This Mighty Scourge

Today, the Pennsylvania Gaming Commission held a hearing on the proposed casino in Gettysburg.  The fight is definitely not over and the Civil War Preservation Trust needs your support to fight this abomination.  There is no reason to build this casino adjacent to one of the most hallowed pieces of ground in the United States.  There are several other cities competing to have this casino – let it go anywhere but Gettysburg.

The following linked video, “Our Gettysburg Legacy,” was played during today’s hearing.  Many famous celebrities volunteered their time to make the video.  Please click on the link and watch the video.  If you are able to donate to the Civil War Preservation Trust for this campaign, click HERE.  United, we can win – Divided we WILL lose.  God Bless the USA.

“Our Gettysburg Legacy” featuring Ken Burns, Matthew Broderick, Sam Waterston, Stephen Lang, David McCullough and others.

Amazing!  What were they thinking?  The Gettysburg Battlefield Protection Association has come out in favor of the the proposed Mason-Dixon Resort casino.  This is without a doubt the craziest position a battlefield protection group could take.  Check out Eric Wittenberg’s recent post on this news item – then go to the Civil War Preservation Trust and donate some money to help fight the proposed casino.

Eric’s Article: The GBPA Sells Its Soul to the Devil

Good morning folks!  The Civil War Preservation Trust has announced its Brandy Station 2010 Campaign.  This is a great opportunity to save nearly 800 acres of this hallowed ground.  Brandy Station was the site of many engagements during the Civil War.  It also was the site of the largest cavalry battle in North America in June 1863.  This amazing preservation opportunity has a $116 to $1 donation match.  For every $85 donated to the CWPT an acre will be saved.  This is truly amazing.  There is no better time to donate for battlefield preservation.

Click HERE to make your donation!

Click HERE to view my Battle of Brandy Station essay from last year.

Click HERE to listen to my interview with Eric J. Wittenberg, author of “The Battle of Brandy Station.”

The Civil War Preservation Trust issued the following press release today.  It is good to see so many people coming out against the proposed Gettysburg casino.  The idea of a casino within a mile of our most famous battlefield is preposterous.  Kudos to the CWPT and the historians who have come out against the proposed gaming parlor.

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CWPT

For Immediate Release: 06/30/10

Nation’s Historians Speak Out Against Proposed Gettysburg Casino

In letter to Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, more than 275 American historians unite to urge rejection of proposed gaming resort one-half mile from Gettysburg National Military Park

(Gettysburg, Pa.) – To mark the 147th anniversary of the bloodiest battle in American history, 276 American historians, including some of the country’s most respected academics, today sent a letter to Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board chairman Gregory Fajt, urging the rejection of the application for the Mason-Dixon Gaming Resort.  If approved, the proposed gambling hall will be located just one-half mile from America’s most hallowed battleground.

Although many individual historians have previously voiced opposition to the casino proposal, such a large and diverse group uniting in this cause demonstrates Gettysburg’s unique place in our nation’s heritage.  Among the signers are some of the most prominent historians in America, including James McPherson, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Battle Cry of Freedom; Garry Wills, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words That Remade America; Carol Reardon, director of graduate studies in history at Pennsylvania State University; Jeffery C. Wert, author of the acclaimed Gettysburg, Day Three; and Edwin C. Bearss, Chief Historian Emeritus of the National Park Service.

In part, their message states that as professional historians, they “feel strongly that Gettysburg is a unique historic and cultural treasure deserving of our protection.  Gettysburg belongs to all Americans equally—future generations no less than those of us alive today,” before concluding that “there are many places in Pennsylvania to build a casino, but there’s only one Gettysburg.”

Beyond the individual signatories, the message and its sentiment has received the endorsement and support of the American Historical Association, National Coalition for History, National Council on Public History, Organization of American Historians, Society for Military History and Southern Historical Association.

The Battle of Gettysburg, fought July 1–3, 1863, was the largest and bloodiest battle of the American Civil War.  Commonly called the “high water mark of the Confederacy,” the battle saw nearly 160,000 Americans locked in mortal combat; more than 50,000 became casualties.  Historians concur that the engagement was the greatest of Civil War battles, but its place in history was further cemented four months later, when President Abraham Lincoln travelled to the small Pennsylvania farm town to help dedicate a national cemetery for those who died.  Lincoln’s “few appropriate remarks” for the occasion, popularly known as the Gettysburg Address, have become one of the world’s most recognized speeches.

Although the proposed casino site along the Emmitsburg Road lies outside the current administrative boundaries of Gettysburg National Military Park, it would be on land identified as historically sensitive by the American Battlefield Protection Program, an arm of the National Park Service.  The application before the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board would retrofit an existing family-friendly hotel complex into a gambling resort with an initial 600 slot machines in addition to table games.

According to Princeton University professor emeritus and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Battle Cry of Freedom, James McPherson, “The proposed site of the casino lies athwart the advance of Union cavalry toward what became known as South Cavalry Field, which saw substantial fighting on the afternoon of July 3, 1863.  This ground is as hallowed as any other part of the Gettysburg battlefield, and the idea of a casino near the fields and woods where men of both North and South gave the last full measure of devotion is simply outrageous.”

This assessment of the importance of this part of the battlefield is shared by Eric Wittenberg, the author of numerous books on cavalry during the Gettysburg Campaign, including the only volume specifically dedicated to the actions that took place on South Cavalry Field.  In response to casino proponents who have tried to minimize the significance of actions fought nearby, Wittenberg said, “This was a protracted and ferocious fight.  American soldiers died on that ground, and to suggest otherwise only underscores the disregard these misguided investors have for our national treasure.”

In addition to the inappropriate juxtaposition, historians also fear negative indirect impacts on their efforts to interpret the battlefield and share their knowledge with students and heritage tourists.  Gettysburg resident and director of the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War at West Virginia’s Shepherd University, Dr. Mark Snell is extremely concerned about the increased traffic and certain commercialization with which visitors and guides will have to contend should the casino be approved..

