Yesterday’s trip to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello was a very fruitful day. This was my first time back since August of 2007 and there have been some wonderful additions to the site in my absence. Before I begin with what I hope will be a very original and insightful post, I do have to share three, very important revelations:

1. Uploading video from your Blackberry while standing on top of a mountain is an exercise in futility.
2. IF you take a photo in the new exhibit hall using a flash, you will set off an alarm (trust me).
3. The new Visitor’s Center is excellent, although I believe there are far less artifacts on display.

Thursday’s expedition had a very important goal, to specifically examine how slavery is now being interpreted and presented at the new Monticello. In one of my essays written for The Jefferson Project, I recalled how I typically glanced over the issue of racism when visiting Jefferson’s home. Today, my eyes have been opened to examining these uncomfortable issues and acknowledging the hypocrisy that existed in the practices of the Founding Fathers. Please note that my respect for this man has not changed, Jefferson was both brilliant and inspiring. The difference is that I now remain in awe of a man who was quite imperfect, just like the rest of us.

My revelation came as I began to take a more critical look at the life and legacy of Thomas Jefferson. Recently I posted here and here on my reading of Gary Wills’ book “Negro President” Jefferson and the Slave Power, as well as The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family by Annette Gordon-Reed. Admittedly, I had no idea how influential the institution of human bondage was to the establishment and operation of our nation’s earliest federal government. For example, the “three-fifths [slave] clause” of the Constitution tremendously benefited men like Thomas Jefferson and enabled slaveholders to retain high-level political positions for generations.

It was with this newfound perspective that I set out to revisit Jefferson's home. I am aware of some fellow CW bloggers who are re-examining race and memory in regards to the Civil War, but I believe I am the first to take this approach with the newly updated Monticello. My post today looks at four major parts of the visitor’s experience: the visitor’s center and gallery, the house tour, Mulberry Row, and the new guidebook. I took extra special care to record via photo, video, and notes, how slavery was interpreted and presented at each of these venues. (Unfortunately, the video aspect was not successful as I do not believe silent camera pans of displays are worth your time. Therefore I am sticking with the photos and my own observations.)

The objective of this post is to inspire you to visit Monticello just as I did, with a fresh curiosity and newfound perspective. (All photographs were taken on site.)

1. Visitor's Center

First up is the new Monticello Visitors Center and Smith Education Center. There are two main galleries at this location (along with a theater, café, gift shop, and research library). Both exhibit halls feature specific displays dealing with slavery and the labor force at Monticello. Both sections appear dedicated to recognizing the contributions of the slave community. In the upstairs gallery there is a biography card on Issac Jefferson who had served as a blacksmith, tinsmith, and nailer. You may remember that Issac’s memoirs were recorded by an interviewer and remain among the most insightful narratives about the day-to-day lives of Monticello’s inhabitants. Isaac held a sincere affection for his owner and was reported as saying, “Old Master was very kind to servants.” (For additional quotes see Jefferson at Monticello, Recollections of a Monticello Slave and a Monticello Overseer. Edited by James Adam Bear, Jr.).

Next to Issac’s display are matching bios of John Hemings, a tremendously skilled woodworker who crafted much of the interior woodwork of Jefferson’s house at Poplar Forest, as well the most famous of all Monticello’s slaves, Sally Hemings. Of course her relationship with Thomas Jefferson has been the subject of great controversy. According to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation’s official statement on the matter: “Although the relationship between Jefferson and Sally Hemings has been for many years, and will surely continue to be, a subject of intense interest to historians and the public, the evidence is not definitive, and the complete story may never be known. The Foundation encourages its visitors and patrons, based on what evidence does exist, to make up their own minds as to the true nature of the relationship.”

This stance continues today in various publications on the matter including the visitor’s handbook (more on that later). In addition to these bio cards, artifacts including some of the slave’s handiwork are on display. The craftsmanship that these men achieved, made even more impressively with the lack of technology, is beyond remarkable. Slave labor at Monticello was definitely skilled labor.

In the downstairs gallery, a large display titled “Those Who Built Monticello” presents the tradesmen, free and enslaved, as well as the tools they used to construct Jefferson’s magnificent estate. According to the plaque, “Jefferson required highly-skilled workmen to realize his vision for Monticello. In Philadelphia in 1798 he engaged James Dinsmore, an Irish house joiner, to take charge of the ongoing construction in his absences. Dinsmore worked closely with enslaved joiner John Hemings to create much of Monticello’s fine woodwork. The team of joiners also included James Oldham (1801-04) and John Neilson (1805-09), and another enslaved man, Lewis...”

