the Civil War, but because he actually stood and fought, reenlisted when he could have just gone home, and was wounded twice and still went on, he will always be my hero. Each one of the guys who fought at Gettysburg or any of the other battles will always be the greatest men who ever lived!
The 98th PA seems to have participated in most of the major battles. Although it seems that they were held in reserve in quite a few....or that's what my research has found. I know that they were at Chancellorsville (although they technically fought at Marye's Heights in Fredericksburg) and they were also at Antietam (although they were following Darius Couch on a mission of wandering the valley and never actually made it into the fight). I do know that they DID participate in the Battle at Gettysburg. And here is what they did at Gettysburg.
The Sixth Corps made an incredible march of 26 miles from Manchester, Md all the way to Gettysburg in about 24 hours, arriving on July 2. As they arrived, they were to go to the middle part of the battlefield and be held in reserve. The 98th was the lead regiment in this march and as they approached Gettysburg, somehow they missed the message of where they were supposed to go. They ended up on Little Round Top....on the northern slope of the hill.
As the battle was progressing, the fighting in the Wheatfield was heating up. General Samuel Wylie Crawford decided that he had had enough and he grabbed the colors from the color-bearer, who refused to let him have them, and he grabbed some troops that he found in the area (mostly the U.S. Reserve troops of Day and Burbank), including the "lost" 98th PA, and off they went to end the fighting in the Wheatfield. From the slopes of Little Round Top, they went down, through the Valley of Death (Plum Run Valley) and up Day's Hill to the edge of the Wheatfield. They weren't able to regain the Wheatfield (which had changed hands at least 6 times) but they were able to push the Confederates back so that at the end of the fighting, the Wheatfield was considered No-Man's Land.
After this fight, the 98th PA was reunited with its brigade, who happened to be on the farm lane that led up to the Althoff farm (or the John Weikert Farm....depending on which farmer you choose to name the farm after). Today, there are two monuments to the 98th PA: one on the northern slope of Little Round Top and one back by the Weikert/Althoff house.
My great great grandfather may not have been one of the "big" heroes of the Civil War, but because he actually stood and fought, reenlisted when he could have just gone home, and was wounded twice and still went on, he will always be my hero. Each one of the guys who fought at Gettysburg or any of the other battles will always be the greatest men who ever lived!
Ball's Bluff National Cemetery
For two summers, I was a guide at Ball's Bluff Battlefield. This is a really interesting little battlefield that ended up with some HUGE effects on the remainder of the Civil War. But I wasn't thinking about those things today. There are places on this planet that I love to go to more than any place else (except battlefields) and those places are cemeteries. The National Cemetery at Ball's Bluff is a really cool place to visit.
One thing I should warn about before anyone takes the time to visit is that because the Bluffs are next to the Potomac River, there are snakes in the area. One time I was giving a tour and didn't realize that there was a snake on the inside of the stone wall of the cemetery. We went in and I gave my standard lecture about the cemetery when someone noticed the snake. It was just a black snake....but it was enough to scare all of us on the tour who DO NOT like snakes (myself included). He went to the top of the wall right at the gate to sun himself....which meant we had to walk right past him. Ick. So just be warned! I've also heard stories from other guides about the snakes hanging from trees.
Anyway, back to the National Cemetery. When you arrive at the battlefield, you have to park in the parking lot and walk to see the battlefield proper. You need to follow the large stone path. This path will take you straight to the National Cemetery.
This cemetery is the THIRD smallest National Cemetery in the United States. Right now, off the top of my head, I can't remember where the other two are....but I will go home and find out. Anyway, there are only 54 bodies in this cemetery. But once you arrive, you will see only 25 headstones. Why? Well, when they finally got around to making the cemetery, it was 4 years after the battle and they had to dig up and rebury the guys who were interred on the battlefield. After four years in a shallow grave, bodies tend to not be "whole".....wild animals, the elements, etc help to make reburial a problem. When they dug up the bodies, they were able to locate a bone here or a bone there. They weren't able to actually find a whole body. So what they did was build 25 boxes....caskets, if you will....and place 2-3 "bodies" in each box. After all these years, they were never able to identify any of the remains...except one: James Allen of the 15th Massachusetts. So when you walk in the cemetery and you look at each one of those headstones, even though there may be one headstone....there are 2-3 people buried under each one.
One thing you should keep in mind when going to Ball's Bluff Battlefield is that even though there appear to be 2 more headstones outside the Cemetery walls...they are not headstones at all, but small memorials to two people who fought at the battle. For the Confederate side, there is a memorial to Clinton Hatcher who was a flag bearer for the 8th VA and on the Union side, there is a marker to Senator Edward Baker...commander of the California Brigade (later to become the Philadelphia Brigade). Both of these gentlemen were killed at Ball's Bluff and neither was buried at the battlefield. Mr. Hatcher is buried in Leesburg, VA. Sen. Baker is buried at the Presidio in San Francisco, CA.
The cemetery is a small square parcel of land. In the center stands a flagpole. Surrounding the flagpole is about 3/4 of a circle of the headstones. There is a metal gate at the entrance and with some fiddling around, you can get the gate open. As a guide there, I always seemed to have trouble with that gate. Sometimes, those on the tours would be able to get it opened for me. But the Cemetery is accessible. Please remember when visiting, although there are no signs, as in other National Cemeteries, "Silence and Respect".
One thing I should warn about before anyone takes the time to visit is that because the Bluffs are next to the Potomac River, there are snakes in the area. One time I was giving a tour and didn't realize that there was a snake on the inside of the stone wall of the cemetery. We went in and I gave my standard lecture about the cemetery when someone noticed the snake. It was just a black snake....but it was enough to scare all of us on the tour who DO NOT like snakes (myself included). He went to the top of the wall right at the gate to sun himself....which meant we had to walk right past him. Ick. So just be warned! I've also heard stories from other guides about the snakes hanging from trees.
Anyway, back to the National Cemetery. When you arrive at the battlefield, you have to park in the parking lot and walk to see the battlefield proper. You need to follow the large stone path. This path will take you straight to the National Cemetery.
This cemetery is the THIRD smallest National Cemetery in the United States. Right now, off the top of my head, I can't remember where the other two are....but I will go home and find out. Anyway, there are only 54 bodies in this cemetery. But once you arrive, you will see only 25 headstones. Why? Well, when they finally got around to making the cemetery, it was 4 years after the battle and they had to dig up and rebury the guys who were interred on the battlefield. After four years in a shallow grave, bodies tend to not be "whole".....wild animals, the elements, etc help to make reburial a problem. When they dug up the bodies, they were able to locate a bone here or a bone there. They weren't able to actually find a whole body. So what they did was build 25 boxes....caskets, if you will....and place 2-3 "bodies" in each box. After all these years, they were never able to identify any of the remains...except one: James Allen of the 15th Massachusetts. So when you walk in the cemetery and you look at each one of those headstones, even though there may be one headstone....there are 2-3 people buried under each one.
One thing you should keep in mind when going to Ball's Bluff Battlefield is that even though there appear to be 2 more headstones outside the Cemetery walls...they are not headstones at all, but small memorials to two people who fought at the battle. For the Confederate side, there is a memorial to Clinton Hatcher who was a flag bearer for the 8th VA and on the Union side, there is a marker to Senator Edward Baker...commander of the California Brigade (later to become the Philadelphia Brigade). Both of these gentlemen were killed at Ball's Bluff and neither was buried at the battlefield. Mr. Hatcher is buried in Leesburg, VA. Sen. Baker is buried at the Presidio in San Francisco, CA.
The cemetery is a small square parcel of land. In the center stands a flagpole. Surrounding the flagpole is about 3/4 of a circle of the headstones. There is a metal gate at the entrance and with some fiddling around, you can get the gate open. As a guide there, I always seemed to have trouble with that gate. Sometimes, those on the tours would be able to get it opened for me. But the Cemetery is accessible. Please remember when visiting, although there are no signs, as in other National Cemeteries, "Silence and Respect".
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Thoughts on the beginning and the end
I've been thinking about poor Wilmer McLean. This man woke up one morning in 1861 and found the war in his front yard. He lived in Manassas, Va. I've been to Manassas exactly one time. I don't live all that far from it (maybe two hours) but have not been back because every time I head that way, I find someplace new to go to. The time that I was there, I found the battlefield to be very difficult to see. You see, I went in February....after a snow storm....and a warm day.....so there was mud everywhere. One of the things that I found about Manassas is that if you want to see anything, you have to park your car and walk. Now, I don't have a problem with that concept at all. I enjoy a nice walk. But when the paths are nothing but mud pits....well, its just not going to happen. One thing that I never found was Wilmer McLean's house.
