Michelle L. Hamilton's Blog, page 6
January 18, 2015
Lee Hill and Howison Hill
This afternoon I embarked on another battlefield excursion. The rain had cleared and I had finished my radio show interview. Since it was late in the afternoon by the time I left home with my parents and two poodles, we decided to just go to the Fredericksburg battlefield. Instead of taking the dogs for a walk on the Sunken Road, we decided to be adventurous and visit Lee Hill--which we had not had a chance to visit yet.
Before the Battle of Fredericksburg, Lee Hill was known as Telegraph Hill. The battle forever altered the city of Fredericksburg, and this hill was renamed Lee Hill because it was from this vantage point Gen. Robert E. Lee witnessed the battle with Gen. James Longstreet on December 13, 1862. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
The hill is naturally commanding and made a perfect spot to observe the battle and place heavy artillery. The hill is step, but the National Park Service has laid a nice, easy path to take you to the summit. Be prepared for a twenty minute hike. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton
A view while walking up Lee Hill. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
The summit at last! Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Beside using the spot for observation, Confederate forces also placed heavy artillery on the hill. From this spot the Confederates heavily shelled Union forces as they crossed the Rappahannock River on pontoon boats. Once the Union forces crossed and entered Fredericksburg, the Confederate artillery continued its barrage. Union forces answered back and shelled the Confederates from their position on Stafford Heights. Leaving the citizens of Fredericksburg stuck in the middle. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
The city of Fredericksburg as viewed from Lee Hill. Confederate pioneer's cleared the land of trees before the battle to give Confederate artillery a clear line of view. On December 13, 1862, Gen. Lee had a panoramic view of the city and terrain. From this vantage point Lee easily viewed Chatham Manor on Stafford Heights. In the 150 years since the battle, the trees have grown back. The church stepple in the middle of the photograph was there in 1862 and was used by Union forces to direct their artillery fire into Fredericksburg. Photograph by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Two 30 pound Parrott guns were used on December 13, 1862. Both guns had been made in Richmond at the Tredegar Iron Works. The one positioned on Lee Hill blew up after its 39th firing showering Gen. Lee and Gen. Longstreet in gun fragments. The event is dramatized in the 2003 movie Gods and Generals, though the scene was fictionalized as it showed the gun crew dying in the explosion--in actuality the gun crew escaped the explosion unharmed. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
The explosion of the Parrott gun was not the only incident on the hill to put Lee's life in danger. During the shelling, a Union shell buried itself into Confederate earthworks near this location where Lee was standing. Fortunately for Lee the shell did not explode. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Confederate earthworks that protected Gen. Lee from Union shells. Earthworks were designed to protect a standing soldier, erosion has diminished there original size. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Monument commemorating Gen. Lee's position. It was from this position that Lee declared "It is well that war is so terrible--we should grow to fond of it." Lee made this statement to Gen. Longstreet after watching a Confederate countercharge down the Deep Run valley on his right. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Lee Hill interpretation shelter. The Battle of Fredericksburg would not be the only conflict to envelope Lee Hill. On May 3, 1863, war returned during the Second Battle of Fredericksburg which was part of the Chancellorsville Campaign. While the first battle in December 1862 had been an unmitigated disaster for the Union army, the second battle was a Union victory with Lee Hill falling into Union hands. The disaster at the Battle of Chancellorsville, fought during the Second Battle of Fredericksburg, nuterlized the Army of the Potomac's achievements on May 3. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Getting back in the car, we followed the road and stopped at the next marker for Howison Hill. Like Lee Hill, Howison Hill was used by Confederate artillery. The delay of the arrival of Union pontoon boats allowed Confederate forces to hunker in. During the Union delay, the Confederates placed heavy artillery on Howison Hill including the second 30 pound Parrott gun used during the Battle of Fredericksburg. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
NPS interpretative marker shows the location of Union and Confederate artillery. The photograph was taken in 1930s before the view was blocked by trees. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
The view from Howison Hill today. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Cannon marks the spot where Confederate guns fired on December 13, 1862. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
The view from Howison Hill, during the battle the trees had been cleared by Confederate pioneers--a contingent of soldiers tasked with clearing anything that blocked the vantage point of the guns. Pioneers would also build and repair roads, dismantle enemy fortifications, among other tasks. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Earthworks surrounding the cannons. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Confederate earthworks, this part of the battlefield has some excellent examples of original Confederate earthworks. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
By this time, the sun was starting to set. Fortunately we had all just got loaded into the car before it started to rain again. These two locations are only just a shadow of the treasures to be found on the battlefield and I am already looking forward to my return trip.
