Gone, But not forgotten (civil war in RVA)

Posted on by Prior...

If there was ever a slogan for our city, “Gone, but not forgotten,” would fit well because during the Civil War in United States (1861-1865) Richmond, Virginia was the political home for the Confederacy (South).

So let me take you for a little tour to show you how remembrance of the Civil War is all around town.

First, while driving home from The Fan this summer, I decided to snap a few photos from my car window while on Monument Avenue:

back of JEB Stuart
The back of J.E.B. STUART.

Here is looking up at the Stonewall Jackson Monument – in triple shot.

stonewall jackson in triple shot

In Mechanicsville, here is Stonewall Jackson Middle school. MANY schools here have a name with a Civil War connection.

stonewall jackson middle school

Side note:  The Book about Stonewall Jackson, Rebel Yell, by S.C. Gwynne, was just listed as one of Delancey Place’s top ten books for 2014.

DP says it is was “touching and unexpected” and in an October post shared that Jackson “was perhaps the most brilliant and stalwart military leader of the American Civil War, inflicting devastating defeats upon the Union Army time and time again. He was also a deeply religious man and physics professor who was strongly opposed to the war — and who attempted to organize a national day of prayer to avert the conflict” (more here)-

stonewall jackson

wiseGEEK featured Stonewall Jackson this week too, noting that his body is buried in two places (more here).

Also, did you ever wonder what “stonewalling” means?  Well wiseGEEK tells us that it is similar to playing head games: “Stonewalling involves the use of various tactics to delay or derail a conversation” – (more here). 

 

Here is photo from the 4th of July 2006. On holidays, you can find Confederate Soldiers walking around and willing to stop and share factoids.

at local events - civil war soldiers walk around
This man was very hot (temperature hot) in his “wool” uniform – and so after he cooled off near the ice, my oldest son reached into our small cooler bag and gave him a semi-frozen Capri sun juice pouch. The guy (I mean Civil War Soldier) lit up with a huge smile.  (awwww)
civil war reenactment
This photo was taken a little outside of town – in Newport News, VA – but I wanted to show some readers some Union soldiers (North). 

 

My eldest brother is a history buff and in summer 2006, he came to Richmond to make a short Civil War documentary. I think Cold Harbor is his favorite part of the Civil War Trail.  Here are a few of his pics:

civil war doc priorhouse

GRANT QUOTE

In closing…

The little things scattered around RVA whisper of yesteryear and remind us of those who are gone, but not forgotten – –

while these artifacts also serve as “iconic representations of the cost of war” –  and here are two more pics from my brother:

civil war roll of honor

civil war cemetary
Civil War Cemetery in RVA: Gone, but never forgotten.

 

For more weekly photo challenges on “Gone,but not forgotten” – go HERE.

Have a great weekend….

and if you are yawning from this history post,  I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS HISTORY post and see you later when my next post is going to feature some more “tea” – with an idea for Christmas – 🙂

 

 

 

 

77 thoughts on “Gone, But not forgotten (civil war in RVA)”

  1. I believe it’s still called “The War of Northern Aggression” in many places in the South. 🙂 Stonewall Jackson was, from everything I’ve read, a great man. Thanks for sharing.

    janet

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    1. Thanks Janet – and funny how Northerners and Southerners are still very opinionated about this very sad war. I am looking forward to reading Rebel Yell – 🙂 thanks for dropping by…

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  2. Great take on, as always, Yvette! Thank you for the historical information, enjoy the reading. The Stonewall Jackson Monument in triple shot looks majestic.

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    1. Thanks so much Amy – and there sure has been a lot of variety with this wpc, which is my favorite part of it. And I took a dozen pics that day, but the only two that came out were the back of Jeb and that Stonewall one. I need to go back sometimes and take some proper shots… maybe – TTYL ❤ <3<3

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  3. Yvette thank you for this tour, I agree with Amy that the photos of the statue are most impressive. I also like the creativity of including the car side mirror in the one photo.

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    1. Thanks so much Sue – the car mirror shot is my favorite photo of the post 🙂 – and next time I will just tilt my head and get a little selfie too – (like Ruth H. did) lol.

