THE DRUM & BUGLE Voice of the Rappahannock Valley Civil War Round Table

Transcription

1 THE DRUM & BUGLE Voice of the Rappahannock Valley Civil War Round Table October 2013, Volume 10, Issue 10 Speaker: Joseph Stahl Topic: Union Soldiers ID Discs from Antietam When: Monday, October 14th, 2013 Location: Brock s Riverside Grill Times: Social Begins 6:00 p.m., Dinner 6:45 p.m., Meeting Begins 7:30 p.m. Abstract on Our Scheduled Speaker October 14th, 2013, Joseph Stahl Our presenter for October, Joseph Stahl retired from the Institute for Defense Analyses, where he d authored or co-authored more that 50 reports on various defense issues. Since his retirement, Joe Stahl has become a volunteer and a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Antietam Battlefield. Joe grew up in St. Louis, MO, where he earned an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. Stahl is a member of the Company of Military Historians, SHAF, the Hagerstown Civil War Roundtable and he is the co-author of the first book written on ID discs, i.e., Identification Discs of Union Soldiers in the Civil War. Mr. Stahl has spoken to various Civil War groups including the Northern Virginia Relic Hunters, the South Mountain Coin and Relic Club, the York and Hagerstown Round Tables, the Chambersburg Civil War Tours, the Save Historic Antietam Foundation and the NPS Antietam. In addition, Joe Stahl has authored more that two dozen articles about items in his collections for the Gettysburg Magazine, the Washington Times Civil War Page, Manuscripts, America s Civil War, Military Collector & Historian, the Journal of the Company of Military Historians, the Civil War Historian and the Skirmish Line of the North-South Skirmish Association. Displays of items from of his collection have won awards at several Civil War shows. Stahl has been a member of the North-South Skirmish Association for more than 20 years and he has shot civil war type muskets, carbines and revolvers in both individual and team competitions. Joseph Stahl s presentation Union Soldiers ID Discs from Antietam provide background facts about ID Discs, including, information taken from various soldier s letters along with other references. Then, Joe will provide information on 13 soldiers who fought at the Battle of Antietam, based on their service records and their pension files and other notable sources. He will show where each of these soldiers and their units were on September 17, 1862, i.e., as the events of that day are discussed. Their discs, will also be on display at the meeting along with others. RVCWRT History Alert Program By Jim Smithfield RVCWRT member Alan Zirkle, provides an absolutely free service, which notifies those subscribers to his service about all upcoming local history events. This is done via the subscribers recorded address and it concerns upcoming history-related events, i.e., those happening in the general Fredericksburg and surrounding area. Many RVCWRT members are already receiving Alan s important messages. If you are not, but would like to receive "History Alerts" just send an to Alan noting this az@azirkle.com. 1