“As someone who has tried to give a tour to my students at South Cavalry Field — within easy walking distance of the proposed casino,” said Snell, “I personally can attest that the last thing that is needed on the Emmitsburg Road, where that fight took place, is any increased traffic.  It wouldn’t just be noisy, it would be dangerous.”

In 2006, when a previous proposal to bring gambling to the fringes of the Gettysburg Battlefield was under consideration, a group of prominent historians similarly spoke out against the ill-advised project.  Such thorough and widespread public opposition was among the reasons explicitly cited by the Gaming Control Board in its rejection of the application.

One of those at the forefront of that effort was Ed Bearss, chief historian emeritus of the National Park Service and America’s foremost battlefield guide.  A former historian at Vicksburg National Battlefield, who feels that site was irreparably damaged by the emergence of gaming nearby, his opposition to this newer proposal has not diminished in the least.  Over the course of his storied career, Bearss has spent many thousands of hours leading tours of the Gettysburg Battlefield.

“Gettysburg, if it embraces the casino, is forfeiting that which has undeniable national and international significance,” said Bearss.  “Do you want the most iconic battlefield in America and the site of Abraham Lincoln’s immortal Gettysburg Address, or do want just another slots parlor?”

The letter was circulated among the historian community by a coalition of preservation groups which have opposed both efforts to bring gambling to Gettysburg.  The Civil War Preservation Trust, National Parks Conservation Association, National Trust for Historic Preservation and Preservation Pennsylvania have consistently emphasized that their opposition stems from the direct threat posed to the battlefield by the site’s proximity and potential for increasing traffic and development pressures on the park, as opposed to any objection to gaming.  Spurred by the passionate involvement of so many individual members, member groups of the National Coalition for History also lent their institutional weight to the effort.

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About the Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT)
With 55,000 members, the Civil War Preservation Trust is the largest nonprofit battlefield preservation organization in the United States.  Its mission is to preserve our nation’s remaining Civil War battlefields and encourage their appreciation through education and heritage tourism.  Since 1987, the organization has saved more than 29,000 acres of hallowed ground, including 700 acres at Gettysburg.  CWPT’s website is located at www.civilwar.org.

About the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA)
Since 1919, the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice of the American people in protecting and enhancing our National Park System. NPCA, its members, and partners work together to protect the park system and preserve our nation’s natural, historical, and cultural heritage for generations to come.  NPCA is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization with more than 325,000 members, including more than 15,000 members in Pennsylvania.   NPCA’s website is located at www.npca.org.

About the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP)
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a non-profit membership organization bringing people together to protect, enhance and enjoy the places that matter to them.  By saving the places where great moments from history took place, NTHP helps revitalize neighborhoods and communities, spark economic development and promote environmental sustainability.  With headquarters in Washington, DC, 9 regional and field offices, 29 historic sites, and partner organizations in all 50 states, NTHP provides leadership, education, advocacy and resources to a national network of people, organizations and local communities committed to saving places, connecting us to our history and collectively shaping the future of America’s stories.  NTHP’s website is located at www.preservationnation.org.

About Preservation Pennsylvania
Preservation Pennsylvania is a private statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Pennsylvania’s historic places through creative partnerships, targeted educational programs and grassroots advocacy programs.  Since 1982 and with the support of 2600 members and member agencies, the organization has been the statewide voice for historic preservation and has provided support and technical assistance to individuals, groups and municipalities.  Preservation Pennsylvania’s website is www.preservationpa.org.

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To read the complete letter and view the list of historian supporters, click HERE.

If you are not involved in the Civil War Preservation Trust, I encourage you to do so.  Click HERE to learn more about the No Casino Gettysburg Campaign.

Recently the Civil War Preservation Trust released its list of the most endangered Civil War battlefields.  It should be no surprise that the Gettysburg and the Wilderness battlefields lead the list –  however, there are some new additions this year.  Below is the press release that was sent out recently to CWPT members.

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EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL
10:00 a.m. EDT, May 13, 2010

For more information, contact:
Mary Koik, CWPT, (202) 367-1861 x7231
Beth Newburger, Epoch, (571) 436-0887

Civil War Preservation Trust Releases Annual Report on Nation’s Most Endangered Battlefields

Best-Selling Author Jeff Shaara Joins Trust to Unveil “History Under Siege” Report

(Washington D.C.) – The iconic Pennsylvania battlefield synonymous with American valor, now facing a second attempt to bring casino gambling to its doorstep; a Virginia crossroads where a single marching order set the Union army on the road to victory, now proposed for a monstrous commercial development; and a rocky Arizona spire where Confederate and Union forces fiercely faced off, now jeopardized by state budget cuts; are some of the nation’s most endangered Civil War battlefields.

At a news conference held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., the Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT) unveiled its annual report on the status of the nation’s historic battlegrounds.  The report, entitled History Under Siege™: A Guide to America’s Most Endangered Civil War Battlefields, identifies the most threatened Civil War sites in the United States and what can be done to save them.

“All across the country, our nation’s irreplaceable battlefields – these tangible links to our shared history – are threatened by inappropriate development, misguided public policy, limited financial resources and, in some cases, simple apathy,” said CWPT President James Lighthizer at the report’s unveiling.  “Next year marks the Sesquicentennial of the bloodiest conflict in our nation’s history, and as we prepare for that seminal moment, it is an opportune time to shine a spotlight on the places that tell America’s story.”

Joining Lighthizer at the news conference was best-selling author Jeff Shaara, who also serves on the CWPT Board of Trustees.  The author of nine New York Times bestsellers, Shaara’s novels, including the Civil War-themed Gods and Generals and The Last Full Measure, have been praised by historians for their painstaking research.  His  only non-fiction work, Jeff Shaara’s Civil War Battlefields,  is a unique and personal tour across ten of America’s most hallowed battlegrounds.  In testament to his commitment to historic preservation, Shaara donated the entire advance from the project toward battlefield protection efforts.

“Nothing creates an emotional connection between present and past like walking in the footsteps of our Civil War soldiers,” said Shaara.  “I hope that by drawing attention to endangered Civil War battlefields, Americans will this see hallowed ground in a new way and understand that these sites must be preserved for future generations to experience.”

