Tom Green Rifles Co. B, 4 Texas Infantry Happy Thanksgiving to All!!!

Tom Green Rifles
Newsletter of
Co. B, 4th Texas Infantry
October – November 2014
Check out our Facebook page at
www.facebook.com/4thtexascob ,
our Google+ page, and our
website at www.4thtexascob.com
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
4th Texas Holiday Social is December 13th – ANV First Battalion and 4th Texas 2015
Meeting dates set – Nominations for 2015 Season Sought – 2014 ANV Convention
Meeting Minutes – A Look Back at the Ridley Creek Event
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Chichester Flea Market is December 6th
Nominations for 2015 Season Sought
The annual Military Collector and Reenactor Flea Market is
scheduled for Saturday December 6th at the Upper Chichester
Community Center. See page 24 of this TGR for further
details and thank you to Sharon Jackson for forwarding the
info to the TGR staff.
The company meeting is less than a month away so
now is the time to start thinking of who will be leading
Company B during the 2015 Season. As is customary, a
nomination ballot for company officers, NCOs, and
administrative personnel is included in this issue of the TGR.
Please fill out the ballot and mail it to Captain Ron Lauser.
All nomination forms must be received by January 2nd, 2015
so the results can be published in the January TGR.
4th Texas Holiday Social
All 4th Texans and their families are invited to a Holiday
Social at our house in Wallingford, PA on December 13th,
2014. An invitation, with further details and driving
directions, has been sent with this issue of TGR. Please
RSVP
to
Ron
Lauser
at
610-513-9780
or
[email protected].
Minutes from the 2014 ANV Convention
The ANV Annual Meeting took place on last weekend. Many
thanks to those members of the First Battalion who attended
this meeting.
ANV First Battalion and 4th Texas
Company Meeting dates are set
Jake Jennette was elected commander of the ANV for 2015.
General Jennette announced he would not run again after this
year.
The ANV First Battalion Meeting is scheduled for Saturday,
January 10th in Gettysburg, PA and the 4th Texas Company
meeting is scheduled for Saturday, January 17th at the Valley
Forge Presbyterian Church in King of Prussia. Further details
and directions to each meeting will be included in the
December 2014 TGR.
The financial condition of the ANV is good. As of October
31st. the ANV had a total cash balance of almost $42,000
dollars. The Board of Directors has designated $12,000
dollars to be used for historical preservation. We will donate
$3,000 dollars each quarter to worthy causes. The Board also
voted to continue the scholarship program for 2015. Each
Battalion, or Regiment, will have a $500 dollar scholarship
for their members. Please note that this year we had $1,000
dollars, but that was two years’ worth of funds
Newsletter Notes
The Company B, Fourth Texas roster makes its semiannual appearance in this issue of TGR. Please, please,
please check over your information for accuracy and
completeness and report any mistakes or omissions to your
humble clerk, Ron Lauser.
Insurance costs will be the same as last year. Ten dollars for
all members over twelve years of age and five dollars for
children under twelve.
Happy Thanksgiving to All!!!
April 24-26 Bensalem, PA
Annual
Event
at
Neshaminy
State
http://www.neshaminycwevent.org/ for details.
ANV Convention Minutes
Continued from page 1
The Board passed a resolution to amend the bylaws to make
the distribution of funds for historical preservation more
formal. This was done to make the process clearer and to
create a "paper trail" for the IRS to protect our 501-3C status.
See
May 17 Washington D.C
The Grand Review
May 30-31 Schwenksville, PA
Annual Event at the Pennypacker Estate
The ANV voted for three max-effort events during 2015.
•
•
•
Park.
June 7-13 Washington, AK
Red River Campaign event, See www.redrivercampaign.com
Bentonville March 20-22
Old Bedford Village June 12-14
Locust Grove October 24-25 (Walkerton, VA)
June 12-14 Bedford, PA
New event at Old Bedford Village. ANV Max Effort
On May 17th the ANV will be precipitating in the Grand
Review in Washington, DC. This will be a Federal impression.
The Confederate reenactors will portray Sherman's troops. If
your people are interested, as a minimum, they will have to
have a Yankee sack coat. General Jennette will be portraying
General Sherman.
July 26 Wyomissing, PA
Step Back in Time Event
September ? Media, PA
Annual Event at Ridley Creek State Park
October 24-25 Walkerton, VA
Locust Grove Event, ANV Max Effort
_______________________________________________
The First Battalion's Annual Meeting will be held on Saturday,
January 10, 2015 in Gettysburg, PA.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Looking Back at the Ridley Creek Event
Colonel Bill Rodman
_________________________________________________
Before “closing the books” on the 2014 Reenacting season, I
thought it would be appropriate to take a look back at the
Ridley Creek events since the happenings at the events were
worthy of more than a few pictures and a one line mention in
the schedule. So if you can stand the random ramblings of
your esteemed company cluck, read on. If you can’t, read on
anyway.
2014 – 2015 Calendar of Events
Key: *** 4th Texas MAXIMUM effort
+++ ANV 1st Battalion MAX effort
### ANV 1st Division MAX effort
_________________________________________________
December 6th Upper Chichester, PA
Military Collector and Reenactor Flea Market
After a summer which included only a single one day event at
the Berks County Heritage Center, the Ridley Creek event in
late September was highly anticipated. By the time I arrived at
the site on Friday afternoon, several members had already set
up their tents and many more arrived by nightfall. We were
joined that weekend by Sean Pridgeon and other members of
the PSL who were portraying Wheat’s Tigers, a small unit
from PACS, and by Bob Abel and the members of the Salem
Light Artillery. This event also included a long awaited
reunion with members of the “old 4th Texas” which was
planned for Saturday night. Sharon Jackson took the lead in
planning and organizing all aspects the reunion and did an
outstanding job. Friday evening passed without incident,
although I did have trouble tracing down fuel for the tiki
torches which were needed for the reunion.
