Browsing All Posts filed under »Page County Confederates«

A decade of Southern Unionist studies

September 19, 2016 by

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After receiving a comment last night on a recent post, and while driving into work this morning, I realized that, for over a decade, I’ve been involved in the study of Southern Unionists in the Shenandoah Valley. It was ten years ago this fall when I started writing my thesis on Southern Unionism and disaffected […]

The SPLC’s report… more “purposed” opinion than history?

April 22, 2016 by

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I saw, today, that the Southern Poverty Law Center issued their “Whose Heritage? Public Symbols of the Confederacy” report, yesterday. Anyone who has watched the SPLC over the years knows how they are inspired and, to be clear, they simply don’t recognize complexities in the story of anyone associated with the Southern Confederacy. Of course, it’s […]

Encouraged discussion about Confederate monument removal… expedites monument removal?

July 20, 2015 by

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One of the arguments I’ve read over the last week or two, is about the fight over monuments. Wait, now… let me be clear. It’s this part of that discussion… Does encouraging discussion of monument removal open a forum that encourages monument removal. Does it, perhaps, even increase the probability that monuments WILL BE removed? […]

Present for the last gasps… on the 150th of Five Forks

April 1, 2015 by

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I thought about how this post might come together, and I think my reflections are on both the meaning of the day, and on the manner in which I’ve taken-in a lot of the Sesqui. So… … it was on this day, 150 years ago that the Army of Northern Virginia suffered a critical defeat […]

To find a cavalry battlefield… on the back roads of Frederick County, pt 3

November 15, 2014 by

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Alright… so where is the portion of the battlefield, of November 12, 1864, where the 7th Virginia saw their heaviest fighting of the day? As I mentioned yesterday… after coming to the aid of the 11th Virginia Cavalry, on the south bank of Cedar Creek, the 7th and the 12th moved to Middle Road to […]

To find a cavalry battlefield… on the back roads of Frederick County, part 2

November 13, 2014 by

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Continuing in my effort to figure out the site of the cavalry fight of November 12, I turned again to Pennington’s report… knowing he had provided estimated distances from Mount Zion to Cedar Creek, and beyond Lebanon Church. Pennington wrote: I moved out with the whole brigade and attacked the enemy… succeeded in driving him […]

To find a cavalry battlefield… on the back roads of Frederick County, pt. 1

November 12, 2014 by

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While I’ve known for many years that one of my great-great grandfathers was grievously wounded, on November 12, 1864, I’ve never given the location much thought. It just seemed that, given the information available in his service record, Pvt. James Harvey Mayes was wounded in a fight at the little village of Nineveh, just north […]

A Valley man returns to the Wilderness

May 6, 2014 by

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Thinking still of the fighting in the Wilderness this week, I recall a passage in a book of mine (Ups and Downs of a Confederate Soldier) in which a Valley man (James Huffman) reflected on his youth and one of his passages through the Wilderness, around 1854. When I was about fourteen, I began to […]

Confederates by choice… or by circumstance?

May 3, 2014 by

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Here were are again… on the eve of a major period of Sesqui events. Just to the east, there is the Overland Campaign… and closer to home, here in the Shenandoah Valley… there is Sigel’s advance up the Valley. Yet, to me, there are more than troop movements and battles, especially when May of 1864 […]

Another assist to Southern Unionists, under the Bowman and Tucker Acts

September 13, 2013 by

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I’ll get back to my current run on the discussion of literacy and literature in the antebellum Shenandoah Valley, but, as I promised… still having a deep and dedicated interest in Southern Unionism…  I know I’ve mentioned it before, that though a Southern Loyalist Claim might be barred or disallowed, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it […]

“Grandpap”, General Ewell, cousin George, and a bigger story

August 24, 2013 by

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Not long ago, while perusing the papers of Confederate civilians in Fold3, I dropped in the names of some relatives in the Valley, just to see what I might find. For starters, I found that my third great grandfather, William M. Dorraugh, was of help to Gen. Richard S. Ewell. It was a small thing, […]

Gettysburg and the Centennial… that begins in a couple of days

June 29, 2013 by

1

You didn’t read that wrong. People, I think, just tend to forget. The Sesqui overshadows the fact that this coming week is also the Centennial for the tremendous reunion that took place in 1913. There’s nothing wrong with that… it’s just the way it is. I’ll be heading out on Monday morning with two objectives… […]

My people at Brandy Station

June 9, 2013 by

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… and in my family tree, I can count a fair number who were there… more so in gray than in blue, but represented in two Virginia (7th and 35th) units and one from Pennsylvania (3rd).  Those in the 7th Virginia Regiment and 35th Battalion Virginia Cavalry bore witness to the opening of the battle. […]

For the memory of an uncle she never knew

May 2, 2013 by

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It’s a major reason why I’m headed to Chancellorsville in just under six hours. I can list all my relatives in the 10th Virginia, the 33rd Virginia, and the Purcell Artillery who were there, fighting, on May 3, 1863. I can also list my relatives in the 7th West Virginia Infantry who were there, fighting, […]

He gave them victories

May 1, 2013 by

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May 1, 2013… so begins the Sesqui of the Battle of Chancellorsville. As such, I’ve been thinking… What if Stonewall Jackson lived to command beyond Chancellorsville? Frankly, any forward speculation of his possible performances in battles after Chancellorsville is subject to so many factors that it’s not even funny. As such, forward speculation is a […]

Passing of the last real child of the Stonewall Brigade(?)