Also taking the podium at the news conference was Dr. Mark Snell, director of the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War at Shepherd University.  A Civil War scholar and retired army officer, Snell was appointed to the West Virginia Sesquicentennial of the Civil War Commission last summer by Governor Joe Manchin, and was subsequently elected vice-chairman.

“Particularly on the eve of the Civil War’s 150th anniversary, there is no more fitting commemoration of American valor than respectfully protecting the land where our soldiers fought and bled,” said Snell.

For three days in the summer of 1863, 160,000 men in blue and gray fought the Civil War’s largest and bloodiest battle around the crossroads town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. In 2006, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board rejected a proposal to build a slots parlor near Gettysburg’s East Cavalry Field, citing widespread public opposition to the plan. However, earlier this year the same chief investor rolled the dice again and announced plans for another Gettysburg casino.  Although smaller than the previous proposal, this casino would be only one half-mile from Gettysburg National Military Park.

In May 1864, Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s bloody Overland Campaign began in a tangled mass of second-growth trees and scrub known as the Wilderness, Virginia.  When portions of Grant’s army attacked elements of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s army on May 5, 1864, it was the first time the two legendary commanders met in battle.  In August 2009, the Orange County, Va. Board of Supervisors approved a massive commercial center featuring a Walmart and four retailers at the gateway to the historic battlefield.  A lawsuit to block the project is pending.

While most of the battles of the Civil War took place on southern soil, Confederate and Union forces engaged in their westernmost struggle at Picacho Pass, Arizona, on April 15, 1862.  Confederate Capt. Sherod Hunter raised his flag in the small, frontier settlement of Tucson, hoping to take another step toward the Pacific and the creation of an ocean-to-ocean Confederacy.  The Confederate rangers were met by a detachment of Union cavalry under the leadership of Lt. James Barrett near Picacho Peak, a rocky spire 50 miles northwest of Tucson.  Although Picacho Peak State Park is a popular tourist destination, it will close to the public on June 3, 2010, due to drastic cuts in the state budget – less than one year before the sesquicentennial of the war.

The Civil War Preservation Trust is the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving our nation’s endangered Civil War battlefields and to promoting appreciation of these hallowed grounds through education and heritage tourism.  History Under Siege is composed of two parts; one identifying the 10 most endangered battlefields in the nation, and a second section lists 15 additional “at risk” sites also confronted by serious threats.  Sites discussed in the report range from the famous to the nearly forgotten, but at least part of each site is in danger of being lost forever.  Battlefields were chosen based on geographic location, military significance, and the immediacy of current threats.

History Under Siege™ also includes:

Camp Allegheny, W.Va., December 15, 1861: Early in the war, North and South both strove to gain control over the western counties of Virginia, meeting in a number of engagements among the peaks and valleys of the Appalachian Mountains.  Today, the scenic beauty of Camp Allegheny, West Virginia stands to be compromised by a field of 40-story-high wind turbines — 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty — to be built within view of the battlefield.

Cedar Creek, Va., October 19, 1864: In the fall of 1864, Union Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan marched up the fertile Shenandoah Valley, stripping the countryside bare to starve out Confederate forces.  After a daring Confederate surprise attack at Cedar Creek, Union forces launched a crushing counterattack, extinguishing the South’s last hope of recovering the Valley.  In 2008, the Frederick County Board of Supervisors approved a massive expansion of the mine operating adjacent to Cedar Creek, which would destroy nearly 400 acres of battlefield land crucial to telling the story of this decisive struggle.

Fort Stevens, Washington, D.C., July 11-12, 1864: Fort Stevens was part of an extensive ring of fortifications surrounding Civil War Washington, but in July 1864 those defenses were vulnerable to a direct attack by Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. Jubal Early.  President Abraham Lincoln, watching the action from Fort Stevens, came under fire from sharpshooters.  Last year, a church adjacent to the fort applied for a zoning exemption to build an immense community center complex.  The new construction would tower over the fort, significantly degrading the visitor experience.

Pickett’s Mill, Ga., May 27, 1864: The Battle of Pickett’s Mill was one of the most stinging Union defeats of the 1864 Atlanta Campaign and the first serious check on Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman’s momentous campaign against this Confederate transportation center.  Although Pickett’s Mill Battlefield State Historic Site is widely regarded as thoroughly preserved and interpreted, the park was forced to reduce its hours significantly due to budget cuts, and last autumn it was inundated by floodwaters that destroyed footbridges and a portion of the historic mill.

Richmond, Ky., August 29-30, 1862: Confederate Maj. Gen. Kirby Smith’s newly-dubbed “Army of Kentucky”—a bearded, shoeless band of rebel soldiers — marched north in the soaring heat of August 1862 and encountered a hastily-formed Union force led by Maj. Gen. William Nelson.  The ensuing battle became one of the most decisive Confederate victories of the Civil War.  Although the battlefield has been well protected to date, future preservation efforts will be complicated by the addition of a new highway interchange, paving the way for significant commercial growth in an area that has previously experienced little development pressure.

South Mountain, Md., September 14, 1862: In early September 1862, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee launched an audacious invasion of the North.  But when a copy of his orders was discovered by Union soldiers in a field, wrapped around cigars, federal commanders were able to move quickly against the vulnerable Confederates at the Battle of South Mountain.  In December 2008, Dominion Power purchased 135 acres of battlefield land for a proposed $55 million natural gas compression station, a plan that has been subsequently suspended with an option to re-file.

Thoroughfare Gap, Va., August 28, 1862: Although a relatively small engagement, the Battle of Thoroughfare Gap was of immense strategic significance, setting the stage for the battles of Second Manassas and, ultimately, Antietam.  In February, consultants began seeking comments from the preservation community regarding a proposal to build a 150-foot-tall communications tower within the core battlefield area at Thoroughfare Gap.  Although construction of Interstate 66 in the 1960s saw portions of the mountain gap widened, the area retains much of its rural, scenic beauty.