2 Legends and Lies in the First Battle of Manassas Presented by John Hennessy A Review of our September Program by Greg Mertz Many Civil War students have learned things about the first battle of the Civil War that are not true or are not completely true. Hennessy shared some of the little things that have been inaccurately passed down about First Manassas, and focused on two major misconceptions: the role of civilians who came to observe the battle, and the bestowing of Jackson s famous sobriquet. One of the minor misconceptions is the heat on July 21, Despite descriptions of the day being incredibly hot, the highest temperature recorded at the nearby Georgetown weather station was a relatively mild 81 degrees. One of the great human interest stories of the First Battle of Manassas is that of Wilmer McLean. The war s first battle began with the skirmish at Blackburn s Ford, during which action a Federal shell handed in the McLean kitchen. McLean moved to a location where he would seemingly be out of the way of subsequent battles the village of Appomattox Court House. The specific location where Grant and Lee met to arrange for the surrender of the Confederate army was the McLean home. The war began in Wilmer McLean s kitchen and ended in his parlor. While the facts about McLean as we have come to know them are true, they do not tell the entire story. McLean was not quite as anxious to get away from the Confederate army as we have been led to believe. Wilmer McLean was a farmer and a wholesaler who did a great deal of business with the Confederate government. In order to make a living, McLean needed to follow the Confederate army and trailed them to Richmond before he settled in Appomattox. A misconception about the battle held by people of the era was that the war would likely be decided at Manassas. Hennessy noted the naivety of the people believing that 85 years of continual debate over issues causing such dissention, could be settled in four hours of combat. It was the feeling that First Manassas would be a major event dramatically changing the world as they knew it, that led to the first major point Hennessy addressed the civilians who came to witness the battle. The myth is that civilians with picnic baskets in tow came and watched the battle, motivated by curiosity. Another myth is that the civilians impeded the movements of the Federal soldiers and are to blame for the defeat. In truth, only a small number of men with political connections were on the actual battlefield. Rhode Island Governor William E. Sprague came to participate in the battle in his role as the commander of the state s National Guard. Most of the civilians came, not out of curiosity, but to experience what they were certain would be one of the most famous days in American history. About 500 civilians observed the battle at a distance from heights near Centreville, where they could plainly see the smoke of battle and could obviously hear the roar of artillery. The desire for information resulted in Federal artillery officer John C. Tidball to be pressed into service in what Hennessy described as a combination of host, broadcaster and tour guide. The civilians gathering at his position asked Tidball questions, and then moved on to another location in hopes of finding a better view of the battle. Some civilians with more clout were able to get close enough to the front to get caught up in the Federal retreat, contributing to the perceptions that civilians were the cause of what became a rout. Panic set in when a wagon overturned on the bridge across Cub Run, but the incident had nothing to do with the civilian presence. One of these civilians was Congressman Alfred Ely from New York. Discovered hiding in some bushes, Ely was captured and nearly executed as Col. E.B.C. Cash of the 2 nd South Carolina held a pistol to his head. Ely was imprisoned and later wrote a book about his experiences. Judge Daniel McCook and his son also got too close to enemy soldiers. They became separated and the judge caught sight of his son just in time to see a Confederate cavalryman shoot him in the back. The civilian story had some far-reaching effects on the war. Senator Henry Wilson who, called the blue-clad soldiers cowards, and asked why they did not turn and fight, would become the powerful chair of the Senate Committee on Military Affairs. Senator Benjamin Wade was so incensed at the ineptitude of the Federal leadership at Manassas, that he became the chair of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War. Hennessy pointed out that this oversight ironically caused Federal generals to be even more cautious and most likely had a detrimental effect on the war. 2

3 Hennessy explained how when he first started working at Manassas that he repeatedly told the traditional story of how Jackson received his nickname. The oft told story is that Confederates under Bernard Bee were falling back to Henry Hill, saw Jackson and his men formed up behind Bee. Riding up to Jackson, Bee declared that his men were being driven, to which Jackson replied that he would give the Federals the bayonet. Bee rode back to his troops and called their attention to Jackson, declaring "There is Jackson standing like a stone wall. Rally behind the Virginians! Some components of the story are true, but the traditional story did not happen that way. Hennessy researched it and found that the mythical story comes from the men of Jackson s brigade men who were not beside Bee after he rode back to his command and made the stonewall statement. So Hennessy looked for accounts from the troops who heard Bee and found four from soldiers of the 4 th Alabama. A different story emerged. Bee s troops fell back and he had his conversation with Jackson as the Virginians reported. Bee returned to his command, which had rallied behind Jackson. As Bee spoke with his 4 th Alabama, Jackson s men came under attack. Bee then declared, Yonder stands Jackson like a stone wall, let's go to his assistance. Bee took position beside Jackson just as Jackson s cannon were coming off of the field. The circumstances were quite different from the story that has been handed down to us. Hennessy concluded by noting that we tend to like our history simple, and our allure with Standards of Learning in our schools is a by-product of that. But such an approach is unfortunate because history is never as simple as it may seem. How Civil War Round Tables Began By John Sapanaro Historian and author Harold Holzer, Chairman of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation, wrote an enlightening essay on America s Civil War Round Tables for the September 2013 issue of America s Civil War. This work, entitled Nights of the Round Table, includes facts and observations which may be of interest to our local membership. The first Civil War Round Table was formed in Chicago in It was the brainchild of the late Ralph G. Newman, a rare book dealer who invented the idea to expand his circle of customers. Newman decided to arrange dinner meetings with local Civil War enthusiasts and invite knowledgeable speakers to give afterdinner lectures. His simple format is still in use today. The idea spread rapidly throughout the United States and even into several foreign countries. Holzer notes that there is currently no national organization to govern or link the groups, but he provides some comparative numbers. Holzer counts 26 Round Tables in Pennsylvania, 20 in Virginia, 18 in New York, 16 each in Indiana and California, 12 in Illinois and 10 in Florida. There are six in Australia, five in Canada and one each in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany and France. Holzer mentions that besides lectures, many Round Tables conduct book raffles, support preservation initiatives, stage battlefield tours and give awards for achievement. His description sounds very much like the current activities of our own Rappahannock Valley Civil War Round Table. Holzer also makes a number of wry observations about Round Tables in general and why they remain meaningful in an increasingly technological age. He states that the fact is, without engaging with others we not only learn less about our past, but inevitably develop fewer shared ideas about our future - fewer opportunities to come together and find common ground. Nights of the Round Table is a lively essay written by someone who has obviously been around such groups for a long time. The story appears on pages 25 and 26 of the September 2013 issue of the magazine, America s Civil War and it is well worth reading. I would be happy to provide a copy for any interested RVCWRT member upon their request. Remember: To Save A Buck Contact Bob Jones and Order Your Dinner In Advance... Telephone or just 3dognight@Bigplanet.Com 3

