DOCSLIB.ORG

A Discussion of a Resolution to Rename E. Jubal Drive and W

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A Discussion of a Resolution to Rename E. Jubal Drive and W City of Winchester COUNCIL ACTION MEMO ☐ Resolution ☐ Ordinance ☒ Discussion To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council From: Timothy Youmans, Planning Director Subject: A DISCUSSION OF A RESOLUTION TO RENAME E. JUBAL DRIVE AND W. JUBAL EARLY DRIVE Meeting: City Council Work Session - Jun 23 2020 THE ISSUE: The City has received citizen requests to rename city roadways bearing the name of Confederate General Jubal Early who was an outspoken proponent of White Supremacy and promoter of the Lost Cause until his death in 1894. A list of possible alternative names has been created for City Council to consider. Winchester City resident Vanessa Santiago has recommended Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive. Frederick County resident Brian Walls recommended the name James Pierson Beckwourth. Keven Walker has recommended the name Thomas Laws. STRATEGIC PLAN: Goal IV: Improve City services and advance the strategic plan goals by promoting a culture of transparency, efficiency, and innovation BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The roadway that currently bears the name Jubal Early Drive (both E. Jubal Early and W. Jubal Early) was originally identified as ‘Southern Loop’ in old VDOT/VDH plans and the City’s Comprehensive Plan. It was called this because it “looped” around the south side of the old City limits back before the 1970 annexation. The roadway was built in a number of phases. Phase 1 was built in conjunction with Apple Blossom Mall in the early 1980s and was named Apple Blossom Drive. It extended from down in front of Perkins west to where the S. Pleasant Valley Rd intersection is today. It created a triangular network of roadway bounded by a two-way section of Millwood Ave, a one-way westbound section of Millwood Ave, and the new 4-lane divided stretch of Apple Blossom Drive. That configuration finally went away in 2014 when the City and SU eliminated the one-way segment of Millwood Ave in front of the performing arts building. In conjunction with the 2014 Millwood Ave diversion project, City Council renamed the portion of E. Jubal Early Drive from its eastern terminus to where Apple Blossom Drive and Millwood Ave intersect with the remaining part of E. Jubal Early Dr (where Hampton Inn/Ollie’s/Walgreen’s are located) to Millwood Avenue on September 9, 2014. There was no opposition to that roadway renaming. Phase 2 of Apple Blossom Drive (currently named E. Jubal Early and W. Jubal Early Dr) was extended west over the CSX RR to Valley Ave in the early 1990s. Before the 1992 dedication ceremony on the bridge over the RR, the road was quickly renamed Jubal Early Drive by Council Resolution on February 12, 1991. Former Mayor Stewart Bell had wanted a roadway named for General Jubal Early at least as far back as the 1970s. As a side note, Pleasant Valley Road was given its generic name after a failed attempt at the November 18, 1975 Council meeting where a motion was made to name that roadway in honor of Jubal Early. After the failed motion, the Pleasant Valley Rd name was approved. That action in 1975 may have been the motivation for Mr. Bell’s desire to get Apple Blossom Dr renamed to Jubal Early Drive. Here is an excerpt from the 11-18-1975 Council Minutes: Mr. Zuckerman’ s motion, seconded by Mr. Bly, to rename the Pleasant Valley Road Project “Jubal Early Drive”, as recommended by the Planning Commission, was de­feated by the following substitute motion: On a motion (substitute) by Mr. Garber, seconded by Dr. Jones, the follow-ing resolution was adopted, with Messrs. Bell, Bly, Fleming, and Glass voting in the negative: RESOLUTION BE IT RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of Winchester, Virginia, that the street being completed from Millwood Avenue north to Kerr Street, and known as the “Pleasant Valley Road Project”, be named “Pleasant Valley Road”, and that Rouss Spring Drive, Greenwalt Avenue, and Kerr Street, all or part of which have been incorporated into said Project, be renamed in their entirety “Pleasant Valley Road” (Editors note: It was common practice in this timeframe for the chairman of the committee under which section of the meeting an item was presented to be the person making the motion. Therefore, even though Mr. Zuckerman made the motion to rename Pleasant Valley Rd to Jubal Early Dr, he did not support that motion and was one of the 9 councilors