With 55,000 members, CWPT is the largest nonprofit battlefield preservation organization in the United States.  Its mission is to preserve our nation’s endangered Civil War battlefields and to promote appreciation of these hallowed grounds.  CWPT has preserved more than 29,000 acres of battlefield land across the nation. CWPT’s website is www.civilwar.org.

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(For additional materials, visit us online at http://www.civilwar.org/historyundersiege)

I recently finished reading Eric J. Wittenberg’s newest book, “The Battle of Brandy Station.”  Thoroughly researched and well written, the book is up to the high standards that Wittenberg has established with his previous titles on Civil War cavalry.  Jim Lighthizer, president of the Civil War Preservation Trust, penned the foreword for the book.

“The Battle of Brandy Station” starts quickly with background information on events following the debacle of US Major General Joe Hooker’s Battle of Chancellorsville.  The author next discusses the changes in command of the Federal Cavalry Corps that took place when US Major General George Stoneman takes sick leave and is replaced by Major General Alfred Pleasanton who will command the cavalry until he is replaced by Major General Philip Sheridan prior to the Overland Campaign.  A brief amount of space is next given to Pleasanton’s actions in the Northern Neck of Virginia that the author explains provides a boost in morale for the Federal mounted arm.

Next, Wittenberg provides expert appraisals of the cavalry commanders.  In this discussion, he provides his reviews on Pleasanton, J.E.B. Stuart, John Buford, David Gregg, Alfred Duffié, Charles Whiting, W.H.F. “Rooney” Lee, Wade Hampton, William E. “Grumble” Jones and Beverly Robertson.  I found this analysis fascinating.  It provided me the background knowledge I needed to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each commander and how they impacted their actions at Brandy Station.

No narrative of Brandy Station would be complete without a discussion on J.E.B. Stuart’s grand reviews.  The last grand review took place on June 8, the day before the battle, with Robert E. Lee in attendance.  Wittenberg describes in detail Stuart’s reviews and the controversy surrounding them.  I found “Grumble” Jones’ reaction to the final grand review particularly interesting.

Wittenberg next moves to the tactical actions of the battle.  Brandy Station is fascinating because of the complexity of the action.  The author is able to make you feel as if you are taking part in the charges, all the while keeping the actions framed in the larger scope of battle.  While complex, Wittenberg breaks the battle down into easily understood segments, each being given their own chapter:

• Chapter 6 –  Buford’s Assault and the Death of Grimes Davis
• Chapter 7 –  The Fight for the Guns at St. James Church
• Chapter 8 –  The Action Shifts (a description of the fight on Rooney Lee’s front)
• Chapter 9 –  Gregg’s Command Arrives
• Chapter 10 –  The Fight for Fleetwood Hill
• Chapter 11 –  The Duel on Yew Ridge
• Chapter 12 –  Duffié at Stevensburg
• Chapter 13 –  The Great Battle Ends

The final chapter provides the author’s expert analysis of the battle.  As you would expect from one of the foremost authorities on Civil War cavalry, Wittenberg is able to wrap up all the loose ends and put them in one nice tidy package of eleven pages that places North America’s largest cavalry engagement in context with previous actions and the upcoming Gettysburg Campaign.  The epilogue, “A Tale of Two Soldiers,” is very enjoyable and makes the book even more valuable to any Civil War student.

While often overlooked by readers, the appendix’s of the “Battle of Brandy Station,” provide additional useful information on the battle.

• Appendix A –  Order of Battle
• Appendix B –  A Walking and Driving Tour of the Battle of Brandy Station (the author includes GPS coordinates for points of interest making this quite valuable for anyone planning a trip to the battlefield)

I highly recommend “The Battle of Brandy Station” for any serious student of the Civil War.  It provides more than enough detail for the avid reader while at the same time providing the necessary background information for the casual reader.  For more information on Eric Wittenberg, or to purchase his books, check out his website by clicking HERE.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Eric about “The Battle of Brandy Station.”  In this 75 minute interview Wittenberg speaks candidly about his newest book.  It is quite revealing and highlights his expert knowledge on Civil War cavalry.  I have edited the interview into smaller segments that allow you to listen at your leisure and return to the next part without losing your place.  This is my second interview with Eric.  Last September I spoke with him about his book, “Like a Meteor Blazing Brightly: The Short but Controversial Life of Colonel Ulric Dahlgren.”  You can listen to this interview by clicking HERE.

Details about “The Battle of Brandy Station”
Written by: Eric J. Wittenberg
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: The History Press
Date of First Edition: March 2010
ISBN-10: 159629782

Eric J. Wittenberg Interview – 11 Parts
“The Battle of Brandy Station”
Interview Date: May 10, 2010
Total Time: 1 hour 14 minutes 07 seconds

Part 1:

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Time: 6:17
Contents: Welcome and introductions | How Eric got involved with The History Press | Why write about Brandy Station? | The Battle of Chancellorsville and the lead up to Brandy Station | The raids on the Northern Neck of Virginia in May 1863 | About Alfred Pleasanton

Part 2:

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Time: 8:23
Contents: Federal cavalry scouting in Culpeper County, Virginia | US Major General Joe Hooker’s concerns about a Confederate cavalry raid in Northern Virginia | The Federal failure to detect Robert E. Lee’s movement to the north | Hooker is again plagued by indecisiveness | The tactical deployment of the opposing cavalry forces | Pleasanton’s intelligence is flawed with regards to the position of Stuart’s cavalry | Pleasanton’s tactical plan

Part 3:

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Time: 6:10
Contents: Wittenberg’s assessment of J.E.B. Stuart and a comparison to Alfred Pleasanton | Stuart’s actions during the Battle of Brandy Station | An assessment and background of US Brigadier General John Buford

Part 4:

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Time: 7:52
Contents: Wittenberg’s assessment of Pleasanton’s subordinate commanders | J.E.B. Stuart passed over for infantry corps command

Part 5:

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Time: 5:46
Contents: Eric’s assessment of J.E.B. Stuart’s brigade commanders | J.E.B. Stuart’s final cavalry review – did it provide essential intelligence for Pleasanton? Was this intelligence properly used?

