|
 The
Grand Review
Fall
2006
To navigate this
newsletter scroll down for a complete look or click below on the
article of interest.
Coming Events
1st Annual Great Winter
Encampment Symposium
A Generous Donation Indeed!
Will You Help?
Teachers Visit Culpeper/Graffiti
House
Annual Meeting 2007
Sunday Seminars are Hot Topics!
Volunteers Still Needed!
Research Continues on Stuart
Signature
A Maryland Flask Visits
Robert E. Lee the 4th Visits
Brandy Station
A Visit to Blenheim
Christmas Party 2006
Fire Those Guns!
Time Flies!!
Help Preserve History by Owning
it!
Mark
your calendars - All of the following events will be occurring
at/near the Graffiti House soon!
October 29 Sunday at 2:00 PM Civil War Music by Anne
Howard and John Tole
November 4 Saturday at 10:00 AM Last Saturday Battlefield
tour for 2006
November 4 Saturday at 1:00 PM Cannon Firing with the
First Stuart Horse Artillery
December 9 Saturday at 1:00 PM Christmas Party at the
Graffiti House
March
2, 2007 at 6:30PM Annual Meeting - Brandy
Station Fire Hall
March
24, 2007 "Winter Encampment"
Symposium at
Germanna Technology Center
June
6, 7 and 8, 2008 145th Anniversary
Weekend of the Battle of Brandy Station
(To Index)
1st
Annual Great Winter Encampment Symposium
The
Brandy Station Foundation with the Germanna Community College are
hosting a Symposium on the Great Winter Encampment on March 24,
2007. We invite proposals for papers or other presentations on any
other aspect of the Winter Encampment or events that took place in
and around Culpeper County during the winter of 1863-64. Papers and
presentations will be 45 minutes long, followed by a brief
question and answer session. If you would like to be a presenter at
the Symposium, please submit a proposal, no longer than 750 words,
postmarked no later than November 27th, 2006 to: the Brandy Station
Foundation, P. O. Box 165, Brandy Station, Virginia 22714.
For more information click here.
(To Index)
Recently, the Brandy Station Foundation was the recipient of a
wonderful historical gift! Through the auspices of Stevensburg
District County Supervisor Bill Chase, Mr. Wayne Mills donated his
collection of the Official Records (OR) of the War of the
Rebellion. The collection, encompassing 127 of the 128 original
volumes and some 18-24 cubic feet of knowledge, will now provide a
firm basis for historical civil war research at the Graffiti House.
As a bonus, this set of OR volumes was originally printed in 1891
and originally given to then Congressman F. L. Coombs of California,
whose name is embellished in gold leaf on the spine of the books.
With this marking, the OR is quite a historical artifact by itself.
Thank you Wayne and Bill!
(To Index)
Will
You Help?
During
the winter of 2005-6, your Brandy station Foundation (BSF) was able
to do two things it had never done before. First it was able to
save, virtually single handed, a prime piece of Brandy Station
battlefield land - the former Golden Oaks property at the foot of
Fleetwood Hill. Second, within just a couple of months, the BSF was
able to purchase another prime piece of battlefield property - but
this time at Kelly's Ford. These purchases were made in your name
and were generously supported by you.
However, I am disappointed to say, we are still about
$25,000 short of having enough money
to pay the mortgage on the properties. The money, although
significant, is not great - but in concert with other outstanding
mortgages/operational costs from the Graffiti House, the debt
creates a situation where the BSF has a very limited flexibility for
the future.
When
we look around Culpeper today, we see a county in the midst of a
great transition. What the future will bring we do not know - but
what we can anticipate is that the future will be significantly
different than what we have experienced previously. The best way to
combat the uncertainties of this future is to provide ourselves with
the maximum amount of flexibility for our affairs. This flexibility
can be provided by successfully ending our most outstanding debts -
such as the $25,000.
As you
can see by this and our past newsletters, this organization is doing
significant work to preserve America's heritage in Culpeper County.
We can best continue these works by taking action to put ourselves
in the driver's seat for our future. Minimizing our debt is one
such effort we can do to help ourselves - but we need your support.
Will you help?
Click
here for information on donations and membership.
(To Index)
On
July 21st twenty teachers from Fauquier Public Schools visited the
Graffiti House as part of the county's in-service program. After a
morning with Virginia Morton at Cedar Mountain battlefield, the
teachers assembled after lunch at Brandy Station. Veteran guide Jim
Flanagan provided a historic tour de force demonstrating the
geographic importance of the Rappahannock River on the shape of the
Civil War. Many of the teachers had no knowledge of the battles
fought at Kelly's Ford, Beverly Ford and Brandy Station. Linking
these events to the messages left on the walls of the Graffiti House
gave a thrill to the teachers and an appreciation for the history
that is on our doorstep. Fauquier High teacher Dawn Brown said, “I
had no idea how important this area is!”