December 13th Wallingford, PA
4th Texas Holiday Social at the Lauser’s House
January 10th Gettysburg, PA
ANV First Battalion Meeting. Further details will be available
in next month’s TGR.
January 17th King of Prussia, PA ***
4th Texas Company Meeting at 9AM at the Valley Forge
Presbyterian Church. Directions to the church will be in next
month’s TGR.
March 7th Wyomissing, PA ***
4th Texas Company Drill at the Berks County Heritage Center.
March 14th is rain/snow date. Details will be available in
future issues of the TGR
_______________________________________________
Saturday started as a clear cool day. The day trippers arrived
to bolster our ranks and by the time we formed up for the first
battle we had an impressive company. The morning battle
started in confusion as a Federal company attacked a group of
Wheat’s Tigers while they rested near the barn. As the tigers
rallied in the lane we were sent forward to support them. We
managed to beat back the Federal company that started the
attack but we were soon overwhelmed by an all-out Federal
assault on the barnyard. We held on as long as we could since
another company was expected to attack the Federals on our
right – we would find out later that a group of Federals kept
that attack from occurring. Men were falling fast and we
couldn’t hold our ground so we fell back with as many
2015 Schedule of Events
We will be voting on these in January
_______________________________________________
March 20-22
150th Bentonville Event. ANV Mav Effort
March 27-29
150th Saylor’s Creek Event
April 10-12 Appomattox County, VA
The Long Road Home – the 150th Appomattox Event.
TGR October-November 2014
2
4th Texas Flashback
wounded as could be carried to the springhouse. The screams
and cries of our wounded and those of Wheat’s Tigers had
unnerved the men but a lull in the fighting allowed us to rally
and put up a new defensive line at the near the Plantation
house. The Federals reformed in the barnyard but their
commander held them there. The firing died down and I put
out a flag of truce which was quickly accepted by the Federal
commander. We collected our dead and did our best to
comfort the wounded. With the cessation of hostilities we
made our way back to camp hoping we would get the chance
to thrash the Yankees in the afternoon battle.
This month’s flashback features two of our “old and
wily” veterans…
Unfortunately, another battle would have to wait until Sunday.
Steady rain rolled in, ruining our Saturday afternoon, and we
spent the next several hours hiding in our tents. As expected,
the rain stopped by 5 PM and we were able to set up the camp
for the reunion social. As you can see from the pictures on
pages 10 and 11 the reunion was well attended. The food was
great (thanks to Miss Sharon) and the libations flowed freely.
May be too freely because if not for a timely beer run by Bob
and Corrie Tice our bar would have run dry. The party
continued until late into the evening and ended with in our
usual circle around the fire with the burning of a couple of
Chuck Ostrowski’s Turkish ammo boxes.
... here’s Colonel Rodman, then Captain, with the lovely
Mrs. Rodman (and Napoleon) at our Fort Mifflin
Christmas party in 2001 …
Sunday morning dawned clear and sunny. We had a little bit
of cleanup to do from the party but it didn’t take long to get
the camp ready for spectators. The morning passed quickly,
we did a firing demo for the spectators which went very well
and but everyone was anxious for the afternoon battle. The
battle started on the lane near the Plantation house. We started
out of camp at the double quick and fired several volleys at a
Yankee skirmish line. We pushed down the lane and into the
barnyard. The fight was intense and we managed to push the
Yankees back to the field on the other side of the barn. We
went forward to the fence and continued to fire. Expecting
support on our right flank, we moved forward over the fence
and into the field. Within seconds of reforming our line we
were attacked by a Federal force on our right flank – so much
for support. We tried to refuse the line but there just wasn’t
enough time. The captain and at least half the men were killed
and Colonel Rodman was captured. Lt Lutsky rallied what
men were left and continued to fight until the end of the battle.
I’m really not sure who won. Let’s call it a draw. We
reformed, cleared our weapons and saluted our opponent and
thanked them for a great weekend. Thanks to all who attended
and special thanks again to Miss Sharon Jackson for her hard
work in putting the reunion together and to Colonel Rodman
for his tireless work as our overall commander. .
… and here’s the Colonel with Pete Furmick at the
Hibernia event in 2002. Impressive beard Pete!
Care of Tinware
Now that the season is over a few simple steps will
avoid a replacement next season
After using your items for an event, wash & dry them well
with a soft cloth. This is for all tinware, even blackened
boilers. DO NOT SCRUB TO REMOVE THE BLACK. After
drying well with a soft cloth, rub mineral oil over each item,
inside and out and over the blackened areas. The oil helps
preserve the tin & solder& takes the place of using rendered
lard as was the practice in the 1860s. When packing for an
event, wash the item with soap & water, dry well & you are
ready to go.
Bill and Judy Hoover at Village Tinsmithing Works are no
longer attending events but their products are still available
by mail and phone order. You can check out the catalog on
their website at www.villagetinsmithingworks.com.
TGR October-November 2014
3
The 4th Texas
150 Years Ago This Month
advanced in support of the Texas Brigade, so Gregg's flanks
were left exposed to the enemy's enfilading fire. Kautz's
cavalry, armed with new Spencer repeating carbines, poured a
destructive fire down upon the Texans. A handful of Gregg's
men advanced within 30 paces of the blazing barricade where
they were pinned down and either captured or shot. A large
group found protection in a depression 300 yards short of the
breastworks, but others remained tangled in the abatis and
became prime targets for Federal sharpshooters and artillery.