It continued, “John Hemings, the son of Elizabeth (Betty) Hemings, apprenticed under Dinsmore and hired joiners. He became an accomplished craftsman, succeeded Dinsmore as head joiner in 1809, and trained other slaves in his trade, including his nephews Madison and Eston Hemings. A Monticello overseer recalled that Hemings ‘could make anything that was wanted in woodwork.’ He made fine furniture, a landau carriage, and much of the interior woodwork at Poplar Forest. Jefferson freed Hemings in his will and gave him all the tools of his shop. Continuing to work for the Jefferson family, Hemings lived for several more years at Monticello with his wife, Priscilla.”

2. House and Dependencies Tour

Second in my investigation, the traditional house tour and dependency exhibits. Nothing major has changed noticeably at the top of the hill, although the guided tours are now more open to discussing the institution of slavery and how it was a crucial element in the construction, maintenance and operation of Monticello. Our guide immediately made a point of presenting Jefferson as a typical Virginia plantation owner who had established his lifestyle on the benefits of slave labor. She quoted Jefferson as saying that he abhorred slavery, and believed that he looked at his slaves with a paternalistic view, that they were children who required his supervision. She then countered that notion by saying that dozens of Monticello’s 200 slaves had been traded off by Jefferson and that if one judged him by his deeds and not his words, slavery was something that benefited him greatly. Other than the usual mention of the house staff's chores and showing the dumbwaiters and kitchen carousel, the rest of the tour steered clear of the topic.

Underneath the house, there were several displays in the center alcove presenting the servant’s quarters, found artifacts, and slave life including that of Issac Jefferson. The kitchen areas in particular presented how Jefferson had his slave cooks trained by French chefs in the traditional dish preparations of the time. Adjacent quarters presented the life of a slave named Joseph Fossett. The plaque reads, “Joseph Fossett (1780-1858) was the grandson of Elizabeth (Betty Hemings) and the son of Mary Hemings Bell, who became free in the 1790s while her son remained a slave at Monticello. According to overseer Edmund Backon, Fossett, a blacksmith, was ‘a very fine workman; could do anything it was necessary to do with steel or iron.’ Joseph and Edith Fossett had ten children, from James, born in the President’s House in 1805, to Jesse, born in 1830. Although Joseph Fossett was freed in Jefferson’s will, his wife and children were sold at the Monticello estate auction in 1827. He continued to work as a blacksmith and, with the help of his mother and other free family members, was able to purchase the freedom of Edith and some of their children. They moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, in the 1840s. In 1850 their son Peter, who left a number of recollections of his life, became free and joined his family in Cincinnati, where he was a prominent caterer and Baptist minister.”

3. Mulberry Row

Third and perhaps the most direct display of slave life at Monticello is the stops along Mulberry Row. In addition to traditional placards, brick ruins mark the areas of significance. Named for the mulberry trees planted along it, Mulberry Row was the center of plantation activity at Monticello from the 1770s to Jefferson’s death in 1826. Five log dwellings for slaves were located on Mulberry Row in 1796. The Mulberry Row cabins were occupied mainly by household servants -- women who did the cooking, washing, house cleaning, sewing, and child tending. According to Monticello’s website, “Not all slaves lived on Mulberry Row. A small number who were household servants lived in rooms in the basement-level dependency wings of Monticello, and others lived in cabins located elsewhere at Monticello and outlying farms.”

Stops along the way include slave dwellings, workman’s house, storehouse, blacksmith shop, nailery and a joinery. Some people may not be aware that all building materials including Monticello’s bricks and nails were made on site. I was surprised to learn that white workers also lived along this section of the estate. The T.J. Foundation states that, “A blacksmith shop was built on this site about 1793. Here Jefferson’s slaves Little George, Moses, and Joe Fossett shoed horses, repaired the metal parts of plows and hoes, replaced gun parts, and made the iron portions of the carriages that Jefferson designed. Neighboring farmers brought work to the shop as well, and the slave blacksmiths were given a percentage of the profits of their labor. In 1794, Jefferson added a nailmaking operation to the shop, in an effort to provide an additional source of income. Nailrod was shipped to Monticello by water from Philadelphia and was hammered into nails by as many as fourteen young male slaves, aged ten to sixteen.”

The crumbled foundation remains of a typical Mulberry Row slave cabin. According to the plaque, the structures were approximately 20 ft. x 12 ft., constructed of logs on a stone foundation, with a wood chimney and earth floor. These buildings overlooked the main produce gardens. Today there is a special Plantation Tour available that covers the slave community and its daily contribution in more detail. Mulberry Row is a main focal point of the walking tour.