With
popular emphasis on
SOL
test results, time constraints forced by block scheduling and the
increased price of fuel, field trips have been discouraged by many
schools. With the knowledge that they do not have to drive to
Washington DC or Williamsburg for a valuable out-of-class
experience, many of the teachers are already planning to incorporate
the Graffiti House in the curriculum. Additionally many high school
social studies teachers require community service hours as part of
the grade for graduating seniors. The Graffiti House provides a
wealth of opportunities for contributing to the public in our area.
(To Index)
The
annual Meeting for the Brandy Station Foundation will be held March
2nd, 2007 at the Brandy Station Fire Hall. The event will last from
6:30 to 9:00; our speaker will be Joe McKinney and the food will be
great and there will be lots of it!! Don't miss it!
(To Index)
Interests have been as keen as the weather has been hot for the BSF
Sunday Seminar series!
The
series began on June 25th with a thought provoking presentation by
Dr. Dan Beattie on the Dahlgren-Kilpatrick Raid on Richmond in
1864. Dan brought to life the personalities of the main
participants as well as the operational difficulties that both
armies faced in trying to achieve and/or defend the raid! As to the
main question
-
who
knew what and when --
you
would have had to be at the Graffiti House to get the answer.
On
July 30th, Brigadier General John DePue (Retired) shared the trials
and tribulations of the men who fought as the 1st New Jersey
Cavalry. Beginning at their enlistment, General DePue discussed the
men, their leaders and the leaders shortcomings as they advanced
through the war to the June 9th,1863, Battle of Brandy Station. The
old saying – “we have met the enemy and they are us” - takes on
special meaning when placed in the context of this very interesting
- but flawed, regiment.
On
August 27th, Ms. Faren Wolter of the Piedmont Environmental Council,
ably seconded by Culpeper legal eagle "Butch" Davies led a
fascinating discussion concerning strategies available to protect
Culpeper's History through Virginia Land Preservation Tax credits.
Speaking to a group of 25 interested parties, the discussion was
spirited and interesting as well as hopefully useful to the
participants.
On
September 24th, Joe McKinney led a fascinating discussion of the
Battle of Yellow Tavern and the Death of JEB Stuart. Ably borrowing
from his own independent research, Joe led the audience from the
details of the fateful encounter to its placement within the larger
scheme of late war Federal strategy.
(To Index)
Do you
like to meet new people? Do you know how to operate a TV &
DVD
player? Can you say “hello” in at least one language
-
English? If so, you have all the skills necessary to volunteer at
the Graffiti House. If not, we can train you! As we transition to
opening the house to visitors on four days each week, we need to
double the number of volunteers. The Graffiti House had close to
1700 visitors through August and volunteers are really needed!
Please contact Della Edrington at (540) 825-4543 or
email Della at della_e@hotmail.com
if you would be willing to help keep our house open this Fall.
(To Index)
As
reported in the last newsletter, the name of JEB Stuart has been
found on a wall of the Graffiti House. What remains to be done is to
determine whether the name is just that -
JEB
Stuarts's name - or whether it is actually JEB Stuart's signature.
Some 10 examples of JEB Stuarts signature from the 1850’s through
his death in 1864 have been gathered for the purpose of comparing
them against the wall signature. Additionally, the wall name has
been shown to several experts in the Confederate autograph field.
Thus far, the jury is still out and no firm conclusion has
been reached. If you have an interest in signatures, or an interest
in JEB Stuart, or would just like to try your hand at CSI work, we
would be interested in talking to you. Volunteers are needed!! For
information contact us at
(540) 727-7718 or email us
at
director@brandystationfoundation.com.
(To Index)
Recently Father William Aitcheson of Warrenton, Virginia, graciously
allowed the Brandy Station Foundation to display for the summer a
rare relic from his collection. The relic was a pewter drinking
flask which at one time was owned by Henry (Hal) Hopkins of
Breathed's Battery of the Stuart Horse Artillery. It is the same
Henry Hopkins whose name is the 4th listed name on the Maryland
Scroll located in the rear upstairs room at the Graffiti House.
While impossible to prove, it is possible that this very flask was
in Henry's possession when the Maryland Scroll was drawn at the
Graffiti House over 143 years ago. Thank you Father Aitcheson.
(To Index)
On
July 9th the Brandy Station Foundation was honored to have as our
guest at the Graffiti House in Brandy Station, Mr. Robert Edward Lee
IV.
Bob
Lee is the grandson of William Henry Fitzhugh (Rooney) Lee, and the
great-grandson of General Robert E. Lee. Mr. Lee came to Brandy
Station to sign the Wall of Honor at the Graffiti House in the names
of his illustrious ancestors. Mr. Lee seemed as though the honor
was his to add his name to the wall with the names of so many others
who were on the field of battle.
Mr.
Lee was most gracious in speaking to the crowd of about 75 who
gathered on this hot afternoon to meet him, many asking for
autographs and pictures and asking him to sign books about his
ancestors. One such request was from a young boy who came with his
friends and his mother and presented his history book for Mr. Lee
sign beside a picture of General R. E. Lee.