I checked around on the internet (because as everyone knows....EVERYTHING you read on the internet is true) and discovered that Mr. McLean lived on a farm called the Yorkshire Plantation. I checked with the NPS website to see if they mention the farm. Not a word....not even about Mr. McLean. So I went elsewhere and this is what I found. There is a marker the talks about the McLean farm. Its on Centerville Road (VA Rt. 28) at Yorkshire Road. Here is what the marker says:
I checked around on the internet (because as everyone knows....EVERYTHING you read on the internet is true) and discovered that Mr. McLean lived on a farm called the Yorkshire Plantation. I checked with the NPS website to see if they mention the farm. Not a word....not even about Mr. McLean. So I went elsewhere and this is what I found. There is a marker the talks about the McLean farm. Its on Centerville Road (VA Rt. 28) at Yorkshire Road. Here is what the marker says:
McLean Farm
(Yorkshire Plantation)
Part of an early 18th century plantation established
on Bullrun by Col. Richard Blackburn formerly of
Yorkshire, England. The land was acquired by Wilmer
McLean in 1854. The battle which opened 1st Manassas
raged across this farm July 18, 1861, with the house
and barn used as a headquarters and hospital by
Confederate troops. Following 1st Manassas, in an
attempt to escape the forefront of the war, McLean
moved his family to the tiny village of Appomattox
Court House. There four years later, the war would
come full circle to end in McLean's parlor with Lee's
surrender to Grant, April 9, 1865.
Next time that I'm down that way, I am going off looking for this marker.
As the marker said, the war ended in April of 1865, literally in the McLean's parlor. After the 1st Battle of Bull Run, Wilmer McLean decided that he needed to get his family away from the war. So he packed up his family and they moved to Appomattox Court House in southern Virginia. For a few years, everything was going well for the McLean's, they had their farm and they were away from the war....until 1865 when the war moved south....and ended up in his parlor.
Not only did the war end in their parlor, but many of the furnishings of that room were stolen right out from underneath them. Some of the generals involved in the surrender took pieces of furniture as a souvenir of that day. Here is what the marker at the McLean house in Appomattox Court House says:
At midday on April 9, 1865, General Robert E.
Lee rode into this yard, dismounted, and
disappeared into the McLean house. Grant,
surrounded by generals and staff officers, soon
followed. Dozens of officers, horses, and
onlookers waited outside. After 90 minutes,
Lee and Grant emerged. To the silent salutes
of Union officers, Lee rode back through the
village -- to his defeated army.
The home that hosted the surrender meeting
was one of the best in Appomattox. Built in
1848, it had since 1862 been owned by
businessman, Wilmer McLean. The house
became a sensation after the surrender. Union
officers took some mementos; and in 1893 it
was dismantled for display in Washington, D.C.
But that display never happened, and the
National Park Service reconstructed the building
on its original site in the 1940's.
Poor Wilmer McLean.....he found the Civil War in his front yard in 1861 and found it in his parlor in 1865. The beginning and the end. Kind of cool!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Ranger Programs at Gettysburg
Ever since I moved to Gettysburg (it will 4 years on June 18) I have arranged my life during the summer by the ranger program schedule. Sounds crazy? Maybe it is, but this is what I live for....ranger programs and battle walks. Well....tomorrow it starts.
The Ranger Programs are talks and walks that are about certain aspects of the battle, battlefield, soldiers, or civilians. They can last anywhere from 1/2 hour to 1 hour. These programs are great. The ranger usually gets to the appointed starting point a few minutes early (I've seen them there 1/2 hour early and I've also seen them arrive at exactly the time its supposed to start....so it depends on the ranger) and greets each of the participants. I've been on programs where it was just me and then others where there were 40-50 people....so you never know what you might be in for. The schedules are in booklets at the VC or you can just download the schedule off the website (http://www.nps.gov/gett/planyourvisit/gettfivsprograms.htm). I find myself staring at the schedule trying to figure out if I can do this program and still make it to that program....or should I wait to do one another day....or how can I fit it all in? It's just too much for my poor little brain to handle!
Everyday at 3:30 they have the best possible program of all....the Battlewalk. The battlewalks are a 2 hour walk with a ranger on a specific part of the battle. I've been on some that were two hours and I've been on some that were 4 hours. Warning: If you go on a battlewalk with Troy Harman, keep in mind that the man is nuts! He has to do everything the hard way (Pickett's Charge which is a straight shot across the field became a very scary walk: through weeds up to our shoulders....climbing fences....walking through runs....etc) and his walks NEVER last the allotted time. Troy's walks are probably the best ones....but you pay for it. I would NEVER tell anyone not to do one of his walks, but I would recommend wearing really good shoes and be prepared to be there at least an hour longer than it says. One thing that I HAVE to recommend when attending one of these battlewalks is to wear appropriate clothing and shoes. It never fails that when I go on one of these, there is always a woman in the crowd in a dress and high healed shoes. These programs are best when you are in jeans...or shorts...with a good pair of walking shoes. These women usually drop out at some point because they can't handle the ground. I just have to laugh. They warn you ahead of time to wear appropriate clothing....but they HAVE to look GOOD....regardless. The battlewalks are different everyday. You just have to find one that interests you (I've done most of them at one time or another...unless they are new, and I keep going back) and then show up.
Another program that I LOVE is the Campfire Programs. I am probably the biggest supporter of these programs. On West Confederate Avenue there is an amphitheater. We meet there at 8:30 and the ranger (which ever one is doing it that night) gives a Power Point presentation on some aspect of the Civil War that interests them. Some of the rangers do the same program over and over again....so I don't hit those....it gets boring after awhile. But some of the rangers do their programs once or twice and then come up with a new program....I hit those all the time. When showing up for this program, remember to bring a lawn chair. They have wood benches to sit on, but I always find that about half way through my back is killing me....so I always have my lawn chair. If you get there a little early, the ranger usually has background music playing....a CD of Civil War music. And they almost always have a campfire going (the only times I haven't seen a campfire was during a drought when they couldn't have any open flames.....and after a really bad thunderstorm and the firewood was soaking wet). It sounds crazy to have a campfire going during the summer, but the smoke helps keep the mosquitoes away. And the campfire adds to the ambiance. Most rangers turn the lights off and as the sun goes down, you are sitting in the dark watching the presentation....some leave the lights on....I don't really like it with the lights on....but each person can do things the way they like. The program lasts about an hour and they usually have time afterwards when you can approach the ranger with questions about the program. I LOVE these programs!!!!!
These are the things that take place at the park during the summer. I live according to what is going on....and arrange my life around this stuff....I'm not sure if that's good or bad. I highly recommend that when in Gettysburg, you take in all these FREE programs....it will help in understanding what REALLY happened here.
The Ranger Programs are talks and walks that are about certain aspects of the battle, battlefield, soldiers, or civilians. They can last anywhere from 1/2 hour to 1 hour. These programs are great. The ranger usually gets to the appointed starting point a few minutes early (I've seen them there 1/2 hour early and I've also seen them arrive at exactly the time its supposed to start....so it depends on the ranger) and greets each of the participants. I've been on programs where it was just me and then others where there were 40-50 people....so you never know what you might be in for. The schedules are in booklets at the VC or you can just download the schedule off the website (http://www.nps.gov/gett/planyourvisit/gettfivsprograms.htm). I find myself staring at the schedule trying to figure out if I can do this program and still make it to that program....or should I wait to do one another day....or how can I fit it all in? It's just too much for my poor little brain to handle!
Everyday at 3:30 they have the best possible program of all....the Battlewalk. The battlewalks are a 2 hour walk with a ranger on a specific part of the battle. I've been on some that were two hours and I've been on some that were 4 hours. Warning: If you go on a battlewalk with Troy Harman, keep in mind that the man is nuts! He has to do everything the hard way (Pickett's Charge which is a straight shot across the field became a very scary walk: through weeds up to our shoulders....climbing fences....walking through runs....etc) and his walks NEVER last the allotted time. Troy's walks are probably the best ones....but you pay for it. I would NEVER tell anyone not to do one of his walks, but I would recommend wearing really good shoes and be prepared to be there at least an hour longer than it says. One thing that I HAVE to recommend when attending one of these battlewalks is to wear appropriate clothing and shoes. It never fails that when I go on one of these, there is always a woman in the crowd in a dress and high healed shoes. These programs are best when you are in jeans...or shorts...with a good pair of walking shoes. These women usually drop out at some point because they can't handle the ground. I just have to laugh. They warn you ahead of time to wear appropriate clothing....but they HAVE to look GOOD....regardless. The battlewalks are different everyday. You just have to find one that interests you (I've done most of them at one time or another...unless they are new, and I keep going back) and then show up.
Another program that I LOVE is the Campfire Programs. I am probably the biggest supporter of these programs. On West Confederate Avenue there is an amphitheater. We meet there at 8:30 and the ranger (which ever one is doing it that night) gives a Power Point presentation on some aspect of the Civil War that interests them. Some of the rangers do the same program over and over again....so I don't hit those....it gets boring after awhile. But some of the rangers do their programs once or twice and then come up with a new program....I hit those all the time. When showing up for this program, remember to bring a lawn chair. They have wood benches to sit on, but I always find that about half way through my back is killing me....so I always have my lawn chair. If you get there a little early, the ranger usually has background music playing....a CD of Civil War music. And they almost always have a campfire going (the only times I haven't seen a campfire was during a drought when they couldn't have any open flames.....and after a really bad thunderstorm and the firewood was soaking wet). It sounds crazy to have a campfire going during the summer, but the smoke helps keep the mosquitoes away. And the campfire adds to the ambiance. Most rangers turn the lights off and as the sun goes down, you are sitting in the dark watching the presentation....some leave the lights on....I don't really like it with the lights on....but each person can do things the way they like. The program lasts about an hour and they usually have time afterwards when you can approach the ranger with questions about the program. I LOVE these programs!!!!!
