Richmond VA, 5/31/2014

A few weeks ago I was asked a question, something like --

 " can't you honor your ancestors without flying the flag"

If the good Lord is willing, and the creek don't rise,
I will be in Richmond tomorrow for theHeadstone Dedication,

 I'm making up some commemorative ribbons for the occasion.

So the answer is "YES"

I can and do honor them without the Battle Flag. 

But ya know what ?

I'm willing to bet the Farm that a few Flags will be there also ! 

July 3rd 1863.

Well my good friend Wayne Rowe Has corrected my Research, I was wrong---
The map below shows the positions of the First Company Richmond Howitzers.

Thanks Wayne !!!

I know I'm very lucky to have the information about William Tatum and the Richmond Howitzers.
The Howitzer's activities are well documented by members and observers.
I also have 60+ letters from William.
Although I do not have any letters from the Gettysburg time frame, I did some research and feel that the above map shows his whereabouts on that fateful day.

The following account of Pickett's charge is from another Richmond Howitzer----

Eye witness to Pickett’s Charge

A DIARY OF THE WAR ,WHAT I SAW OF IT.
BY William S. White,
Third Richmond Howitzers, First Virginia Artillery,
Second Corps, A. N. V.

Pickett’s Charge!
"Cease firing!"—our infantry is about to charge, and we anxiously gather in squads upon the brow of the hill to witness that charge that will be remembered so long as brave deeds are honored, so long as the English tongue is spoken. Boldly do the troops of Hill and Longstreet advance across the intervening space, and the infantry fight commences —nearer and nearer do they advance towards the enemy's works, and a fire such as man
never stood is poured into their devoted ranks. Some waver and fall back — as mountain mist before the summer's sun, so melts our line away. Pell mell our brave boys are driven back—the enemy leaves his works and with banners flying, rapidly advances upon our troops ; our artillery opens to cover the retreat of our troops, but for some unaccountable reason is ordered to "cease firing ‘
.
" Quickly our infantry are rallied in the very face of that sheet of living flame, and with a yell turn upon the enemy who break and take cover under their works. Again and again this is repeated—sometimes our men would actually be in their works, but by almost superhuman efforts the enemy would regain them, and drive our men away. Those hills, more formidable than the heights of Fredericksburg, cannot be taken, and " Pickett's
charge" has passed into history. Failure is written upon the banner of the Army of Northern Virginia, but the end is not yet.

Will the enemy attempt to take our position?—if so, he will find that the men who could make a charge can just as gallantly repel one. 'Tis useless to cause the farther effusion of blood by another attempt, and our troops gradually fall back to our former lines, not pursued by the enemy. How my bright anticipations of a brilliant victory have been dispelled by this disastrous charge!

Many, very many of our gallant soldiers have fallen, and many have been captured, but if Meade desires to find out the strength of our position, we will show him that the Army of Northern Virginia has in no manner lost confidence in Robert E. Lee, nor in itself. We do not anticipate an attack, for Meade is also terribly crippled, too much so to make an attack upon us without receiving further reinforcements. In this he has the advantage: he can wait, for reinforcements are coming to him daily ; we must fight or quit.

" A Determined Spirit "

" It seems to me that fighting as we are, on our home soil,

 for our homes, fireside and all that man holds dear" -----

" I am going to stand here "

The 5th paragraph of this letter has always inspired me.

It's an account of First Manassass from someone who was there.

The letter shows that not only Stonewall displayed courage.

A Confederate Memorial

A color guard marches into Cedar Hill Cemetery with the flags during the Memorial Day ceremony held Saturday by Suffolk Chapter 173 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

The crack of a 21-gun salute punctuated a Memorial Day ceremony held Saturday by Suffolk Chapter 173 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

The event also offered an occasion for the Tom Smith Camp 1702 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans to dedicate a flagpole that was erected nearly a year ago at the Confederate Monument within the cemetery. A Confederate flag has flown from the pole 24 hours a day since it was erected, officials said.

“We cannot forget what our ancestors endured, fighting for our freedom and beliefs,” Kevin Beale, commander of the Tom Smith Camp, told those attending the ceremony.

“We will continue the tradition of honoring our brave soldiers by placing flags on their graves,” added Becky Sharrett, president of the Suffolk chapter of the UDC.

The annual event drew a few dozen people to the dappled shade near the back of the downtown cemetery. On graves scattered throughout the cemetery were different flags representing the Confederacy and the deceased person’s part in it.

Many of the participants and spectators alike turned out in period attire, and Civil War re-enactors provided everything from the Presentation of the Colors to the rifle salute to a rousing tattoo at the end of the ceremony.

The cemetery’s monument was built in 1889 by Thomas W. Smith in honor of the comrades he lost during the Civil War. In 1997, members of the SCV camp named in his honor undertook a four-year project to restore it, according to F. Lee Hart III, who gave a history of the monument during Saturday’s ceremony. The flagpole was added last June.

Referring to the sculpted Confederate soldier standing atop the monument, Sharrett told participants “He will now have his colors standing beside him day and night.”

According to Hart, it was important that local SCV members honor the flag and the memory of those who served it during the Civil War.

“Many of our soldiers fought, carried and bled under this flag,” he said. “Never let it be said that this flag is evil. Fly the flag honorably.”

Beale said there have been no complaints about the flag nor acts of vandalism to it since it was installed in June.

                

 R.E. Spears III/Suffolk News-Herald

Hope For The Future !

                                                  

May 1861

The photo in this post is from May 1861, they it shows the U.S. Capitol Building under construction.

 I got a question -- " If slaves were working on the Capitol Building "during the war", who was in charge of them ? 
The US Government ? And if it was the USA. who was in charge of the Country at the time ? Lincoln ?