America’s Civil War: May 2001 Letters

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Preservation Donation

Thank you so very much, Primedia History Group, for your generous donation of $9,778 to the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust. These proceeds from your recent Chancellorsville reenactment at Ft. Pickett, Va., [September 22-24] are a wonderful indication of the support and loyalty of participating reenactors. The gift will allow our organization to purchase more of the hallowed ground that we seek to preserve and protect from development.

Those members of our Board of Directors who were able to be there that weekend were unanimous in their praise of your organization’s effort on our behalf. We felt most warmly welcomed, and we all enjoyed the opportunity to participate.

Thank you again for your generosity. Your support and good will are very important to the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust (www.cvbt.org).

John D. Mitchell, President
Central Virginia Battlefields Trust

Editor’s note: We were glad to help. Primedia’s next reenactment will be held August 3-5 near Leesburg, Va., and will re-create the First Battle of Manassas. Funds for preservation will also be raised at this event. Check www.firstmanassas.com for more information.

Jeb Stuart Monument

In the January 2001 issue you published a letter from Charles Bly regarding the J.E.B. Stuart Monument on Telegraph Road in Henrico County, Va. I’d like to inform your subscribers that this monument is not by any means being ignored by the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) or the reenactors of the 44th Virginia Regiment. The UDC chapter conducts a commemorative service on May 11 (the date of Stuart’s mortal wounding), and the 44th Virginia helps maintain the grounds. There are so many memorial services on Memorial Day in the Richmond area that it is impossible to have a service at every monument. We chose May 11 for that very reason.

Henrico County’s historical commission has now included the monument on bus tours. Telegraph Road is located in a very, very rural area. Except for a few houses, it is nearly like it was during the War Between the States, not overgrown as might be interpreted from Mr. Bly’s statements.

Some additional good news: A Boy Scout and his troop have adopted this monument as an Eagle Scout project, the flag pole has been newly painted and the brass plaque has been professionally cleaned.

A rededication service is planned for May 12, 2001 at 11:00 a.m. All are invited.

Lastly, do not fear that this monument is abused, misunderstood or lost to “progress.” The Virginia Department of Historic Resources continues to help finance maintenance of this “sacred treasure.”

Sylvia M. Richards, President
Richmond-Stonewall Jackson
UDC Chapter 1705

Battle of Franklin

How could the compelling story of Franklin native Tod Carter, a son of Fountain Carter who owned the Carter house, be left out of Gary Dolzall’s January 2001 article “Union Stand That Destroyed an Army”? His tragic death in the Confederate charge that bore down on his childhood home simply can’t be left out of any story about this bloody conflict.

Grant E. Cole
Alexandria, Va.

Gary Dolzall responds: I had actually mentioned poor Tod Carter in the draft originally submitted, but the reference was edited out, I’m sure for space considerations as the manuscript was a bit lengthy. You are certainly correct that the fate of young Carter merits attention. The 24-year-old son of Fountain Carter was a captain serving on Confederate Brig. Gen. Thomas B. Smith’s staff when he was struck down barely 500 feet from his family home, near the locust grove. He died after the battle in his own parlor.

The Better Angel Review

In regard to William Anderson’s January 2001 issue review of The Better Angel, Roy Morris’ book on poet Walt Whitman, I can’t tell whether the following idea comes from the book or is the opinion of the reviewer, but to stress that Whitman’s career was “largely over” when the Civil War started is disputable if not inaccurate.

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