Before the Battle of Fredericksburg, Lee Hill was known as Telegraph Hill. The battle forever altered the city of Fredericksburg, and this hill was renamed Lee Hill because it was from this vantage point Gen. Robert E. Lee witnessed the battle with Gen. James Longstreet on December 13, 1862. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
The hill is naturally commanding and made a perfect spot to observe the battle and place heavy artillery. The hill is step, but the National Park Service has laid a nice, easy path to take you to the summit. Be prepared for a twenty minute hike. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton
A view while walking up Lee Hill. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
The summit at last! Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Beside using the spot for observation, Confederate forces also placed heavy artillery on the hill. From this spot the Confederates heavily shelled Union forces as they crossed the Rappahannock River on pontoon boats. Once the Union forces crossed and entered Fredericksburg, the Confederate artillery continued its barrage. Union forces answered back and shelled the Confederates from their position on Stafford Heights. Leaving the citizens of Fredericksburg stuck in the middle. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
The city of Fredericksburg as viewed from Lee Hill. Confederate pioneer's cleared the land of trees before the battle to give Confederate artillery a clear line of view. On December 13, 1862, Gen. Lee had a panoramic view of the city and terrain. From this vantage point Lee easily viewed Chatham Manor on Stafford Heights. In the 150 years since the battle, the trees have grown back. The church stepple in the middle of the photograph was there in 1862 and was used by Union forces to direct their artillery fire into Fredericksburg. Photograph by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Two 30 pound Parrott guns were used on December 13, 1862. Both guns had been made in Richmond at the Tredegar Iron Works. The one positioned on Lee Hill blew up after its 39th firing showering Gen. Lee and Gen. Longstreet in gun fragments. The event is dramatized in the 2003 movie Gods and Generals, though the scene was fictionalized as it showed the gun crew dying in the explosion--in actuality the gun crew escaped the explosion unharmed. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
The explosion of the Parrott gun was not the only incident on the hill to put Lee's life in danger. During the shelling, a Union shell buried itself into Confederate earthworks near this location where Lee was standing. Fortunately for Lee the shell did not explode. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Confederate earthworks that protected Gen. Lee from Union shells. Earthworks were designed to protect a standing soldier, erosion has diminished there original size. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Monument commemorating Gen. Lee's position. It was from this position that Lee declared "It is well that war is so terrible--we should grow to fond of it." Lee made this statement to Gen. Longstreet after watching a Confederate countercharge down the Deep Run valley on his right. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Lee Hill interpretation shelter. The Battle of Fredericksburg would not be the only conflict to envelope Lee Hill. On May 3, 1863, war returned during the Second Battle of Fredericksburg which was part of the Chancellorsville Campaign. While the first battle in December 1862 had been an unmitigated disaster for the Union army, the second battle was a Union victory with Lee Hill falling into Union hands. The disaster at the Battle of Chancellorsville, fought during the Second Battle of Fredericksburg, nuterlized the Army of the Potomac's achievements on May 3. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Getting back in the car, we followed the road and stopped at the next marker for Howison Hill. Like Lee Hill, Howison Hill was used by Confederate artillery. The delay of the arrival of Union pontoon boats allowed Confederate forces to hunker in. During the Union delay, the Confederates placed heavy artillery on Howison Hill including the second 30 pound Parrott gun used during the Battle of Fredericksburg. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
NPS interpretative marker shows the location of Union and Confederate artillery. The photograph was taken in 1930s before the view was blocked by trees. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
The view from Howison Hill today. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Cannon marks the spot where Confederate guns fired on December 13, 1862. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
The view from Howison Hill, during the battle the trees had been cleared by Confederate pioneers--a contingent of soldiers tasked with clearing anything that blocked the vantage point of the guns. Pioneers would also build and repair roads, dismantle enemy fortifications, among other tasks. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Earthworks surrounding the cannons. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Confederate earthworks, this part of the battlefield has some excellent examples of original Confederate earthworks. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.By this time, the sun was starting to set. Fortunately we had all just got loaded into the car before it started to rain again. These two locations are only just a shadow of the treasures to be found on the battlefield and I am already looking forward to my return trip.
January 17, 2015
On the Way to Walmart
Today my mom and I went to the Richmond Antiques Extravaganza at the Richmond Raceway Complex. We had a good time, and I found a few treasures including a Civil War CDV of a woman from Philadelphia, five vintage postcards of the Jennie Wade House, and four stereo cards from the 1860s (which are really hard to find). The best part of the event was that my total purchases were only $20.00! Heading back home to Ruther Glen, VA, Mom wanted to go to Walmart. Since we were in an unfamiliar part of town, we hooked up the GPS system and headed off. Turing down the Mechanicsville Turnpike, I noticed the familiar colors of a National Park sign--we were going past Chickahominy Bluff a Richmond National Battlefield Park. I was very excited as I had never visited this particular sight. This is part of the reason why I love living in Virginia--even going to Walmart you can come across a historic sight or monument. Quickly u-turning, Mom and I delayed our visit to Walmart and spent some time at Chickahominy Bluff.
While there was no fighting at Chickahominy Bluff, the sight did witness the beginning of the Seven Days' Battles of June 1862. As the NPS handout reads: "A part of the outer Confederate line defending Richmond, this bluff offered a view of Mechanicsville and the Chickahominy River Valley. Within sight of the earthworks here, Gen. Robert E. Lee witnessed the start of the Battle of Beaver Dam Creek on June 26."
June 26, 1862 was an important day for Gen. Robert E. Lee as he had just received command of the Army of Northern Virginia on June 1, 1862, following Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's wounding at the Battle of Seven Pines. The Seven Days' Battles would be Gen. Lee's first campaign at the head of Confederate forces. It was a dangerous period to be switching commands, Union Gen. George B. McClellan was moving his Army of the Potomac up the Virginia Peninsula and during the Seven Days' campaign seriously threatened the Confederate Campaign in Richmond. The Civil War could have easily ended on a battlefield on the outskirts of Richmond.