These are the things that take place at the park during the summer. I live according to what is going on....and arrange my life around this stuff....I'm not sure if that's good or bad. I highly recommend that when in Gettysburg, you take in all these FREE programs....it will help in understanding what REALLY happened here.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Richard Brooke Garnett
So often, we hear about the major "characters" at a particular battle: Lee, Grant, Jackson, Meade, and the list goes on and on. These men are so well-known that we don't even need to add their first names....everyone knows them. But there are also men who fought on these battlefields whose names we don't necessarily know. We may know of their brigades or their regiments, but do we know these men. And, yes, they were men who lived, breathed, ate, and slept. These are people who had lives, children, wives, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers. These were people who had dreams for their future....and sadly, many did not see their dreams come true.
One of these "unknown" men was a man who commanded a brigade during Pickett's Charge. He had great reputation throughout his life....until a small blemish (was it really a blemish?) discolored his reputation and may have caused this man to put his life on the line....a line in which he crossed. This man was Confederate General Richard Brooke Garnett.
Richard Garnett was born on November 21, 1817 in Essex County, Virginia on his family estate. It seems that he had a twin brother named William who died in 1855. In 1841, he graduated from West Point, 29th out of a class of 52.
In 1862, while in command of the Stonewall Brigade, he was told to go attack a whole division at Kernstown. While facing the enemy, who was on three sides, and running low on ammunition, he ordered the brigade to retreat. This made Stonewall Jackson very angry and he had the general arrested for "neglect of duty". It seems that before he retreated, he should have asked Stonewall Jackson for permission to retreat and he didn't. So General Garnett was court martialed. It started in August of 1862. Stonewall Jackson and one of his aides were able to testify before the court martial had to be suspended because a military campaign was starting.
Eventually, Gen. Garnett was given a brigade to command and it became a permanent command for him. With Stonewall Jackson dying during the Chancellorsville battle, the court martial was put off permanently. At Gettysburg, General Garnett had a point to prove. He wasn't a coward....he retreated because that was the only thing left for him to do and he was going to prove it to the world. Prior to Gettysburg, Garnett had been kicked by a horse and suffered a wound to his leg. This wound left him in a position where he couldn't walk....so instead, he rode his horse.
Now, riding a horse doesn't sound so bad, but during Pickett's Charge, this placed him higher than the rest of his men and made him a moving target. Also, only commanders and their aides rode horses, so if you saw a guy on a horse, you could almost be guaranteed of hitting someone important.
Pickett's Charge was ordered in line and after waiting for a few hours, the charge took off....with Garnett on horseback. The last that anyone saw the General was about 20 yards from the "Angle". After that, no one saw him again. It is assumed that he was probably shot with canister shot and that his body was probably destroyed to the point that no one could recognize him. No one knows where he is buried, however, many Confederate dead where re-interred at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, years later. There is a good chance that he was re-interred at Hollywood Cemetery. Or worse, that he is still buried on the battlefield at Gettysburg. But its a safer bet that he is at Hollywood Cemetery.
I can't speak for others, but after studying up on him....I tend to believe that he was not a coward at Kernstown. Neither was he a coward at Gettysburg. I have not read nor seen anything that would tell me that Richard Brooke Garnett was anything but a fine commander who just happened to get on Stonewall Jackson's bad side (which seemed like an easy thing to do). I believe that his actions at Gettysburg helped clear his name, but did his name really need to be cleared????
One of these "unknown" men was a man who commanded a brigade during Pickett's Charge. He had great reputation throughout his life....until a small blemish (was it really a blemish?) discolored his reputation and may have caused this man to put his life on the line....a line in which he crossed. This man was Confederate General Richard Brooke Garnett.
Richard Garnett was born on November 21, 1817 in Essex County, Virginia on his family estate. It seems that he had a twin brother named William who died in 1855. In 1841, he graduated from West Point, 29th out of a class of 52.
In 1862, while in command of the Stonewall Brigade, he was told to go attack a whole division at Kernstown. While facing the enemy, who was on three sides, and running low on ammunition, he ordered the brigade to retreat. This made Stonewall Jackson very angry and he had the general arrested for "neglect of duty". It seems that before he retreated, he should have asked Stonewall Jackson for permission to retreat and he didn't. So General Garnett was court martialed. It started in August of 1862. Stonewall Jackson and one of his aides were able to testify before the court martial had to be suspended because a military campaign was starting.
Eventually, Gen. Garnett was given a brigade to command and it became a permanent command for him. With Stonewall Jackson dying during the Chancellorsville battle, the court martial was put off permanently. At Gettysburg, General Garnett had a point to prove. He wasn't a coward....he retreated because that was the only thing left for him to do and he was going to prove it to the world. Prior to Gettysburg, Garnett had been kicked by a horse and suffered a wound to his leg. This wound left him in a position where he couldn't walk....so instead, he rode his horse.
Now, riding a horse doesn't sound so bad, but during Pickett's Charge, this placed him higher than the rest of his men and made him a moving target. Also, only commanders and their aides rode horses, so if you saw a guy on a horse, you could almost be guaranteed of hitting someone important.
Pickett's Charge was ordered in line and after waiting for a few hours, the charge took off....with Garnett on horseback. The last that anyone saw the General was about 20 yards from the "Angle". After that, no one saw him again. It is assumed that he was probably shot with canister shot and that his body was probably destroyed to the point that no one could recognize him. No one knows where he is buried, however, many Confederate dead where re-interred at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, years later. There is a good chance that he was re-interred at Hollywood Cemetery. Or worse, that he is still buried on the battlefield at Gettysburg. But its a safer bet that he is at Hollywood Cemetery.
I can't speak for others, but after studying up on him....I tend to believe that he was not a coward at Kernstown. Neither was he a coward at Gettysburg. I have not read nor seen anything that would tell me that Richard Brooke Garnett was anything but a fine commander who just happened to get on Stonewall Jackson's bad side (which seemed like an easy thing to do). I believe that his actions at Gettysburg helped clear his name, but did his name really need to be cleared????
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Billy Bayly
For the past 4 or 5 years, I have been devouring everything and anything Gettysburg. Not that prior to that I didn't, but I seem to have put my focus on Gettysburg rather than the Civil War in general. One name that seemed to pop up in any book that I have read was a 13 year old boy by the name of Billy Bayly. I have become intrigued by this young boy who witnessed the fighting on the first day.
Thanks to one of Greg Coco's books, I was able to locate the area in which the Bayly family lived. They lived on Table Rock Road near Goldenville Road on a hill called Bayly's Hill (now, where did they ever come up with THAT name????). There is an old home at the top of the hill that I am assuming (should I do that?) is the Bayly home. This area is about 3 miles north of the town. Three miles is a quick drive in the car, but they didn't have cars back then so three miles was quite a walk....but I guess if a battle is going on, those three miles in nothing to a 13 year old boy.
I can't quote here all the things that I would love to quote....this post would be 10 miles long....but the story of Billy and his family is really quite interesting. It seems that Billy, his 9 year brother and a cousin decided to go pick raspberries on Seminary Ridge (they knew that the battle was in that area) and to sort of keep an eye on things.
As the battle got closer to them, they started to get a bit scared and then they took off. How much of the battle they actually saw, I'm not sure, but I am in the process of getting the book "Gettysburg" by Earl Schenck Miers and Richard A. Brown. This sounds like a great book, in that it tells the story of the battle from the perspective of over 40 eyewitnesses....from participants to civilians. I'm hoping that I receive this book soon because once I do, I will devour it. This is precisely the type of books I love to read: eyewitness accounts.
Billy and his mom, Harriet, seemed to be right smack dab in the middle of the crisis in Gettysburg and yet they both lived to tell about it in future years. I was able to locate Harriet's headstone at Evergreen Cemetery...but I have yet to find Billy's. One day I hope to locate him and pay homage to him just like he was able to do to so many of the participants that invaded his hometown.
Thanks to one of Greg Coco's books, I was able to locate the area in which the Bayly family lived. They lived on Table Rock Road near Goldenville Road on a hill called Bayly's Hill (now, where did they ever come up with THAT name????). There is an old home at the top of the hill that I am assuming (should I do that?) is the Bayly home. This area is about 3 miles north of the town. Three miles is a quick drive in the car, but they didn't have cars back then so three miles was quite a walk....but I guess if a battle is going on, those three miles in nothing to a 13 year old boy.
I can't quote here all the things that I would love to quote....this post would be 10 miles long....but the story of Billy and his family is really quite interesting. It seems that Billy, his 9 year brother and a cousin decided to go pick raspberries on Seminary Ridge (they knew that the battle was in that area) and to sort of keep an eye on things.
As the battle got closer to them, they started to get a bit scared and then they took off. How much of the battle they actually saw, I'm not sure, but I am in the process of getting the book "Gettysburg" by Earl Schenck Miers and Richard A. Brown. This sounds like a great book, in that it tells the story of the battle from the perspective of over 40 eyewitnesses....from participants to civilians. I'm hoping that I receive this book soon because once I do, I will devour it. This is precisely the type of books I love to read: eyewitness accounts.