out of 13 who rejected the Jubal Early naming and instead supported the substitute motion. Mr. Bell was one of the 4 councilors who sought the renaming to Jubal Early Drive.) Regarding Phase 3, Meadow Branch Avenue was originally known as W. Jubal Early Drive. It was renamed to Meadow Branch Avenue by City Council on February 8, 1994 at the request of the developer of Meadow Branch Subdivision when the plans to extend W. Jubal Early Dr out through western Frederick Co were being prepared. They realized that both roads could not have the same name. There was no opposition expressed by residents who had to change their addresses from W. Jubal Early to Meadow Branch. Phase 3 of the original Southern Loop highway system was built in many subphases. The developers of Meadow Branch Subdivision built from Handley Ave northward to Buckner Dr in the Meadow Branch North Subdivision in the late 1980s. The portion from Valley Ave up to Handley Ave was built in the 1997, although two of the four lanes in the stretch between Harvest Drive and Handley had been built before then by one of the Meadow Branch South developers. The last portion of Meadow Branch Avenue from Buckner Dr to Amherst St was built by the City in conjunction with the new John Kerr Elem School in the 2010s. BUDGET IMPACT: New street name signage will need to be fabricated and installed at approx 6 intersections. OPTIONS: Six possible alternative names have been initially suggested for consideration: Spottswood Poles Boulevard- Winchester Native WWI Hero and nationally recognized baseball legend whose accomplishments have only recently been recognized locally. The small stretch of roadway (parking lot access aisle) that is currently named in his honor could be renamed. Martin Luther King Drive- Iconic U.S. Civil Rights leader. Name suggested by City resident Vanessa Santiago who states: “I think in honor of the reason we're changing the name, to give a nod to the current movement, and to recognize the civil rights that were fought for in Virginia, I'd like to suggest it be renamed to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive. I think this would also be very fitting as it passes Page 2 of 12 through educational institutions like Shenandoah University, Children of America, and on your way to John Kerr Elementary School.” Thomas Laws Drive- African-American who transported produce between towns occupied by opposing troops during the Civil War. He agreed to carry a message from local Quaker Rebecca Wright on Confederate Gen. Jubal Early's troop strength in Winchester to Union Gen. Sheridan leading to his advance on Winchester from eastern Frederick County. Laws' efforts influenced the decisive Union victory, the 3rd Battle of Winchester, marking the last time that the City was under Confederate control. Sara Brown Boulevard- Winchester native, Dr. Sara Winifred Brown became a prominent African American professor of Gynecology at Howard University and doctor. She was the first woman appointed to the Howard University Board of Directors. Winchester (Park)Way- Currently, no street in the City bears the name ‘Winchester’ in it even though many nearby places have streets named for Winchester such as Winchester Ave (US Rte 11) in Martinsburg and Winchester Rd (US Rte 522) leading north out of Front Royal. Abrams Creek Parkway- The roadway begins on the eastern end near the bridge over Abrams Creek near Shenandoah University and ends near another bridge over Abrams Creek where the Green Circle Trail extends out into the Abrams Creek Wetland Preserve. Upon further research, it was determined that the name James Pierson Beckwourth that was suggested by Mr. Walls of Frederick County, was not a person born in Frederick County VA, but instead, Fredericksburg, VA. Staff notes that streets can have an honorary naming in addition to an official name for business addressing and emergency response purposes. Many cities have designated honorary or memorial names for streets and VDOT has a program in place to name stretches of Virginia highways for people, places, or things. For example, US Rte 522 from Rte 50 down to US Rte 340 (Double Tollgate) is named Front Royal Turnpike, but it has also been officially designated as ‘Patsy Cline Memorial Highway’ under the VDOT road-naming program. RECOMMENDATION: Staff has no recommendations on this topic at this time. ATTACHMENTS: Spottswood Poles and Sara Brown background info Thomas Laws Jubal Early Petition REVIEW: Perry Eisenach, Public Services Director Approved - Jun 15 2020 Melisa Michelsen, City Attorney Approved - Jun 16 2020 