October 1864
Disturbed by the loss of the outer Richmond defenses near
Fort Harrison, Gen. Lee immediately began plans to drive the
Union forces from their newly won, but strongly fortified,
position. Lee planned a frontal attack by the divisions of
Charles Field and Robert Hoke against the Federal lines
between the Darbytown Road and New Market Road.
Meanwhile, the brigades of Martin Gary and Evander Law
(commanded by E. A. Perry) were to outflank the Federal
position and assault it from the rear. Lee's objective was a
formidable line of Federal entrenchments and barricades lying
across the Darbytown Road about six miles southeast of
Richmond. Lee would command the operation in person.
About this time, Gen. Gregg received a ball through the neck
and was instantly killed. Col. Frederick Bass of the First Texas
assumed command of the Texas Brigade until he himself was
wounded. Command of the brigade then devolved upon Lt.
Col. C. M. Winkler, the commander of the Fourth Texas.
Finding the brigade unsupported, Winkler led the remains of
the command away from the murderous fire to the cover of
woods and hollows in their rear. After the Texans fell back,
they noticed that Gregg's body lay sprawled in a pool of blood
about 100 yards ``in front of their somewhat disorganized
line.'' Lt. John Shotwell of Gregg's staff led a small group of
enlisted men forward to recover the body. Crawling on their
hands and knees through the heavy fire, the rescue party
wrapped the dead General in a blanket and pulled him back to
their lines.
The Texas Brigade marched most of the late afternoon and
night of October 6. Gregg's men reached their position on the
Darbytown Road shortly after daylight on October 7. At this
time, Lee ordered Field's Division and several brigades of
Hoke's Division down the pike toward the Union position.
After a short time of watching the preparations for battle, Lee
asked an approaching aide if all the commands were formed
for the advance. The staff officer replied, ``None but the Texas
Brigade, General.'' Lee's comment to this reply was, ``The
Texas Brigade is always ready.'' Although spoken softly, Lee's
words were carried by the clear frosty air to the ears of the
Fifth Texas, which was formed nearby in a fringe of woods
close to the road.
At noon, the Confederates finally broke off the engagement
and retired to the west bank of Cornelius Creek, about five
miles southeast of Richmond. The disastrous Battle of
Darbytown Road cost the Texas Brigade 119 casualties (11
killed, 90 wounded, and 18 missing) out of the approximately
450 men engaged. The Fifth Texas appears to have fared the
worst, as only a handful of officers and 61 men were
afterwards present for duty. Company F of the Fifth Texas lost
10 of the 14 men who went into the battle. After the debacle,
the remnant of the Texas Brigade took position on the
Richmond defense line about four miles southeast of the city
between the Williamsburg and Charles City Roads.
Lee assigned Field's Division and Hoke's brigades to positions
north and south of the Darbytown Road, respectively. Field
deployed his division with Gregg's Texas Brigade on the right
near the road, and G. T. Anderson's brigade to Gregg's left.
With a strong skirmish line in front, the Confederates pressed
forward against a strongly entrenched composite corps of
10,000 Federals under the command of Brig. Gen. August V.
Kautz. The Confederates quickly overran an incomplete
Federal fortification a half-mile in front of Kautz's main line,
and captured eight rifled cannon, a few colors, and about 300
men. Lee halted the attack for a short time to realign his troops
and to prepare for the assault against the main Federal line.
Brig. Gen. John Gregg's body was placed in a casket and
conveyed to Richmond, where it lay in state in the House of
Representatives amid floral offerings and massed Confederate
and Texas flags. Hundreds of citizens paid silent tribute. Gen.
Lee wrote to Secretary of War James Seddon, ``The brave
General Gregg of the Texas Brigade fell dead at the head of
his men.'' Lee had regarded Gregg ``as the best brigadier in the
army.'' Gregg would be the last general officer to command
the Texas Brigade and its only commander to be killed in
action. The Texas Brigade was permitted to attend the
funeral en masse and, on October 9, marched in the funeral
cortege to Hollywood Cemetery for the burial service.
(Gregg's body would later be removed and permanently
interred in Aberdeen, Mississippi.)
The main Federal defenses featured formidable log
breastworks atop a hill, a thick abatis 500 yards in front of the
breastworks, and a large swamp in front of the abatis. Gregg
was ordered to spearhead the assault straight down the
Darbytown Road -- precisely where the Federal entrenchments
were strongest. Not since Gaines' Mill had the Texas Brigade
been asked to storm such a strongly prepared position. The
Texans and Arkansans were to be supported by the rest of
Field's Division on the left and Hoke's command on the right.
On October 19, Lt. Gen. James Longstreet returned to active
duty after being severely wounded at the Battle of the
Wilderness in May. Lee assigned to Longstreet the command
of all Confederate troops north of the James River.
Longstreet's command thus consisted of the commands of
Maj. Gens. Richard Ewell and George Pickett, Hoke's and
Field's Divisions, and Gary's Cavalry Brigade.
As the Texas Brigade approached within a quarter mile of the
Federal position, it came under heavy artillery fire which
forced them to take cover and regroup. After a short pause, the
brigade advanced forward and waded through the swamp, but
had their mass formation fragmented by the thick abatis
beyond. Neither Anderson on the left nor Hoke on the right
TGR October-November 2014
4
During October 25 and 26, Gen. Grant moved a sizeable
Federal force north across the James to attempt another
penetration of the inner defense line around Richmond. Early
on October 27, the Federals made a diversionary attack on the
Confederate entrenchments between the New Market and
Charles City Roads, while the main Union force struck around
Longstreet's left along the Williamsburg Road. Sensing the
Federal plan, Longstreet moved Field's and Hoke's Divisions
by the left flank along the defense works to the suspected area
of enemy attack.
ranged from a ``tent of two covering a hole in the Virginia
clay,'' to a spacious log cabin of three rooms. Typically, the
structures featured a wooden framework, fireplaces and
chimneys made of mud, and roofs of thatched branches,
canvas, or blankets. The Texans erected two structures for
general brigade use -- a huge log theater and a chapel that
measured 60 x 25 feet.