Billy and his mom, Harriet, seemed to be right smack dab in the middle of the crisis in Gettysburg and yet they both lived to tell about it in future years. I was able to locate Harriet's headstone at Evergreen Cemetery...but I have yet to find Billy's. One day I hope to locate him and pay homage to him just like he was able to do to so many of the participants that invaded his hometown.
The Little Visited Benner's Hill
The other day I went up to Benner's Hill to sit and study. Seems that I'm always looking for a quiet place on the battlefield to sit and study and have found very few spots. Well, I sat up on Benner's Hill for over an hour and never saw another car. Now, I realize that Benner's Hill is not on the "main" battlefield...that its not easy to find (if you don't know where it is)....and that no hand to hand combat took place on that hill, but it was the site of some important action and yet, no one visited during my stay.
Its an unimposing little hill that takes in a great panorama of the 1st day's fighting. What you don't realize while looking at it from the bottom of the hill is that you can see for a few miles up there and I'm sure that that played a major role in why the Confederates decided to place artillery on it. Besides it's a great artillery platform.
Joseph Latimer was a 19 year Major (also known as the "Boy Major") who commanded the artillery on that hill. During the course of the fighting, he was shot and later died. He actually died in Virginia after having his arm amputated and then was moved. It seems that his contemporaries found him to be an able young man and he was well respected throughout the Confederate Army.
Benner's Hill lies in the shadow of Culp's Hill and this was a great place for the artillery to be set up to shoot those up on Culp's Hill. Also, from up there, you can see the area where Rodes' men fought the Union army on Oak Hill (you can clearly see the Peace Light), not to mention the town lays right in front of the hill.
There was intense moments on that hill with Latimer's men. They were shooting and getting shot yet they stayed and continued to fight.
As I sat up there, not so much trying to figure out what they did (I was actually trying to get a grasp on the Stonewall Brigade), I started to wonder why this part of the battlefield gets so little attention. It seems that the only people who spend any time up there are the "die hards"....the people who live, breathe, eat the battle, the ones who want to know all the little details. In my lonely hour on that hill, I got to enjoy the birds (one of my passions) and just listening to the wind. I'm sure if I had sat there long enough I could have heard the sounds of battle of so long ago echoing through that quiet patch of land.
Its an unimposing little hill that takes in a great panorama of the 1st day's fighting. What you don't realize while looking at it from the bottom of the hill is that you can see for a few miles up there and I'm sure that that played a major role in why the Confederates decided to place artillery on it. Besides it's a great artillery platform.
Joseph Latimer was a 19 year Major (also known as the "Boy Major") who commanded the artillery on that hill. During the course of the fighting, he was shot and later died. He actually died in Virginia after having his arm amputated and then was moved. It seems that his contemporaries found him to be an able young man and he was well respected throughout the Confederate Army.
Benner's Hill lies in the shadow of Culp's Hill and this was a great place for the artillery to be set up to shoot those up on Culp's Hill. Also, from up there, you can see the area where Rodes' men fought the Union army on Oak Hill (you can clearly see the Peace Light), not to mention the town lays right in front of the hill.
There was intense moments on that hill with Latimer's men. They were shooting and getting shot yet they stayed and continued to fight.
As I sat up there, not so much trying to figure out what they did (I was actually trying to get a grasp on the Stonewall Brigade), I started to wonder why this part of the battlefield gets so little attention. It seems that the only people who spend any time up there are the "die hards"....the people who live, breathe, eat the battle, the ones who want to know all the little details. In my lonely hour on that hill, I got to enjoy the birds (one of my passions) and just listening to the wind. I'm sure if I had sat there long enough I could have heard the sounds of battle of so long ago echoing through that quiet patch of land.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Stonewall Brigade at Gettysburg
I remember about a year ago, being at the Visitors Center and hearing someone request a tour from a guide that would take them in the footsteps of the Stonewall Brigade. Immediately, a sick feeling came to the pit of my stomach....if someone were to ask me for a tour of the Stonewall Brigade, could I do it?? Nope. I sort of knew where they were on Culp's Hill...but I could never say where else they were or what they did. So I took it as a challenge yesterday to study the Stonewall Brigade.
I grabbed my trusty "Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill" book by Harry Pfanz and set off for the battlefield....destination unknown.
Now, I'm not going to get into a huge thing here explaining the wheres and whatfores of this brigade. I'm going to talk more about how what they did effected the battle. I did find out that they were in Gettysburg on July 1....waiting. Seems they were in the area of the Lady farm/Wolf farm....waiting. On July 2, they ended up fighting against the 5th and 12th Corps and the Gregg's Cavalry, at different times, on Brinkerhoff Ridge. On July 3, they found themselves on Culp's Hill.
What I found kind of revealing about this whole thing is how they found themselves constantly on the move. They didn't move far, but the movement was constant. They were on one side of Rock Creek then found themselves on the other side and it seems like they were back again. The Brigade got split up and seemed to be fighting on different fronts....but always ended up back together again.
I also noted that if they had changed their plans, by just the tiniest fraction, the outcome of the battle might have been different. Now you can say this about just about any regiment, brigade, division or corps on either side. It's just that I noticed how this brigade's slowing down on July 2 and not following the remainder of their division across the Hanover Road and approaching Culp's Hill, may have changed what took place on that Hill. Would they have been able to push the Union army off the hill? Would they have been able to reach the Baltimore Pike? If they had, would that have changed the way the Union army fought this battle or would they have just given up because they had no way to escape? Oh the "what-ifs" of the battle! How did they change the course of the battle by not moving fast enough?
Now, the fighting on July 3 on Culp's Hill was extrememly desperate for both sides. Some of the most intense fighting took place up there, but did it have to be that desperate? Would July 2 have been even more desperate than it was?
I guess that I'm not trying to explain this fighting as much as I'm trying to gain a full understanding of what really took place. How can one person or one group change the entire course of a battle? It happened time and time again throughout the Battle of Gettysburg as well as every other battlefield in this nation. The Stonewall Brigade was just one brigade....one group.
I'm still on my quest to understand what they did and where they did it. Just reading one persons interpretation doesn't make it fact. I need to get into the OR's and other books before I can say...."This is what happened". But if someone would come up to me today and say, "Where did the Stonewall Brigade fight?", I think I could give them an answer....not a real good answer but its there. I look forward to the days to come and trying to gain a better grasp on what really happened!
I grabbed my trusty "Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill" book by Harry Pfanz and set off for the battlefield....destination unknown.
Now, I'm not going to get into a huge thing here explaining the wheres and whatfores of this brigade. I'm going to talk more about how what they did effected the battle. I did find out that they were in Gettysburg on July 1....waiting. Seems they were in the area of the Lady farm/Wolf farm....waiting. On July 2, they ended up fighting against the 5th and 12th Corps and the Gregg's Cavalry, at different times, on Brinkerhoff Ridge. On July 3, they found themselves on Culp's Hill.
What I found kind of revealing about this whole thing is how they found themselves constantly on the move. They didn't move far, but the movement was constant. They were on one side of Rock Creek then found themselves on the other side and it seems like they were back again. The Brigade got split up and seemed to be fighting on different fronts....but always ended up back together again.
I also noted that if they had changed their plans, by just the tiniest fraction, the outcome of the battle might have been different. Now you can say this about just about any regiment, brigade, division or corps on either side. It's just that I noticed how this brigade's slowing down on July 2 and not following the remainder of their division across the Hanover Road and approaching Culp's Hill, may have changed what took place on that Hill. Would they have been able to push the Union army off the hill? Would they have been able to reach the Baltimore Pike? If they had, would that have changed the way the Union army fought this battle or would they have just given up because they had no way to escape? Oh the "what-ifs" of the battle! How did they change the course of the battle by not moving fast enough?
Now, the fighting on July 3 on Culp's Hill was extrememly desperate for both sides. Some of the most intense fighting took place up there, but did it have to be that desperate? Would July 2 have been even more desperate than it was?
I guess that I'm not trying to explain this fighting as much as I'm trying to gain a full understanding of what really took place. How can one person or one group change the entire course of a battle? It happened time and time again throughout the Battle of Gettysburg as well as every other battlefield in this nation. The Stonewall Brigade was just one brigade....one group.
I'm still on my quest to understand what they did and where they did it. Just reading one persons interpretation doesn't make it fact. I need to get into the OR's and other books before I can say...."This is what happened". But if someone would come up to me today and say, "Where did the Stonewall Brigade fight?", I think I could give them an answer....not a real good answer but its there. I look forward to the days to come and trying to gain a better grasp on what really happened!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Respect
For the past few days, I have been driving through the park and noticing a cannon that had fallen over. Rumors are swirling as to how this happened. The central theme to all of these rumors is that an employee of the park banged into it with a mower....whether this is true or not, it doesn't really matter. What matters is that this cannon has fallen over.
Now these cannon barrels are heavy, weighing well over 1000 lbs, so when one of these falls over, it does damage. The damage done here seems to be that it lifted the concrete that the cannon was bolted into, right out of the ground.
So, what does this have to do with respect???? Well, fortunately, this appears to have been an accident involving park personel. But what if it hadn't? What if it had been a family having their children sitting on the barrel while Dad takes a picture? What if someone had gotten hurt?