4 Cancelation Policy for RVCWRT Dinners If due to inclement weather or for any other reason you are concerned about attending the RVCWRT dinner and you ve made a reservation(s), you ll need to call Bob Jones at , prior to and NLT 4:00 p.m. on the day of the dinner. You may also call Brock s Restaurant prior to 4:00 p.m. at A determination of the number of our guest reservations is required and must be communicated to Brock s Restaurant NLT 4:00 p.m. After that time we are committed to paying for our reported number of guests. Please, never leave a message on an answering machine... Some Did You Know... Facts About John Singleton Mosby s Life By Jim Smithfield Mosby Rangers AKA Mosby s Raiders (Mosby is seated in the center left) After the Civil War, Mosby became an vigorous Republican, stating to all, that it was the best way that he could help the South recover from the war. In fact, Mosby even became a campaign manager in his home state of Virginia, for President Ulysses S. Grant. Grant stated in his autobiography that, "Since the close of the war, I have come to know Colonel Mosby personally and somewhat intimately. He is a different man entirely from what I supposed. He is able and thoroughly honest and truthful." One of Mosby s keen Postbellum activities was his prolific defense of Major General J.E.B. Stuart s actions during the Gettysburg campaign. Stuart had been blamed by some of the leading partisans of the Lost Cause for the overall Confederate failure at Gettysburg. Mosby, of course, had served under J.E.B. Stuart during that campaign and he was fiercely loyal to his friend, the late general, writing, "He made me all that I was in the war... But for his friendship, I would never have been heard of." Mosby wrote numerous articles defending Stuart for popular publications of the day and he even published a book length treatise in This was a work that relied on his skills as a lawyer to refute categorically all of the claims laid against J.E.B. Stuart. A recent comprehensive study of the Stuart controversy, written by Eric J. Wittenberg and J. David Petruzzi, called Mosby's treatise a tour de force. Mosby's controversial friendship with Ulysses S. Grant, along with his working with those whom many Southerners considered to be the enemy, made Mosby a highly provocative figure in Virginia. He received death threats, his boyhood home was burned down, and at least one attempt was made on his life. Mosby said: "There was more vindictiveness shown to me by the Virginia people for my voting for Grant than the North showed to me for fighting four years against him." The danger contributed to the President's appointing him as the U.S. Consul to Hong Kong from Then, Mosby served as a lawyer in San Francisco with the Southern Pacific Railroad. He later worked for the Department of the Interior, first enforcing federal fencing laws in Omaha, NE, then evicting trespassers on government land in Alabama. He also worked as an assistant attorney in the Department of Justice, from Mosby was also a friend of the family of General George S. Patton. Colonel Mosby visited the Patton Ranch on several occasions, while there he recreated Civil War battles with George. In doing this, Mosby, of course, played himself and young George played General Robert E. Lee. Mosby explained, in a 1907 letter, why he had fought on the Confederate side during the Civil War, this despite his open disapproval of slavery. While Mosby had believed the South had seceded to protect slavery in the South, he stated that he felt it was his patriotic duty to his home state of Virginia. Mosby stated "I am not ashamed of having fought on the side of slavery... a soldier fights for his country... right or wrong... he is not responsible for the political merits of the course he fights in... The South was my country." 4