By the late fall, the Texas Brigade had received visits from
several distingushed Texans, including John Reagan
(Confederate Postmaster General), W. S. Oldham (Texas
Senator), Francis Lubbock (former Governor of Texas and
now a member of President Davis' staff), Stephen F. Darden
(Texas Congressman), and Col. John R. Baylor (frontiersman
and Indian fighter). These visitors were well received by the
men, but another, Sen. Louis T. Wigfall -- the first brigadier of
the Texas Brigade -- was met with coolness and even hostility.
Wigfall had publicly opposed Davis' decision to replace
Joseph E. Johnston as commander of the Army of Tennessee
with John Bell Hood. His subsequent criticism of Hood's
failures in that position further lowered the Texans' opinion of
Wigfall. The brigade would not tolerate criticism of their
patron saint, especially when it came from a politician.
The Texas Brigade led the Confederate advance and arrived at
the threatened point just as a heavy Federal force ``advanced
over the open ground on each side of the Williamsburg Road.''
The Confederate position had been defended only by a
lieutenant and 20 men of the Virginia Home Guard. At the
sight of the Texas Brigade marching at the double-quick to
their relief, the lieutenant exclaimed, ``Glory to God, we are
saved!''
The Texas Brigade, supported by Benning's and Anderson's
Brigades, easily repulsed the initial Federal attack led by two
Federal regiments -- one Negro and one white -- advancing in
double column. The Federal infantry did not press its attack,
but the Yankee artillery, firing from north of the road, did
effective work against the Confederate defenders. Col.
Winkler ordered two men from each company of the Texas
Brigade ``to concentrate their fire on the battery, and, if
possible, to kill all its horses.'' The Texans' fire was so
effective that the Federals hitched up their teams and removed
the artillery, leaving their infantry prone in a depression only
200 yards from the Confederate lines.
During November 1864, two subjects heavily influenced the
morale of the Texas Brigade. The reelection of Abraham
Lincoln on November 8 cast a pall over the entire Army of
Northern Virginia, as dreams of a imminent peace with the
United States were dashed. Nevertheless, rumor of a possible
brigade-wide furlough to Texas for the purpose of recruiting
and rehabilitating was cause for optimism within the Texas
Brigade. This latest rumor about a temporary return to Texas
stemmed from attempts by Texas Governor Pendleton Murrah
in May, Brig. Gen. John Gregg in June, and former Texas
Brigade commander Jerome B. Robertson in October to
persuade the President and Secretary of War to return the three
Texas Regiments home for the ``purpose of recruiting their
decimated ranks.''
Afraid to retreat or advance, the Union infantry exchanged fire
with the Confederates for about an hour. Ultimately a
spontaneous charge by the Texas Brigade, supported by the
two Georgia brigades, overran the Federal position and took
several hundred prisoners and at least five stands of colors.
Although the engagement along the Williamsburg Road did
not develop into a major battle, skirmishing and artillery fire
lasted several hours. The Texas Brigade suffered the greatest
number of casualties in Field's Division, numbering 4 killed
and 15 wounded.
Indeed, many of the companies in the Texas Brigade had been
reduced to skeleton strength. On November 27, Co. C of the
First Texas had 29 men assigned, but only five privates and no
officers and non-commissioned officers present for duty. On
the same date, Co. F of the same regiment had nine present for
duty of 27 men assigned.
After the engagement, the Texas Brigade returned to its
position in the trenches between the Williamsburg and Charles
City Roads. Here the brigade remained for the rest of the
month.
November 1864
After the engagements of October, the remnants of the Texas
Brigade began settling into winter quarters along the
Richmond defenses between the Williamsburg and Charles
City Roads. As they had done in previous winters, the Texans
built a shantytown of huts, tents, and log cabins. The only
building material available was that derived from deserted
homes in the area. The Texans did the best they could to
construct living quarters from salvaged wood and nails with a
minimum of available tools. (Generally only one axe was
issued to each company.) The abodes built by the brigade
TGR October-November 2014
“If I owned Texas and Hell, I would rent out Texas
and live in Hell” – General Phil Sheridan
5
Ridley Creek Event and Reunion Photo Gallery
Photos Submitted by Miss Sharon Jackson, and Miss Aldona Jones
Pvt Russ Jones and Lt Joe Lutsky
Natty Jones
Pvt Chuck Ostrowski and Sgt Bruce Malloy
Pvt Travis Lee Moser and Pvt Sean Pridgeon
Pvt Pete Furmick and Cpl Al Haney
TGR October-November 2014
Pvt Whitey White
6
Lt Joe Lutsky
Sgt Major Will Chapman
Pvts Bob Tice
Garrett HaleCpl
Pvt Barry Derrickson
Mr Chris Hale
TGR October-November 2014
Colonel Bill Rodman
Pvt Greg Hale
Pvt Pat Lynch
7
Pvt Andrew White
Miss Corrie Tice
Miss Leslie and Sgt Sean Cooney
Miss Aldona Jones
Lt Lutsky rallies the men to make a stand!