So often I drive around the park and notice kids climbing on the cannons or the monuments and I wonder if they realize that these things are old. Most of the cannons are from the Civil War era....meaning that they are at least 140 years old. Most of the monuments at Gettysburg were placed in their spots by veterans of the War in the 1880's and 1890's....meaning that most of these monuments are over 100 years old. The park has taken great strides in taking care of these memorials to the past....but they can't keep them young forever. Things break, things fall apart, things age.
Sitting on a cannon or a monument is just asking for disaster. How do you know when one is going to break? You don't. They can do all sorts of things to reinforce the carriages but until they build a NEW one, we can't guarantee that it will hold extra weight.....and with new ones, you can't guarantee that either.
So, how is this being disrespectful? Well, these memorials to the past were placed here by the veterans so that we can remember what they did here. When we crawl on, over, or under one of these memorials, we are taking the risk of destroying that thing that the veterans wanted placed so that we would remember. We are crawling on, over or under our past. We are destroying what future generations will need in order to remember.
This doesn't just go for Gettysburg, it goes for all battlefields, historic sites, or town squares. We need to be careful of what the past has given us so that future generations can remember as well.
Now these cannon barrels are heavy, weighing well over 1000 lbs, so when one of these falls over, it does damage. The damage done here seems to be that it lifted the concrete that the cannon was bolted into, right out of the ground.
So, what does this have to do with respect???? Well, fortunately, this appears to have been an accident involving park personel. But what if it hadn't? What if it had been a family having their children sitting on the barrel while Dad takes a picture? What if someone had gotten hurt?
So often I drive around the park and notice kids climbing on the cannons or the monuments and I wonder if they realize that these things are old. Most of the cannons are from the Civil War era....meaning that they are at least 140 years old. Most of the monuments at Gettysburg were placed in their spots by veterans of the War in the 1880's and 1890's....meaning that most of these monuments are over 100 years old. The park has taken great strides in taking care of these memorials to the past....but they can't keep them young forever. Things break, things fall apart, things age.
Sitting on a cannon or a monument is just asking for disaster. How do you know when one is going to break? You don't. They can do all sorts of things to reinforce the carriages but until they build a NEW one, we can't guarantee that it will hold extra weight.....and with new ones, you can't guarantee that either.
So, how is this being disrespectful? Well, these memorials to the past were placed here by the veterans so that we can remember what they did here. When we crawl on, over, or under one of these memorials, we are taking the risk of destroying that thing that the veterans wanted placed so that we would remember. We are crawling on, over or under our past. We are destroying what future generations will need in order to remember.
This doesn't just go for Gettysburg, it goes for all battlefields, historic sites, or town squares. We need to be careful of what the past has given us so that future generations can remember as well.
Who ordered the charge?
One of the people who fought at Gettysburg that really fascinates me is Rufus R. Dawes. I'm not sure why he fascinates me so much....up until a few months ago, I didn't even know what he looked like, but he does. I guess you could say that I admire this man....especially after I read his book "Service with the 6th Wisconsin". If you haven't read this book, I HIGHLY recommend it. This book is a blend of his diary, letters, memories and such. It's a great source of information on the average life of a Civil War soldier.
But on to Rufus Dawes. A little background information: he was born on July 4, 1838 and died August 2, 1899 in Marietta, Ohio, where he was buried. He was a businessman and Congressman. His four sons came to be known nationally (and I find it ironic that he was born on July 4th and his four sons were great patriots). His one son, Charles, actually became Vice President of the United States. His grandfather, William Dawes, rode with Paul Revere in his famous ride. This is a family who has played an important role in American History.
At Gettysburg, he was a Lieutenant Colonel, commanding the 6th Wisconsin. Now the 6th Wisconsin was one of the regiments in the famed Iron Brigade and because of his brigade, his regiment is one of the better known. But what the 6th did at Gettysburg is cause enough for them to be well known.
On July 1, 1863, the Iron Brigade was led into action at Herbst Woods...to fight off the advances of the Confederate forces under the command of James J. Archer. As the regiments were put in place, the 6th was told to hold back as their reserve unit. Dawes wasn't sure where to hold his men at, so he went up to the McPherson farm and held his men there. Its a good thing that he was in the area. As the rest of his brigade were in a hellacious fight, Dawes and his men plus the regiments of the 84th NY (14th Brooklyn) and the 95th NY had their own struggles. The Confederate Brigade of Joseph R. Davis (a nephew of Jefferson Davis) came towards them and threatened to flank the Iron Brigade. These three regiments fought hard against this brigade and they were holding their own. What these men didn't know was that just on the other side of the road, there was a railroad cut. This cut was unfinished and no tracks were laid, but the cut existed. Suddenly the Confederates disappeared into the cut. Dawes and the commander of the 95th NY talked for a bit and they decided to make a charge. Both Dawes and the commander of the other units claimed that they were the ones to order the charge. But it doesn't really matter who ordered it, the fact is, it took place. They went across Chambersburg Pike and headed towards where the Confederates had disappeared. Here they found the Railroad Cut. Dawes looked down into the opening, saw that the Confederates wouldn't be able to get anywhere and asked who was in charge. The commander who was down in the cut with his men answered the call and was ordered to surrender. In the meantime, some of his men went to the eastern end of the cut, which was fairly level to the ground, and covered it so that no one could escape. Some of the Confederates were able to sneak out the western end of the cut....but not many. Dawes and his men captured around 200 of the enemy's soldiers!
By July 2nd, the 6th Wisconsin was placed on Culp's Hill. Although there are no monuments in the area, they fought alongside the 95th NY on Culp's Hill for a bit. Then they were eventually placed on the summit and western side of the hill along with the rest of the brigade in time for the fighting on July 3 (where there is a marker).
The stories of these individual men and how they affected the outcome of the battle is extremely intriguing. Each person played a role and if they hadn't done what they did, would the battle have ended the same way? This is a question I ask myself often. But its the individual regiments and their stories that I like to learn. Rufus Dawes may not have been a very important person prior to this battle....but for the students of the Civil War, especially Gettysburg, he was very important.
But on to Rufus Dawes. A little background information: he was born on July 4, 1838 and died August 2, 1899 in Marietta, Ohio, where he was buried. He was a businessman and Congressman. His four sons came to be known nationally (and I find it ironic that he was born on July 4th and his four sons were great patriots). His one son, Charles, actually became Vice President of the United States. His grandfather, William Dawes, rode with Paul Revere in his famous ride. This is a family who has played an important role in American History.
At Gettysburg, he was a Lieutenant Colonel, commanding the 6th Wisconsin. Now the 6th Wisconsin was one of the regiments in the famed Iron Brigade and because of his brigade, his regiment is one of the better known. But what the 6th did at Gettysburg is cause enough for them to be well known.
On July 1, 1863, the Iron Brigade was led into action at Herbst Woods...to fight off the advances of the Confederate forces under the command of James J. Archer. As the regiments were put in place, the 6th was told to hold back as their reserve unit. Dawes wasn't sure where to hold his men at, so he went up to the McPherson farm and held his men there. Its a good thing that he was in the area. As the rest of his brigade were in a hellacious fight, Dawes and his men plus the regiments of the 84th NY (14th Brooklyn) and the 95th NY had their own struggles. The Confederate Brigade of Joseph R. Davis (a nephew of Jefferson Davis) came towards them and threatened to flank the Iron Brigade. These three regiments fought hard against this brigade and they were holding their own. What these men didn't know was that just on the other side of the road, there was a railroad cut. This cut was unfinished and no tracks were laid, but the cut existed. Suddenly the Confederates disappeared into the cut. Dawes and the commander of the 95th NY talked for a bit and they decided to make a charge. Both Dawes and the commander of the other units claimed that they were the ones to order the charge. But it doesn't really matter who ordered it, the fact is, it took place. They went across Chambersburg Pike and headed towards where the Confederates had disappeared. Here they found the Railroad Cut. Dawes looked down into the opening, saw that the Confederates wouldn't be able to get anywhere and asked who was in charge. The commander who was down in the cut with his men answered the call and was ordered to surrender. In the meantime, some of his men went to the eastern end of the cut, which was fairly level to the ground, and covered it so that no one could escape. Some of the Confederates were able to sneak out the western end of the cut....but not many. Dawes and his men captured around 200 of the enemy's soldiers!
By July 2nd, the 6th Wisconsin was placed on Culp's Hill. Although there are no monuments in the area, they fought alongside the 95th NY on Culp's Hill for a bit. Then they were eventually placed on the summit and western side of the hill along with the rest of the brigade in time for the fighting on July 3 (where there is a marker).
The stories of these individual men and how they affected the outcome of the battle is extremely intriguing. Each person played a role and if they hadn't done what they did, would the battle have ended the same way? This is a question I ask myself often. But its the individual regiments and their stories that I like to learn. Rufus Dawes may not have been a very important person prior to this battle....but for the students of the Civil War, especially Gettysburg, he was very important.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Stonewall Jackson
I had never been a big fan of Stonewall Jackson. I always thought he was lunatic who just happened to be a good general. Its not a bad thing, but I just never really liked him....until I happened to read a book about him. Suddenly all his weird idiosyncrasies made sense. The way that he was brought up explained the weird things that he did. After understanding him, I realized that maybe he wasn't so bad.