Mary Price, Interim City Manager Approved - Jun 18 2020 Page 3 of 12 Spot(t)swood Poles • Born in Winchester around 1887 Page 4 of 12 • Recognized as one of the fastest players of his day • Left-handed batter who attained batting averages of .440, .414, and .487 (note: Hit .610 against white major league teams) • Played for Harrisburg 1906, Philadelphia in 1909, and New York Lincoln Giants in 1911 • Joined 369th Infantry Regiment (Harlem Hellfighters), attached to French Army, during WWI, earning 5 battle stars and a Purple Heart for combat in France as a sergeant • Died at age 74 in 1962 and buried in Arlington National Cemetery Dr. Sara Winifred Brown Page 5 of 12 • Born in Winchester 1868 • African American MD & teacher • Taught Gynecology at Howard University • One of 50 women in WWI ‘Flying Squadron’ • A founding member of what is now the National Association of University Women (NAUW) • 1st woman on Howard University Board of Trustees • Killed when struck by a bus in 1948 Thomas Laws • African-American Slave during Am.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • A Campaign of Giants: the Battle for Petersburg: Volume One, from the Crossing of the James to the Crater
    Civil War Book Review Winter 2019 Article 28 A Campaign of Giants: The Battle for Petersburg: Volume One, From the Crossing of the James to the Crater Benjamin F. Cooling [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/cwbr Recommended Citation Cooling, Benjamin F. (2019) "A Campaign of Giants: The Battle for Petersburg: Volume One, From the Crossing of the James to the Crater," Civil War Book Review: Vol. 21 : Iss. 1 . DOI: 10.31390/cwbr.21.1.28 Available at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/cwbr/vol21/iss1/28 Cooling: A Campaign of Giants: The Battle for Petersburg: Volume One, Fro Review Cooling, Benjamin F. Winter 2019 Greene, Wilson A. A Campaign of Giants: The Battle for Petersburg. Volume One, From the Crossing of the James to the Crater. University of North Carolina Press, $29.95 ISBN 9781469638577 The conclusion of the Centenary of World War I may be the appropriate moment to re-visit America’s forerunner to modern siege warfare, the ten-month Richmond-Petersburg campaign which all but concluded the agonizingly long struggle in the eastern theater. Just as the Western Front in France eventually cracked, opening the way to the Armistice, so too did Robert E. Lee’s determined stand for the Confederate capital, thus leading to the Appomattox solution. In a comprehensive, labor of love based on encyclopedic knowledge of men and events, long-time Petersburg authority A. Wilson Greene prepares a three-volume treatise, the first of which covers what essentially can be found in essays in Gary Gallagher and Caroline Janney, Cold Harbor to the Crater: The End of the Overland Campaign (2015) or Earl J.
    [Show full text]
  • Battle-Of-Waynesboro
    Battlefield Waynesboro Driving Tour AREA AT WAR The Battle of Waynesboro Campaign Timeline 1864-1865: Jubal Early’s Last Stand Sheridan’s Road The dramatic Union victory at the Battle of Cedar Creek on October 19, 1864, had effectively ended to Petersburg Confederate control in the Valley. Confederate Gen. Jubal A. Early “occasionally came up to the front and Winchester barked, but there was no more bite in him,” as one Yankee put it. Early attempted a last offensive in mid- October 19, 1864 November 1864, but his weakened cavalry was defeated by Union Gen. Philip H. Sheridan’s cavalry at Kernstown Union Gen. Philip H. Sheridan Newtown (Stephens City) and Ninevah, forcing Early to withdraw. The Union cavalry now so defeats Confederate Gen. Jubal A. Early at Cedar Creek. overpowered his own that Early could no longer maneuver offensively. A Union reconnaissance Strasburg Front Royal was repulsed at Rude’s Hill on November 22, and a second Union cavalry raid was turned mid-November 1864 back at Lacey Spring on December 21, ending active operations for the winter season. Early’s weakened cavalry The winter was disastrous for the Confederate army, which was no longer able is defeated in skirmishes at to sustain itself on the produce of the Valley, which had been devastated by Newtown and Ninevah. the destruction of “The Burning.” Rebel cavalry and infantry were returned November 22, to Lee’s army at Petersburg or dispersed to feed and forage for themselves. 1864 Union cavalry repulsed in a small action at Rude’s Hill. Prelude to Battle Harrisonburg December 21, McDowell 1864 As the winter waned and spring approached, Confederates defeat Federals the Federals began to move.
