18th ANNIVERARY Well, 18 years ago this coming weekend I attended my first Civil War Reenactment at Prairie Grove State Battlefield in Northwest Arkansas. I am going back this weekend to celebrate. It will be a memorable occasion for me and it is the 150th Anniversary of the battle. There will probably be about 750 to 1000 re-enactors there. I …
THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN OF 1862: THROUGH ARKANSAS EYES It is hard to explain the desperation of infantrymen in Civil War Battles when they know they can’t hold against the enemy due to overwhelming numbers. The likelihood of being killed or taken prisoner can cause a rout to ensue. Some units will just turn and run. Others due to their leadership …
THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN OF 1862: THROUGH ARKANSAS EYES After daybreak on Sunday the 14th of September fighting could be heard on South Mountain as the Union Forces forced their way toward Turner’s and Fox’s Gaps and took Crampton’s Gap. The smoke from this fighting was visible from Walker’s position on Loudoun Heights. During the 14th the rest of the division …
THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN: THROUGH ARKANSAS EYES How would you like to have marched from Richmond, VA to Frederick, MD to Harper’s Ferry to Loudoun Heights in Virginia, crossed the Potomac River twice, banged on a concrete aqueduct to no avail, and participated in siege of Harper’s Ferry all within 19 days? Then guess what? Once Harpers Ferry was surrendered, you …
THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN OF 1862: THROUGH ARKANSAS EYES The division stayed in bivouac on September 11th and took up the march on the morning of the 12th. Colonel E. V. White,a Loudoun County native and commander of the 35th Virginia Battalion. had been sent, according to the orders in Special Order 191, by Gen. Jeb Stuart to guide Walker’s Division …
THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN: THROUGH ARKANSAS EYES Years ago, back in the late 1990’s, I tried to get up on Loudoun Heights. I tried going up the west side of the ridge and the east side of the ridge. I tried ever road I could find to get me where I wanted to go. I finally gave up went I took …
THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN OF 1862: THROUGH ARKANSAS EYES Special Order 191 was the Army of Northern Virginia’s plan for the Maryland Campaign. It fell into the hands of General McClellan and gave him the full outline of what Lee planned to do. To paraphrase Special Order 191,its 10 parts were as follows: I No soldier was to go into Frederick, …
THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN OF 1862: THROUGH ARKANSAS EYES Nancy and I have traveled all over the area north of Leesburg, VA trying to take pictures of the fords utilized during the Civil War for army crossings. Cheek’s Ford, also called Chick’s Ford, was where Walker’s Division crossed the Potomac River on September 7, 1862. I had traveled to this area, …
THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN OF 1862: THROUGH ARKANSAS EYES We proceeded to the Potomac and, once we reached the bank, I could see the actual ford was off to our right. A small creek about 2 feet wide was between us and the ford. The ground was a soggy and we had to jump the creek, which got Nancy’s shoes muddy. …
THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN OF 1862: THROUGH ARKANSAS EYES The two brigades of Walker’s Division were Ransom’s Brigade made up of the 24th, 25th, 35th and 49th North Carolina under Brigadier General Robert Ransom, Jr. The brigade also was assigned French’s Battery commanded by Captain Thomas B. French. Walker’s old Brigade was commanded by Col. Vannoy Hartrog Manning from Hamburg, AR, …