Reading the orientation marker. Photograph taken by Lynn Hamilton.
Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton
Besides being the sight where Gen. Lee observed the start of the Seven Days' Battle, Chickahominy Bluff stands out for its excellent collection of Confederate earthworks. Only a few sites in the Richmond era has the original Confederate earthworks dug to protect the city from the Union onslaught.
Confederate earthworks. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton
The Confederate earthworks are carefully protected by a fence and a sign warns against climbing on the earthworks. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
The earthworks are very deep, looking at them I realized that the Civil War would introduce trench warfare, which would be horrifically used during World War I. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
The Confederate earthworks were designed to shield Confederate troops during an attack. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
From this approximate location, Gen. Robert E. Lee witnessed the beginning of the Battle of Beaver Dam on June 26, 1862. Confederate President Jefferson Davis had ridden out from Richmond to Mechanicsville and joined Lee at Chickahominy Bluff. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
While today, the area around Chickahominy Bluff is overgrown with trees, up on the viewing platform you can get a sense of what Lee was able to see as the area still provides an excellent vantage point. The painting on the interpretation marker shows what the area would have looked like on June 26, 1862. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Marker detailing the extent of Confederate earthworks around Richmond in the summer of 1862. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
The Seven Days' Battles of June 1862 would be the making of Robert E. Lee and the Army of the Virginia. With the aid of Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, Lee defeated McClellan sending the Army of the Potomac fleeing back to Washington, D.C. and the hope for a short conflict were permanently dashed.
After spending a pleasant half hour at Chickahominy Bluff we then preceded on to our original destination, Walmart.
While there was no fighting at Chickahominy Bluff, the sight did witness the beginning of the Seven Days' Battles of June 1862. As the NPS handout reads: "A part of the outer Confederate line defending Richmond, this bluff offered a view of Mechanicsville and the Chickahominy River Valley. Within sight of the earthworks here, Gen. Robert E. Lee witnessed the start of the Battle of Beaver Dam Creek on June 26."
June 26, 1862 was an important day for Gen. Robert E. Lee as he had just received command of the Army of Northern Virginia on June 1, 1862, following Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's wounding at the Battle of Seven Pines. The Seven Days' Battles would be Gen. Lee's first campaign at the head of Confederate forces. It was a dangerous period to be switching commands, Union Gen. George B. McClellan was moving his Army of the Potomac up the Virginia Peninsula and during the Seven Days' campaign seriously threatened the Confederate Campaign in Richmond. The Civil War could have easily ended on a battlefield on the outskirts of Richmond.
Reading the orientation marker. Photograph taken by Lynn Hamilton.
Photograph taken by Michelle L. HamiltonBesides being the sight where Gen. Lee observed the start of the Seven Days' Battle, Chickahominy Bluff stands out for its excellent collection of Confederate earthworks. Only a few sites in the Richmond era has the original Confederate earthworks dug to protect the city from the Union onslaught.
Confederate earthworks. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton
The Confederate earthworks are carefully protected by a fence and a sign warns against climbing on the earthworks. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
The earthworks are very deep, looking at them I realized that the Civil War would introduce trench warfare, which would be horrifically used during World War I. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
The Confederate earthworks were designed to shield Confederate troops during an attack. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
From this approximate location, Gen. Robert E. Lee witnessed the beginning of the Battle of Beaver Dam on June 26, 1862. Confederate President Jefferson Davis had ridden out from Richmond to Mechanicsville and joined Lee at Chickahominy Bluff. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
While today, the area around Chickahominy Bluff is overgrown with trees, up on the viewing platform you can get a sense of what Lee was able to see as the area still provides an excellent vantage point. The painting on the interpretation marker shows what the area would have looked like on June 26, 1862. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Marker detailing the extent of Confederate earthworks around Richmond in the summer of 1862. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.The Seven Days' Battles of June 1862 would be the making of Robert E. Lee and the Army of the Virginia. With the aid of Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, Lee defeated McClellan sending the Army of the Potomac fleeing back to Washington, D.C. and the hope for a short conflict were permanently dashed.
After spending a pleasant half hour at Chickahominy Bluff we then preceded on to our original destination, Walmart.
January 16, 2015
Museum of the Confederacy Lecture and Flag Unveiling
Today in Virginia is a state holiday, Lee Jackson Day, which celebrates the birthdays of Gen. Robert E. Lee who was born on January 19, 1807, and Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson who was born on January 21, 1824. In celebration of my first Lee Jackson Day as a Virginian I spent the afternoon at the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond where I attended a wonderful lecture and the unveiling of the newly conserved headquarters flag of Gen. Earl Van Dorn sewn by Constance Cary.
"The Heroes of Chancerllorsville" by Everett E.D. Julio, 1869. Photograph taken by Lynn Hamilton. For the day I was decked out in Confederate grey and red.
Today's lecture, "One Bright Moment: The Wedding of John Pegram and Hetty Cary" was presented by Kelly Hancock the MoC's Interpretation and Programs Manager. The lecture was part of the MoC's Brown Bag Lunch Talk, a series of lectures that focus of Confederate history as part of the Civil War Sesquicentennial and are free with admission to the museum.
