FOUNDATION RECOGNIZED
BY PRESERVATION SOCIETY
BSF Past President Robert L. Jones
accepts citation from the Society for the Preservation of Culpeper History
from Mary Jo Browning & Perry
Cabot, co-chairpersons of SPCH.
Over the Culpeper Remembrance Days
weekend in April the BSF received a singular honor. The Foundation was the
recipient of the first of annual awards to be given out by the Society for the
Preservation of Culpeper History (SPCH).
The plaque which now hangs proudly by
the front door of the Graffiti House reads as follows:
The Graffiti House under the Brandy
Station Foundation is hereby presented this Citation of Preservation in
recognition of its superior custodianship of Culpeper history.
In testimony thereof and with the
admiration of grateful citizens we do confer this award.
Signed by Mary Jo Browning & Perry
Cabot, Co-chairmen of SPCH and Michael Lysczek, chairman, awards committee.
Newly elected President Clark B.
’Bud’ Hall voiced, since he had just taken office and had not been a direct part
of all the work going on at the Graffiti House to stabilize the walls, uncover
and save the graffiti, that Robert L. Jones, outgoing President, should receive
this recognition on behalf of the BSF. Bob has worked tirelessly on the House
projects, even to hosting the conservator in his own home to save the Foundation
that expense. We are all grateful to Bob for his hard work.
The BSF
is indeed honored to have our preservation efforts acknowledged publicly and we
look forward to working with the SPCH in continuing the preservation of Culpeper
history.
BSF Board of Directors: Back row:
Clark B. (Bud) Hall (President), Robert L. (Bob) Jones (Past President), Mike
Green, Todd Berkoff, Jane Brookins, Chuck Siegel, Craig Swain, Tony Seidita
(Vice President) , Middle row: Mary Tholand (Secretary), Cecilia Schneider-Vial,
Front row: Mary Root, Helen Geisler, Melissa Delcour, and Margaret (Peggy)
Misch. Not pictured: Michael E. (Mike) Block (Treasurer) and Alan Culpeper.
The BSF held its annual membership dinner meeting on April 9 and it was well
attended. The gathering was treated to a delightful and informational
presentation by Eric Mink on ‘Stonewall Jackson in Pictures and Art’. It
was great to have Carolyn and Jack Reeder take time to sit for a book signing
session with their work From a True Soldier and Son, the Civil War Letters of
William C. H. Reeder, published by the Brandy Station Foundation. This
intriguing collection of letters home by Jack’s ancestor contains thirteen which
are datelined either Encamped near Culpeper or Brandy Station. This book is
available in the Graffiti House gift shop along with several great books on the
Battle of Brandy Station and other matters of the area.
Outgoing President Robert L Jones was honored for his service to the Foundation.
He was given a framed certificate of appreciation and a framed print of ‘s ‘
Mortal Conflict’, a depiction of the conflict in the Battle of Brandy
Station.
The all important business part of the evening was the election of the slate of
Officers and Directors for the 2010-11 year. The list of the new Board can be
found elsewhere in this Newsletter. I hope all members will join in thanking the
Directors, past and present, for their service to the Foundation, now in its
third decade of preservation efforts.
Copies of the Annual Report
are available at the Graffiti House and on the Website:
www.brandystationfoundation.com
Christ Episcopal Church, Brandy
Station and the Brandy Station Foundation are pleased to announce that the 2nd
Annual Commemorative Church Service will be held at the site of the destroyed
St. James Church on the battlefield at Brandy Station on Sunday, June 13th
at 2 P.M.
The community is invited to
participate in this recreation of a 1860's service of Holy Eucharist. It will be
an especially moving service in that the musical accompaniment will be provided
by the ever popular EVERGREEN SHADE, a duo well known for their Civil War
era repertoire
The service, led by the Reverend Joie
Weiher, will be outside at the location of the small Episcopal church which was
totally dismantled during the encampment of Union troops in the winter 1863-64.
The site continues to be owned by its descendant church, Christ Episcopal of
Brandy Station and the Brandy Station Foundation is the steward of the 2 acre
property in the midst of the largest cavalry battle of North America.
