On a recent walk through Evergreen Cemetery, I realized how "soft" our society has become. If we need to dig a hole, we use a machine....if we need to travel a mile to hit the Post Office or Library, we hop in our car.....if we need to talk to a friend, we pick up the phone....all modern conveniences, but things that have made us "soft".
While walking through the cemetery, I saw the statue of Elizabeth Thorn and realized that I don't think I could have done the things that she did during those fateful days in 1863. Elizabeth Thorn is one of the true unsung heroes of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Her husband, Peter, was the caretaker of Evergreen Cemetery. In early the early 1860's he joined the army and left the care of the cemetery to his wife, Elizabeth. In July of 1863, Elizabeth was 6 months pregnant with her daughter Rose.
When the battle hit, she was staying at the Gatehouse, but eventually was forced to leave due to the battle literally being in her backyard. So she packed up her three young sons and her parents (who were living there with her) and they left their home. When they returned days later, they found their home all but destroyed, their belongings either gone or soaked in blood, and over 100 soldiers needing burial in the cemetery.
Somehow, she cleaned up her home. And then she went on to the task of burying the dead. She and her father (which she considered aged although he was probably in his fifties) dug graves for over 100 men in the Evergreen Cemetery (and the graves are still there). This took quite a few days, but they were able to get it done. And she did all this while 6 months pregnant!
Here is a link to her account of those days:
http://www.gettysburgguide.com/ge05001.html
In my book, Elizabeth Thorn deserves to be considered a hero for all women. She did the impossible, in an impossible situation. But she did it! Today, we can go in the cemetery and see all sorts of signs of her: the statue at the entrance, the area where the 100 soldiers are still buried, her and her husband's graves, the cemetery gatehouse. They are all still there. Knowing what to look for and where to look for it, the clues left behind can tell the story of this amazing woman and what took place during those horrible days of July 1863.
Showing posts with label Cemetery's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cemetery's. Show all posts
Friday, November 27, 2009
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Bike Week at Gettysburg
I've never been a big fan of Bike Week here in Gettysburg. Its not the Bikers themselves that bother me, its the noise. Now, I work third shift and I also live on one of the main "roads" that the Bikers use. The noise in my house can be deafening. But I also understand that the people who attend this event are also "people".....normal people, with normal lives, doing normal things.
A few years ago I was working as a volunteer at the park and my job that day had me working in the National Cemetery. My job was to make sure that no one drove into the cemetery without special permission (and those were few and far between), to answer questions, hand out brochures, and just be there....just in case. Well, these two scary looking bikers drove up and tried to park their bikes at the entrance to the cemetery where there is clearly a sign that says "No Vehicles". So I redirected these two men to the parking lots on either side of the Visitors Center (this was before the old Visitors Center was knocked down). Now both of these guys were pretty scary looking. They both had the leather chaps, dew rags, leather vests, helmets, and the rest of the "biker uniform". My initial reaction was "Ewwww". But I was nice and sent them on their way.
A few minutes later, these same two bikers came back into the National Cemetery. The helmets were off and in their hands. Suddenly they didn't seem so scary. They both took their dew rags off and lo and behold they had well trimmed, short hair. They had some questions about the place and I tried to answer their questions as best I could. We ended up talking for 45 minutes or longer. It was one of the best conversations I had ever had while volunteering. They didn't ask the usual questions like: Where did Lincoln give the Gettysburg Address? Where are the Confederates buried? Can I be buried here? They asked more thoughtful questions. It was obvious that they had done their homework and they knew the cemetery....but not everything. The one guy even wanted to discuss Edward Everett's address! I was impressed. Bikers who were smart! Little did I know.
After talking to my two friends (yes, I now considered them my friends), I found out that they were lawyers in Virginia and had come to town for Bike Week....but they also were very interested in the history here at Gettysburg....not just the battle, but everything associated with it. They wanted to discuss the civilians, the dedication ceremony at the National Cemetery, the placing of monuments, one of them even knew who John Bachelder was.
They left me and started to wander around the cemetery. They took their time. I watched them for about 10 minutes and they stopped and looked at the graves. They didn't just give them a fleeting glance, but they stopped and read the headstones. They took in the Civil War burials and I saw them walking around each of the states. After awhile, I lost track of them.