April 29, 2013 by

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I’ve been seeing postings lately, mostly on Face Book, about the last four surviving children of Civil War veterans (actually, it focused on the last four just in Virginia alone… and I didn’t seem to catch that last part), and I added to each that I thought they were missing somebody. I’m sorry to say… […]

Jackson’s gone

December 6, 2012 by

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Some might expect to see this title this coming May. Others might get what I’m saying, realizing that I’m referring to Jackson leaving the Valley, 150 years ago last month. As things were I just wasn’t able to post within the Sesqui envelope, in conjunction with the actual dates… but it was on my mind […]

John Albert Racer of Page County… Southern Unionist?

September 2, 2012 by

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A friend of mine asked me if I thought his ancestor (John Albert Racer) might have been a Southern Unionist. He has a hunch he was, plus, there’s some pretty interesting stuff surrounding this fellow’s life in the war. For one, there’s a pretty cool story that comes out of Page County, about one of […]

I am a beneficiary of hard war

July 30, 2012 by

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I don’t know, but it seems to sound about as silly as saying “I’m a victim of Sherman… or Sheridan… or fill-in name here. So let me try the “victim” angle again. Instead of “victim”, how about refering to oneself as… “One who suffers the long-term ill-effects that the war laid upon my poor departed kin-folk, so […]

Von Steinwehr comes to Luray

July 26, 2012 by

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Still present in the Shenandoah Valley, Union forces (I can’t help but keep bringing up that Jackson had not cleared the Valley with the battles of Cross Keys and Port Republic) made their presence all-the-more known 150 years ago, over the next few weeks. On July 21, a force (brigade strength) probed toward Luray, and, by […]

… and a little more with Gen. Order No. 11

July 23, 2012 by

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John Pope wasn’t quite done yet… and on this day, 150 years ago, he released another general order of interest… GENERAL ORDERS No. 11. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF VIRGINIA, Washington, July 23, 1862. Commanders of army corps, divisions, brigades, and detached commands will proceed immediately to arrest all disloyal male citizens within their lines or within their […]

Southern Unionist? Liar, liar, pants on fire!

July 17, 2012 by

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In my exchanges, over the years, some folks have indicated that they thought some Southern Claims applicants were lying. Well, yes some were, but I have to ask… “How have you identified those who you think were lying?” It’s not always so easy. Sometimes, however, it’s painfully obvious… and one doesn’t have to read between […]

More unraveling of complexities in a family’s story

July 8, 2012 by

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Since the “wires” seem to be hot with stories of Southern Unionism (Craig offered-up yet another story of Southern Unionism just today!)… here comes another meaty morsel which I ran across recently. I don’t recall, exactly, how it came to my attention, but recently, while perusing the Web, I ran into a biographical sketch of […]

Along the road to McDowell… another Sesqui moment

May 6, 2012 by

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Because of the move, I’m still without certain notes and books to back me up with quotes and whatnot… so, I’m going to wing it again… The masses are flocking (or so it would seem) to McDowell, Virginia this weekend for the 150th anniversary of the battle, but… it’s not the actual Sesqui until Tuesday. […]

My great grandmother’s wood cook stove

April 29, 2012 by

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It’s cool and drizzling here in the upper Shenandoah this morning. Perfect conditions for starting a fire in the wood stove. But, that having been cleaned-out for house showings, I’m afraid it will remain a cool stove while modern heating systems takes over. In the absence of the charm of a fire in the wood […]

Tragedy in the Shenandoah Valley… soon to be an e-book

April 20, 2012 by

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Just received word, earlier today from the History Press, that my last book, Tragedy in the Shenandoah Valley: The Story of the Summers-Koontz Execution, is going to be made available as an e-book in the near future. Will pass along details when I know more. If you don’t have a hard-copy yet… now would be […]

Sesqui’fying April 20, 1862 – Luray learns of Charley Wheat’s fate

April 20, 2012 by

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On the morning of April 20, Banks’ troops marched on Luray… it was the first time Union soldiers entered the town. Joseph Wheat remembered: As they approached Luray, the Main Street was crowded, people looking up at the top of the hill at the Modesitt house, but when they actually came in the great rush […]

Sesqui’fying April 19, 1862 – Hotchkiss’ challenge in the Page Valley

April 19, 2012 by

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The stage being set in yesterday’s post, which was supposed to be this morning’s post… this is where I get to inject a little light-hearted commentary, into the seriousness of the day… When Hotchkiss arrived at Shenandoah Iron Works, he found his cavalrymen… two companies of the 7th Virginia Cavalry… “in a state of drunkenness”.** Now, what’s […]

Sesqui’fying the day – morning, April 19, 1862 – the Federal advance on Luray

April 18, 2012 by

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While some folks might be focusing on some larger events that cover the next few days, 150 years ago, I highly doubt a small incident in my home county will gain much attention, between today and tomorrow. Yet, to the folks who lived in Page County, it must have been big… and to me, with […]

At what point did I change in my focus?

April 18, 2012 by

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A quick thought… Recently, I was had a chance to participate in a Civil War-focused luminary project in a cemetery within my home county. For a number of reasons, I declined… partly because of the time required to prepare for it. Not only that, but I think my interests in walking folks through the cemetery is not […]

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