    [Show full text]
  • General AP Hill at Gettysburg
    Papers of the 2017 Gettysburg National Park Seminar General A.P. Hill at Gettysburg: A Study of Character and Command Matt Atkinson If not A. P. Hill, then who? May 2, 1863, Orange Plank Road, Chancellorsville, Virginia – In the darkness of the Wilderness, victory or defeat hung in the balance. The redoubtable man himself, Stonewall Jackson, had ridden out in front of his most advanced infantry line to reconnoiter the Federal position and was now returning with his staff. Nervous North Carolinians started to fire at the noises of the approaching horses. Voices cry out from the darkness, “Cease firing, you are firing into your own men!” “Who gave that order?” a muffled voice in the distance is heard to say. “It’s a lie! Pour it into them, boys!” Like chain lightning, a sudden volley of musketry flashes through the woods and the aftermath reveals Jackson struck by three bullets.1 Caught in the tempest also is one of Jackson’s division commanders, A. P. Hill. The two men had feuded for months but all that was forgotten as Hill rode to see about his commander’s welfare. “I have been trying to make the men cease firing,” said Hill as he dismounted. “Is the wound painful?” “Very painful, my arm is broken,” replied Jackson. Hill delicately removed Jackson’s gauntlets and then unhooked his sabre and sword belt. Hill then sat down on the ground and cradled Jackson’s head in his lap as he and an aide cut through the commander’s clothing to examine the wounds.
    [Show full text]
  • Civil War Fought for the Union Which Represent 52% of the Sons of Harvard Killed in Action During This Conflict
    Advocates for Harvard ROTC . H CRIMSON UNION ARMY VETERANS Total served Died in service Killed in action Died by disease Harvard College grads 475 73 69 26 Harvard College- non grads 114 22 Harvard Graduate schools 349 22 NA NA Total 938 117 69 26 The above total of Harvard alumni who died in the service of the Union included 5 major generals, 3 Brigadier Generals, 6 colonels, 19 LT Colonels and majors, 17 junior officers in the Army, 3 sergeants plus 3 Naval officers, including 2 Medical doctors. 72% of all Harvard alumni who served in the Civil War fought for the Union which represent 52% of the sons of Harvard killed in action during this conflict. As result among Harvard alumni, Union military losses were 10% compared with a 21% casualty rate for the Confederate Army. The battle of Gettysburg (PA) had the highest amount of Harvard alumni serving in the Union Army who were killed in action (i.e. 11), in addition 3 Harvard alumni Confederates also died in this battle. Secondly, seven Crimson warriors made the supreme sacrifice for the Union at Antietam (MD) with 5 more were killed in the battles of Cedar Mountain (VA) and Fredericksburg (VA). As expected, most of the Harvard alumni who died in the service of the Union were born and raised in the Northeastern states (e.g. 74% from Massachusetts). However, 9 Harvard alumni Union casualties were from the Mid West including one from the border state of Missouri. None of these Harvard men were from southern states. The below men who made the supreme sacrifice for their country to preserve the union which also resulted in the abolition of slavery.
    [Show full text]
  • Did Meade Begin a Counteroffensive After Pickett's Charge?