The wedding of Hetty Cary and Gen. John Pegram was the last society wedding that took place in the Confederate capital. Married on January 19, 1865 at St. Paul's Church by Rev. Charles Minnigerode, the ceremony and wedding reception was the talk of the town and the guest list included a who's who of the Confederate government, military and Richmond high society. Despite all the glamour of the day, the wedding was preceded by several ill omens.
The couple were young, beautiful, and glamours. Hetty Cary was the belle of Richmond and was called the "most beautiful woman of the South." Born outside of Baltimore, Maryland on May 15, 1836, Hetty was pretty and vivacious. Devoted to the Southern cause, Hetty and her sister Jennie composed "Maryland, My Maryland." The sisters were not shy on displaying their feelings, the girls could be heard loudly signing pro-Southern songs from their house and once when a regiment of Union soldiers passed her house Hetty waved a smuggled Confederate flag out the window. This behavior could not continue in Baltimore and Hetty and Jennie Cary had to flee to Richmond. Settled in Richmond, Hetty and Jennie were re-united with their cousin Constance Cary and the three girls became known as the "Cary Invincibles." The Cary Invincibles helped sew the first Confederate Battle flags, known as the Southern Cross.
Hetty Carry, courtesy of Wikipedia
While in Richmond, Hetty Carry was introduced to Gen. John Pegram. John Pegram was born in Petersburg, VA on January 24, 1832. John moved with his family to Richmond as a boy. Sadly, his father died in a steamboat explosion. To support her children, John's mother ran a girls school, but John was fortunate to receive an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. John graduated as part of the Class of 1854 with fellow classmate J.E.B. Stuart. Following his graduation, John was stationed in California and Kansas, then sent to Italy to observer the Italian Revolution. Upon his return, John was sent to New Mexico. While in New Mexico the Civil War began and John Pegram offered his sword to his native Virginia. The early part of the Civil War was not easy for Gen. John Pegram as he suffered defeat at the Battle of Rich Mountain where he was taken prisoner and sent North. While imprisoned at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland, John Pegram met Hetty Cary's parents and obtained a letter of introduction to meet Hetty and Jennie.
After being exchanged, Gen. John Pegram met Hetty Carry and the couple quickly fell in love. While in the field, John carried a miniature of Hetty. While part of Lee's army, John was wounded slightly in the leg at the Battle of the Wilderness. Finally, to the delight of both Hetty and John's family, the couple became engaged during the Christmas season of 1864.
General John Pegram, courtesy of Wikipedia
The wedding was quickly arranged, but shortly before the ceremony there were signs that all was not well. A few days before the wedding Hetty tried on her veil for the first time, after putting it on for her mother, sister Jennie, and cousin Constance to admire, the mirror that Hetty was using fell from the wall breaking in the process. The Victorians had many superstitions about mirrors having the power to predict events. In my book "I Would Still Be Drowned in Tears": Spiritualism in Abraham Lincoln's White House, I detail an event in which Abraham Lincoln witnessed a vision in his bedroom mirror. The broken mirror would not be the only omen. On the day of the wedding, January 19, 1865, Confederate First Lady Varina Davis sent the Presidential carriage to Hetty's home to convey the bride to St. Paul's Church. When Hetty entered the carriage and was ready to leave, the horses reared and refused to move. No coaxing and prodding could convince the horses to move. Finally Hetty had to ride with John in a borrowed carriage and the couple were late for their own wedding. The last omen occurred as the bride was walking down the aisle. Hetty dropped her handkerchief, and will bending down to retrieve the item Hetty ripped her veil. Though the damage to the veil was unnoticed by the guests who oohed and aahed at the beautiful bride.
Sadly, the omens proved correct. Three weeks to the day of the wedding, Gen. John Pegram's funeral was held at St. Paul's Church conducted by the Rev. Minnigerode with Hetty wrapped in the black crepe of mourning. Gen. Pegram was killed at the Battle of Hatcher's Run on February 6, 1865.
Headquarters flag of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, sewn by Hetty Carry now in the collection of the Museum of the Confederacy. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Following the lecture I attended the unveiling of the newly conserved headquarters flag of Gen. Earl Van Dorn sewn by Constance Cary.
Constance Cary, photo courtesy of Findagrave.com
From the official program: "The silk flag to be unveiled was hand sewn by Miss Constance Cary of Alexandria, Virginia. The flag was one of three prototypes of this design made in September 1861 upon approval of the Army of Northern Virginia flag pattern. Miss Cary presented it to General Van Dorn in December 1861, who used it until his death in May 1863.
The gentleman who funded the conservation of this flag is the great-great-grandson of the flag's makes Constance Cary (later Harrison) and her husband Burton Harrison. Harrison lived at the White House of the Confederacy during his service as private secretary to President Jefferson Davis during the American Civil War."
The flag before the unveiling. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
S. Waite Rawls III, Co-Ceo opened the ceremony with a few remarks. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Cathy Wright, Curator who restored the flag. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton
Robert Gilbert, the great-great-grandson of Constance Cary and Burton Harrison who generously funded the restoration of the flag. He is a passionate advocate of the history of Constance Cary and her cousins and is writing a book about the Cary Invincibles. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton
The moment everyone was waiting for. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
The restored flag. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
A close up of the flag, Constance inscribed her name onto the flag in gold thread. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Thank you Mr. Robert Gilbert for helping to preserve this piece of Civil War History, and to Ms. Cathy Wright for caring for this flag and the others in the Museum of the Confederacy collection.