All this leads to some of my travels. About 3 years ago, I took a trip down to Manassas Battlefield. At that time, I didn't know much about the fighting that took place there, but it was a place that I really wanted to experience. I arrived at the Visitors Center on a cold windy day in February. There were about 3 cars in the parking lot, so I knew that I would have the battlefield to myself. I looked at the far end of the parking lot and just a few yards out (on Henry House Hill) I saw it.....my very first statue of Stonewall Jackson. Now, I didn't know much about this battle(s) and I certainly didn't know that Stonewall Jackson was there, but the minute I saw that statue, I KNEW it was him. Before I even headed into the VC, I walked right over to that statue. I got chills just standing and looking at this statue (and it wasn't because it was a blustery winter day either). This was THE Stonewall Jackson. He was HERE....right where I was standing. He fought here. And this was where he got his nickname.
A few months later, I took a trip down to Chancellorsville. This trip was a complete accident. I didn't feel like staying home and I just took off. I didn't know where I was going, I just went. Three hours later, I found myself at Brandy Station. Upon looking at a map I realized that I was really close to Chancellorsville. I thought, "Why not?" and off I went. I did know a bit about this battle. I KNEW that this was where Stonewall Jackson was shot by his men...but I also knew that he died about a week later at Guiney Station. So when I went into the VC I had a bit of a background on this battle.
I was talking to a park ranger about the battlefield when suggested that I take a little stroll around the building. He handed me a brochure and said, "If you have any interest at all in Jackson, this is something you MUST do." Ok....you don't have to tell me twice. So I headed off on my little tour around the VC. This walking tour is only a couple of hundred yards long. Its not much by way of ground, but the importance of this area is unreal. The first thing I noticed was a fairly large monument directly behind the VC so I went to check it out. This monument was dedicated to Gen. Jackson. Ooohhh....the chills I got. This monument claimed to be the spot where Gen. Jackson was shot by his men. Now, I can't explain the feeling that you get the first time you see something that you hadn't seen before, especially if its something that you want to see but didn't know it existed. The feeling was there. Then there is a big rock that was placed there by some of his men to commemorate the spot where he was shot. I've been back to Chancellorsville since and I didn't get the same feeling that I got the very first time I saw these spots. I found out later that on the old mountain road there is a wayside marker that claims that it was in that area that Stonewall Jackson was shot. Doesn't matter....the feeling from the first time seeing the spot still exists....deep down inside me.
I don't claim to be a Stonewall Jackson fanatic. I'm not his greatest admirer. But I do like him. He wasn't just a good general....he was great....despite all his idiosyncrasies. To stand in the same spots that Gen. Jackson stood was an experience that I would like to experience again....but I know that I will never feel that same way again. The next time I hit Antietam, I'm going to concentrate on Jackson so that I get a feel of where he was and what he did. I'm hoping to actually get to Guiney Station and the Jackson Shrine sometime in the near future. That should really give me the chills!
All this leads to some of my travels. About 3 years ago, I took a trip down to Manassas Battlefield. At that time, I didn't know much about the fighting that took place there, but it was a place that I really wanted to experience. I arrived at the Visitors Center on a cold windy day in February. There were about 3 cars in the parking lot, so I knew that I would have the battlefield to myself. I looked at the far end of the parking lot and just a few yards out (on Henry House Hill) I saw it.....my very first statue of Stonewall Jackson. Now, I didn't know much about this battle(s) and I certainly didn't know that Stonewall Jackson was there, but the minute I saw that statue, I KNEW it was him. Before I even headed into the VC, I walked right over to that statue. I got chills just standing and looking at this statue (and it wasn't because it was a blustery winter day either). This was THE Stonewall Jackson. He was HERE....right where I was standing. He fought here. And this was where he got his nickname.
A few months later, I took a trip down to Chancellorsville. This trip was a complete accident. I didn't feel like staying home and I just took off. I didn't know where I was going, I just went. Three hours later, I found myself at Brandy Station. Upon looking at a map I realized that I was really close to Chancellorsville. I thought, "Why not?" and off I went. I did know a bit about this battle. I KNEW that this was where Stonewall Jackson was shot by his men...but I also knew that he died about a week later at Guiney Station. So when I went into the VC I had a bit of a background on this battle.
I was talking to a park ranger about the battlefield when suggested that I take a little stroll around the building. He handed me a brochure and said, "If you have any interest at all in Jackson, this is something you MUST do." Ok....you don't have to tell me twice. So I headed off on my little tour around the VC. This walking tour is only a couple of hundred yards long. Its not much by way of ground, but the importance of this area is unreal. The first thing I noticed was a fairly large monument directly behind the VC so I went to check it out. This monument was dedicated to Gen. Jackson. Ooohhh....the chills I got. This monument claimed to be the spot where Gen. Jackson was shot by his men. Now, I can't explain the feeling that you get the first time you see something that you hadn't seen before, especially if its something that you want to see but didn't know it existed. The feeling was there. Then there is a big rock that was placed there by some of his men to commemorate the spot where he was shot. I've been back to Chancellorsville since and I didn't get the same feeling that I got the very first time I saw these spots. I found out later that on the old mountain road there is a wayside marker that claims that it was in that area that Stonewall Jackson was shot. Doesn't matter....the feeling from the first time seeing the spot still exists....deep down inside me.
I don't claim to be a Stonewall Jackson fanatic. I'm not his greatest admirer. But I do like him. He wasn't just a good general....he was great....despite all his idiosyncrasies. To stand in the same spots that Gen. Jackson stood was an experience that I would like to experience again....but I know that I will never feel that same way again. The next time I hit Antietam, I'm going to concentrate on Jackson so that I get a feel of where he was and what he did. I'm hoping to actually get to Guiney Station and the Jackson Shrine sometime in the near future. That should really give me the chills!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Fort Ocracoke
The Confederate fort near Ocracoke Island on the Outer Banks of North Carolina interests me. It was located on a small island called "Beacon Island" and was the last of four forts to be constructed on this island. From what I have read, they were probably all built on top of each other.
The Confederates built a bunch of forts along the North Carolina coast to prevent the Union navy from being able to land on the North Carolina coast. This fort was also known as Fort Morgan. At the peak, it appears that there were 500 COnfederates in the area. So whether they were all at Fort Ocracoke or on Ocracoke Island remains to be seen.
Evidently, some of the men were sent up to Hatteras Island when that fort was being shelled to help protect it and they left a skeletal crew at Fort Ocracoke. Supplies hadn't been received and they had no help, so when word got to them that Fort Hatteras fell, the men who were at Fort Ocracoke abandoned the fort but not before doing some damage to it.
Here is a description of the fort by Lt. Maxwell of the Union steamer Pawnee:
It is octagonal in shape, contains four shell rooms, about twenty five feet square, and in the center a large Bomb-proof, one hundred feet square, with the magazine within it. Directly above the magazine, on each side, were four large tanks containing water. The fort had been constructed with great care, of sand in barrels covered with earth and turf. The inner framing of the bomb-proof was built of heavy pine timbers. There were platforms for twenty guns, which had been partly destroyed by fire. The gun carriages had been all burned. There were eighteen guns in the fort-- namely, four eight inch navy sell gunes, and fourteen long thirty-two pounders.
When you visit Ocracoke Island, in the parking lot at the Visitors Center in the Ocracoke Village, there is a monument dedicated to the Fort. Here is what the monument says:
The remants of Fort Ocracoke are submerged in Ocracoke Inlet, 2 miles to the west-southwest, towards Portsmouth Island. The last of possibly four forts on Beacon Island, the mostly earthen Fort Ocracoke was constructed by mainland Confederate volunteers. Beginning on May 20, 1861, the day North Carolina seceeded from the Union and joined the Confederacy.
After Union victories on Hatteras Island in August, 1861, the Confederates partly destroyed the fort and abandoned it without a fight. Mainland Union forces completed the destruction in September, 1861. Beacon Island was consumed by the waters of Ocracoke Inlet in the first half of the 20th century. The forts remain where discovered and identified by members of Surface Interval Diving Co. in August, 1998, acting on a tip by Ocracoke charter boat captain, Donald Austin.
This is definitely a site worth exploring, although today, the island itself is under water, you can still stand and look out into the water and wonder "Just what DID that fort look like from this spot?"
The Confederates built a bunch of forts along the North Carolina coast to prevent the Union navy from being able to land on the North Carolina coast. This fort was also known as Fort Morgan. At the peak, it appears that there were 500 COnfederates in the area. So whether they were all at Fort Ocracoke or on Ocracoke Island remains to be seen.
Evidently, some of the men were sent up to Hatteras Island when that fort was being shelled to help protect it and they left a skeletal crew at Fort Ocracoke. Supplies hadn't been received and they had no help, so when word got to them that Fort Hatteras fell, the men who were at Fort Ocracoke abandoned the fort but not before doing some damage to it.