TGR October-November 2014
8
Mr Art Sweisfurth
Capt Lauser inspects Sgt Cooney’s weapon
Cpl Miller asking for help from on high
A few company shots with the colors
TGR October-November 2014
9
Pvt Greg Hale
Cpl Al Haney
Pvt Pat Lynch and Jimmer Cardon
Don Johnson
Rick Marine and Janet Kilcommons
Miss Karin Johnson
Chris Hale and Ron Cannon
TGR October-November 2014
Pvt Andrew White
Kay Johnson and Pete Firmuck
10
Bob Cassidy and Janet Kilcommons
Sandy and Bill Rodman
Steve Coates, Sgt Major Will Chapman, Pvt Pat Lynch
and Don Johnson
Misses Kilcommons, Johnson, Rodman and Kebbie
Kennedy
Jeff Schmoyer and Bob Cassidy
TGR October-November 2014
Pete Furmick, Don Johnson, and Will Chapman
11
Cedar Creek Event Photo Gallery
Photos Submitted by Miss Sharon Jackson
Pvt Chuck Ostrowski, Cpl Al Haney and Sgt Bruce Malloy
Misses Corrie Tice and Leslie Cooney
Pvt Pat Lynch
Mr. John Vollmer
TGR October-November 2014
1st Sgt Sean Cooney
Pvt Barry Derrickson
12
Colonel Bill Rodman
Sgt Bruce Malloy and Lt Joe Lutsky
Pvt Mike Kalichak
Pvt Andrew White
1st Sgt Sean Cooney, Pvt Andrew White, and Cpl George Miller
TGR October-November 2014
13
Pvt Greg Hale
Captain Ron Lauser
Sgt Major Chapman and Colonel Rodman
Sgt Major Chapman, Pvt White, and Sgt Sean Cooney
TGR October-November 2014
14
Lt Joe Lutsky
Cpl Miller and Pvt White
Pvt Bob Tice
C.S.A. Countermines Have Been Found At Petersburg Battlefield
By Kathryn Jorgensen
(November 2014 Civil War News)
PETERSBURG, Va. — A recently rediscovered “amazing
aspect that had slipped from memory and remained
undisturbed for 150 years,” has staff at Petersburg National
Battlefield excited.
The rediscovery is an extensive
countermines placed in front of the
Confederate line (the Harris line)
Salient. The salient, which was named
May Archibald Gracie, was near Union
1865 view of the interior of the Confederate line at
Haskell.
Gracie’s Salient, Petersburg. Timothy O’Sullivan
took this photograph which was published in
Alexander Gardner’s Photographic Sketch Book of
the War in May 1865. It shows earthworks,
bombproofs on the right, chevaux-de-frise and
hurdle revetments and Poor Creek. (Library of
Congress)
set of Confederate
portion of the final
known as Gracie’s
for Confederate Gen.
Forts Stedman and
Cultural Resource Manager Julia L. Steele says, “Its very
existence rewrites a small portion of the history of the early
days of the siege, when in July 1864 Union 18th Corps
engineers drove a sap uphill from Poor Creek ‘to gain a
better position for sharpshooters’ according to the Official
Records.”
The park hopes to use ground penetrating radar to assess whether there is Union mining under the salient and if
any of the Confederate countermines remain intact.
Steele explains that countermines were dug to try and intercept enemy mining efforts by discovering and
destroying or neutralizing the mine.
References to “mines” might be news to Civil War enthusiasts who know Petersburg for one famous mine,
underground explosion and battle — the Crater — and don’t know there were additional mines.
Steele says Confederates had countermines at six locations “where the lay of the land and the proximity of the
lines made them worry about Union siege mining efforts.”
Three of these locations were in what is now the park — the Crater, Gracie’s Salient and in front of Colquitt’s
Salient.
Last year the park did a detailed assessment of Gracie’s Salient for its inventory and condition assessment
program. Steele says they worked from a detailed Union engineers’ map referred to as “Draft Michler” or
“Manuscript Michler.”
Nathaniel Michler was a Corps of Engineers officer. He was brevetted colonel for his service during the
Petersburg siege and brigadier general for his Civil War service in April 1865.
The Michler map Steele refers to showed the Confederate fortifications just after the city fell in early April
1865. It concentrated on the Confederate fortifications from the Appomattox River south to the Baxter Road.
“The park was as curious as the Federals were about the Confederate works,” Steele says. Park staff could align
most of the map features with what remains on the ground in a deeply wooded and difficult to reach portion of
the park.
TGR October-November 2014
15
“But there were a few lines of depressions that we noted had not been mapped,” she says.
The nearby U.S. Army installation at Fort Lee provided LiDAR remote sensing technology images of the area.
LiDAR can capture ground contours through the tree cover.
The detailed Michler map indicates Confederate lines over the entire spur of high ground within the bend of
Poor Creek. Steele says, “It also shows faint, penciled lines that match exactly the surface indications of
collapsed underground tunnels.”
She credits NPS Cultural Resource historian and geographic information systems specialistDavid Lowe and
independent history researcher Dr. Philip Shiman with making the connection.
The two have been fascinated by Petersburg for years: Lowe after researching battles for the Civil War Sites
Advisory Commission and mapping forts in the park and Shiman after working as a seasonal employee at the
park for six summers while a student.
On one of their trips to explore the siege lines a few years ago it all jelled, Steele says. She went out with them
and likewise became convinced they were seeing collapsed tunnels.
Lowe and Shiman are members of the Civil War Fortifications Study Group which meets at a site every year to
examine Civil War earthworks. The men tested their theory of the undocumented tunnels during the group’s
February visit to Petersburg.
“They were fairly certain, but the area is so densely wooded today, it’s difficult to get the full picture,” says
Steele. The fortifications study group members agreed that the lines of depressions were Confederate
countermines.
“It was good to have their verification because it seemed so unbelievable that this major part of the Petersburg
story had remained hidden all these years,” says Steele.
She, Lowe and Shiman “scoured the documentary records and began to piece the picture together.”
