Day 22, Sunday

105,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, or missing during the four major battles that took place between 1862-1863 in  Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Court House.  It's hard to comprehend such numbers, and it's hard to not get depressed when you consider that men could do this to each other...and then there is slavery!

At the top of this hill, Confederate cannons pounded the city of Fredericksburg which the Union army occupied.  Believing their superior numbers would prevail, General Beauregard ordered his soldiers to attack the hill.  The Confederate soldiers took cover behind this stone wall and easily destroyed the approaching Union army who had no protection or cover for 300-400 yards as they approached this hill.

The Sunken Road of Fredericksburg

15,000 graves at the National Cemetery in Fredericksburg.  80% were unknown soldiers.

A Confederate soldier provides water to a wounded Union soldier.  

Located on a high bluff overlooking the  Rappahonock River and the city of Fredericksburg is Chatham Manor.  Built in 1771 and originally encompassing over 1300 acres, this plantation required over 100 slaves to serve a single family.

 

Leaving Chatham Manor, our next stop was the Chancellorsville Visitors' Center where we watched a short film that explained what most consider was Robert E. Lee's greatest victory and greatest loss.  The victory of course was over the Union Army, but the loss was the death of Stonewall Jackson, who was accidentally shot by his own men.  Without Jackson to carry out his orders, Lee never defeated the Union Army again throughout the Civil War.  

Although a more formal memorial was eventually erected, this stone was placed at the location where Jackson was believed to be shot.  He died of complications from this wound 8 days later.  When a new highway was redirected through this area, the remains of an unknown Union soldier were discovered and are now placed next to the Jackson memorial.

Day 20 and 21

Friday
Friday was our second longest travel day for this trip; driving 400 miles from Hunting Island State Park in South Carolina to Grimesland, North Carolina.  We avoided Interstate 95 for most of those miles, actually taking a shorter route, but a little bit slower.  I prefer staying off interstates as much as possible; I think you get a much better sense of the country by doing so, otherwise ever exit looks the same no matter what state you're in.

Overlooking the confluence of the James and Appomatox Rivers, the Eppes plantation in Hopewell, VA became the location of Grant's headquarters during the siege of Petersburg.

Paul & Pam's Home

 Paul and Pam Gares live in Grimesland, both went to Middlebury with me, but I haven't seen either of them in probably 25 years, maybe longer, so it was great to catch up with them, We talked 'til midnight, before finally giving in to fatigue and red wine.  Hopefully we won't wait another 25 years to get back together.

Along the way to Paul & Pam's we drove through Sunset Beach, North Carolina, driving by the home of Bill and Mila Millman.  They're still living in Merida, Mexico, but their retirement is on the near horizon, and that's where they'll settle.  Bill also went to Middlebury with me, and in fact both Bill and Paul were ushers in my wedding.

On Saturday we were back on the road by 9 AM, heading to the Petersburg National Battlefields in Virginia, 200 miles to the north.  The siege of Petersburg was the longest in the Civil War and really ended up being the final nail in the coffin of the Confederacy when the Union was able to completely cut off all the supply lines to the Robert E. Lee's army.

This was the site of the first of many battles in Petersburg

The Union cemetery at Petersburg, where the remains of 6000 soldiers were buried, 4000 of which are in unmarked graves.

We spent about five hours touring the various battlefields, watching films at the visitors’ centers, and taking an auto tour while listening to an audio guide on our car’s CD player.  We finished our visit at Grant’s headquarters in Hopewell, Virginia, which was located on a beautiful plantation that overlooked the confluence of the Appomatox and James Rivers.

The home of the Eppes family.  Once Lincoln made the Emancipation Proclamation 106 of their 142 slaves fled and many ending up fighting for the Union.  By the time Grant arrived, the home had been badly damaged by cannon fire, so Grant lived in a smaller log house on the property.

This is Grant's cabin where he lived for about 10 months during this campaign.

After a delicious dinner at the Boathouse in Hopewell we had a short drive to our campground in Pocahontas State Park, which is not named after Elizabeth Warren.