(Excerpt: In 1796 there were 110 African-Americans living on the 5,000-acre plantation, almost half of them children.)

4. Monticello Visitor's Guidebook

Fourth and finally, my attentions were drawn to the newly updated Monticello Visitor’s Guide. I always save my brochures, maps and handouts when touring historical sites and was able to refer back to the old version. I also had a children’s handout from 2007 which I have always been curious about. The illustrations that explain to children the day-to-day life at Monticello depict slaves happily cooking in the kitchen and playing with the Jefferson children around the fish pond. No doubt slave-master relationships like this existed, but these representations seemed a little too “happy-go-lucky” for my tastes. Of course little children are far too young to understand or comprehend the issues of slavery, but these candy-coated drawings were over the top.

The new Monticello guidebook features two large spreads dealing with slave labor. The first is titled “Mulberry Row” and includes an illustrated map of the grounds and photographs of artifacts. Once again Issac Jefferson makes an appearance (clearly the most exhibited slave on the premises). A section on the Storehouse states, “In 1796 Jefferson recorded that the log building here was used for storing iron and nail rod for the blacksmith shop and nailery. It also served over time for tinsmithing and nail manufacture and as a dwelling. A slave named Issac Jefferson, trained as a tinsmith in Philadelphia, briefly operated the tin shop.”

“Enslaved Families: A number of extended families lived in bondage at Monticello for three or more generations, facilitating Jefferson’s operations as farm laborers, artisans, tradesmen and domestic workers. Among them were the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of Elizabeth Hemings, David and Isabel Hern, Edward and Jane Gillette, and James and Cate Hubbard. Nights, Sundays, and holidays provided the only opportunities to socialize and nurture their connections that united them as a community. Like their fellows across the South, Monticello slaves resisted slavery’s dehumanizing effects by filling this time with expressions of a rich culture: gardening, needlework, music, religious practice. They were part of a cultural and spiritual life that flourished independent of their masters.”

“Sally Hemings: That Thomas Jefferson fathered children with Sally Hemings, an enslaved ladies’ maid at Monticello, entered the public arena during his first term as president, and it has remained a subject of discussion and disagreement for more than two centuries. DNA tests results released in 1998 indicated a genetic link between the Jefferson and Hemings families. Thomas Jefferson Foundation historians believe that the weight of existing evidence indicates a high probability that Thomas Jefferson was the father of Sally Hemings’ son Eston (born 1808), and that he was likely the father of all her known children. The evidence is not definitive, however, and the complete story may never be known.” (Our friend Richard Williams recently posted some thoughts on his blog about a book by William G. Hyland Jr. titled In Defense of Thomas Jefferson: The Sally Hemings Sex Scandal, which takes the opposite stance.)

I have to admit that this trip to Monticello yielded a variety of different conclusions for me. The Thomas Jefferson that I recognize today was a man who may very well have held a sincere paternalistic fondness for his slaves, but at the same time, he held them in the chains of bondage. Despite the fact that many of his servants received specialized training and developed trades that resulted in the creation of great things, they were simultaneously denied the basic principle of freedom. This is where the contradiction of the man who penned the Declaration of Independence lies. Thomas Jefferson was an extraordinary man whose contributions to this country cannot be denied, but he was also a man who held racist views of the period. This is an undeniable truth.

Thankfully, the folks at Monticello are not shying away from this aspect of Jefferson’s life and the Foundation has made great strides to include an African-American presence in their presentation. It not only fills a void of far too neglected history, it also makes Thomas Jefferson human. Try to keep this in mind the next time that you visit Monticello and see if you too leave with a broader understanding of this remarkable, yet flawed Founding Father.

UPDATE: One additional area that fits the attention of this study is the African-American graveyard that is located on the grounds of the estate. According to the sign, this cemetery is the final resting place of 40+ blacks who lived in slavery at Monticello from 1770-1827. It adds that although the names of Jefferson's slaves were known, it has not been possible to identify any of those buried here. This is perhaps one of the most telling of all the exhibits as a separate burial plot personified the society of segregation that even in death, existed at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.

On Thursday I will be posting text, photos and videos from Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. This will be my first visit in two years and as I am looking at ways of utilizing the emerging mobile technology available via Blackberry, I can’t think of a better place to experiment with mobile blogging.

My plans are to cover some of the exhibits in the new Thomas Jefferson Visitors Center and Smith Education Center, Mulberry Row, and of course the house and gardens. The turning of the leaves here in Virginia is just reaching its peak and the colors are breathtaking. I also plan to offer my thoughts on the new historical interpretations of the life and legacy of Jefferson via the new museum.