It was a wonderful afternoon, where I learned a lot about a fascinating family of amazing, beautiful women.
"The Heroes of Chancerllorsville" by Everett E.D. Julio, 1869. Photograph taken by Lynn Hamilton. For the day I was decked out in Confederate grey and red.Today's lecture, "One Bright Moment: The Wedding of John Pegram and Hetty Cary" was presented by Kelly Hancock the MoC's Interpretation and Programs Manager. The lecture was part of the MoC's Brown Bag Lunch Talk, a series of lectures that focus of Confederate history as part of the Civil War Sesquicentennial and are free with admission to the museum.
The wedding of Hetty Cary and Gen. John Pegram was the last society wedding that took place in the Confederate capital. Married on January 19, 1865 at St. Paul's Church by Rev. Charles Minnigerode, the ceremony and wedding reception was the talk of the town and the guest list included a who's who of the Confederate government, military and Richmond high society. Despite all the glamour of the day, the wedding was preceded by several ill omens.
The couple were young, beautiful, and glamours. Hetty Cary was the belle of Richmond and was called the "most beautiful woman of the South." Born outside of Baltimore, Maryland on May 15, 1836, Hetty was pretty and vivacious. Devoted to the Southern cause, Hetty and her sister Jennie composed "Maryland, My Maryland." The sisters were not shy on displaying their feelings, the girls could be heard loudly signing pro-Southern songs from their house and once when a regiment of Union soldiers passed her house Hetty waved a smuggled Confederate flag out the window. This behavior could not continue in Baltimore and Hetty and Jennie Cary had to flee to Richmond. Settled in Richmond, Hetty and Jennie were re-united with their cousin Constance Cary and the three girls became known as the "Cary Invincibles." The Cary Invincibles helped sew the first Confederate Battle flags, known as the Southern Cross.
Hetty Carry, courtesy of Wikipedia While in Richmond, Hetty Carry was introduced to Gen. John Pegram. John Pegram was born in Petersburg, VA on January 24, 1832. John moved with his family to Richmond as a boy. Sadly, his father died in a steamboat explosion. To support her children, John's mother ran a girls school, but John was fortunate to receive an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. John graduated as part of the Class of 1854 with fellow classmate J.E.B. Stuart. Following his graduation, John was stationed in California and Kansas, then sent to Italy to observer the Italian Revolution. Upon his return, John was sent to New Mexico. While in New Mexico the Civil War began and John Pegram offered his sword to his native Virginia. The early part of the Civil War was not easy for Gen. John Pegram as he suffered defeat at the Battle of Rich Mountain where he was taken prisoner and sent North. While imprisoned at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland, John Pegram met Hetty Cary's parents and obtained a letter of introduction to meet Hetty and Jennie.
After being exchanged, Gen. John Pegram met Hetty Carry and the couple quickly fell in love. While in the field, John carried a miniature of Hetty. While part of Lee's army, John was wounded slightly in the leg at the Battle of the Wilderness. Finally, to the delight of both Hetty and John's family, the couple became engaged during the Christmas season of 1864.
General John Pegram, courtesy of WikipediaThe wedding was quickly arranged, but shortly before the ceremony there were signs that all was not well. A few days before the wedding Hetty tried on her veil for the first time, after putting it on for her mother, sister Jennie, and cousin Constance to admire, the mirror that Hetty was using fell from the wall breaking in the process. The Victorians had many superstitions about mirrors having the power to predict events. In my book "I Would Still Be Drowned in Tears": Spiritualism in Abraham Lincoln's White House, I detail an event in which Abraham Lincoln witnessed a vision in his bedroom mirror. The broken mirror would not be the only omen. On the day of the wedding, January 19, 1865, Confederate First Lady Varina Davis sent the Presidential carriage to Hetty's home to convey the bride to St. Paul's Church. When Hetty entered the carriage and was ready to leave, the horses reared and refused to move. No coaxing and prodding could convince the horses to move. Finally Hetty had to ride with John in a borrowed carriage and the couple were late for their own wedding. The last omen occurred as the bride was walking down the aisle. Hetty dropped her handkerchief, and will bending down to retrieve the item Hetty ripped her veil. Though the damage to the veil was unnoticed by the guests who oohed and aahed at the beautiful bride.
Sadly, the omens proved correct. Three weeks to the day of the wedding, Gen. John Pegram's funeral was held at St. Paul's Church conducted by the Rev. Minnigerode with Hetty wrapped in the black crepe of mourning. Gen. Pegram was killed at the Battle of Hatcher's Run on February 6, 1865.
Headquarters flag of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, sewn by Hetty Carry now in the collection of the Museum of the Confederacy. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Following the lecture I attended the unveiling of the newly conserved headquarters flag of Gen. Earl Van Dorn sewn by Constance Cary.
Constance Cary, photo courtesy of Findagrave.com From the official program: "The silk flag to be unveiled was hand sewn by Miss Constance Cary of Alexandria, Virginia. The flag was one of three prototypes of this design made in September 1861 upon approval of the Army of Northern Virginia flag pattern. Miss Cary presented it to General Van Dorn in December 1861, who used it until his death in May 1863.
The gentleman who funded the conservation of this flag is the great-great-grandson of the flag's makes Constance Cary (later Harrison) and her husband Burton Harrison. Harrison lived at the White House of the Confederacy during his service as private secretary to President Jefferson Davis during the American Civil War."
