ECW Weekender: Battlefielding with Family
As the holiday season commences, my thoughts turn to the typical topics that warrant consideration. With a family as spread out as mine, scheduling exactly when to celebrate becomes complicated. That’s why I’m thankful whenever I can visit with relatives and still manage to squeeze in a little history time. Whether that’s visiting a museum or battlefield, I’m not too shy about strong-arming family into joining me. 2020 was one such year I managed to convince my parents to endure a trip to historic spots.
After a hearty Thanksgiving with my father’s side of the family, I asked if we could take a “short” drive up to Mansfield State Historic Site. It wasn’t exactly a quick trip, but we were on the right side of the state for such an excursion. Mansfield was the site of a battle between Confederate General Richard Taylor and Union General Nathaniel Banks, part of the Red River Campaign of 1864. In early April, Banks was well on his way to threatening the city of Shreveport, but was intercepted by Taylor at Sabine Crossroads near Mansfield. On the afternoon of April 8, Taylor’s outnumbered forces managed to check the advance—owing in part to Banks’ thinly stretched lines—and nearly steamrolled them until later that evening when one Union division brought an end to their momentum. Banks withdrew, but fought Taylor again at Pleasant Hill the next day before pulling southward again toward Alexandria. The fighting at Mansfield is considered the decisive battle of the Red River Campaign.[1]
At Mansfield State Historic Site, four miles south of Mansfield itself, visitors can tour the impressive visitor center that tells the story of the battle, campaign, soldiers, and even the aftermath of the fighting. Afterward, you can walk the General Mouton Trail, which follows the battlelines near a ridge called Honeycutt Hill. Here, along the rail fence still in place today along the modern-day road, is where General Alfred Mouton was killed during battle. A few monuments pay homage to Mouton and the Confederate regiments in the fight.
My dad and stepmom were real troopers to take me and my husband to Mansfield State Historic Site. It was much too cold for them to join us on the trail, but we all spent a fair amount of time in the visitor center, touring the exhibits. This was my first trip to a battlefield with them, and it reminded me of my childhood when my dad took me to other historic sites such as Vermilionville, the Alamo, St. Augustine, and Washington D.C. Afterward, I Googled some eatery places and, lo and behold, I found J.E.B.S. General Store! I don’t know what I was expecting, but it was a nice little roadside pitstop. The only real reference to the famous cavalry commander, however, was on their sign. Inside, expect a neat little deli and some convenience store-like goodies to take on the road.
That Christmas, my mom flew down for a visit, and I decided to take her on a little tour of Mobile. We started off with lunch at Wintzell’s Oyster House—reputedly a former speakeasy—then toured through the History Museum of Mobile. The museum took us through the entire history of Mobile from the early indigenous era and past World War II. Being in her hometown, my mom was able to point out some things she remembered from her childhood, while I was able to elucidate on aspects she didn’t know, such as about Clotilda and Africatown. A considerable amount of Civil War history could be learned, including Admiral Raphael Semmes, the magazine explosion after Union forces occupied the town, the H.L. Hunley, and the Mobile Cadets.
As twilight neared, we drove out to Bellingrath Gardens to take a flying tour of the inside of the house and a more leisurely stroll through their annual Christmas light extravaganza. It’s not Civil War history, but it’s worth a visit for those looking to burn a few hours walking through their stunning gardens. My mom loves old houses, having once dreamed of buying one and making it into a bed and breakfast, and knowing she was a fan of landscaping, we took some time to walk around the grounds before it got too dark. The place was absolutely packed after sundown, and we were thankful to have arrived early to get a good parking spot.
So, for this ECW Weekender, I’d like to turn the question onto you readers. What are some places you’ve taken family—or family has taken you—around the holidays?
Endnotes
[1] “Mansfield.” American Battlefield Trust. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/mansfield.
I love the way this site continuously involves the membership in the discussion. When you are from the mid Atlantic or New England states travel planning this time of year can be problematic, and an act of faith. I do remember a trip in the late 1950s, pre interstate highway system, that we took from NJ to East Texas, when Dad was attempting to reestablish contact with a childhood friend. Back in the day dad’s mother’s ancestor had been in Walker’s Texas Division, and had fought at Mansfield. I visited the field in 2000, while driving to a family reunion.
Most of our holiday family trips have been around President’s Week or Easter. Dad took me to my first trip to Gettysburg when I was in seventh grade. We camped down in Williamsburg, and I took many of our Exchange Students to Washington DC. went solo twice down to Chris Machowski’s area of the world, and camped four times around Richmond. Wonderful memories. Wonderful they were shared.
Nice article on families doing this together.
Wonderful story! Here’s mine:
A year before Covid made its appearance my wife and I drove to Puckapunyal Australian Army Barracks in northern Victoria and met up with my daughter and her fiancé for the Christmas Holiday. While all together, I related the tale of CSS Shenandoah’s visit to Melbourne, how Union- affiliated spies may have attempted to blow up the Rebel commerce raider while it was in port for repairs, but how half the citizens of Victoria seemed to have been supportive of the Confederate Cause (which they identified as an attempt to carve out a new nation from an old one that no longer worked for everyone.) In any event, the gold mining community of Ballarat invited the crew of the Shenandoah to ride the train north from their injured ship and take part in a formal dance and dinner, to be known as “The Buccaneer’s Ball.’
Ballarat was only an hour’s drive away, so we set off for a visit. My future son-in law was interested in anything army related, so conversation was easy with him. My wife and daughter were more interested in living conditions aboard CSS Shenandoah; what was done with captured vessels and crews (including women); was it true the Rebel ship departed Australia with dozens of “new Confederate recruits?” (Yes.) And, “How formal was the Buccaneer’s Ball? What did everyone wear?” (I had copies of sketches made during the 1865 event.)
Then, I guided my driver to the wrong hotel… and we spent half an hour circling and criss-crossing Ballarat until we landed at the correct location: Craig’s Royal Hotel. (Luckily, my party treated the unexpected delay as a sort of treasure hunt. And, yes, we asked for directions.)
Craig’s is still a 4-star hotel; the staff are lovely and provided an impromptu guided tour of the Ballroom and patio (all of which matched the sketches I had brought.) We took several photos, and we left. And I was thrilled that I had been able to visit an American Civil War site in Australia.
Everyone else in my party remembers that I got them lost…