Question of the Week: 9/24-9/30/18
Last Saturday was the first official day of autumn…
Looking back on the summer, what battlefields or historic sites did you visit? Did you have a favorite?
Last Saturday was the first official day of autumn…
Looking back on the summer, what battlefields or historic sites did you visit? Did you have a favorite?
Craig’s Hotel, Ballaarat, Victoria. Site of the February 1865 “Buccaneers Ball” (featuring the crew of CSS Shenandoah.) Visited Easter Weekend 2018.
Have attempted to post one photo, but just in case…
http://shilohdiscussiongroup.com/topic/1641-lee-surrenders/?tab=comments#comment-13836 (scroll to post of April 6.)
I don’t do much traveling in the summer…too hot. However one place I visit is Finns Point National Cemetery in Pennsville NJ. The cemetery contains the remains of 2,436 Confederate soldiers who died while imprisoned at Fort Delaware and the remains of 135 Union soldiers who guarded the fort. Fort Delaware was the largest coastal defense fort in the nation, surpassing Fort Sumter. All of the names of the Confederates are listed on bronze tablets at the base of an 85 foot tall obelisk. In addition to that, the cemetery also contains the graves of 13 Nazi soldiers that committed suicide while imprisoned at Fort Dix. Its a really interesting place to visit.
For my most recent Civil War battlefield visits, it will encompass a time frame that began a little earlier than what the question asks. My journey actually began in April of this year, when my wife and I headed west from Baltimore to visit the battlefields of the Vicksburg Campaign. The places that we saw were: Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hill, the Big Black River and finally the attacks and then the siege of Vicksburg itself. (In a earlier post, I commented on the surprise of the trip which was the resurfaced and partially reconstructed Federal gunboat, Cairo, which was located on the grounds of the Vicksburg National Park.)
After visiting this series of battlefields, we headed north and on the actual second day of the clash, on April 7th, we visited Shiloh. As a side note, on the way from Vicksburg to Shiloh, we stopped at Tupelo, Ms. and visited the birthplace home of Elvis Presley and in addition, we also stopped at Clarksdale Ms. and immensely enjoyed the Delta Blues Museum which is located in that little town. If you like early blues, and are interested in its beginnings and its development this place is worth a trip on its own to visit.
Since I live only about an hour and a half away from Gettysburg, we visit that site on a regular basis. In August, while at the Emerging Civil War Symposium, we visited the Fredericksburg battlefield and Chancellorsville. At Chancellorsville, Chris Mackowski of the Emerging Civil Organization, gave our group a very detailed tour of where Stonewall Jackson was shot and then to the little house where he died.
My favorite of all the battlefields that we visited this last season has to be the battlefields of the Vicksburg Campaign. From the landing of the Federal troops at Briunsburg, to the eventual siege and surrender at Vicksburg itself. To me, it is a magnificent example of being able to plan and then when things don’t go way that you anticipate, being able to adapt on the fly to the situation at hand and than as a result, achieve your goal..
I made the rounds this summer – Gettysburg, Antietam, Third Winchester, Petersburg, Ft. Fisher, and probably a couple that I forgot. Gettysburg was nice – the weather was good for July.
We had a pretty busy year: Spanish Fort, Camp Blakley, Spotsylvania Courthouse, the Wilderness, Brandy Station, VMI and Washington and Lee, Franklin and Nashville. I think our favorite was Spotsylvania. Hard to fathom the carnage that occurred there.
We didn’t travel much at all–but we did investigate the site of the Broderick-Terry duel in South San Francisco.
Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and New Market this summer during the trip to Virginia for the ECW Symposium. All of my favorites, but it’s hard to top New Market in a drenching, thunderstorm. Honestly!
I stuck close to home this summer and visited Fredericksburg, Brandy Station (Graffiti House) and Stevenson Ridge.
After learning about it from your blog I took a day motorcycle trip to Aldie, VA to see the site and the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry monument. My 3xGreat Grandfather was wounded in the battle and his name is etched on the side of the monument. Later at home I dug out a copy of a hand written letter from him and realized it was written 2 days after the battle. Here is a transcript of the letter:
Aldie, VA June 19th, 1863
My Dear Wife
I still live and am as well as usual except a slight wound which I got in an engagement with the enemy, lost my horse which fell under me, was taken prisoner but our men rallied and I was taken back. It all took place in a very short time our Reg. lost in killed wounded and missing 154 men. This was a great blow to us as we are very much reduced in number. We had a skirmish 2 weeks ago in which we lost 7. Among them Thomas Martin a tent companion of mine. I have not heard from you since I wrote to you. Write often. When I was taken, I lost all my things. Handkerchief you sent and the needle book Francena made for me have all gone to the Rebels. I am in the rear today with a lame side and arm caused by the fall of my horse. The wound I got was a saber cut on the cheek and nose. The first blood I have shed for the union was on the 17 of June the anniversary of the battle of Bunker Hill. Give my love to the children and accept of the same for yourself. Direct your letters the same as heretofore
Co G 1st Mass Cavalry
Army of the Potomac
Your loving Husband
J H Stott
We made our first visit to Monocacy this summer! Also visited Gettysburg and Winchester,