    Did Meade Begin a Counteroffensive after Pickett’s Charge? Troy D. Harman When examining the strategy of Union Major General George Gordon Meade at the battle of Gettysburg, one discovers lingering doubts about his leadership and will to fight. His rivals viewed him as a timid commander who would not have engaged at Gettysburg had not his peers corralled him into it. On the first day of the battle, for instance, it was Major General John Fulton Reynolds who entangled the left wing of the federal army thirty miles north of its original defensive position at Westminster, Maryland. Under the circumstances, Meade scrambled to rush the rest of his army to the developing battlefield. And on the second day, Major General Daniel Sickles advanced part of his Union 3rd Corps several hundred yards ahead of the designated position on the army’s left, and forced Meade to over-commit forces there to save the situation. In both instances the Union army prevailed, while the Confederate high command struggled to adjust to uncharacteristically aggressive Union moves. However, it would appear that both outcomes were the result of actions initiated by someone other than Meade, who seemed to react well enough. Frustrating to Meade must have been that these same two outcomes could have been viewed in a way more favorable to the commanding general. For example, both Reynolds and Sickles were dependent on Meade to follow through with their bold moves. Though Reynolds committed 25,000 Union infantry to fight at Gettysburg, it was Meade who authorized his advance into south-central Pennsylvania.
    [Show full text]
  • On MONDAY, June 24, the MRRT Welcomes Back Dr. Roger Rosentreter from MSU to Speak on “Michigan at Gettysburg”
    VOL. LIII, NO. 6 Michigan Regimental Round Table Newsletter—Page 1 June 2013 Although the trip to Charleston this October has been successfully subscribed, should you wish to participate, there’s still room. Price is $300 which includes the tour guides, three meals, bus, tour booklet and taxes. The Saturday evening meal at the Washington Light Infantry for someone not on the tour is $35.00—this includes the meal, open bar and gratuity. For further information, check out the flier on our website at http://www.farmlib.org/mrrt/2013MRRTFieldTrip.pdf. On MONDAY, June 24, the MRRT welcomes back Dr. Roger Rosentreter from MSU to speak on “Michigan at Gettysburg”. The 150th anniversary of the greatest battle ever fought on the North American continent will be this coming July 1-3. During this battle in a small farming town in southern Pennsylvania over 150,000 men made war on each other for three days. The state of Michigan had a major impact on the battle’s result, including General George Custer (Michigan’s Hero), the 24th Michigan on July 1st, the 16th Michigan on Little Round Top with the 20th Maine, and General Alpheus S. Williams. Dr. Rosentreter spoke to us last year on “Three Generals and an Unlucky Regiment: Michigan at Antietam”. He is a Michigan native and has taught history classes at Michigan State for over 20 years–primarily the American Civil War, Michigan history and 20th Century U.S. Military History. Roger co-authored two books with our friend, Lincoln scholar Dr. Weldon Petz: Seeking Lincoln in Michigan: A Remembrance Trail and Michigan Remembers Lincoln.
    [Show full text]
  • The Last Battle of Winchester: Phil Sheridan, Jubal Early, and the Shenandoah Valley Campaign, August 7-September 19, 1864
    Civil War Book Review Fall 2013 Article 10 The Last Battle of Winchester: Phil Sheridan, Jubal Early, and the Shenandoah Valley Campaign, August 7-September 19, 1864 David Coffey Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/cwbr Recommended Citation Coffey, David (2013) "The Last Battle of Winchester: Phil Sheridan, Jubal Early, and the Shenandoah Valley Campaign, August 7-September 19, 1864," Civil War Book Review: Vol. 15 : Iss. 4 . DOI: 10.31390/cwbr.15.4.10 Available at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/cwbr/vol15/iss4/10 Coffey: The Last Battle of Winchester: Phil Sheridan, Jubal Early, and th Review Coffey, David Fall 2013 Patchan, Scott C. The Last Battle of Winchester: Phil Sheridan, Jubal Early, and the Shenandoah Valley Campaign, August 7-September 19, 1864. Savas Beatie, $34.95 ISBN 978-1-932714-98-2 A New Look at an Important Battle in the Valley The 1864 Shenandoah Valley Campaign has never quite received the respect it deserves. An undeniably consequential series of events, the campaign and its numerous engagements have nonetheless failed to attract the level of scholarly interest their importance should demand. Not until Jeffry Wert’s 1987 study, From Winchester to Cedar Creek, did the campaign garner proper attention. Since the early 2000s a new interest in General Philip Sheridan, thanks to the writing of Eric Wittenberg and others, and the renewed attention of popular historian Gary W. Gallagher, the pivotal roles that Sheridan and his victories in the valley played in the ultimate success of the Federal armies are finally being recognized. Scott C.