Over an hour later, these two men came back and had some more questions about some of the burials. They wanted to know why William Miller's grave was engraved in gold. Great question (BTW he was the only Gettysburg Medal of Honor recipient buried here)! We talked for at least another 1/2 hour. I was greatly impressed with these two men. They thanked me for talking to them and answering their questions and then they left. I never saw them again.
My point to this whole thing is that beneath the rough exterior of the bikers are real people. Most of these people are smart, have "real" jobs, live regular lives, and have the same worries that you or I have. Just because they look and act tough while here in Gettysburg during Bike Week doesn't mean that that's who they really are. Yes, I still get really annoyed at the noise, but my tolerance for the men and women who ride those noise machines has greatly improved. I don't look forward to Bike Week, but I know that its just another way to bring people from all over the country here to our fair town to help them see what it means to truly be an American
A few years ago I was working as a volunteer at the park and my job that day had me working in the National Cemetery. My job was to make sure that no one drove into the cemetery without special permission (and those were few and far between), to answer questions, hand out brochures, and just be there....just in case. Well, these two scary looking bikers drove up and tried to park their bikes at the entrance to the cemetery where there is clearly a sign that says "No Vehicles". So I redirected these two men to the parking lots on either side of the Visitors Center (this was before the old Visitors Center was knocked down). Now both of these guys were pretty scary looking. They both had the leather chaps, dew rags, leather vests, helmets, and the rest of the "biker uniform". My initial reaction was "Ewwww". But I was nice and sent them on their way.
A few minutes later, these same two bikers came back into the National Cemetery. The helmets were off and in their hands. Suddenly they didn't seem so scary. They both took their dew rags off and lo and behold they had well trimmed, short hair. They had some questions about the place and I tried to answer their questions as best I could. We ended up talking for 45 minutes or longer. It was one of the best conversations I had ever had while volunteering. They didn't ask the usual questions like: Where did Lincoln give the Gettysburg Address? Where are the Confederates buried? Can I be buried here? They asked more thoughtful questions. It was obvious that they had done their homework and they knew the cemetery....but not everything. The one guy even wanted to discuss Edward Everett's address! I was impressed. Bikers who were smart! Little did I know.
After talking to my two friends (yes, I now considered them my friends), I found out that they were lawyers in Virginia and had come to town for Bike Week....but they also were very interested in the history here at Gettysburg....not just the battle, but everything associated with it. They wanted to discuss the civilians, the dedication ceremony at the National Cemetery, the placing of monuments, one of them even knew who John Bachelder was.
They left me and started to wander around the cemetery. They took their time. I watched them for about 10 minutes and they stopped and looked at the graves. They didn't just give them a fleeting glance, but they stopped and read the headstones. They took in the Civil War burials and I saw them walking around each of the states. After awhile, I lost track of them.
Over an hour later, these two men came back and had some more questions about some of the burials. They wanted to know why William Miller's grave was engraved in gold. Great question (BTW he was the only Gettysburg Medal of Honor recipient buried here)! We talked for at least another 1/2 hour. I was greatly impressed with these two men. They thanked me for talking to them and answering their questions and then they left. I never saw them again.
My point to this whole thing is that beneath the rough exterior of the bikers are real people. Most of these people are smart, have "real" jobs, live regular lives, and have the same worries that you or I have. Just because they look and act tough while here in Gettysburg during Bike Week doesn't mean that that's who they really are. Yes, I still get really annoyed at the noise, but my tolerance for the men and women who ride those noise machines has greatly improved. I don't look forward to Bike Week, but I know that its just another way to bring people from all over the country here to our fair town to help them see what it means to truly be an American
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Great Conewago Presbyterian Church Cemetery
I spent some time the other day at the Historic Great Conewago Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Hunterstown, PA. This church was used as a Civil War hospital during (what I assumed) during the battle at Hunterstown which was a Cavalry battle. In the course of wandering around this cemetery, I located a plaque that had a list of the Civil War burials on it. I wrote down all the names (9 in all) and went off in search of each of these men. I located 6 of them. I'm not sure where the other 3 are but that's not surprising. It's very easy to miss portions of the cemetery because its not laid out in straight lines. Here is what I learned about each of these guys:
Robert Bell: Here is what his headstone says:
Boreas Deatrick: Here is what his headstone says:
Robert Bell: Here is what his headstone says:
Robert Bell
Major 21 PA Cavalry
Died June 25, 1904
Aged 74 years
At Rest
Major with the 21st PA Cavalry. Mustered in: June 23, 1863, mustered out: February 20, 1864. Boreas Deatrick: Here is what his headstone says:
Boreas Deatrick
1864 1865
Corp Co. K 184th PA Inf
Mustered in: September 5, 1864, Mustered out: June 2, 1865
Peter Decker: His headstone:
Peter Decker
Died Dec 10, 1905
Aged 72 years and 24 days
Private. Co. F 165th PA. Mustered in: November 8, 1862, Mustered out: July 28, 1863
George Ford: His headstone:
George Ford
Priv Co F 87 Reg PA Vol
1840-1915
Mustered in: September 25, 1861, Mustered out: October 13, 1864
George T. Hudson: I was unable to locate his grave
Private Co. K 184th PA Mustered in: September 5, 1864, Mustered out: June 2, 1865
Abraham King: I was unable to locate his grave
Private, Co. F 87th PA Mustered in: September 25, 1861, Discharged: September 24, 1862 on a Surgeon's Certificate
Robert McIlhenny: I was unable to locate his grave
Sergeant, Co B, 21st PA Cavalry Mustered in: June 23, 1863, Mustered out: February 20, 1864
John H. Sherman, MD: His headstone:
John H. Sherman, MD
Died July 29, 1906
In his 87th Year
Co A 136 Regt
PA Vols
Private, Mustered in: August 14, 1862, Mustered out: May 29, 1863
Jesse Wolford: His headstone:
Jesse Wolford
Private Co A 165 Regiment
Private Co C 202 Penna Vol
Infantry
Discharged Aug 3, 1865
Mustered in: September 3, 1864
After reading this list of men, I really began to realize that these guys weren't just names on a headstone....they were REAL men. Some of them fought here at Gettysburg, some didn't but it didn't matter. They fought because they were doing what they thought was right. I salute each one of these men!
*Additional information on the military service of these men was found in Samuel Bates History of Pennsylvania Volunteers.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Hunterstown
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.
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.
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
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".
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.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
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!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
About a year or so ago....
I had found a cemetery on a deadend road. It was a beautiful little cemetery and full of history. It's called (the name is actually bigger than the cemetery) the Lower Marsh Creek Presbyterian Church Cemetery. I forget the name of the road its on, but it goes back through a farm and then dead ends right at the cemetery. I've been there several times and have yet to see another soul.
The reason I went there was because I was looking for the grave of Alexander Dobbin. I was able to find it. When you go into the cemetery, its about in the middle but all the way down towards the farm. He is buried there with two wives and a child or two. The stones are made of slate and the wording is etched into it. Considering that he died at the beginning of the 1800's, I find it amazing that you can still read them.
But it the search for Rev. Dobbin, I stumbled across the grave of someone that I hadn't thought about and was shocked to see: Ephraim Whisler. Now, you ask, who is Ephraim Wisler??? Well, if you are familiar with the battle of Gettysburg, Ephraim Whisler's house played an important role. His house is where the first shot of the battle was fired from. If you go to his house today, there is a small obelisk-type monument in the side yard dedicated to the First shot.
Ephraim Whisler had heard the noise of troop movements and he went outside to see what was going on in his front yard. As he reached the road, a cannonball hit the road right in front of him and it splattered dirt all over him. It was such a shock to him, that he had a heart attack. He died on August 11, 1863.
To find his grave surprised me immensely. I hadn't really thought about him much. I knew the story of the first shot. I knew the story of how he died. And I knew that the park owned the house. What I didn't know was his age. I was always of the belief that he was much older. It came as quite a shock to learn how old he really was.....he was in his early 30's.
This cemetery has many graves of men who fought in wars throughout the history of our nation: the Revelutionary War, the Civil War, WWI, WWII, etc. It still has burials today. I have to believe that this is one of the earlier cemeteries in the area. I know for a fact that it pre-dates Evergreen and the National Cemeteries. Walking around in there is like walking through the history of this nation.