Stay tuned for a multi-media experience.

Since you brought it up my friend...

The 1950 Philadelphia Phillies climbed to the top of the National League, thanks to a clutch performance down the home stretch by twenty-game winner Robin Roberts. Roberts pitched three times in the last five days of the regular season and although he managed to nail down the National League pennant, the marathon had left him unavailable for a Game 1 start. Manager Eddie Sawyer was left with a limited rotation due to the late-season loss of Curt Simmons (seventeen victories) to the Army and recurring injuries to rookie pitchers Bob Miller and Bubba Church.

The Philly skipper shocked everyone after nominating a thirty-three year old right-hander named Jim Konstanty, who had not made a single start during the 1950 regular season. He did however appear in seventy-four games and the standout reliever was 16-7 with a 2.66 earned run average. Konstanty was confident and certainly up to the challenge (and what a challenge it would be).

His opponent was none other than the defending World Champion New York Yankees who had swept six previous World Series (from the Pirates, Cardinals, Cubs and Reds) in twenty-four years and captured twelve World Series titles to date. Many felt that another sweep was a foregone conclusion, but Philadelphia was determined to prove their critics wrong. Konstanty rose to the occasion and pitched a superb outing against the American League champions while allowing only one run and four hits in eight innings. Unfortunately for the Phillies, New York's Vic Raschi spun a two-hit, 1-0 shutout for the opening lead.

By now, Roberts was well rested and ready for Game 2. The Philadelphia ace went up against New York right-hander Allie Reynolds and neither blinked through a 1-1, nine inning standoff. So far, through two regulation games, there had been a total of three runs scored as the pitchers clearly dominated the contest (much to the dismay of the crowds). Joe DiMaggio added a fourth to the total after launching a leadoff homer in the tenth inning for a 2-1 triumph. Now down two games to none, the Phillies were desperate for an advantage on the mound and called upon an unlikely hero named Ken Heintzelman (a seventeen-game winner for the Phillies in 1949 but a lowly, 3-9 pitcher in 1950).

Despite his deplorable regular season stats, the left-hander started beautifully in Game 3 against Eddie Lopat and carried a 2-1 lead going into the eighth inning. After retiring the first two Yankees, Heintzelman stuttered and walked three consecutive batters. Sawyer saw that it was time to make a change and called for Konstanty who induced Bobby Brown to ground to Granny Hamner. Unable to get a break, the Phillies' winced as their shortstop fumbled the ball, and the tying run scored. The Yankees continued their momentum in the ninth, as Jerry Coleman stepped up to the plate and sealed the 3-2 victory.

Now on the verge of another Yankees sweep, the Phillies had kept pace with the perennial champs and only lost by three consecutive one-run decisions (the closest of any contender in any previous New York rally). Their efforts however, would be in vain, as NY skipper Casey Stengel introduced a young up-and-coming talent in Game 4. His name was Ed "Whitey" Ford and the rookie went 9-1 during the regular season after being called up from Kansas City of the American Association. After teammate Yogi Berra led off the Yankees' attack with a run-scoring single and a bases-empty homerun, Ford breezed into the ninth inning with a 5-0 lead. A shutout seemed inevitable for Ford, as he forced Andy Seminick to hit a textbook fly to left field. However, Gene Woodling dropped the ball and both Phillies runners scored. Reynolds came in to get the last out, making the New York Yankees 5-2 winners and repeat champions.

Woodling, who tied Granny Hamner for the World Series batting lead with a .429 average, was distraught over his failure to protect the shutout. Ford was less concerned and happy with the win (which would be the first of many in the Fall Classic). In fact, the Yankees newest ace would go on to set several World Series records. "The Chairman of the Board" as he would later be called, still holds the World Series records for most wins (ten) and most strikeouts (ninety-four). The New York Yankees pitching rotation during the 1950 Series only allowed three (3) earned runs and finished the Fall Classic with a combined 0.73 ERA.

Following their defeat, one of the most frequently asked questions in Philadelphia's sports papers was, "Why didn't the Phillies start Robin Roberts during Game 1?" The answer is during the National League pennant race, Roberts had three (3) starts in five (5) days including the pennant winner on the final day of the regular season - played October 1, 1950 (three days before Game 1).

Ironically, the last two National League teams without a home run during the Fall Classic were the Cincinnati Reds in the 1939 World Series (swept by the New York Yankees) and the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1927 World Series (also swept by the New York Yankees).