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    1. now that is good to hear Dawn! 🙂
      woo hoo – but 3 hours is still quite a drive and well, it is just hard to travel all the time, and I know we are trying to make it to DC more and more… but it is just hard and that is only 2 hours from here. 🙂 thanks for the visit amiga ❤

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      2. yeah, Maymont is a photographer’s oasis – and I can see you capturing some great images there. It really is beautiful – and my first greeting cards with Shutterfly was with a photo of the boys on a bridge in Maymont’s Japanese gardens (I will look later to see if I can find it). Our only complaint about Maymont – is that around here it gets a little old to see the same ol’ pics – I say this after years of seeing their hydrangeas and rocky gardens blown up and on display – for example, were were at a mixed media art show and the talented artist had half of her show with large photos from Maymont – nice – but tired and…
        well, it is almost like who cannot get a good shot at that amazing place… okay, I am done ranting – but let me know when you come so we can do lunch! 🙂

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      3. yes and I am sure you will take some amazing shots and it really is gorgeous there… have a nice week 🙂 ❤

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  6. Interesting snippet of history, and those headstones in the cemetery are a poignant reminder of all those brave young men that gave their lives, yes gone, but they should never be forgotten

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  7. Lovely post, and this is really a great article for the challenge – gone but not forgotten! Thank you for the history and let’s home the next generations will remember it and learn from it too 🙂 Hope you are having a great weekend and looking forward to the tea plus Christmas idea post 🙂

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    1. well thanks for reading to the end Indah 🙂 and I went for a literal take on the theme – but I love the variety that is going around for this wpc – so varied!
      hope you have a great day ❤

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  8. What a thoughtful post you’ve put together, Yvette 🙂 I love that triple shot effect- works so well! And the shot of the soldier and the ice sculpture 🙂

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  12. I’ve been reading and learning a bit about the Civil War while researching my genealogy. History can be fascinating yet so tragic. So far, all of my CW ancestors have been Union. I’m planning on attending a reenactment down here in FL sometime this coming year.

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    1. very interesting that you family is all Union – and I look foreword to any pics from the reenactment – 🙂 – and for my ancestors – we are split 50-50 – my mom’s family is Confederate (and her family is actually from Virginia- and so in a way I am very at home here in this State…) but my dad’s side – Union all the way…

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  15. I love the ice sculpture. Memorials like this are wonderful to remind us about the sacrifices people made and the richness of history 🙂

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  16. You chose a great subject Yvette – here in South Carolina we have civil war history all around us. Of course first shot of the war at our own Fort Sumpter, and last battle of the war very close to our little island (think the war had been over for 6 months but nobody told these guys down here LOL). Reenactments happen all the time and people still fly the confederate flag and talk about the “War of Northern Aggression”. YIKES!! Some history never dies😊

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    1. Hi Tina – thanks for sharing and wow – you are really in a special place for war Civil War memories – we have good friends that that live in Sumter, but we have never visited Fort Sumter even though I would like to one day. And every year there is a big tomato festival here in Hanover – and there are always confederate reps – and they give out free replicas of confederacy money – like this:

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  17. Brilliant selection of topic for this week’s theme, Yvette 🙂

    Nice to see the images and links for more information.

    I am also a history buff and I strongly believes that, history repeats.

    It’s so important to let our kids also have an idea of the great men and women who made our life much better with the sacrifices they made.

    Thanks a lot for sharing 🙂

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    1. Thanks so much Sreejith – and I was just thinking about you because some comedians over here made a video that was “old school” – I mean “old skool” and they used the term “bad man pajama” – I will try and grab the vid to share later on – cos it is pretty funny = and then it reminded me of that image I made for ya!~ ❤
      anyhow, chilling way to say it "history repeats" – sad, but true. 🙂

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  18. Yvette! This is so good! Have you ever been to the site at Harrisonburg? I plan to visit there next time I go see my son in Washington DC. I have a great grandfather buried there. Would like to find is grave. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Hi Andy – we have only been to Harrisonburg for quick hotel nights – because when we use up our passes at Massanutten, it is cheaper to do a hotel there rather than driving back home and up again the next day. WE can can get a 4 star hotel (last minute) cheaper than the gas to go and come again… and it is nice. But I have never been to Harrisonburg historical sites – and I hope you get to see your granddad’s site – that will be so cool. If you ever make it Richmond, lunch is my treat! 🙂

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      1. Thanks, my son lives in Hyattsville, MD right now and his future in-laws live in Stafford so I may take you up on lunch one of these days! Have a wonderful Christmas!

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      2. Well I sure hope so amigo 🙂 and you looks like you have a lot of east coast connections 🙂 – hope your writing is going well and here are a few more pics of the reenactments that can be found around this here part for he world…
        🙂

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  19. I so often pass Richmond by, thinking of nothing but the traffic as I head toward circling the beltway and home to NJ. I don’t know that I ever was aware there was so much history to visit in Richmond. It looks like a great destination for a day or weekend trip from NJ.

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    1. Hey timeless lady – well first of all, I want you to know that I love New Jersey – and adding the “garden state” to their license plates was a good idea because it has some sweet areas – also, whenever we stop there on the way up North – I LOVE the people we encounter. Well dressed and classy folks – and seriously – when we first lived here in Richmond, going to DC or anywhere North was like a breathe of fresh air – and parts of DC feel like California – especially Alexandria.
      anyhow I know exactly what you mean about the traffic – because right after you pass Richmond, it can even start as early as Fredericksburg – 🙂
      lastly, if you do make it down – and want to connect for lunch – well I love to connect with bloggers and lunch is on me.