5 Colonel John Singleton Mosby died while visiting Washington, D.C. in 1916 and he is buried nearby in town of Warrenton, Virginia... More Did You Know Facts About Colonel John S. Mosby... By Jim Smithfield that... there is a John Mosby Highway in Virginia? This is the section of U.S. Route 50 located between the Dulles Airport and Winchester, Virginia. that... the Mosby Woods Elementary School located in the Fairfax County Public School System is named in Colonel John S. Mosby s honor? that... the Mosby Woods subdivision in Fairfax City is also named for Mosby in his honor? that... the U.S. Post Office branch for the zip code (located in Northern Virginia's Falls Church area) is referred to by the USPS as the Mosby Branch? that... the mascot for Loudoun County High School in Leesburg, Virginia is the Raiders named for Mosby's Raiders? that... the John Singleton Mosby Museum located in Warrenton, Virginia, is located at the historic Brentmoor estate where Colonel John S. Mosby lived from 1875 through 1877? that... there are a total of 35 monuments and markers throughout Northern Virginia which are dedicated to the many actions and events related to Mosby's Rangers during the Civil War? that... Colonel Mosby knew that if he and his Raiders established a permanent base camp, sooner or later Federal troops would locate it? Instead Mosby requested that local patriotic Virginians board his Raiders in their homes. that... the term Safe House began with Colonel Mosby and his Rangers. that... the established Mosby Heritage Area is an area loosely bound by the Bull Run Mountains to the East, the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the West, the Potomac River to the North and the Rappahannock River to the South? The actual Mosby Heritage area comprises over 1,800 square miles of Virginia s gently rolling hills, cool deciduous forests, lively flowing streams, creeks and wide rambling rivers. The Mosby Heritage Area has an abundance of wide open spaces and many historic thoroughfares that once were used by Native Americans, our early settlers and of course soldiers... that... John Mosby lived to be 82 years old, he died in 1916? that... during the Mosby era of the Civil War, Mosby and his partisan Rangers kept as many as 1,600 horses placed throughout Northern Virginia at various farms and stables? These mounts were maintained ready to go in a moment s notice... that... Colonel John Mosby, is often referred to as the Gray Ghost, this was an adequate title for one of the Civil War s most prolific spies? Mosby went on to become so completely adept at his job, that he actually accomplished the unthinkable. Dressed as a Union Citizen, Mosby captured Federal General Edwin Stoughton, in the middle of the night, slapping him on the backside to awaken him. Earlier, Mosby and the good general drank together, i.e., until sunrise, then drunk and bleary eyed the general was sent to his quarters, where he was awakened by Mosby s slap on his backside and kidnapped. His many acts of bravery and deceitfulness earned Mosby the name Gray Ghost, a title that is well deserved. that... Mosby never actually surrendered to Federal officials, as did most Confederates? Mosby just disbanded his troops and quit the war and like Cherokee Brigadier General Stand Watie he was initially arrested, then pardoned a year later? 5

6 Who we are? The Drum and Bugle Newsletter is published monthly, by the Rappahannock Valley Civil War Round Table, Post Office Box 7632, Fredericksburg, VA Each month, The Drum and Bugle newsletter is also placed on our web-site, Yearly membership dues are $30.00 for individuals, $40.00 for families, and it s still only $7.50 for students. Membership is open to anyone interested in the study of the Civil War and the ongoing preservation of Civil War sites. The RVCWRT Executive Committee: President: Conway Richardson Scribe: Greg Mertz Past President: Marc Thompson Newsletter Editor: Jim Smithfield Vice President: Joyce Darr Membership Chair: Open Secretary: Bob Jones Scholarship Chair: Scott Walker Treasurer: Bob Pfile Committee Member: John Sapanara Assistant Treasurer: Barbara Stafford Committee Member: John Griffiths Rappahannock Valley Civil War Round Table Post Office Box 7632 Fredericksburg, Virginia