Their rigorous review of documentation included Union and Confederate maps from early in the siege. “They
seem to show a Union picket line on the west side of Poor Creek in a position that must have been a real irritant
to the Confederates — so much so that they initiated mining/countermining activities in early July,” says Steele.
“The closeness of the lines in this sector also had the Federals lobbing grenades and using sap rollers to advance
their lines.”
Confederates employed “torpedoes” as land mines to block the vulnerable railroad cut that bisected their lines.
On Aug. 5, less than a week after the Crater mine explosion, Confederates set off some explosions under the
Union line in front of Gracie’s Salient.
The action was “to no avail and minor notice,” says Steele, although two mini-craters from the explosions
remain.
She refers to Official Records’ reports that Confederates put 425 pounds of powder in each mini-mine as
compared to 8,000 pounds which resulted in the Crater.
Steele says Confederate engineer W.W. Blackford reported Confederate troops’ fear of Union mining efforts
after the Crater. Blackford sent to Richmond for augurs so troops could assess underground activity by whether
or not water levels had dropped in the augur holes.
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“He knew this wasn’t a realistic detection method, but it helped with the morale,” says Steele. “He also
describes how the tunnels were guarded and plans to battle underground should one side breach the other’s
tunnel.”
More details from Blackford’s account of fighting at the salient, the trenches which were 50-60 yards apart, and
the process of digging countermines and carrying away the earth can be found in his War Years with Jeb
Stuart published in 1946.
Steele says the Federals dug some countermines at Fort Stedman and Battery X. They are opposite Gracie’s and
Colquitt’s salients where the original June 18 lines were so close.
The Confederates held on to Gracie’s Salient. They finally drove the Federals away on Nov. 6 by raising the
waters of Poor Creek with an earthen dam that cut off some retreating Union soldiers who were captured.
In addition to the earlier mentioned three Confederate countermine locations within in the park, Steele reports
that during the Fortifications Study Group’s Petersburg visit they found another location just off the park on
private land.
Another set of tunnels was near the City Point road and “seems to have been lost to modern development.” The
final set of Confederate countermines was at Fort Mahone and lost to mall development in the 1960s.
Steele says the collapsed tunnels at Gracie’s Salient that showed up on the radar could be explored further using
ground penetrating radar, “but all this research leads us to believe there are other tunnels that have not collapsed
and could be located by using radar.”
USS Monitor Conservators Prepare Turret Coat For Exhibit
By Scott C. Boyd
(November 2014 Civil War News)
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – “This coat embodies the struggle to
get off the ship. It is an unbelievably personal item,” says David
Krop, Director of the USS Monitor Center at The Mariners’
Museum. “It speaks to the story of the night of the sinking of the
Monitor.”
The Union ironclad with its iconic rotating gun turret, which
fought the Confederate CSS Virginia on March 9, 1862, in the
first battle between ironclads, sank while being towed off Cape
Hatteras, N.C., on Dec. 31, 1862.
Conservator Elsa Sangouard, left, and
conservation intern Laura Reid, top, remove
concretion that accumulated while the coat was
under water. (Courtesy The Mariners'
Museum)
The wreck was located in 1973. Its turret was recovered in 2002
with fragments of the coat inside.
The coat may seem commonplace at first glance – a dark blue
double-breasted wool sack coat. In fact, it is quite a rarity,
according to Krop.
“Nobody has a surviving Civil War-era double-breasted sack coat of a Navy context,” he says.
The coat is 85 percent intact. Krop describes a virtual jigsaw puzzle of over 180 fragments which have been
painstakingly cared for and assembled by a team of conservators and consultants.
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Too fragile to be stitched back together and mounted on a manikin, instead the pieces have been placed together
on six flat panels that are nine feet long when placed side-by-side, according to Will Hoffman, Senior
Conservator at the USS Monitor Center.
Krop hopes the coat will be ready for exhibit at the USS Monitor Center by next summer. It will be a
“comprehensive interpretation” of the coat. It would probably be shown in the reconstructed Monitor officers’
quarters, along with a replica on a manikin to show how it would have appeared in 1862.
The coat’s owner is unknown. Krop says it was most likely a civilian coat modified for military use with official
U.S. Navy hard rubber buttons, patented by the Goodyear Rubber Company.
Conservator Hoffman quotes the conservation report’s description: “A pilot’s coat, circa 1861, double-breasted,
with a single vent in the center back, and two-part coat sleeves, made of Navy blue wool Melton, having eight
main pattern pieces with accompanying collar and under-collar pieces, buttons, pocket pieces, and fragments.”
Krop says eight of the Goodyear buttons were found detached nearby, since the cotton stitching attaching them
had disintegrated over time. The buttons would have been in four rows of two buttons each, as indicated by the
slits in the coat’s front.
There were no lapels or any insignia to indicate rank, according to Krop, and the buttons were not the brass kind
associated with officers.
The coat was found in 2002 when the turret was recovered. The turret was upside down under the ship’s hull.
The crumpled coat was concreted to the turret’s roof, covered with nine feet of sediment from its 140 years
under water.
Although the remains of two sailors were discovered in the turret, the coat was located off to one side of them.
“It was piled-up wool components that made up a coat,” Krop says. It was found in five or six large concreted
“blobs” of fiber.
At the time the archeologists examining the turret were performing a major “triage” of all the contents,
identifying those artifacts in the greatest need of immediate treatment, and those which could be safely stored
and examined later.
“We had 1,500 artifacts weighing 200 tons,” he notes.
The coat “blobs” were put into cold, dark storage in freshwater to prevent biological organisms from growing
and degrading them prior to active treatment, according to Krop.
Subsequently a couple of textile experts joined the staff and began what he describes as “a six-year process of
documenting, cleaning, deconcreting, removing orange iron staining, and ascertaining what the pieces were.”