Originally written for Baseball-Almanac: World Series section, by Michael Aubrecht

I’ve waited to post anything on the ALCS in fear of jinxing the outcome, but as I sit here watching Mariano Rivera close out Game 6 with a score of NYY 5 - LAA 2, I can safely acknowledge that the 2009 Bronx Bombers have secured the victory and a ticket to the Fall Classic. Well done gentlemen. Well done!

What makes this particular AL Pennant even sweeter is the fact that the New York Yankees will be moving on to meet the NL’s defending World Champion Philadelphia Phillies. The “Phils” of course are the beloved team of my friend and co-author Eric Wittenberg, as well as Dave Raymond, the original “Phillie Phanatic” and Foreword contributor to our upcoming book You Stink! Major League Baseball’s Terrible Teams and Pathetic Players. (How ironic that in the very season we completed our manuscript, both of our teams are meeting in the grand finale.)

To me, there is nothing better than the World Series and this year’s promises to be a great one. Both teams are excellent on both sides of the plate and I can easily see this ending in an epic Game 7. Of course Eric and I have pledged to root against one another with a renewed vigor, and then translate that experience into a new addition to our book’s Introduction.

I may not know a lot about a lot of things, but I do know a little about baseball. As a freelance writer, I started out as a contributor for Baseball-Almanac where I researched and authored their entire historical section including the World Series, All-Star Game, Year in Review and Post-Season recaps. This was in addition to writing bios, essays and editorial pieces. From 2000-2006, I penned over 375 pieces for BA and I loved every minute of it. Nowadays, I watch more Yankees games than any other sporting event and I can’t wait to participate in the MLB Fantasy League at my new job. (I heard a rumor that the U.S. Marshals have a killer rotisserie league.)

People are already emailing me for my predictions and all I will say is that the Yankees must get consistency out of their bullpen, specifically from their middle relievers, and the swingers must stop leaving so many runners stranded on base. Philadelphia is a strong contender and I feel this series will come down to the starters. Whoever has the stronger rotation wins. Hitters won’t be a defining factor - whiffers will. Although both ballparks favor the bat, defense will be the key. This postseason has already given us a fielding highlight reel. Look for low-scoring games and lots of ‘K’s. NY wins in 6 games.

Related links:
Luckiest Fans on the Face of this Earth (eBook)
Articles on MLB history for Baseball-Almanac

Earlier this month, I posted that I was reading Gary Wills’ book “Negro President” Jefferson and the Slave Power. I am enjoying it to say the least, and I can’t wait to finish so I can start The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family by Annette Gordon-Reed. The latter was a bon voyage gift from a good friend and member of The Jefferson Project. Thank you Liane. As a result, I have pledged to read nothing but Jefferson books for the remainder of the year. That said, the Wills book has really opened my eyes to a whole new perspective of America’s Founding Fathers and the nation’s practice of slavery. I had absolutely no idea how influential (even crucial) the institution was to the establishment and operation of the federal government. Slavery yielded a political power that affected all branches at every level.

To quote a review: The book focuses on the influence of slaveholding in United States politics from the post-revolutionary period through the 1840’s, especially 1800 through 1808. It provides a vivid portrait of unsavory and generally ignored aspects of the political career of Thomas Jefferson, the “Negro President” of the title. His opponents styled him thus after the presidential election of 1800, because he would have lost it had not the South’s representation in Congress and the Electoral College been augmented by 60 percent of the census of slaves. This was the “three-fifths clause” of the Constitution at work.

That’s the basic premise for the book and Wills does as extraordinary job of outlining the three-fifths affect and how much power the South maintained as a result. This passage from Chapter 1 in particular, really caught my attention:

In the sixty-two years between Washington’s election and the Compromise of 1850, for example, slaveholders controlled the presidency for fifty-years, the Speaker’s chair for forty-one years, and the chairmanship of House Ways and Means [the most important committee] for forty-two years. The only men to be re-elected president – Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and Jackson – were all slaveholders. The men who sat in the Speaker’s chair the longest – Henry Clay, Andrew Stevenson, and Nathaniel Macon – were slaveholders. Eighteen out of thirty-one Supreme Court justices were slaveholders.

Wills continues to outline additional high-level political positions held by slaveholders (or descendents of slaveholders) all the way up to the turn of the century. To be honest, I never realized how much the federal government was influenced, even controlled somewhat by the institution of bondage. My conclusion: slavery equaled political power, thus political power required slavery. I find that disturbing.