The flag before the unveiling. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
S. Waite Rawls III, Co-Ceo opened the ceremony with a few remarks. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton. 
Cathy Wright, Curator who restored the flag. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton
Robert Gilbert, the great-great-grandson of Constance Cary and Burton Harrison who generously funded the restoration of the flag. He is a passionate advocate of the history of Constance Cary and her cousins and is writing a book about the Cary Invincibles. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton
The moment everyone was waiting for. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
The restored flag. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
A close up of the flag, Constance inscribed her name onto the flag in gold thread. Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Photograph taken by Michelle L. Hamilton.
Thank you Mr. Robert Gilbert for helping to preserve this piece of Civil War History, and to Ms. Cathy Wright for caring for this flag and the others in the Museum of the Confederacy collection.It was a wonderful afternoon, where I learned a lot about a fascinating family of amazing, beautiful women.
Snow in Virginia
On Wednesday morning I awoke to a winter wonderland as snow covered the street and sidewalk. My first snow day in Virginia! It was an experience to walk outside in the crunchy snow. My poodles did not know what to make of the white stuff on the ground, Pearl was willing to walk around and explore a little, while Copper did not want to stay out in the snow very long.
I had my first snow day, as the Mary Washington House, where I am now employed as a historic house guide, was closed due to the snow, so spent the day curled up with a good book.
The street covered in snow.
Not as much snow in the backyard.
The snow did not last very long, as the temperatures began to rise the next day.
By Thursday, the majority of the snow had melted, though there was still some lovely pockets that hide in the shadows. Back to work at the Mary Washington House I was greeted with a lovely sight in the garden when I was opening the house and snapped a few pictures before the snow melted.
Snow in the the backyard of the Mary Washington House on the pathway running along the well and kitchen house.
Another view of the well and kitchen house walkway lined with snow.
Snow lined the walkway of the pleasure garden.
I had my first snow day, as the Mary Washington House, where I am now employed as a historic house guide, was closed due to the snow, so spent the day curled up with a good book.
The street covered in snow.
Not as much snow in the backyard.
The snow did not last very long, as the temperatures began to rise the next day.
By Thursday, the majority of the snow had melted, though there was still some lovely pockets that hide in the shadows. Back to work at the Mary Washington House I was greeted with a lovely sight in the garden when I was opening the house and snapped a few pictures before the snow melted.
Snow in the the backyard of the Mary Washington House on the pathway running along the well and kitchen house.
Another view of the well and kitchen house walkway lined with snow.
Snow lined the walkway of the pleasure garden.
January 14, 2015
Point of Honor Trailer
Today Amazon released the trailer for the pilot episode of its new series Point of Honor. The hour long drama follows the Rhodes family from Virginia who are divided by the Civil War when two brothers-in-law find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. When I heard that Amazon had commissioned a drama series set in Virginia during the Civil War, I was hopeful--perhaps with the rise of period dramas we could finally get a decent Civil War series. Perhaps with shades of Downton Abbey exploring the lives of the white owners and their black slaves during this dramatic period I hoped.
(Point of Honor photograph courtesy of EW.com http://insidetv.ew.com/2015/01/13/point-of-honor-amazon-trailer/)
I was hopeful...until I saw the trailer on EW.com. Where to start? First, let's talk about the absolutely horrible women's clothing. Seriously, has American costume designer's ever actually looked at the clothing women wore in the 1860s? Apparently not as evidenced by the trailer for Point of Honor. The low cut ball green gown that looks like it came out of a 1980s prom dress catalog with the heaving bosom--the bodice is so low that it would even make Scarlet O'Hara blush. The costumes for the family's slaves are not any better, in one scene two slave girls look like they just came from an elementary school production of the first Thanksgiving. The hair for the ladies of the family is just as equally awful. For all the inaccuracies found in the costumes used in the movie Gone With the Wind there is a charm and elegance in Scarlet's clothing that is missing in Point of Honor.
Now we move onto the plot line. Point of Honor follows the Rhodes family who at the start of the Civil War are wealthy slave owners. But the family is also conflicted by their slave owning status and decide to free their slaves, with one of sons announcing this move at a military school to the applause of his peers. An intriguing plot-line, as many Southern slave owners were conflicted by slavery and in a few pockets in the South there were Southern abolitionists who freed their slaves. The drama of the show seems to center on the reaction to the decision to free the slaves with the family--one daughter wails that by freeing their slaves the family will "lose their point of honor." Her concern seems the be validated as the ladies of the family have to ward off a band of angry white neighbors with only a shotgun and their plunging bodices. The Rhodes family is now fighting a war on the battlefield, with their neighbors, and with themselves as members of the family pick up arms for the Union and the Confederacy. The acting appears to border on the melodramatic, and scenes shown in the pilot border on the ridiculous. My particular favorite (for all the wrong reasons), is when one of the Rhodes daughter's (in plunging neckline) announces that one of the female slaves has been sold. The poor girl starts to plead with her mistress to not sell her, when her fellow slave grabs her and slaps her while her mistress looks on in horror. Really? Historically this scene should be the other way around with the white mistress slapping her slave for her inappropriate behavior. I had hoped that since 12 Years a Slave won such critical acclaim film makers would be more comfortable showing the brutality of slavery.