    [Show full text]
  • How James Longstreet Became “Controversial” 1865-1890  After Surrender Travels to Lynchburg, VA to Visit Family with T.J
    How James Longstreet became “controversial” 1865-1890 After surrender travels to Lynchburg, VA to visit family with T.J. Goree en route to Texas. Party includes Gen. Longstreet, son Garland Longstreet, servant Jim and T.J. Goree. Travel by mule driven ambulance and horseback through Carolina’s, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi visiting family along the way. Mark 6:4 - "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own country and among his relatives and his own family.“ Quoted in essay, “The Road to Hell is paved with Good Intentions: James Longstreet in War and Peace” in Lee and His Generals: Essays in Honor of T. Harry Williams. “As there is nothing left to take hold of except prejudice, which cannot be worked for good for anyone, it seems proper and right that we should seek some standing which may encourage hope for the future.” James Longstreet in New York Times interview, May 24th, 1865 The most powerful grounds for accepting the new order were “the obligations under which we were placed by the terms of our paroles.” January 1st – Starts Cotton Brokerage business with former Washington Artillery Captain, William Miller Owen. Longstreet, Owen & Co. March 1st – Becomes President of the Great Southern and Western Fire, Marine and Accident Insurance Company. Unsuccessfully sought presidency of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad but was made President of the Southern Hospital Association. The original source for the “Lee promising to fight a defensive campaign.” Pg. 340 -“Indeed, in entering upon the campaign, Gen. Lee expressly promised his corps commanders that he would not assume a tactical offensive.
    [Show full text]
  • Album Portrays Leading Confederate Generals in Image and Anecdote
    Civil War Book Review Winter 2001 Article 26 The Picture Of Confederate Gray: Album Portrays Leading Confederate Generals In Image And Anecdote Wilbur E. Meneray Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/cwbr Recommended Citation Meneray, Wilbur E. (2001) "The Picture Of Confederate Gray: Album Portrays Leading Confederate Generals In Image And Anecdote," Civil War Book Review: Vol. 3 : Iss. 1 . Available at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/cwbr/vol3/iss1/26 Meneray: The Picture Of Confederate Gray: Album Portrays Leading Confedera Review THE PICTURE OF CONFEDERATE GRAY Album portrays leading Confederate generals in image and anecdote Meneray, Wilbur E. Winter 2001 Cantor, George Confederate Generals: Life Portraits. Taylor Publishing Co. (TX), 2000-09-01. ISBN 878331794 George Cantor twice refers to Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg: once as "one of the great feats of valor in all of American warfare," and later as "a display of courage rarely equaled in the history of warfare." The author himself displays courage in selecting only 16 Confederate generals to highlight in his new work, Confederate Generals: Life Portraits. Civil War historians and buffs will surely have favorites among the 425 men listed in Ezra T. Warner's Generals in Gray that Cantor has omitted. He divides the chosen 16 into five groups: "The Legends" are Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Joseph Johnston, and James Longstreet; "The Cavalrymen" comprise Jeb Stuart, Nathan Bedford Forrest, and John Hunt Mor-gan; "The Western Commanders" are Albert Sidney Johnston, John Bell Hood, and Patrick Cleburne; and "The Difficult Men" are Jubal Early, Braxton Bragg, and Robert Toombs.