(To Index)
A
Visit to Blenheim
On
July 20, 2006, seven members of the Brandy Station Board of
Directors and volunteer staff had the unique opportunity to visit
the Blenheim House in the City of Fairfax, on Old Lee Highway.
Blenheim is home to a wealth of Civil War Graffiti. Blenheim, open
just one weekend a year to the public, was opened to us thanks to
Susan Gray, curator of the Fairfax County Museum system.
This
12-acre site, purchased by the City of Fairfax in 1999, includes a
circa 1858 brick house and family cemetery. Once part of a large
farm owned by several generations of the locally prominent Willcoxon
family, Blenheim is on the National Register of Historic Places and
contains the most voluminous and best-preserved examples of Civil
War soldier graffiti in the nation. Another historic property, the
c.1840 Grandma's Cottage, was moved to the Blenheim complex in early
2001. Both buildings are associated with the Willcoxon family,
instrumental in the early-19th-century history of Fairfax.
In
addition to touring the house and its unique history, those in
attendance had the opportunity to meet and have a detailed
discussion with Kerstin Travers, a Conservation Technician
contracted by the City to remove the layers of paint that have
hidden the houses graffiti.
The
tour of the house lasted approximately three hours and included
access to the attic, where the majority of the identified graffiti
lies. Due to safety concerns, guests are not normally permitted
their. The graffiti that has been discovered to date is all Union
and dates around three specific time frames: March and April 1862,
when the Federal forces occupied Fairfax for the first time;
September 1862 to January 1863, when the house was used as a 11th
Corps hospital; and during the march to Gettysburg. Over 100 names
have been identified from more than 20 regiments.
In
addition to names, there are well over thirty drawings. Many are
symbols, but there are also numerous drawings of ships, individual
soldiers and a couple of 'suggestive' drawings. Recently discovered
was a series of drawings and phrases written by a soldier depicting
his life and feelings about service to his country and how, over
time, his enthusiasm for the life of a soldier had waned. This set
of drawings runs down a door frame on the second floor. There are
interestingly, a number of drawings with pigs in them.
The
conversation with the conservator was also very informative. She
worked on a variety of projects over her the years, her previous
work before Blenheim was to help refurbish a Saturn V rocket in
Houston, Texas. Kerstin showed us some the techniques used to safely
remove the years of paint and how she identified specific target
area where it was felt graffiti might be hidden. It entails, in
part, applying a chemical stripper to small sections of the wall
where it seemed that writing was hidden. She then uses water on a
large (hand made) cotton swab to carefully remove the paint. It is
tedious work, and Kerstin's pace is about a square foot an hour;
obviously longer if there is writing underneath.
The
day ended with a discussion of the refurbishment status of Blenheim
in relation to the status of the Graffiti House. Blenheim, with
greater resources, is much farther along then we are. Their plans
include a visitors and education center on the grounds, where full
scale photos of the attic drawings will be displayed. There was also
a discussion on the possibility of linking Blenheim, the Graffiti
House and other known structures that have civil war graffiti, (in
areas such as Harpers Ferry, Fredericksburg, Manassas and Front
Royal) into a Civil War Graffiti Trail.
(To Index)
HO HO
HO!!! You are all invited to the 4th Annual Christmas Party to be
held at the Graffiti House from 1:00-4:00PM on Saturday, December
9th. As was the case last year, good food, drinks and company will
abound so all that you need to bring is yourself - and a few
friends. This year, it is rumored that we will be visited by a
special guest (straight from his assignment at Fredericksburg)! So
mark your calendars, a good time will be had by all!
(To Index)
Fire
Those Guns!
A real
treat awaits you on November 4th!! The First Stuart Horse Artillery
will be present at the Graffiti House to demonstrate camp life as
well as their prowess in firing and servicing their cannons. For the
demonstration, which will begin at 1:00 PM, the members of the horse
artillery will fire a 6 lb. bronze cannon and also a 3 inch ordnance
rifle. Come on out and enjoy the show.
(To Index)
Time
Flies!!
The
year 2008 will mark the 145th anniversary of the June 9th Battle of
Brandy Station, the largest cavalry battle of the Civil War. To mark
the occasion, the Board of Directors has endorsed the concept of an
anniversary weekend, June 6th, 7th and 8th, of 2008. Although plans
are not firm at this time, it is contemplated that every effort will
be made to include all of the Culpeper community in the activities.
If you would be interested in participating in any aspect of the
weekend, please call the Graffiti House at (540) 727-7718 or email
director@brandystationfoundation.com
and leave your contact information.
(To
Index)
  Come
Home to Historical "Afton" Headquarters for JEB Stuart and his
cavalrymen prior to the Battle of Brandy Station.
This
gorgeous historic home on 44 acres is a lovingly maintained and
renovated 4BR 3BA home with a beautiful Parlor, Dining Room &
Library, gourmet kitchen and spacious sunroom w/slate floor. Other
features include an in-ground pool, paddock, some board fencing,
vintage barns, tenant house, octagonal ice house & so much more!
Call
Janet Holden at 800-66-JANET X236 or 540-825-1613 or go online
www.janetholden.com.
(To Index)
|