Sadly, Point of Honor is not the series that I had hoped it would be. You can view the trailer by clicking on the video above.
(Point of Honor photograph courtesy of EW.com http://insidetv.ew.com/2015/01/13/point-of-honor-amazon-trailer/)
I was hopeful...until I saw the trailer on EW.com. Where to start? First, let's talk about the absolutely horrible women's clothing. Seriously, has American costume designer's ever actually looked at the clothing women wore in the 1860s? Apparently not as evidenced by the trailer for Point of Honor. The low cut ball green gown that looks like it came out of a 1980s prom dress catalog with the heaving bosom--the bodice is so low that it would even make Scarlet O'Hara blush. The costumes for the family's slaves are not any better, in one scene two slave girls look like they just came from an elementary school production of the first Thanksgiving. The hair for the ladies of the family is just as equally awful. For all the inaccuracies found in the costumes used in the movie Gone With the Wind there is a charm and elegance in Scarlet's clothing that is missing in Point of Honor.
Now we move onto the plot line. Point of Honor follows the Rhodes family who at the start of the Civil War are wealthy slave owners. But the family is also conflicted by their slave owning status and decide to free their slaves, with one of sons announcing this move at a military school to the applause of his peers. An intriguing plot-line, as many Southern slave owners were conflicted by slavery and in a few pockets in the South there were Southern abolitionists who freed their slaves. The drama of the show seems to center on the reaction to the decision to free the slaves with the family--one daughter wails that by freeing their slaves the family will "lose their point of honor." Her concern seems the be validated as the ladies of the family have to ward off a band of angry white neighbors with only a shotgun and their plunging bodices. The Rhodes family is now fighting a war on the battlefield, with their neighbors, and with themselves as members of the family pick up arms for the Union and the Confederacy. The acting appears to border on the melodramatic, and scenes shown in the pilot border on the ridiculous. My particular favorite (for all the wrong reasons), is when one of the Rhodes daughter's (in plunging neckline) announces that one of the female slaves has been sold. The poor girl starts to plead with her mistress to not sell her, when her fellow slave grabs her and slaps her while her mistress looks on in horror. Really? Historically this scene should be the other way around with the white mistress slapping her slave for her inappropriate behavior. I had hoped that since 12 Years a Slave won such critical acclaim film makers would be more comfortable showing the brutality of slavery.
Sadly, Point of Honor is not the series that I had hoped it would be. You can view the trailer by clicking on the video above.
January 10, 2015
Book Spotlight: The Eterna Files by Leanna Renee Hieber
One of the books that is coming out in 2015 that I am very excited about is The Eterna Files by Leanna Renee Hieber. I was already counting down the days until release for the gaslight fantasy novel and thought I could not be more excited about it, until this morning when I saw the exclusive excerpt on Leanna's website http://leannareneebooks.blogspot.com/ after reading the excerpt I was simply over the moon.
What's not to love about a novel that opens on April 16, 1865 at the White House when Mary Lincoln's summons a Spiritualist medium to contact the spirit of Abraham Lincoln? That was enough to make me squeal like a 12-year-old girl at a One Direction concert.
The publisher's synopsis: "Welcome to The Eterna Files, written by Leanna Renee Hieber, “the brightest new star in literature”(True-Blood.net)
London, 1882: Queen Victoria appoints Harold Spire of the Metropolitan Police to Special Branch Division Omega. Omega is to secretly investigate paranormal and supernatural events and persons. Spire, a skeptic driven to protect the helpless and see justice done, is the perfect man to lead the department, which employs scholars and scientists, assassins and con men, and a traveling circus. Spire's chief researcher is Rose Everhart, who believes fervently that there is more to the world than can be seen by mortal eyes. Their first mission: find the Eterna Compound, which grants immortality. Catastrophe destroyed the hidden laboratory in New York City where Eterna was developed, but the Queen is convinced someone escaped—and has a sample of Eterna.Also searching for Eterna is an American, Clara Templeton, who helped start the project after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln nearly destroyed her nation. Haunted by the ghost of her beloved, she is determined that the Eterna Compound—and the immortality it will convey—will be controlled by the United States, not Great Britain." (Courtesy of Barnesandnoble.com) I am a huge fan of Leanna Renee Hieber's novels and am honored to know her. I met Leanna in 2011 when I did my first speaking engagement at the first Gaslight Gathering Steampunk convention in San Diego, CA, and not only is Leanna a gifted author and speaker, but she is also an amazingly kind person.
For those unfamiliar with gaslight fantasy, the genre that employs fantasy in a Victorian or Edwardian setting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaslamp_fantasy
To read the excerpt of The Eterna Files visit http://leannareneebooks.blogspot.com/2015/01/countdown-to-eterna-excerpt-1.html
(Cover image courtesy of http://leannareneebooks.blogspot.com/)
The Eterna Files by Leanna Renee Hieber published by Tom Doherty Associates on sale 2/10/2015http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-eterna-files-leanna-renee-hieber/1119439444?ean=9780765336743&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-je6NUbpObpQ-_-10:1&r=1
What's not to love about a novel that opens on April 16, 1865 at the White House when Mary Lincoln's summons a Spiritualist medium to contact the spirit of Abraham Lincoln? That was enough to make me squeal like a 12-year-old girl at a One Direction concert.