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  20. You make a great tour guide Yvette 🙂 Thank you for the historical details. I have always been fascinated by the events of the American civil war thanks to movies like “Gone with the wind”, so I found this particularly interesting.

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    1. Thanks Madhu, and we have a hotel that (the Jefferson) which displays “Gone with the Wind” artifacts – a staircase that is similar, and they also have hundreds of orchids and the largest oriental rug I have ever seen – you would love it! thanks for dropping by and have a great day 🙂 ❤

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  21. Yvette, what a moving post. I just watched a movie about the Civil War and for days I was haunted. So many were killed in that war, just ruthless slaughtering. I shouldn’t have watched this movie, because of the very vivid documentation, but it left me stunned, realizing the suffering that incurred, not only with the soldiers but with families as well. What a great tribute you have done here, my friend. Thank you. Love, Amy

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    1. Thanks so much Lady Rose-ski 🙂 – wow – sounds like a chilling movie ….and I guess 620,000 soldiers died in the Civil War alone compared to 644,000 died in all other wars here – but that does not necessarily include the families as you noted…. such a sad war that really over money…. hugs to you and glad there was not a major flood after the epic snow storm you had _ 🙂

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  22. Since I was raised and lived in the North, but have many members of my family living in the South, it was interesting to see that perspective…

    And the pictures are lovely! We have Revolutionary War re-enactors here, and I always feel for them in the summer. Your story made me smile.

    I’ll be sharing my photos of our bygone walk in Saratoga National Historical Park in the future…

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    1. Hi Shan – and yeah, to imagine soldiers in wool coats in the HEAT!! I look forward to seeing the Saratoga Photos – 🙂
      and speaking of uniforms – here’s a fun little picture of them over the years:

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  23. The cemetery gives you the chills, since it looks beautiful all those white stones lined up so perfectly with a beautiful grass, then you think about what they really mean.

    This was a cool history class, and I bet the kids in those schools most of them probably don´t even know who is the person their school is named after.

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    1. I agree CP4 – I bet most kids (and maybe adults) do not realize who the school is named after….
      But our “standards of learning” here in Virginia do include a lot of info about the Civil War – because it is very important ’round here… 🙂

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  24. I like the shot taken from your car most. This has been very educational and interesting, Ivette, and so apt for the theme.

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  25. I really enjoyed the topic and photos and interesting side notes. How cool that your brother made a documentary! Love your son’s kind gesture with the cold drink and how you wove all of that into your post.

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    1. Thanks so much K! And he also gave a homeless guy his fruit roll up one day – well i am not sure if the guys as homeless, but you know, the ones that are at the stop light sometimes – and I always try to give them a buck too….

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  26. Great post. I went to school, VCU, in Richmond so some of these pics bring back a few memories.

    James

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    1. Hi James – I had no idea you wee from this area. And whew, VCU went from “V C Who?” to now maybe getting a little too big for their britches. Or just from affordable and great to now maybe overpriced fro what you get – all thanks to chaka khan – I mean Shaka Snmart and his basketball skills. 🙂
      thanks for taking the time to leave a comment 🙂

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      1. I moved a lot when I was a kid, went to high school in Williamsburg, went to VCU, then joined the AF. My parents moved from VA during my first year in the AF and I haven’t been back many times since. I have some great memories of the place but call Louisiana home now.

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  29. (EN) Better than an history book….really thanks 🙂
    (IT) Meglio di un libro di storia….davvero grazie 🙂

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    1. Thanks M-R- and I had not heard of Cornwell, but maybe I will have to peruse some of his work (I just ordered Rebel Yell and I cannot add one more author to my list right now -lol – but when I do- Cornwell might be on the list… I found this author share – it is pretty cool – he has a sword from Waterloo –

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  31. The history you bring to this blogosphere, to your community on line, is really amazing. And the quality you bring along, draws us all in, Dr. Prior. Good post! The mass of tragedy in the midst of the Civil War is staggering, humbling. It would be so wrong if the Civil War places, stories, were forgotten. Thus, I connect with your post title, “Gone But Not Forgotten” …

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    1. thanks doc T!! and I am not sure if we will stay long term in this area (just never know…), but it would be sad to move away and not have soaked up the civil war momentums…. have a nice rest of your week….

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  33. It is difficult to imagine so many families being torn apart…and from being in the same country. With our country but nine decades old and brutally killing each other, I am sure our former “owners”, the British”, were thinking they were lucky to have lost.

    But that war was not largely about religion. Things mended although sentiments still linger. Same for WWII… but now we are engaged in a religious war which may not be winnable…nor as easily forgiven.

    Let us always remember…

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