By 2012 all the coat components were stabilized. Removing the concreted material within the wool fiber
structure of the coat was the biggest challenge, Hoffman says.
“Marine concretion is a combination of sediment, corrosion products and marine life that builds up over
artifacts at the bottom of the ocean,” he explains. “You have this really thick, hard calcium material embedded
in that wool structure.”
The first step was to remove the bulk of the concretion. “Some you could wash away, other was thick, hard
stuff.” In a multi-year process, a combination of chemistry and dental scalers – like the ones dental hygienists
use to remove plaque from teeth – was used to break up the concreted material that wouldn’t rinse away.
Hoffman calls it “a slow, arduous process.” The second step was to remove the orange staining in the wool
through a series of chemical baths. Third, the fiber was washed. Fourth, the fiber was dried. This is a big
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challenge, Hoffman says, because the cell structure of the organic materials has degraded. They can’t simply be
air-dried, because the removal of water and surface tension can have permanent effects. Instead, they are freezedried.
After these four steps, the second half of the artifacts’ treatment — “preventative conservation” — begins,
according to Hoffman. “The museum environment, the humidity, the climate control, how the artifact is
mounted, its display – all of that is also conservation,” he says.
Because the coat material is degraded, though stable, it can’t be stitched together and hung on a manikin
because the effect of gravity on the material will affect the fibers.
“The only way to properly display fragile archeological textiles of this age is to display them flat,” Hoffman
explains. “They can be mounted to a backing so you can display them at any pitch.”
Hoffman consulted Virginia textile conservators Colleen Callahan and Newbold Richardson. Among other
things, they did research on the coat to help provide its history.
Analysis showed the wool fibers had chromium present, which may have been dye used to produce the dark
blue color.
Krop praises the museum’s Bronze Door Society for raising almost $20,000 to display the coat.
“It cost $10,000 to have the pieces professionally, archivally mounted on flat panels,” Krop says.
The eight hard rubber buttons are attached to the panels through the fabric by magnets, so the fabric is
unharmed — “a very unique approach to making sure the things were well taken care of,” he notes.
“We know sailors who survived [the Monitor sinking] had written accounts of stripping out of their heavy outer
clothing, kicking off their shoes and boots, leaving coats behind – this coat embodies that,” Krop says.
“Somebody was wearing this on December 31, 1862. They saw the pounding surf, the heavy water, they took it
off, dropped it, and maybe they survived, maybe they didn’t.”
Other Artifacts found in the USS Monitor’s Turret
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November 2014 Military Members of Company B, Fourth Texas Infantry
Last
First
Bordonaro
Carroll
Chapman
Cooney
Derrickson
Furmick
Haney
Harding
Jones
Jurand
Kalichak
Lauser
Lutsky
Lynch
Malloy
Miller
Moser
Rodman
Ubben
Joe
Bill
Will
Sean
Barry
Pete
Al
Bill
Russ
George
Mike
Ron
Joe
Pat
Bruce
George
Travis
Bill
Randy
White
Andrew
Office/Committee
Bat Sgt Major
1st Sgt
2nd Cpl
Captain/Clerk
1st Lt
2nd Sgt
1st Cpl
Quartmaster
1st Battalion Commander/President
Address
City
State
Zip
Phone
E-Mail
606 Calico Drive
3241 Morning Glory Rd
129 Thames Dr
5859 Sullivan Trail
878 Taylor Drive
1137 Mountain View Rd
397 West 5th Ave
7 Skyline Dr
406 Bethel Chruch Road
180 Shadow Ridge Lane
317 Melvin Dr
103 Chestnut Parkway
4303 Fox Pointe Ct
831 Dellview Drive
26545 Cattail Lane
3817 Greenwood Ave
650 Montgomery Ave
320 Rees Drive
53 Dean Road
Mt Laural
Philadelphia
North Wales
Nazareth
Folcroft
Lexington
Parkesburg
Malvern
Spring City
Raphine
Brookhaven
Wallingford
Glen Mills
Folcroft
Millsboro
Boothwyn
Boyertown
King of Prussia
New Milford
NJ
PA
PA
PA
PA
VA
PA
PA
PA
VA
PA
PA
PA
PA
DE
PA
PA
PA
CT
08054-4432
19154-1809
19454-1654
18064-9254
19032-1523
24450-3222
19365-1438
19355-2817
19475-9645
22472-2630
19015-1612
19086-7122
19342
19032-1705
19966-6306
19061-2730
19512-9634
19406-2357
06776-3824
856-727-0102
215-637-1057
215-643-9605
732-713-4682
610-809-9565
540-464-1863
610-857-9388
610-647-0267
610-495-6793
540-377-2727
610-874-2022
610-876-1938
610-558-0217
610-583-7999
302-945-2248
610-494-6891
610-473-0839
610-878-9492
860-350-2306
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
13 Woodview Road
Malvern
PA
19355-2118
484-723-3653
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
November 2014 Military & Civilian Recruits of Company B, Fourth Texas Infantry
Last
First
Address
City
State
Zip
Phone
E-Mail
Coste
Hale
Mullock
Osmon
Ostrowski
Tice
Tice
Andrew
Greg
Ed
Tim
Chuck
Bob
Corrie
127 Rutgers Ave
124 Sheeder Road
1028 East Schuylkill Road
620 Shadeland Ave