    [Show full text]
  • Symonds on Pfanz, 'Richard Sewell: a Soldier's Life'
    H-CivWar Symonds on Pfanz, 'Richard Sewell: A Soldier's Life' Review published on Tuesday, June 30, 1998 Donald C. Pfanz. Richard Sewell: A Soldier's Life. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1998. xix + 655 pp. $39.95 (cloth), ISBN 978-0-8078-2389-7. Reviewed by Craig L. Symonds (U.S. Naval Academy) Published on H-CivWar (June, 1998) Lee's "lieutenants" in the Army of Northern Virginia have attracted a lot of attention from Civil War scholars. In addition to the three-volume study by D.S. Freeman, still in print a half century after publication, individual biographies of Thomas J. Jackson, James Longstreet, and A.P. Hill, have become essential works for anyone interested in the Virginia theater. Richard S. Ewell is often the forgotten man in the hierarchy of Lee's army. Indeed, if he is remembered at all, it is often because he is sometimes held responsible for the Confederate loss at Gettysburg where, so the accusation goes, he failed to seize the opportunity to capture Cemetery Hill in the late afternoon of July 1. In this excellent biography, Donald C. Pfanz not only examines that accusation thoroughly, but rescues Ewell from relative anonymity. (Pfanz, incidentally, is the son of Harry W. Pfanz whose multi-volume history of Gettysburg is the most detailed and authoritative work on that subject.) Three things make Donald Pfanz's book a welcome addition to Civil War literature. First, it is a true biography that includes coverage of Ewell's life and U.S. Army career prior to the Civil War and of his all-too-brief career as a planter in the post war years, as well as his Civil War experiences.
    [Show full text]
  • Shenandoah at WAR
    Shenandoah AT WAR If this Valley is lost, Virginia– Gen. is Thomas lost! J. “Stonewall” Jackson One story... a thousand voices. Visitors Guide to the Shenandoah Valley’s Civil War Story Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District Explore the National Historic District Other Areas By degrees the whole line was thrown into confusion and I had no other recourse but to rally the Brigade on higher area by area... including Harpers Ferry, ground... There we took a stand and for hours successfully repulsed By degrees the whole line was Martinsburg, and thrown into confusion and I had no other recourse but to rally the Brigade on higher ground... There we took a stand and Winchester Charles Town Harpers Ferry including areas of Frederick and Clarke counties Page 40 for hours successfully repulsed Page 20 Third Winchester Signal Knob Winchester Battlefield Park including Middletown, Strasburg, and Front Royal By degrees the whole line was thrown into confusion and I had no other recourse but to rally the Page 24 Brigade on higher ground... There we took a stand and for hours successfully repulsed By degrees the whole line was thrown into confusion and I had no other recourse but to rally the Brigade on higher ground... There we took New Market including Luray and areas of Page County a stand and for hours successfully repulsed By degrees the whole line was thrown into confusion and I had no Page 28 other recourse but to rally the Brigade on higher ground... There we took a stand and for hours successfully repulsed By degrees the whole line was thrown into confusion and I had no other recourse but to rally the Brigade on higher Rockingham ground..
    [Show full text]
  • “If Ever Men Stayed by Their Guns”
    “If Ever Men Stayed By Their Guns” Leadership in the 1st and 11th Corps Artillery on the First Day of the Battle of Gettysburg Bert Barnett During the Battle of Gettysburg, the roar of cannon mingled with the rattle of small arms during each phase of the engagement. Prominent among the Union forces desperately holding ground on July 1 were the artillery batteries of the 1st and 11th corps of the Army of the Potomac. In the face of heavy enemy fire from both Confederate infantry and artillery, these units repeatedly demonstrated their effectiveness, when well led, against the pressures of mounting numbers. Although ultimately unsuccessful in their defensive stand outside the town, these batteries provided valuable covering fire for their retreating infantry elements, helping to delay the Confederates. What follows is a close-up look at the differing levels of leadership ability within the 1st and 11th corps artillery, and how it shaped the outcome of the first day of battle, July 1, 1863. After the debacle of the Union disaster at Chancellorsville in May 1863, the Army of the Potomac was reorganized, and the artillery command structure was streamlined. Henceforth, all batteries in each corps were placed directly under the control of a single corps artillery chief and no longer attached to divisional commanders. These corps artillery chiefs reported directly to their respective corps commanders, but were also responsive to the overall chief of artillery, Brigadier General Henry Jackson Hunt.1 Hunt, an 1839 graduate of the United States Military Academy, had served in the artillery during the Mexican War and was twice brevetted, gaining the rank of major.
    [Show full text]