May 6th, 2021-Part 2
Remember this sign, we saw it when we entered the last museum. As we left there, we looked at the sign again, it was clearly a different place. We decided to go that way and see if we could find it.
Well what do you know, just 1.2 miles and 4 minutes down the road we came across this. It made us smile, we could do with some LOVE!!
Hmmm, 4 minutes down a straight road and the lady(I really hesitate to call her that) didn't know this was here. I did leave a review on Trip Advisor about this and there were many comments of a similar nature already there!!! I did also say that I understood her not wanting to lose a customer but I had already paid and toured her museum when I asked her again and it wouldn't have hurt her to suggest I try and follow the road further.
Anyway my mood became much better as I was now where I had wanted to be. We paid our $10 and went in.
This description is taken from the above link.
"The initial concept for the window called for clear glass that would permit views of the Allegheny Mountains to the west. However, New Market Battlefield Director James Geary noted that the view was often obscured by summer haze. Mr. Blood strongly recommended an abstract stained-glass window to convey graphic images associated with the Battle of New Market.
Artist Ami Shamir had executed a number of similar windows in Israel and Europe. For this project, he included such elements as flowing lines to suggest the Shenandoah Valley and the river of the same name, and flags and seals of Virginia Military Institute, the Confederacy, and the Union, to portray the conflict at New Market. The names of the ten cadets who were killed or mortally wounded in the battle are inscribed as the central feature.
Mr. Shamir, with Mr. Blood’s input, designed the window and fabricated the three panels in his New York studio. He then oversaw their installation in the museum. Mr. Shamir made one small error which he corrected in a unique way. Having used the European spelling “Tomas” for Cadet Thomas Garland Jefferson, he created another glass panel with “Tho” to fix the typo. In May of 2020, the glass panes were cleaned inside and out to revel the original beauty of the art piece."
There were several paintings depicting scenes from the battle from the Robert Raeburn Civil War Art Collection preserved from the 19th century.
The exhibits in the museum were very interesting and well laid out.
The pictures below show just a small part of the large display of "The Kaminsky Gallery of Civil War Firearms". The following extract is from the Augustafreepress.com
"The largest public exhibit of Civil War-era firearms in Virginia was dedicated earlier this month at the Virginia Museum of the Civil War, located at New Market Battlefield State Historical Park.
Forty-four pieces in the new exhibition were donated to Virginia Military Institute in 2014 by Martin Kaminsky, law partner of Joseph Reeder, a member of the VMI Board of Visitors. Also on display alongside the Kaminsky firearms are more than 100 additional weapons that have been in the VMI Museum System’s possession for some time but have not been displayed before due to lack of space. One such item, a Model 1860 Colt revolver captured from one of Gen. George Custer’s men at Lacey Springs, Virginia, has been in the museum collection since 1916.
The Kaminsky Gallery of Civil War Firearms illustrates the technological advances made in firearms during the period 1850 to 1865. Weapons from more than 100 makers and inventors are represented in the exhibition. A rare Lemat revolver and its carbine counterpart are on exhibit. This weapon, favored by cavalrymen, combined the accuracy of a revolving pistol with the firepower of a shotgun. Invented by Jean LeMat of New Orleans, the revolvers were made in Paris and used almost exclusively by Confederate soldiers.
Another piece significant in telling the story of mid-19th century weapons technology is the Merrill carbine, a firearm with ties to VMI. The Merrill was field-tested at VMI by Professor Robert Rodes, a member of the VMI Class of 1848 who went on to become a major general in the Confederate Army. A battlefield-recovered Merrill barrel sits close by, probably dropped by a member of the 1st New York Cavalry during the Battle of New Market, May 15,1864.
One of only three known Agar, or Union “coffee mill,” machine guns is also on exhibit. About 60 of these advanced weapons were purchased by the Union Army after President Lincoln saw it demonstrated.
“I hoped my collection would find a home at a university, a battlefield, or a museum,” said Kaminsky. “All three objectives were accomplished with a donation to VMI.”
There was a lot to see and read.
After we finished looking around the museum we sat and had some lunch before touring the
New Market Battlefield. You can walk or drive around and after walking around two museums we decided to cheat and drive.
The website states that "The park showcases the Battle of New Market (May 15, 1864), one of the last Confederate victories in the Shenandoah Valley, made famous by the participation of the Virginia Military Institute Cadets."
We were given a walking tour map and I will quote from that to explain as we go through the pictures.
"The path you will follow is the center of the line of battle and the line of march of the VMI Cadet Corps."
There were barns that had been setup with items used at that time.
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| Bushong Farm |
The Confederate troops advanced steadily toward the farm. Union infantry regiments were on Bushongs Hill which is out of the above picture to the right. There were also Union troops on the ridge behind the farmhouse.
"The Bushong farm house is in the center of the line of battle. On reaching the house, the ranks divided, A and B companies passing to the right of the house, and C and D companies to the left; A and B marking time until the other half came up and the line was reformed." - Cadet John Upshur.
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| Looking toward Bushongs Hill |
We walked around the farm and looked in the buildings.
These robins were flying all around us.
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| American Robin |
Makeshift hospital in the farmhouse.
Once past the farm, "the Corps reformed their line within range of enemy fire. "It seemed impossible that any living creature could escape"-Col. Scott Shipp. As they crossed the orchard, more cadets and their commander, Col. Ships, fell wounded. Capt. Henry Wise of the VMI staff ordered the cadets forward to the split rail fence to close the gap in the confederate line.
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| The Orchard/Split Rail Fence |
"This field was planted in spring wheat, now reduced to a muddy bog by three days of hard rain and thousands of tramping soldiers. In the heat of the battle, fifteen year old Cadet Samuel B. Adams attempted to retrieve one of his shoes sucked off by the mud: "It seemed to me I was a long time in doing it. "After the battle this spot became known as the "Field of Lost Shoes.""
There is a movie Field of Lost Shoes, free on Amazon Prime, that is about the VMI Cadets and how they were called into battle here to help the Confederates as they needed reinforcements and the cadets were the only troops available. Watching the film is very moving!!
The following pictures show that field where the battle was fought.
"You have reached the position of von Kleiser's 30th New York battery. Without infantry support from the retreating Federal forces, von Kleiser was forced to abandon a cannon which was then exuberantly captured by the cadets."
"The Union line extended from this prominence eastward to the Valley Turnpike (US11), a distance of about 1/2 mile. The Confederate charge along this line drove the Yankees from the field. The Union forces retreated northward, pursued for several miles by the Rebel troops."
Back to the present day and the day ended a lot better than it started. An interesting, informative day.
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