More thoughts to come as I continue to read this fascinating study…

Here is a PDF of the official announcement from The History Press for my fifth and newest book, The Civil War in Spotsylvania: Confederate Campfires at the Crossroads.

This will be the third, and perhaps last post before I start my new Technical Writer position with the U.S. Marshals. As I adjust to my commute, I hope to blog from the train via my Blackberry, but we’ll see how that goes. One of the many things that immediately impressed me about this outfit was their obvious dedication to preserving their own legacy. History really matters to the U.S. Marshals and the moment you enter their headquarters, you are greeted by a large statue of Wyatt Earp. At my panel interview, I was tested on my knowledge of the organization. Fortunately, I had prepped myself by spending some time on their website. Who knows? Maybe someday I'll write a book on the subject.

Much like the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Marshals Service wants their people at every level to fully appreciate the history of those who came before them. As the oldest federal law enforcement agency in the United States, they have apprehended more fugitives than all other law-enforcement agencies combined. As a historian, I love the fact that this group embraces their heritage and goes to great lengths to instill the same values of those who came before them. The list of noteworthy U.S. Marshals is a long one and includes familiar names such as Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill Hickok, and even Frederick Douglass (I never knew that.) Two Confederate Generals also wore the silver-star, Benjamin McCulloch, U.S. Marshal for Eastern District of Texas; who became a brigadier general, and Richard Griffith, who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Savage's Station during the 1862 Peninsula Campaign.

Griffith is a particularly interesting character in southern Civil War history as he was originally from Pennsylvania. He was born in Philadelphia and graduated from Ohio University before moving to Vicksburg, Mississippi. During the Mexican War, Griffith served as an infantryman with the 1st Mississippi Rifles. It was there where he met and became close friends with an up-and-coming colonel named Jefferson Davis. After the war Griffith left the army for civilian life and worked as both a banker and a U.S. Marshal. He also held the rank of brigadier general in the Mississippi State Militia.

At the outbreak of the War Between the States, Griffith sided with the Confederacy and was immediately appointed as a colonel in the 12th Mississippi Infantry. One year later he was promoted to brigadier general and put in command of four Mississippi regiments that became part of Maj. Gen. John B. Magruder’s division. Griffith saw action at the Seven Days Battles near the Confederate capital of Richmond. During that engagement he was mortally wounded in his thigh by a shell fragment. As he died he was recorded to have said, “If only I could have led my brigade through this battle, I would have died satisfied.”

According to his bio: The loss of General Griffith was much lamented by many, including his long-time friend Jefferson Davis. Of the fighting at Savage Station he wrote, “Our loss was small in numbers, but great in value. Among others who could ill be spared, here fell the gallant soldier, the useful citizen, the true friend and Christian gentleman, Brigadier General Richard Griffith. He had served with distinction in foreign war, and, when the South was invaded, was among the first to take up arms in defense of our rights.” Later in the war, a group of soldier-musicians called “The McLaws Minstrels,” serving under Lafayette McLaws and formerly under General Griffith, would play at a theater in Fredericksburg. They charged a modest admission fee, the proceeds from which were used to erect a monument in the Mississippi State Capitol in honor of their fallen commander.

Today, Brig. Gen. Richard Griffith is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Jackson, MS.

As the start date for my new job with the U.S. Marshals approaches, I have found myself eagerly anticipating the many changes that will now affect my work day. Perhaps the biggest adjustment will come in the form of the commute. Not one to sit still much, I have been looking at constructive ways to pass the time on the train. In addition to reading, music has always been a great traveling companion of mine. Recently I re-discovered Classical music. While in school, I developed a serious liking to instrumental film soundtracks that led to my appreciation of the master composers. Over the years, I moved away from the genre, but after coming back, I feel a renewed vigor and appreciation for it. Perhaps I'm finally cool with being un-cool. (Apparently this is nothing new, as my kids have known I'm a geek for years.)

Until recently, I always listened to Talk Radio, but that forum had become so politically charged and divisive, I could hardly stand a minute of it. Frankly, it made me angry, so one day I tuned into a local Classical station as I traveled to and from work. Amazingly, the music had a tremendous calming affect on me and I began to feel incredibly relaxed and replenished. When I got home, I loaded my entire iPod with my Classical CD collection including symphonies from Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and Handel. It was as if I was reacquainting myself with an old friend. I am fortunate that Virginia gets one of the top Classical public radio stations in the country WETA 90.9 FM. Now I find myself listening to Classical as I write and I think my output is improving.