Here is a description of the fort by Lt. Maxwell of the Union steamer Pawnee:
It is octagonal in shape, contains four shell rooms, about twenty five feet square, and in the center a large Bomb-proof, one hundred feet square, with the magazine within it. Directly above the magazine, on each side, were four large tanks containing water. The fort had been constructed with great care, of sand in barrels covered with earth and turf. The inner framing of the bomb-proof was built of heavy pine timbers. There were platforms for twenty guns, which had been partly destroyed by fire. The gun carriages had been all burned. There were eighteen guns in the fort-- namely, four eight inch navy sell gunes, and fourteen long thirty-two pounders.
When you visit Ocracoke Island, in the parking lot at the Visitors Center in the Ocracoke Village, there is a monument dedicated to the Fort. Here is what the monument says:
The remants of Fort Ocracoke are submerged in Ocracoke Inlet, 2 miles to the west-southwest, towards Portsmouth Island. The last of possibly four forts on Beacon Island, the mostly earthen Fort Ocracoke was constructed by mainland Confederate volunteers. Beginning on May 20, 1861, the day North Carolina seceeded from the Union and joined the Confederacy.
After Union victories on Hatteras Island in August, 1861, the Confederates partly destroyed the fort and abandoned it without a fight. Mainland Union forces completed the destruction in September, 1861. Beacon Island was consumed by the waters of Ocracoke Inlet in the first half of the 20th century. The forts remain where discovered and identified by members of Surface Interval Diving Co. in August, 1998, acting on a tip by Ocracoke charter boat captain, Donald Austin.
This is definitely a site worth exploring, although today, the island itself is under water, you can still stand and look out into the water and wonder "Just what DID that fort look like from this spot?"
Montgomery Cemetery
I grew up in a little town in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Our county seat was less than a half hour drive from home in Norristown. Norristown is "famous" within the Civil War community for being the home of a few Civil War generals. Well one day, after searching for hours, I stumbled across the final home of these same generals.
Montgomery Cemetery sits off Main Street in West Norriton on a little road called Hartranft Ave (hmmmm...wonder where they got that name from?????). The road has row homes on either side and as you approach the cemetery, you get the feel that this isn't really a good neighborhood. Whether the neighborhood is good or not, I don't know, but you do get that feeling that you should be hiding your valuables. At the very end of the street is a big metal archway that leads into Montgomery Cemetery.
The very first time I went there, the cemetery scared me. Not that I expected to find ghosts or anything, but most of the headstones were turned over, the grass hadn't been cut and was close to waist high, and not a soul in site. I went in and started looking around. I had a map of the cemetery and it described where some of these Civil War generals were buried. I had a difficult time finding any of them.
The first one that I found was my hero, General Winfield Scott Hancock. The mausoleum was off to the left at the base of a small hill. From the rest of the cemetery, you could not see this mausoleum as it was built into the hill and is facing away from the cemetery. It took me about a hour to locate it, but when I did, I was extremely glad. There is a story as to why Gen. Hancock is buried where he is and here is what I know. The General's daughter, Ada Elizabeth (I really like that name), got sick and died when she was 18 years old. Before she died, she told her father that she didn't want to be buried in the ground....something about being buried in the ground scared her. Ada and her father were very close (daddy's little girl) and he wanted to grant her final wish. At the time of her death, General Hancock was having some financial difficulties (he was taking care of his alcoholic twin brother, Hilary) and didn't have the money to buy or build a mausoleum, so he had her placed in an underground mausoleum. This was only to be temporary. In the meantime, General Hancock was able to raise enough money (through borrowing) to build this mausoleum. He then removed his daughter from the other grave and put her in this one. When General Hancock died in 1886, his wife knew that he really wanted to be buried in the mausoleum with his daughter, and thus he was placed. The General and Mrs. Hancock's son Russell had died prior to General Hancock and was buried where he was living, in St. Louis, MO. Mrs. Hancock was from St. Louis. When she died, she was buried with her son in St. Louis at the family cemetery. And General Hancock was buried in Montgomery Cemetery with his daughter, Ada. John Hancock (no, not THAT John Hancock), the Generals younger brother, wanted to have him removed and placed in Arlington National Cemetery, because as a war hero, that's where he belonged, but Almira (the Generals wife) insisted that this is where he really wanted to be buried. General Hancock grew up in Norristown, although he was born in Montgomery Square, PA. As a matter of fact, the home in which he grew up was about 100 yards away from the Cemetery, although it has been torn down. And the reason the mausoleum is facing AWAY from the rest of the Cemetery: so he can face his beloved Norristown.
I also found the grave of Samuel K. Zook. General Zook was killed in the Wheatfield at Gettysburg. He grew up on the actual fields of Valley Forge, just outside of Norristown. When he was killed at Gettysburg, he was brought back to Norristown to be buried. He is buried right next to his father.
John F. Hartranft, another Civil War general, is buried in his family plot at this cemetery. Gen. Hartranft also served as governor of Pennsylvania. He is buried in a large plot that is surrounded by a cement wall and is in the very back corner of the cemetery facing the Schuylkill River. There are about 15 or more people buried in this plot. There is a large obelisk in the middle of the plot with the Generals face and name on it, but the headstone is placed next to the larger monument. John F. Hartranft was not at Gettysburg as the previous two were.
There are also two other generals buried here: Adam Slemmer and another one that I neither remember the name of nor have I found his grave. These both were lesser generals in the Civil War.
Off to the right, when you enter and about halfway down to the end, is a large area of nothing but Civil War burials. This is a plot of about an acre just full of Civil War soldiers. I think that next to visiting General Hancock, this is my favorite spot in the entire cemetery. There are a couple of hundred men buried here. Its amazing to stop and look at their names.
This cemetery is large. I think I read that it is 70+ acres. I've spent hours just wandering around looking at names and dates....wondering who these people were and what is their story? The cemetery is owned by the Historic Society of Montgomery County but the majority of the work the has been done over the years, has been done by The W. S. Hancock Society: a wonderful group who has spent years trying to promote the name of General Hancock. Today when you go there, the headstones are uprighted (not all, but quite a few are back where they should be), the grass gets mowed a few times a year, and there are people visiting.
If you are ever in the area, this cemetery is worth an afternoon of exploring!
Montgomery Cemetery sits off Main Street in West Norriton on a little road called Hartranft Ave (hmmmm...wonder where they got that name from?????). The road has row homes on either side and as you approach the cemetery, you get the feel that this isn't really a good neighborhood. Whether the neighborhood is good or not, I don't know, but you do get that feeling that you should be hiding your valuables. At the very end of the street is a big metal archway that leads into Montgomery Cemetery.
The very first time I went there, the cemetery scared me. Not that I expected to find ghosts or anything, but most of the headstones were turned over, the grass hadn't been cut and was close to waist high, and not a soul in site. I went in and started looking around. I had a map of the cemetery and it described where some of these Civil War generals were buried. I had a difficult time finding any of them.
The first one that I found was my hero, General Winfield Scott Hancock. The mausoleum was off to the left at the base of a small hill. From the rest of the cemetery, you could not see this mausoleum as it was built into the hill and is facing away from the cemetery. It took me about a hour to locate it, but when I did, I was extremely glad. There is a story as to why Gen. Hancock is buried where he is and here is what I know. The General's daughter, Ada Elizabeth (I really like that name), got sick and died when she was 18 years old. Before she died, she told her father that she didn't want to be buried in the ground....something about being buried in the ground scared her. Ada and her father were very close (daddy's little girl) and he wanted to grant her final wish. At the time of her death, General Hancock was having some financial difficulties (he was taking care of his alcoholic twin brother, Hilary) and didn't have the money to buy or build a mausoleum, so he had her placed in an underground mausoleum. This was only to be temporary. In the meantime, General Hancock was able to raise enough money (through borrowing) to build this mausoleum. He then removed his daughter from the other grave and put her in this one. When General Hancock died in 1886, his wife knew that he really wanted to be buried in the mausoleum with his daughter, and thus he was placed. The General and Mrs. Hancock's son Russell had died prior to General Hancock and was buried where he was living, in St. Louis, MO. Mrs. Hancock was from St. Louis. When she died, she was buried with her son in St. Louis at the family cemetery. And General Hancock was buried in Montgomery Cemetery with his daughter, Ada. John Hancock (no, not THAT John Hancock), the Generals younger brother, wanted to have him removed and placed in Arlington National Cemetery, because as a war hero, that's where he belonged, but Almira (the Generals wife) insisted that this is where he really wanted to be buried. General Hancock grew up in Norristown, although he was born in Montgomery Square, PA. As a matter of fact, the home in which he grew up was about 100 yards away from the Cemetery, although it has been torn down. And the reason the mausoleum is facing AWAY from the rest of the Cemetery: so he can face his beloved Norristown.
I also found the grave of Samuel K. Zook. General Zook was killed in the Wheatfield at Gettysburg. He grew up on the actual fields of Valley Forge, just outside of Norristown. When he was killed at Gettysburg, he was brought back to Norristown to be buried. He is buried right next to his father.
John F. Hartranft, another Civil War general, is buried in his family plot at this cemetery. Gen. Hartranft also served as governor of Pennsylvania. He is buried in a large plot that is surrounded by a cement wall and is in the very back corner of the cemetery facing the Schuylkill River. There are about 15 or more people buried in this plot. There is a large obelisk in the middle of the plot with the Generals face and name on it, but the headstone is placed next to the larger monument. John F. Hartranft was not at Gettysburg as the previous two were.