Part 6:

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Time: 8:04
Contents: Pleasanton’s use of infantry units | How did Pleasanton not know the disposition of Stuart’s forces? | The Battle of Brandy Station opens on Buford’s front | The death of Benjamin “Grimes” Davis | The gallant charge of the 6th Pennsylvania and 6th U.S. Regular cavalry against Beckham’s cannons

Part 7:

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Time: 6:24
Contents: Eric’s use of firsthand accounts and how he approaches his research | The arrival of David Gregg’s Federal cavalry division | John Buford’s frustration at being held back | J.E.B. Stuart reacts to Gregg’s attack | Beverly Robertson’s Confederate brigade’s performance at Kelly’s Ford

Part 8:

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Time: 6:40
Contents: The battle for Fleetwood Hill | The charges of the 1st New Jersey and 1st Pennsylvania cavalry regiments | Captain Joseph Martin’s Federal artillery endures an attack by the 6th Virginia Cavalry and the 35th Virginia Cavalry Battalion | The actions of Pierce Young’s CSA Cobb’s Legion at St. James Church and Fleetwood Hill | The actions of Calvin Douty’s 1st Maine Cavalry at Fleetwood Hill

Part 9:

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Time: 7:27
Contents: A description of the fight for Fleetwood Hill | Lunsford Lomax’s 11th Virginia attacks Martin’s Federal battery – Martin’s gunners valiant effort to save their guns | Buford’s division is turned loose against Rooney Lee’s Confederate cavalry brigade | The 3d Wisconsin and 2d Massachusetts infantry attempts to flank Rooney Lee | The 6th Pennsylvania and 6th U.S. cavalry and the duel for Yew’s Ridge | 2d U.S. Cavalry goes into the fight | Rooney Lee commits his reserve and is wounded by Captain Wesley Merritt | Thomas Munford’s troopers (Fitzhugh Lee’s brigade) arrive on the field in time to rescue Rooney Lee | Buford’s retreat across the Rappahannock River

Part 10:

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Time: 7:17
Contents: Alfred Duffié finally arrives | The death of Will Farley and Frank Hampton | An analysis of Alfred Duffié | The implications of battle on the home front | The maturation of the Federal mounted arm | An analysis of the Battle of Brandy Station and its implications during the Gettysburg Campaign

Part 11:

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Time: 3:47
Contents: Future projects Wittenberg is working on | Wrap up and closing

As many of you know, I have more than a passing interest in the Battle of Franklin.  I have visited the battlefield many times, and have always been in awe of the sacrifice made there by the soldiers on both sides.  The battle was ferocious and has often been called Pickett’s Charge of the West.  I would disagree – it was far more brutal.  The multiple charges that CSA Lieutenant General John Bell Hood’s Army of Tennessee made were over very open ground, made from a greater distance and repeated multiple times.  At one point CSA Major General Frank Cheatham’s Corps actually broke through the lines and were only repulsed because of the quick reactions of US Colonel Emerson Opdycke.  He would quickly send his brigade to the breach in the lines and through brutal fighting would repulse the Confederate forces – saving the day for US Major General John M. Schofield’s army.  Today, we have an opportunity to save 1.07 acres of this hallowed battlefield – the same ground Opdycke’s brigade fought to save.  At the bottom of this post, is the email I received yesterday from Jim Lighthizer, president of the Civil War Preservation Trust, announcing this new campaign.  Through matching grants, every $1 you donate is increased by over $6.  For those of you interested in learning more about the Battle of Franklin, I encourage you to check out the following two blog articles I recently wrote.

* The Battle of Franklin – John Bell Hood’s 1864 Franklin-Nashville Campaign
* Thomas Y. Cartwright Interview at the Famous Lotz House

You may also be interested in my photo essay on the Battle of Franklin.  It can be found on my Flickr website by clicking HERE.

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Help Save the Franklin Battlefield
Let’s Reclaim a Key Section of the Franklin Breakthrough

“The most desperate fighting imaginable.”

There were many horrifying scenes of carnage throughout the Civil War, but there are few that can compare to what was witnessed on November 30, 1864 at the Battle of Franklin.

In what became one of the largest and most precipitous charges of the Civil War, Confederates of Frank Cheatham’s corps hurled themselves against strong Union entrenchments. Despite facing enormous odds, these battle hardened Confederate forces did manage to break through the Union line at its center.

Facing the sudden prospect of total defeat, Colonel Emerson Opdycke and his brigade of veteran Midwestern soldiers – Opdycke’s Tigers – charged forth into the growing breach and drove back the Confederate attackers. After five hours of frenzied fighting more than 8,500 soldiers would lay dead on the field and John Bell Hood’s Army of Tennessee was left in shambles.

CWPT is partnering with Franklin’s Charge to preserve forever a 1.07 acre portion of the Franklin battlefield – ground which witnessed the Confederate breakthrough and Union counterattack. Join us in saving this hallowed ground.

Franklin 2010 Preservation Campaign
* Acres: 1.07 acres
* Total Cost: $950,000
* CWPT Fundraising Goal: $150,000
* Match: $6.33 to $1
* Match Sources: ABPP, Franklin’s Charge

It’s not every day that we get the chance to reclaim a battlefield that has been lost. As we did with the former Pizza Hut location, at the Carter House Garden, and on the Eastern Flank, we are slowly taking back what was lost at Franklin. Join us in adding another crucial part of the puzzle at the Franklin battlefield.

Very sincerely yours,

Jim Lighthizer
President, CWPT

Click HERE to make a donation!