The publisher's synopsis: "Welcome to The Eterna Files, written by Leanna Renee Hieber, “the brightest new star in literature”(True-Blood.net)
London, 1882: Queen Victoria appoints Harold Spire of the Metropolitan Police to Special Branch Division Omega. Omega is to secretly investigate paranormal and supernatural events and persons. Spire, a skeptic driven to protect the helpless and see justice done, is the perfect man to lead the department, which employs scholars and scientists, assassins and con men, and a traveling circus. Spire's chief researcher is Rose Everhart, who believes fervently that there is more to the world than can be seen by mortal eyes. Their first mission: find the Eterna Compound, which grants immortality. Catastrophe destroyed the hidden laboratory in New York City where Eterna was developed, but the Queen is convinced someone escaped—and has a sample of Eterna.Also searching for Eterna is an American, Clara Templeton, who helped start the project after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln nearly destroyed her nation. Haunted by the ghost of her beloved, she is determined that the Eterna Compound—and the immortality it will convey—will be controlled by the United States, not Great Britain." (Courtesy of Barnesandnoble.com) I am a huge fan of Leanna Renee Hieber's novels and am honored to know her. I met Leanna in 2011 when I did my first speaking engagement at the first Gaslight Gathering Steampunk convention in San Diego, CA, and not only is Leanna a gifted author and speaker, but she is also an amazingly kind person.
For those unfamiliar with gaslight fantasy, the genre that employs fantasy in a Victorian or Edwardian setting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaslamp_fantasy
To read the excerpt of The Eterna Files visit http://leannareneebooks.blogspot.com/2015/01/countdown-to-eterna-excerpt-1.html
(Cover image courtesy of http://leannareneebooks.blogspot.com/)The Eterna Files by Leanna Renee Hieber published by Tom Doherty Associates on sale 2/10/2015http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-eterna-files-leanna-renee-hieber/1119439444?ean=9780765336743&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-je6NUbpObpQ-_-10:1&r=1
January 5, 2015
New Formats
"I Would Still Be Drowned in Tears": Spiritualism in Abraham Lincoln's White House is now available on Kindle, Nook, and iTunes from Savas Beatie, LLC. Below is the link to the many fine titles offered by Savas Beatie, LLC in digital. With topics ranging from the Civil War, Revolutionary War, the Indian Wars, the World Wars, and ancient history there is something for everyone. Please visit and support the Savas Beatie authors.
http://savasbeatie.com/eBook.htm
http://savasbeatie.com/eBook.htm
January 1, 2015
Happy New Year
New Year's Day, Harper's Weekly January 2, 1864(Image courtesy of Sonofthesouth.nethttp://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1864/january/new-years-day.htm)
Happy New Year! May this be a blessed year for everyone. 2015 is going to be an amazing year as we commemorate and honor the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War and President Lincoln's assassination. While we may complain about the current state of affairs, we should all pause and be grateful that we are not facing the grim New Year of 1865. The bloody Civil War that had already claimed so many lives was finally starting to grind to a halt, but it would still take several months and countless more lives before it all ended.
I plan on attending as many of the events as possible that commemorate the events of 1865. One of these events is "The Long Road Home" living history event commemorating the surrender of General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia to General Ulysses S. Grant's Army of the Potomac at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. I will be attending as a vendor and I will be in the author's tent signing copies of "I Would Still Be Drowned in Tears": Spiritualism in Abraham Lincoln's White House the event will be held on April 10-12, 2015 and for more information please visit: http://www.appomattoxhistoricalsociety.org/long%20road%20home.htm
Besides attending as many Civil War re-enactments as I can, I will also be very busy completing and publishing my second book! I will be posting more information on the book here.
Looking for a good read this new year? "I Would Still Be Drowned in Tears": Spiritualism in Abraham Lincoln's White House is available in paperback and digital (from Savas Beatie, LLC) on Amazon.com. Read the book that has been called "a gem that is meticulously documented."
December 30, 2014
New Website
Introducing my updated website Michellelhamilton.net where you can connect to Facebook, Amazon, and this blog all in one handy-dandy spot. You can also contact me through the site and request my articles, along with a calender of events detailing my next book signings and events.
Hope you enjoy!
http://www.michellelhamilton.net/
Hope you enjoy!
http://www.michellelhamilton.net/
December 22, 2014
Book in Digital
Today Savas Beatie, LLC which publishes the digital format of "I Would Still Be Drowned in Tears" is advertising the book on its Facebook page. For more information about this book and other great history titles please Like Savas Beatie, LLC
https://www.facebook.com/savasbeatie
To get "I Would Still Be Drowned in Tears" in digital visit:
http://www.amazon.com/Would-Still-Drowned-Tears-Spiritualism/dp/0964430460/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418919593&sr=8-1&keywords=I+Would+Still+Be+Drowned+in+Tears%22%3A+Spiritualism+in+Abraham+Lincoln%27s+White+House
https://www.facebook.com/savasbeatie
To get "I Would Still Be Drowned in Tears" in digital visit:
http://www.amazon.com/Would-Still-Drowned-Tears-Spiritualism/dp/0964430460/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418919593&sr=8-1&keywords=I+Would+Still+Be+Drowned+in+Tears%22%3A+Spiritualism+in+Abraham+Lincoln%27s+White+House