Now, everyone always wonders about "ghost stories". Has anything weird ever happened to you? Spending so much time in cemeteries, I haven't had anything weird happen....except at this one. One day I was walking through, looking at the graves and thinking. Now, you have to understand that this cemetery is in the middle of no where. There is a farm down the road a couple of hundred yards, but that is it. There is nothing else in the area. Nothing! Well, while I was standing there looking at the headstones, I suddenly smelled cigar smoke. I know the smell of cigar smoke because I HATE the smell of cigar smoke. It lingered around two or three of the graves. I looked up, thinking maybe someone was nearby, but no one was around. I walked about 5 yards away and the smell dissipated. I still didn't think anything of it until I started to walk past where I had originally smelled it and there it was again. Very distinct. I walked about 5 yards or so past it again but on the other side and again it was gone. Hmmmmm. Strange. I haven't smelled that smell again and I really wish I had paid more attention to whose grave I was at....but I have no idea who was there. It makes me sad, now that I think about it. Someone was reaching out to me and I have no idea who.
This is definitely one of those places that you have to keep coming back to over and over again. I have a list of cemeteries that I like to visit and this one is at the top of my list.
The reason I went there was because I was looking for the grave of Alexander Dobbin. I was able to find it. When you go into the cemetery, its about in the middle but all the way down towards the farm. He is buried there with two wives and a child or two. The stones are made of slate and the wording is etched into it. Considering that he died at the beginning of the 1800's, I find it amazing that you can still read them.
But it the search for Rev. Dobbin, I stumbled across the grave of someone that I hadn't thought about and was shocked to see: Ephraim Whisler. Now, you ask, who is Ephraim Wisler??? Well, if you are familiar with the battle of Gettysburg, Ephraim Whisler's house played an important role. His house is where the first shot of the battle was fired from. If you go to his house today, there is a small obelisk-type monument in the side yard dedicated to the First shot.
Ephraim Whisler had heard the noise of troop movements and he went outside to see what was going on in his front yard. As he reached the road, a cannonball hit the road right in front of him and it splattered dirt all over him. It was such a shock to him, that he had a heart attack. He died on August 11, 1863.
To find his grave surprised me immensely. I hadn't really thought about him much. I knew the story of the first shot. I knew the story of how he died. And I knew that the park owned the house. What I didn't know was his age. I was always of the belief that he was much older. It came as quite a shock to learn how old he really was.....he was in his early 30's.
This cemetery has many graves of men who fought in wars throughout the history of our nation: the Revelutionary War, the Civil War, WWI, WWII, etc. It still has burials today. I have to believe that this is one of the earlier cemeteries in the area. I know for a fact that it pre-dates Evergreen and the National Cemeteries. Walking around in there is like walking through the history of this nation.
Now, everyone always wonders about "ghost stories". Has anything weird ever happened to you? Spending so much time in cemeteries, I haven't had anything weird happen....except at this one. One day I was walking through, looking at the graves and thinking. Now, you have to understand that this cemetery is in the middle of no where. There is a farm down the road a couple of hundred yards, but that is it. There is nothing else in the area. Nothing! Well, while I was standing there looking at the headstones, I suddenly smelled cigar smoke. I know the smell of cigar smoke because I HATE the smell of cigar smoke. It lingered around two or three of the graves. I looked up, thinking maybe someone was nearby, but no one was around. I walked about 5 yards away and the smell dissipated. I still didn't think anything of it until I started to walk past where I had originally smelled it and there it was again. Very distinct. I walked about 5 yards or so past it again but on the other side and again it was gone. Hmmmmm. Strange. I haven't smelled that smell again and I really wish I had paid more attention to whose grave I was at....but I have no idea who was there. It makes me sad, now that I think about it. Someone was reaching out to me and I have no idea who.
This is definitely one of those places that you have to keep coming back to over and over again. I have a list of cemeteries that I like to visit and this one is at the top of my list.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
The Sunken Road
Now, to go back to Antietam. I took a bit of a walk on the Sunken Road/Bloody Lane Trail. Unfortunately, I didn't have too much time because I really wanted to go back to the VC to do a battlefield tour with a ranger (which I highly recommend to anyone who happens to be in the park on a day that they are offered).
The Bloody Lane happens to be the area where Hancock fought. And being a HUGE Hancock fan, I HAD to go and check it out.