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The Battle of Stones River was fought from December 31, 1862 through January 2, 1863.  Fought in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, the battle is often overlooked by Civil War students.  However, this sanguinary battle was a resounding Federal victory, pushing the Confederate Army of Tennessee out of the central portion of the state.  With a combined strength, of both armies, of nearly 80,000 men it was also one of the bloodiest battles in the Western Theater, with 23,000 combined casualties – a casualty rate close to 30%!  After the victory President Abraham Lincoln sent his congratulations to the Army of the Cumberland commander, US Major General William S. Rosecrans, “You gave us a hard-earned victory, which had there been a defeat instead, the nation could have scarcely lived over it.”(i) 

While Rosecrans defeated CSA General Braxton Bragg’s Army of Tennessee 146 years ago, the battle continues today.  With development slowly encircling the battlefield, it has had the undesirable honor of making the Civil War Preservation Trust’s “Most Endangered Battlefields” list many times.  Additionally, this past Good Friday, the battlefield was directly hit by a tornado, causing significant damage to many of the largest trees.  Their is, however, a silver lining.  The Civil War Preservation Trust has permanently saved 24 acres of the battlefield and Tennessee Congressman Bart Gordon recently announced that the state had approved $1.5 million to make improvements at the national battlefield.  I visited the battlefield on January 6, 2010 and was very impressed with the National Park Service’s efforts to clear the tornado damaged trees from the hallowed ground.

I have included the following short narrative on the Battle of Stones River, to provide an overview of the battle for my readers.  I wrote the narrative for my other website, BattlefieldPortraits.com.  For additional information on the battle, please check out the following items.

Mike’s photo essay on the Battle of Stones River

Mike’s blog article on Julius P. Garesche killed at the Stones River

Battle of Stones River
(also known as Murfreesboro)

Location: Murfreesboro, Tennessee (Rutherford County)
Dates: December 31, 1862 – January 2, 1863
Union Commander:  William S. Rosecrans, Major General
Confederate Commander:  Braxton Bragg, General 

Battle Summary:

During the summer and early fall of 1862, Lincoln’s western armies were having success.  His armies had pressed the Confederate armies out of Kentucky, and portions of western Tennessee.  With U.S. Grant’s victories at Forts Henry and Donelson, in February, 1862, the Federal troops commanded the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. This provided the leverage necessary to push CSA General Albert Sidney Johnston to abandon all of Kentucky, and western Tennessee.  Grant’s victory over Johnston’s Army of the Mississippi, at Shiloh, pushed troops under P.G.T. Beauregard into northern Mississippi.  Confederate General Braxton Bragg, with his Army of the Tennessee, commanded by Lieutenant General Leonidas “Bishop” Polk and Lieutenant General William Hardee, moved into Kentucky in September and October.

While Lincoln was pleased with the success of his troops, under Grant, he remained very concerned for the safety of loyal Unionist citizens in eastern Tennessee.  After the fall of Iuka and Corinth, Mississippi, US Major General William S. Rosecrans, replaced US Major General Don Carlos Buell as commander of the newly designated Army of the Cumberland.  Meanwhile, after his unsuccessful invasion of Kentucky, Bragg was at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, protecting the vital southern rail hub at Chattanooga.

Late in December, after repeated threats from Commander-in-Chief, Major General Henry W. Halleck, Rosecrans put his army in motion.  Rosecrans slowly moved from Nashville, towards Bragg’s Army of the Tennessee, at Murfreesboro.  With the Army of the Cumberland plodding towards his Army of Tennessee, Bragg sent Brigadier General Joseph Wheeler’s cavalry to raid Rosecrans’ supply line.  Wheeler was successful, capturing hundreds of prisoners and a portion of the Union supply line.

Meanwhile, Braxton Bragg had formed a defensive line, running southwest, to northeast, just north of Murfreesboro – his supply depot.  His army straddled the Stones River.  While Bragg had time to entrench his army - he failed to do so – an error that cost him dearly.

With Rosecrans’ Army of the Cumberland within striking distance, on December 30, Bragg decided to go on the offensive.  Just after dawn on December 31, Bragg had the left ¾ of his army wheel on its right flank, hoping to turn the Federal army’s right flank.  While the move was initially successful, the surprised Federal troops soon rallied.  Early the same morning, Rosecrans had planned to attack the Confederate right flank, so his lieutenant, US Major General Alexander McD. McCook’s Corps was ill prepared to meet the rebel attack on his sector – the Federal right.  Assigned to carry out the attack were the corps of William Hardee, on the far left, and Leonidas Polk, near the rebel “hinge,” in the middle of the line.  The attack pushed McCook’s Corps back fairly easily.  However, US Brigadier General Philip Sheridan was able to hold his section of the line, at a very defensible position along the railroad, near the Murfreesboro-Nashville Pike.  (This area would be known as the Round Forest, and is part of the Stones River National Battlefield.)  

By noon, with the assault on the Union right grinding to a halt, Bragg determined to divert Rosecrans’ attention.  He sent four brigades, commanded by CSA Major General John Breckinridge, to assault the Federal left flank.  As Breckinridge’s troops crossed Stones River they were hit by heavy Union artillery and infantry, that held a naturally strong defensive position, near McFadden’s Ford.  Breckinridge’s troops being sent in piecemeal, would be annihilated.

Sporadic fighting would continue until sunset.  When Hardee requested reinforcements, around 4:00 PM, Bragg replied that he had none to send.  Hardee, capturing the moment for all eternity, stated, “The enemy lay beyond the range of our guns, securely sheltered behind the strong defense of the railroad embankment, with wide open fields intervening, which were swept by superior artillery.  It would have been folly, not valor, to assail them in this position.”

On January 2, with a division of US Major General Thomas Crittenden’s Corps arrayed east of Stones River, Bragg once again went on the offensive.  After Bishop Polk’s Corps, in the center, hammered US. Major General George Thomas’ Corps, Bragg sent Breckinridge’s Division to push Crittenden from their right flank.  Breckinridge advanced in two lines.  With sharp fire from his front, and being enfiladed from the west side of the Stones River, Breckinridge’s Division was cut up.  The assault would gain no ground for the Army of Tennessee, and would leave many dead southern soldiers on the field.  This would end the fighting at Stones River – a very costly battle on both sides.