There are also two other generals buried here: Adam Slemmer and another one that I neither remember the name of nor have I found his grave. These both were lesser generals in the Civil War.
Off to the right, when you enter and about halfway down to the end, is a large area of nothing but Civil War burials. This is a plot of about an acre just full of Civil War soldiers. I think that next to visiting General Hancock, this is my favorite spot in the entire cemetery. There are a couple of hundred men buried here. Its amazing to stop and look at their names.
This cemetery is large. I think I read that it is 70+ acres. I've spent hours just wandering around looking at names and dates....wondering who these people were and what is their story? The cemetery is owned by the Historic Society of Montgomery County but the majority of the work the has been done over the years, has been done by The W. S. Hancock Society: a wonderful group who has spent years trying to promote the name of General Hancock. Today when you go there, the headstones are uprighted (not all, but quite a few are back where they should be), the grass gets mowed a few times a year, and there are people visiting.
If you are ever in the area, this cemetery is worth an afternoon of exploring!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
What did the 29th Ohio do at Gettysburg?
I went up to Culp's Hill today and sat under a tree to read Harry Pfanz's Culps' Hill and Cemetery Hill book. Harry Pfanz has a way of making you feel like you CAN understand what took place....no matter which part of the battlefield you happen to be studying at the time. Now, I love Culp's Hill. I don't know why....I don't completely understand what took place there....but I'm learning.
So, while sitting under that tree and contemplating the battle, I happened to see the monument to the 29th Ohio. Its a larger monument but nothing really eye catching. And I started to wonder just what those men did on this hill. So I went straight to Harry Pfanz and checked it out.
Now before I get into just what they did, I need to write out exactly what is on that monument. There are four sides to it....so I will write out each side starting with the front and working my way around the monument from right to left (yeah, I know, I'm backwards!)
So, while sitting under that tree and contemplating the battle, I happened to see the monument to the 29th Ohio. Its a larger monument but nothing really eye catching. And I started to wonder just what those men did on this hill. So I went straight to Harry Pfanz and checked it out.
Now before I get into just what they did, I need to write out exactly what is on that monument. There are four sides to it....so I will write out each side starting with the front and working my way around the monument from right to left (yeah, I know, I'm backwards!)
Side 1
29th Ohio Infantry
1st Brig, 2nd Div, 12th Corps
This memorial is erected by the
State of Ohio
Side 2
Gettysburg
July 2d and 3d 1863
engaged 332 killed 7
wounded 31 2 mortally
total loss 38
Side 3
Principal
Battles
Winchester
1862
Port Republic
June 9, 1862
Cedar Mountain
Chancellorsville
Gettysburg
Lookout Mountain
Dug Gap in Rocky Face
Resaca
New Hope Church
Pine Mountain
Kenesaw Mountain
Peach Tree Creek
Atlanta
Savannah
Carolina Campaign
The 29th Ohio Infantry
Commanded by Capt. Edward Hayes - J.B. Storer Adjutant
Occupied several positions in this vicinity both in the
intrenchments and in Reserve July2 and 3 1863
Side 4
Mustered in for 3 Years
Aug to Dec 1861
Reenlisted as Veterans
Dec 10, 1863
Mustered out July 8-13 1865
OK....so I looked in Pfanz to see just what these guys did and here is what I figured out. They initially were in a "hollow" behind the breastworks. Well, after looking around, the only "hollow" that they could have been in is along current day Williams Avenue. It seems that this area was used to hold reserve units. When the regiment who was fighting ran out of ammunition, the reserve unit would run up, cover the other regiments retreat and keep on fighting. The first regiment then would go to the back, pick up more ammunition, clean their guns, or whatever they needed to do. It seems that the 29th Ohio ran up and relieved the 137th New York. For those who are not familiar with the 137th NY....this regiment was the "20th Me" of the extreme RIGHT of the Union army. They did almost the exact same thing that the 20th ME did on Little Round Top....but they aren't getting the recognition that Chamberlain and his men got. So the 29th Ohio relieves them. But after awhile they get relieved by the 28th Pennsylvania. Until all was said and done, 5 Confederates personally surrendered to these men.
So, when I head up to Culp's Hill and I see the monument to the 29th Ohio, I have a whole new respect for them. They got some of the most intense fighting up there and yet only lost 38 men....that comes out to 11% casualty rate. For this battle, that's fairly low! Go Buckeyes!
The Civil War reached Vermont!
About 5 years or so ago, our family had to travel to Vermont. Its a long, personal story as to why we had to go, but we did. So while we were there, we decided to tour around and see just what was in Vermont. If you have ever been to Vermont, you know that the towns are small and there isn't much in between the towns. Its a very mountainous terrain and the little villages are tucked in here and there. Its a beautiful state and hope that I can get back up there again.
While we were up there, my sister said that she wanted to hit a town on Lake Champlain called St. Albans. Seems one of her hockey heroes was from this little town. Hmmmmm....St. Albans??? Why did that name sound so very familiar???? It took me awhile to figure out why I knew that name but once I realized how I knew the name, I got very excited. So off to St. Albans we went.
Its a lovely little town sitting right on the banks of Lake Champlain. One thing that I noticed immediately when I entered the town was how green everything was. I guess this is why its called the "Green Mountain" state. The houses were old but very well taken care of and the lawns were all meticulously well manicured. This was a wonderful town with some wonderful history.
A raid took place in this town by some Confederates. A raid...in Northern Vermont....far from the battlefields of Virginia....in October of 1864. It seems that some renegade Confederates headed to Canada...they had escaped from their military prison. They decided that they needed cash and they tried to force the Union army to look to the north and take some of their troops away from the Virginia countryside. So they crossed the Canadian border and came to the small town of St. Albans. They arrived a couple at a time but by the time they were ready, there were twenty one fellows. They stood on the steps of one of the banks and announced that they were taking over the town and it was now part of the C.S.A.
Until all was said and done, the Confederates robbed banks, held the town hostage, tried to burn the town, and escaped. The escaping Confederates were able to grab around $200,000. before they escaped back to Canada. The townspeople were held hostage on the Village Green while all of this was taking place in their little town.
The Confederates were arrested in Canada but because of their neutrality, they determined that these men were doing this under orders of the Confederate army and they weren't extradited to the U.S.
The Village Green still stands today. I walked around it and noticed quite a few monuments. Its a beautiful park. But the one monument that stands out more than any other is the Civil War monument. Right on it, printed in large letters, is the Gettysburg Address. Its funny how Mr. Lincoln's speech, although it was written about the Gettysburg Battlefield (and the rest of the Civil War), made its way to this sleepy little town in New England. To stand on that Green and see where all these events took place is to understand how those poor people felt. It was a horrible thing to happen and it had a devastating effect on the people of the town. But it didn't do what the Confederates wanted. They wanted the Union army to take some of their troops away from the battlefields in the south to guard their borders to the north. It didn't work and the United States was able to maintain their fighting in the south.
If I ever get to take another trip to Vermont, this will definitely be a stop on my tour....again.
While we were up there, my sister said that she wanted to hit a town on Lake Champlain called St. Albans. Seems one of her hockey heroes was from this little town. Hmmmmm....St. Albans??? Why did that name sound so very familiar???? It took me awhile to figure out why I knew that name but once I realized how I knew the name, I got very excited. So off to St. Albans we went.
Its a lovely little town sitting right on the banks of Lake Champlain. One thing that I noticed immediately when I entered the town was how green everything was. I guess this is why its called the "Green Mountain" state. The houses were old but very well taken care of and the lawns were all meticulously well manicured. This was a wonderful town with some wonderful history.
A raid took place in this town by some Confederates. A raid...in Northern Vermont....far from the battlefields of Virginia....in October of 1864. It seems that some renegade Confederates headed to Canada...they had escaped from their military prison. They decided that they needed cash and they tried to force the Union army to look to the north and take some of their troops away from the Virginia countryside. So they crossed the Canadian border and came to the small town of St. Albans. They arrived a couple at a time but by the time they were ready, there were twenty one fellows. They stood on the steps of one of the banks and announced that they were taking over the town and it was now part of the C.S.A.
Until all was said and done, the Confederates robbed banks, held the town hostage, tried to burn the town, and escaped. The escaping Confederates were able to grab around $200,000. before they escaped back to Canada. The townspeople were held hostage on the Village Green while all of this was taking place in their little town.
The Confederates were arrested in Canada but because of their neutrality, they determined that these men were doing this under orders of the Confederate army and they weren't extradited to the U.S.
The Village Green still stands today. I walked around it and noticed quite a few monuments. Its a beautiful park. But the one monument that stands out more than any other is the Civil War monument. Right on it, printed in large letters, is the Gettysburg Address. Its funny how Mr. Lincoln's speech, although it was written about the Gettysburg Battlefield (and the rest of the Civil War), made its way to this sleepy little town in New England. To stand on that Green and see where all these events took place is to understand how those poor people felt. It was a horrible thing to happen and it had a devastating effect on the people of the town. But it didn't do what the Confederates wanted. They wanted the Union army to take some of their troops away from the battlefields in the south to guard their borders to the north. It didn't work and the United States was able to maintain their fighting in the south.
If I ever get to take another trip to Vermont, this will definitely be a stop on my tour....again.
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