I went to the Mumma farm and cemetery before I got over to the Sunken Road. The farm had a fair amount of school kids running around the yard with Signal Corps flags....so I never got to the farm itself. I'm guessing that these kids were learning about the Signal Corps and how the messages were delivered. This, in and of itself, is a very interesting topic that I will have to talk about some day. Some of the signal stations are in very obscure areas and I have been to a few of them....so I will talk about them soon. But the cemetery was awesome. I love old cemeteries. It's not very big and there are probably a 1-200 people buried in it, but when you start to look at the names, there are quite a few names that are familiar to anyone who has studied the battle. The day that I was there I ran into 2 other people heading into the cemetery to take a look around. So I had it all to myself prior to the others heading in. I can't remember how many trees are in the cemetery but I know that with the trees and the the hilltop, there was a constant breeze. The cemetery is completely surrounded by a beautiful stone wall. It's just a nice little cemetery. As I was leaving, that was when I ran into the other couple.
From there, I went on to the Sunken Road. This old farm road is very deceptive. The first time I went into it, I was shocked at how "sunken" it really is. I stood in the middle of it and the sides were actually over my head. This was a complete surprise to me because in all the pictures I've seen of it and the way it looked from the sides, I didn't think it was that deep. But it is! I'm looking at my map of the different regiments involved. I didn't realize how many actually fought there. On the Union side, they had: 4NY, 108NY, 7WV, 132PA, 5MD, 130PA, 8OH, 1DE, 14CT, 14IN. Then on the Confederate side, it was: 30NC, 4NC, 14NC, 2NC, 6AL, 5AL, 12AL, 26AL. Its odd looking at some of these regiments and seeing those same guys at other battlefields. Some fought at Gettysburg, others fought at Chancellorsville, and the list goes on and on. Some of these guys fought each other repeatedly on the battlefield....but in different places. I think about these things often. Did they recognize the same guys? If they saw a guy, battle after battle, and finally he fell, did they feel bad for him or where they glad? Just what went on in the heads of these men?
I wonder about some of the leaders. Quite a few of these men never made it to Gettysburg. But one that intriques me a bit is Israel B. Richardson. I'm going to have to check out his biography. I guess one of the reasons that he intriques me is because Hancock took over after he was wounded.
There are so many things that I need to look up....and so little time. One day I might scratch the surface!
The Bloody Lane happens to be the area where Hancock fought. And being a HUGE Hancock fan, I HAD to go and check it out.
I went to the Mumma farm and cemetery before I got over to the Sunken Road. The farm had a fair amount of school kids running around the yard with Signal Corps flags....so I never got to the farm itself. I'm guessing that these kids were learning about the Signal Corps and how the messages were delivered. This, in and of itself, is a very interesting topic that I will have to talk about some day. Some of the signal stations are in very obscure areas and I have been to a few of them....so I will talk about them soon. But the cemetery was awesome. I love old cemeteries. It's not very big and there are probably a 1-200 people buried in it, but when you start to look at the names, there are quite a few names that are familiar to anyone who has studied the battle. The day that I was there I ran into 2 other people heading into the cemetery to take a look around. So I had it all to myself prior to the others heading in. I can't remember how many trees are in the cemetery but I know that with the trees and the the hilltop, there was a constant breeze. The cemetery is completely surrounded by a beautiful stone wall. It's just a nice little cemetery. As I was leaving, that was when I ran into the other couple.
From there, I went on to the Sunken Road. This old farm road is very deceptive. The first time I went into it, I was shocked at how "sunken" it really is. I stood in the middle of it and the sides were actually over my head. This was a complete surprise to me because in all the pictures I've seen of it and the way it looked from the sides, I didn't think it was that deep. But it is! I'm looking at my map of the different regiments involved. I didn't realize how many actually fought there. On the Union side, they had: 4NY, 108NY, 7WV, 132PA, 5MD, 130PA, 8OH, 1DE, 14CT, 14IN. Then on the Confederate side, it was: 30NC, 4NC, 14NC, 2NC, 6AL, 5AL, 12AL, 26AL. Its odd looking at some of these regiments and seeing those same guys at other battlefields. Some fought at Gettysburg, others fought at Chancellorsville, and the list goes on and on. Some of these guys fought each other repeatedly on the battlefield....but in different places. I think about these things often. Did they recognize the same guys? If they saw a guy, battle after battle, and finally he fell, did they feel bad for him or where they glad? Just what went on in the heads of these men?
I wonder about some of the leaders. Quite a few of these men never made it to Gettysburg. But one that intriques me a bit is Israel B. Richardson. I'm going to have to check out his biography. I guess one of the reasons that he intriques me is because Hancock took over after he was wounded.
There are so many things that I need to look up....and so little time. One day I might scratch the surface!
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