Campaign: Stones River

Outcome: Union Victory

Troop Strengths
Union: 44,000
Confederate: 34,000

Casualties (estimated):
Union: 13,000 (killed, wounded or missing/captured)
Confederate: 10,000 (killed, wounded or missing/captured)

Battle Aftermath:
Late in the evening of January 3, under the cover of a heavy rain and darkness, Braxton Bragg began to withdraw his Army of the Tennessee.  Rosecrans did not pursue Bragg, who would end up spending the remaining winter months, and much of the summer of 1863, in camp near Tullahoma, Tennessee.  Rosecrans would stay at Murfreesboro, building an elaborate fort, Fortress Rosecrans, to protect his army.  The fortress was so large that entire wagon trains could disappear in the fort, amongst the thousands of Federal troops.

In June 1863, the Lincoln administration, through Henry Halleck, finally got William Rosecrans’ lethargic army moving.  They would push Bragg’s Army of Tennessee out of their camps at Tullahoma, and into northern Georgia.  Plodding through mountainous country, west of Chattanooga, Rosecrans would enter northern Georgia in September, 1863, to meet Bragg near another lazy waterway – Chickamauga.

(i) Cozzens, Peter, No Better Place to Die: The Battle of Stone’s River, published by University of Illinois Press on November 1, 1989, Pg. 207.

I recently had the opportunity to meet with Thomas Y. Cartwright, expert historian on the Battle of Franklin, at the Lotz House.  This interview compliments my three part series on CSA General John Bell Hood’s 1864 Franklin-Nashville Campaign (click HERE for Part 1 and HERE for Part 2).  Mr. Cartwright recently partnered with the Lotz House and now leads tours of the Franklin battlefield from there.  Prior to his association with the Lotz House, Cartwright was director of the famed Carter House, also in Franklin, Tennessee.  Many of you will know Thomas from his frequent appearances on Civil War documentaries.  He has appeared on the History Channel, A&E, Travel Channel, CNN and the Discovery Channel.  Additionally, Cartwright has spoken to Civil War Round Tables across the United States.  The author of many essays on the Civil War, Mr. Cartwright is currently working on two new books: “Mascots in the Civil War” and “The Battle of Thompson’s Station.”

About the Lotz House:
The Lotz House is one of the few remaining Civil War era homes still standing on the Franklin battlefield.  Built on five acres of land, purchased from Fountain Branch Carter, the house was completed in 1858.  German immigrant Johann Albert Lotz, a carpenter and piano maker by trade, built the majority of the house himself.  The home still bears marks from the sanguinary Battle of Franklin, including an indentation on the gift shop floor from a cannonball that entered through the roof.  J.T. Thompson, the executive director of the Lotz House, has done a superb job filling the home with Civil War memorabilia and period specific furniture.  An expert on antiques, J.T. will greet you at the door with a smile and provide a wonderful tour of the beautiful home.

I highly recommend that you stop by the Lotz House for a tour the next time you are in Franklin.  If time allows, make sure to have Thomas Cartwright lead you on a tour of the historic Franklin battlefield.

I want to thank J.T., and Thomas, for their hospitality during my visit to Franklin on January 6, 2010.  I spent over two hours talking with Thomas in the office of the Lotz House.  The interview is split into 19 parts so you can listen to it at your leasure.  If you prefer to download the entire interview, you may do so by clicking HERE.  The MP3 format is compatible with MP3 players and iPods.  Now, fasten your seatbelts and take a journey with me through John Bell Hood’s 1864 Franklin-Nashville Campaign.  Like me, I am sure you will be messmerized by the many stories that Thomas Cartwright has to tell.

Thomas Y. Cartwright Interview – 19 Parts
Interview Date: January 6, 2010
Total Time: 2 hour 09 minutes 38 seconds

Part 1:

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Time: 7:04
Contents: Welcome and introductions | How Thomas became interested in the Civil War | Thomas’ attraction to the “stories” of the Civil War | Storytelling and the Civil War student | Tactical narratives vs. storytelling

Part 2:

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Time: 7:57
Contents: History in today’s education system | Mr. Cartwright’s interviews on the History Channel and other documentaries | How Thomas spurred my interest in the forgotten battle: Franklin | Thomas’ narrative on Hood’s movements from Atlanta | The consolidation of the armies

Part 3:

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Time: 7:00
Contents: The organization of John Bell Hood’s Army of Tennessee | Overview of Nathan Bedford Forrest’s 1862 West Tennessee Campaign | Battle of Parker’s Crossroads | Bedford Forrest arrives at Florence to join John Bell Hood | Hood’s army invades Tennessee | James H. Wilson’s Federal cavalry engages Forrest’s Cavalry Corps | The Confederate flanking movement towards Spring Hill, Tennessee

Part 4:

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Time: 7:50
Contents: The Affair at Spring Hill | Where was James H. Wilson’s cavalry? | The Federal disposition of troops prior to the Affair at Spring Hill | John M. Schofield and John Bell Hood at West Point | Analysis of Hood’s movement towards Spring Hill | Actions at Spring Hill | Cleburne’s movements at Spring Hill – attack by US Colonel Luther Bradley’s brigade | Bate’s Division begins its movement towards the Columbia-Franklin Turnpike

Part 5:

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Time: 7:35
Contents: A.P. Stewart’s Corps left behind at Rutherford Creek during the Affair of Spring Hill | The Federal army’s march from Columbia to Spring Hill | The Federal army escapes the Confederate trap at Spring Hill | The Hood conspiracy at Spring Hill – Was he drunk or on laudanum? | The angry Army of Tennessee and Hood’s meeting with his lieutenants at RippaVilla | Hood puts his army in motion towards Franklin | Cleburne and Bate receive Hood’s blame for the debacle at Spring Hill

Part 6:

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Time: 6:49
Contents: CSA Major General Patrick R. Cleburne | Cleburne as a logistician and tactician | Overview of Cleburne’s battlefield contributions | Cleburne’s proposal to enlist slaves in the Confederate armies and its costs

Part 7:

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Time: 7:35
Contents: The breakdown in communications during the Affair at Spring Hill | The Army of Tennessee arrives at Franklin | Forrest’s troopers and A.P. Stewart’s infantry skirmish with George Wagner’s division at Winstead Hill and Breezy Hill | Frank Cheatham and A.P. Stewart’s Corps arrive at Franklin | Confederate Tennesseans arriving “home” | The Confederate order of battle, and positions, at Franklin | Missouri in the Civil War