745 N Main Street
1947 Wodmont Drive
3457 Cresson Street
Swarthmore
Phoenixville
Pottstown
Drexel Hill
Pittston
Bethlehem
Philadelphia
PA
PA
PA
PA
PA
PA
PA
19081-1713
19460-1515
19465--7002
19026-1429
18640-2246
18018-1454
19129-1646
484-432-0937
610-495-6047
610-451-7760
610-312-1401
570-237-2092
610-360-5529
267-688-4519
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
November 2014 Inactive Members and Newsletter Subscribers of Company B, Fourth Texas Infantry
Last
First
Address
City
State
Country
Boyd
King
Rich
Brian & Lauren
517 Bradford Ave
Warrington
Billund
PA
Ribe
Denmark
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20
Zip
18976-2331
Phone
215-4914930
E-Mail
[email protected]
[email protected]
November 2014 Civilian Members of Company B, Fourth Texas Infantry
Last
First
Brego-Cooney
Carroll
Hale
Leslie
Mary
Chris & Garrett
Office/Committee
Jackson
Jones
Jones
Jones
Mann
Moser
Rodman
Sweisfirth
Sharon
Aldona
Abbey
Nathaniel
Lauren & Stephen
Diane, Gillian & Hallie
Sandy
Art
Paymistress/Camp
Dominatrix
Civillian Activities
Address
City
State
5859 Sullivan Trail
3241 Morning Glory Rd
124 Sheeder Rd
Nazareth
Philadelphia
Phoenixville
PA
PA
PA
18064-9254
19154-1809
19460-1515
Zip
732-672-7710
215-637-1057
610-495-6047
Phone
E-Mail
[email protected]
124 Sheeder Rd
406 Bethel Chruch Road
406 Bethel Chruch Road
406 Bethel Chruch Road
320 Rees Drive
650 Montgomery Ave
320 Rees Drive
200 South Highland Road
Phoenixville
Spring City
Spring City
Spring City
King of Prussia
Boyertown
King of Prussia
Springfield
PA
PA
PA
PA
PA
PA
PA
PA
19460-1515
19475-9645
19475-9645
19475-9645
19406-2357
19512-9634
19406-2357
19064-2216
610-495-6047
610-495-6793
610-495-6793
610-495-6793
610-878-9492
610-473-0839
610-878-9492
610-543-5836
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
November 2014 Friends of Company B, Fourth Texas Infantry
Last
Bullock
Coyle
Dale
First
Greg
Kevin
John
DiAngelo
DelCostello
Fletcher
Katcher
Leckebusch
Leckebusch
Loscher
Martin
Myers
McGowan
Moore
Anthony
Leo
Stewart
"Goober"
Rick
Mike
Larry
Rob
"Fletch"
Phil
Markus
Stefan
Christian
Rob
Tim
Bill
Mark
O'Brien
Pritchett
Thomas
Vollmer
Whiteside
Dan
Tom
Wayne
John
John
Douglas
Eisenhart
Espenshade
Gawlinski
Unit
9th VA Co E
4th Tx, ACWS
ANV 1st Bat XO
4th Tx, ACWS
1st Texas, Co E
4th Tx, ACWS
4th TX, Co B
4th TX, Co B
4th TX, Co B
1st Texas, Co E
27th VA
27th VA
3rd AK
4th Tx, ACWS
TGR October-November 2014
Address
801 Wayne Ave
200 North Manoa Road
Highland Farmhouse
274 Glen Riddle Rd, Apt
E202
82 Franklin Drive
City
Kennett Square
Havertown
Bishop Middleham
State or
County
PA
PA
Co. Durham
Media
Port Deposit
PA
MD
1 Briery Vale Close
PO Box 197
402 Plesantview Road
8 Narberth Place
Ashbrooke
Hellertown
Hummelstown
Southampton
Sunderland
PA
PA
NJ
UK
98 Forest Road
321 Landsende Road
Klötzlmüllerstraße 58
Herzog-Georg-Platz 6
Watzmannstraße 4
1719 Weil Street
Southport
Devon
Landshut
Landshut
Landshut
Bethlehem
Merseyside
PA
Bayern
Bayern
Bayern
PA
UK
831 Dellview Drive
1012 Washington Valley
Rd
541 W Lafayette St
8 Springbank Gardens
405 Backer Road
813 Cottonwood Dr
Folcroft
PA
19032-1705
Basking Ridge
Easton
Dunblane
Beaver Dams
Malvern
NJ
PA
Perthshire
NY
PA
07920-3585
18042-1538
FK15 9JX
14812-9130
19355-3138
21
Country
UK
Germany
Germany
Germany
Scotland
Zip
19348-3446
19083-3503
DL17 9DP
Phone
19063-5869
21904
484-620-9185
410-378-4025
SR2 7HY
18055-0247
17036-8006
08088-1305
610-838-6120
717-534-4270
609-859-0002
PR8 6HY
19333-1424
84034
84028
84034
18018
610-449-2708
E-Mail
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
610-644-6337
610-419-9641
215-661-9366
610-220-2504
908-658-4422
607-796-9751
610-296-8016
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
The lovely ladies of the 4th Texas at the Ridley Creek Reunion, from left, Sandy
Rodman, Kebbie Kennedy, Sharon Jackson, Janet Kilcommons, and Kay Johnson
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The company waits for battle at the Ridley Creek Event
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Nomination Ballot for 2015 Officers, NCOs, and Administrators
President
_____________________________
Captain:
______________________________
1st Lieutenant: _______________________________
1st Sergeant:
_______________________________
2nd Sergeant:
_______________________________
1st Corporal:
_______________________________
2nd Corporal:
_______________________________
Paymaster:
_______________________________
Company Clerk:
_______________________________
Recruiting Committee: ___________________________
Quartermaster:
_______________________________
Authenticity Committee: __________________________
Military Activities Committee: _____________________
Civilian Activities Officer: ________________________
Nominate one person per office (except where there are committees.
Tear off and mail completed ballots to Ron Lauser, 103 Chestnut Parkway, Wallingford, PA, 19086-7122
Please mail in ballots by January 2nd, 2015
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