I hope that my musical knowledge and tastes will continue to evolve as I spend more time listening to this style. I know I have plenty of "high-brow" readers out there, so please feel free to recommend any concertos, sonatas or symphonies that you think I may enjoy. The historian in me is especially interested in compiling the kinds of tunes that our Founding Fathers enjoyed. I wonder what was on Jefferson's iPod?

I wanted to share it then, but there were some procedures that still needed to take place. Without getting into any specific-details, I can now say that I have accepted a full-time position as a Technical Writer for the U.S. Marshals. I could not be more excited about this career move and I ask that you be patient in the coming weeks as I adjust to this new job. I think it’s fair to say that I will not be blogging as frequently in the coming weeks, but I promise to make my posts worth your while.

Confederate Campfires at the Crossroads
by Michael Aubrecht
Review inquiries welcome
Ordering information

Camp life is becoming very monotonous at our present abode. Winter is near at hand, and our tents a very inadequate shelter for this cold clime. Wood too has become an object-far off and bad roads to haul it over. The cold winds, howling around us like evil spirits, admonish us to prepare for "worse coming." -James J. Kirkpatrick, 16th MS Infantry, CSA

Often referred to as the "Crossroads of the Civil War," Spotsylvania County in central Virginia bore witness to some of the most intense fighting during the War Between the States. The nearby city of Fredericksburg and neighboring counties of Stafford, Orange and Caroline also hosted a myriad of historically significant events during America's "Great Divide."

Four major engagements took place in this region, including the Battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Spotsylvania Court House and the Wilderness. Today, the hallowed grounds that make up the Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park are the second largest of their kind in the country. In addition, the area remains home to many historic Civil War landmarks, including Chatham, Salem Church, the "Stonewall" Jackson Shrine and Ellwood Manor. Dozens of monuments and roadside markers dot the landscape, and more than 200,000 tourists visit the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania region each year.

Similarly, from 1861 to 1865, hundreds of thousands of troops from both sides of the conflict marched through, fought at and camped in the woods and fields of Spotsylvania County and the surrounding area. The National Park Service christened the region "the Bloodiest Landscape in North America," stating that over a four-year period more than eighty-five thousand men were wounded and over fifteen thousand were killed. A number of exceptionally significant events also took place in the vicinity, including the first clash between Union general Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate commander General Robert E. Lee, as well as the first recorded skirmish between the Southern forces and U.S. Colored Troops.

This book focuses specifically on the Confederate encampments that spread across Spotsylvania County and the adjoining regions during the course of the Civil War. By using the testimonies of witnesses and words taken directly from published memoirs, diary entries and letters home, readers will be able to gain some insight regarding the day-to-day experiences of camp life for the Southern armies on campaign in the Old Dominion.

According to Spotsylvania County's official history, as presented by the tourism bureau:

Spotsylvania's roots extend back to 1721, when the colony of Virginia created a vast new county that stretched past the Blue Ridge Mountains. The county was named for Alexander Spotswood, lieutenant governor of the colony from 1710 to 1720. The City of Fredericksburg was formed from the county in 1728. Spotsylvania's many historic places include the following sites: a skirmish near the Rappahannock River between American Indians and a group led by Capt. John Smith; the first commercially successful ironworks in North America; a slave revolt attempted in the 1810s; and one of the nation's most productive pre-1849 gold mines. The county is probably best-known for the battles fought on its soil during the Civil War. Because of Spotsylvania's strategic location between the Confederate and Union armies, several major battles were fought in the county, including ones at Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, Fredericksburg, and Spotsylvania Court House, one of the bloodiest battles of the war. More than 100,000 troops from both sides died in Spotsylvania.

The nearby town of Fredericksburg blends almost seamlessly into the county's landscape. Its authorized biography states:

The City of Fredericksburg was established by an act of the Virginia General Assembly in 1728, on land originally patented by John Buckner and Thomas Royston of Essex County in 1681. It was named for Frederick, Prince of Wales (1707-51), eldest son of King George II of Great Britain and father of King George III. Its older streets still bear the names of members of the British royal family. Located at the falls of the Rappahannock River, Fredericksburg flourished as a regional marketplace and prosperous seaport before the American Revolution. Although the Fredericksburg region is steeped in over 300 years of history, it is the area's part in the Civil War that attracts most of the visitors today. The City of Fredericksburg is strategically located midway between Washington D. C. and Richmond, Virginia. The City of Fredericksburg was a major objective for both sides during the Civil War. The city changed hands at least seven times and is the site of some of the most intense and crucial battles of the war.

Both locations, in addition to the surrounding counties of Stafford, Orange, Caroline and others, acted as major campsites and stationing locations for thousands of troops from both the Federal and Confederate armies.