Part 8:

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Time: 6:01
Contents: John Bell Hood gives his fateful orders to Patrick Cleburne | General Cheatham states it would be suicide for a frontal assault at Franklin | Forrest states he can flank the Federals with one division of infantry and his cavalry | General Govan’s conversation with Cleburne | The Army of Tennessee is deployed in line of battle | Lack of Confederate artillery at Franklin

Part 9:

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Time: 7:44
Contents: What the soldiers were thinking prior to the Battle of Franklin | Was General Hood punishing Cleburne or other soldiers for the debacle at Spring Hill? | The Confederate brigades at Franklin

Part 10:

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Time: 6:54
Contents: The Federal army | John Schofield did not want a battle at Franklin but US Major General George H. Thomas wanted him to hold the crossing of the Harpeth River | The Confederate Army of Tennessee begins marching towards the Federal works like a “human tidal wave” | The Federal soldiers admire the grand scene | Federal dispositions at Franklin | US Brigadier General George Wagner’s faulty position in advance of the main lines | The Federal advance line crumbles under the advance of CSA Brigadier General Hiram Granbury’s brigade | “All hell breaks loose….”

Part 11:

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Time: 7:26
Contents: Hand-to-hand fighting breaks out along the Federal fortifications | US Colonel Emerson Opdycke’s brigade saves the day “bursting out of the ground like demons…” | Individual actions at Franklin | The conditions on the Franklin battlefield | The fighting at Carter’s cotton gin | The fighting at the Carter house and garden | CSA brigadier generals Granbury and Strahl are killed | CSA General Francis Cockrell’s brigade is annihilated | CSA Captain Tod Carter is killed near his home | CSA Brigadier General John Adams is killed | The fighting on the Confederate right flank

Part 12:

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Time: 7:09
Contents: “A scene out of the bowels of hell” | The Carter Garden: “The bloodiest two acres of the Civil War” | Brigadier General Patrick R. Cleburne is killed, dying instantly | The cost of the Battle of Franklin | Night fighting at Franklin | Federal stories from Franklin | The disaster on the Sultana takes many Federal soldiers’ lives who participated in the Battle of Franklin | The armies move to Nashville | Preservation activities at Nashville

Part 13:

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Time: 7:36
Contents: The Battle of Nashville | The Confederate withdrawal from Nashville | The battles during the Confederate retreat | The Army of Tennessee retreats through Mississippi | The battles of the Carolinas Campaign | Preservation of Tennessee battlefields | The forgotten Battle of Franklin

Part 14:

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Time: 5:34
Contents: The battle the Confederacy wanted to forget | The cost in Confederate line officers and general officers at Franklin | The Civil War soldiers’ well deserved legacy | Battlefield preservation groups | The Carter House and death of Captain Tod Carter | Additional soldiers’ stories | Carnton Plantation and the McGavock Confederate Cemetery

Part 15:

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Time: 6:52
Contents: The Lotz House and its place in the history of the Battle of Franklin | Matilda Lotz – survivor of Franklin and a budding artist | The Lotz House collection | The Carnton Plantation | The Battle of Franklin: “Pickett’s Charge of the West” | Comparisons between the Confederate charges at Franklin and Pickett’s Charge | Everyone at Franklin was a veteran of the battle | Reminisces of Cleburne’s charge and “the awful” – the battle flag of Cleburne’s Division

Part 16:

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Time: 6:55
Contents: Battlefield preservation discussion | Development and preservation can work collaboratively | Identifying the “unknown” Confederate heroes at McGavock Confederate Cemetery | General John Bell Hood’s legacy and the Franklin-Nashville Campaign | Emerson Opdycke’s insubordination and future promotion

Part 17:

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Time: 7:23
Contents: Preserving the legacy – Civil War soldiers and their letters | Mr. Cartwright’s future books | Franklin battlefield tours | Visiting Franklin, Tennessee | If John Bell Hood could have a “do over….” | Grading the principal commanders: John M. Schofield

Part 18:

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Time:  5:38
Contents: Grading George H. Thomas | Civil War Roundtables helping with preservation | Grading John Bell Hood

Part 19:

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Time: 2:36
Contents: Grading John Bell Hood (continued) | Thank you, wrap up and closing

I received an email this afternoon from the Civil War Preservation Trust’s president, Jim Lighthizer.  It is an update on the campaign to save 47 acres at Appomattox Station – the site of a significant Federal victory on April 8, 1865.  The victory prevented Robert E. Lee’s Army of Virginia from receiving desperately needed supplies, including food to feed his army.  Below is the email from Mr. Lighthizer.

Congratulations to the CWPT for this outstanding achievement!

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Victory at Appomattox Station

47 Acres of this 1865 Battlefield Added to the Saved Column

We would like to share some great news with you today. CWPT would like to announce that we have met our fundraising goal for the 47 acres section of the Appomattox Station battlefield.

As most of you already know this new acquisition is important on three levels:

1. Appomattox Station is a historically significant battlefield. The events on this ground on April 8, 1865 led directly to Robert E. Lee’s decision to surrender his army the next day.
2. That we are saving 47 acres at the heart of this battlefield. In one fell swoop we have now saved almost all of the ground of this battlefield that can still be saved.
3. That we will be helping the Town of Appomattox and Appomattox County expand their heritage tourism opportunities.

Will Simmons, Director of Tourism for the Town of Appomattox stated that “[p]reserving the Appomattox Station battlefield site is an important step in telling the complete story of the final days of the Civil War in Virginia. This historic site links both the historic downtown Railroad Depot with the preserved village of Appomattox Court House and will enhance future visitor’s experience in learning about this significant chapter of American history.”

Of course none of this would have happened without your direct and generous support. Thanks to you we have now put another 46 acres of hallowed ground into the Saved Column.

Jim Lighthizer
President
Civil War Preservation Trust

CIVIL WAR PRESERVATION TRUST
1156 15th Street N.W., Suite 900, Washington D.C. 20005
Phone (202) 367-1861
www.civilwar.org

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