Topics in this book include the construction and configuration of winter quarters, daily troop activities, church services, drills and assignments, foraging and supply acquisition, games and entertainment, crimes and punishment, servants, slaves and civilian aid, as well as personal reminiscences of missions and engagements. In addition, an intimate look into the family lives of several soldiers is revealed through their personal correspondence with loved ones who were left behind on the homefront.

Camp life for the common soldier during the Civil War was a mixture of a blessing and a curse. Off the battlefield, these encampments afforded a temporary sense of safety and security. They were also a bastion of boredom, and troops passed the time playing chess, singing songs and participating in a relatively new recreational activity called "baseball." At the same time, many soldiers fell victim to the indulgences of army life that included gambling, thievery, intoxication and prostitution. Thousands of men died of disease and dysentery from poor living conditions, and the scarring that was left behind on the land from camping armies proved to be just as destructive as the battles themselves.

Most soldiers in the field, regardless of their virtue, wrote constantly to reassure their friends and family, or simply to stay abreast of what was going on in their absence. As a result, there is a tremendous quantity of recorded memories available on life (and death) in these canvas communities. Enlisting with visions of glory, many of these men never expected to be away from their families for a long period of time, and few could have predicted the hardships that they would experience. Confederate forces suffered significantly more as the war dragged on, due to a rapidly depleting supply of military resources and basic life-sustaining necessities.

The broad demographic of these secessionists crossed all lines of society, which included everyone from privileged slave owners to poor farm boys. From a frustrated infantryman who described the monotony of his days like this: "The first thing in the morning is drill. Then drill a little more. Then drill, and lastly drill," to Confederate general Braxton Bragg, who commented on the debauchery of vices when he said, "We have lost more valuable lives at the hands of whiskey sellers than by the balls of our enemies," they all served in the same army and tented together regardless of their station.

Fortunately, we still have the written recordings of these soldiers who unknowingly preserved their own legacies by hand. Some pieces in this book were obviously penned early on as they bragged proudly about serving the "Cause." Others were composed long after they had become disenchanted with the war. Many of them were bittersweet as they captured the last chronicles of homesick husbands and fathers who later fell on the battlefield.

Due to inconsistent record keeping and the fact that most of the official records for the Confederate States of America were destroyed during the fall of Richmond in 1865, there is no definitive number that accurately represents the strength of the Southern army. Troop estimates range from 500,000 to 2,000,000 men who were involved at any time during the war. Reports from the War Department began at the end of 1861, indicating 326,768 men; in 1862 with 449,439 men; in 1863 with 464,646 men; in 1864 with 400,787 men; and the last report indicated 358,692 men. An estimate of enlistment throughout the war was 1,227,890 to 1,406,180.

Confederate general Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia is estimated to have had about 75,000 troops in its ranks during the Battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville and about 62,000 during the Overland Campaign, which included engagements at Spotsylvania Court House and the Wilderness. Therefore, one could estimate roughly that anywhere between 62,000 and 75,000 soldiers were stationed or encamped around the region from 1861 to 1865. These numbers pale in comparison when measured against the 135,000 Federal troops that were said to be stationed and/or camped in the neighboring Stafford County.

The exact locations of many of these Confederate camps remain unknown, but the winter quarters for the South's more senior commanders are recorded and marked prominently. These include the headquarters of General Lee, General Longstreet and General Stuart. Other locations of campsites include the grounds of the Spotsylvania Court House and along the Lee's Hill area near Massaponax. For many soldiers, who simply opened their letters with "camped near Fredericksburg," the meaning of "near" could mean anywhere in the Spotsylvania Court House or the surrounding region.

Many of the excerpts in this book were taken from the bound volumes collection at the Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park Service archives. Some are quoted from the original Southern Historical Society Papers. Other pieces cite quotes found in the postwar autobiographies of those who survived. They have been credited in all instances, and the original wording has not been corrected or modified in any way, in order to preserve the integrity of the original documents.

Readers will likely note a distinct difference between the writing and spelling of those individuals who were schooled and those who were uneducated. Many of these transcripts contain poor grammar, no punctuation, atrocious spelling and primitive composition. They also contain an honesty and sincerity that could only be presented through mirroring their original structure. All of them provide an intimate look into the lives of those stationed at Confederate encampments in and around Spotsylvania County.

Judge J.W. Stevens, a member of Hood's Texas Brigade in the Army of Northern Virginia, recalled the average Confederate soldier's camp experiences in his recollections titled Reminiscences of the Civil War...(transcript follows).

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