It is asked that those attending park
their cars at the designated CWPT parking circle at the intersection of Beverly
Ford Rd. and St James Church Rd. This is just yards before the entrance into the
airport. It is a short walk down the road to the site entrance and then a
shorter path leads us through the woods to the site of the church. . We will
have some chairs available for seating during the service but we recommend that
you bring a folding lawn chair if possible. Drivers for handicapped persons may
drop them off at the entrance to the woods and then remove the auto to the
parking circle area. It is also suggested that you prepare for the woods with
closed shoes and bug repellant and of course check for critters afterwards.
The public is welcomed to this event,
keeping in mind it is an authentic church service. All are then invited after
the service to the Graffiti House in Brandy Station for refreshments. The
Graffiti House is open for tours from 11A.M. to 4 P.M. on Sundays, as well as
Fridays and Saturdays.
For additional
information, call Mary Tholand of the Foundation at 540 727 7718.
The Brandy
Station Foundation Sunday lecture series began again this April—a welcome sign
of spring! The lectures are the last Sunday of the month from April through
October and begin at 2:00 PM. Everyone is welcome, the lectures are free
(although donations are welcome), and free refreshments are provided by BSF
board members and friends.
6/27/10 "It Started in
Prince William County—JEB Stuart’s Controversial Ride to Gettysburg”
– Mark Trbovich
7/25/10 “The Battle
of Rappahannock Station”—Mike Block
8/29/10 "The Life and
Times of John Mosby" – Dave Goetz
9/26/10 TBD—Melissa
Delcour
10/31/10 "The Memory of the Civil War”- Richard Deardoff
The BSF is presenting a series of
two-hour tours, one devoted to each of the four engagements that comprise the
Battle of Brandy Station on June 9, 1863. Transportation: Personal vehicle
caravan will depart from the Graffiti House at 10AM. The cost is $10 (children
under 12 are free). No reservations are needed, please arrive at the Graffiti
House before ten. Special tours for individuals or groups on other days can be
specially arranged.
Beverly Ford & St.
James Church (April 3, May 29, July 24)
Kelly's Ford &
Stevensburg (April 17, June 12, Aug 7
Fleetwood Hill (May 1,
June 26, Aug 21)
Buford Knoll & Yew
Ridge (May 15, July 10, Sept 4)
Beverly Ford & St. James Church – May
29, July 24
The first tour in the series covers
the early morning fighting between troops under the command of Union General
John Buford and those commanded by his West Point classmate, Confederate General
William E. "Grumble" Jones. Incidents examined include the death of Union
Colonel Benjamin Franklin Davis in a one-on-one encounter with a Confederate
lieutenant on the Beverly Ford Road, and the charge of the 6th Pennsylvania
Cavalry against Confederate artillery at Saint James Church.
Kelly’s Ford & Stevensburg –, June
12, Aug 7
The second tour in the series begins
with a discussion of the Union river-crossing at Kelly's Ford, and then follows
the route of march of the Union cavalry division commanded by Colonel Alfred
Napoleon Duffie to Stevensburg. This tour concludes with a description of the
mortal wounding of Captain William Farley, JEB Stuart's volunteer aide de camp.
Fleetwood Hill – June 26, Aug 21
The third tour focuses on the
fighting for Fleetwood Hill, the most intense and prolonged combat on June 9,
1863. At one point 12 regiments -- 6 Union and 6 Confederate -- struggled for
control of the hilltop.
Buford Knoll & Yew Ridge – July 10,
Sept 4
The final installment in the series of tours presents the fighting that took
place later in the afternoon of June 9 between General Buford and General W.H.F.
"Rooney" Lee's brigade.
Exciting days are certainly ahead at
the Brandy Station Foundation, and we will soon alert our loyal members to
strategic initiatives that detail the more expansive preservation role your
Foundation will assume in the months ahead.
It is a fact that Culpeper County,
Virginia, is the most fought over, marched and camped upon county in our
country, and your Foundation will henceforth champion all Civil War
assets in Culpeper—to include Cedar Mountain; Kelly’s Ford; Morton’s Ford; and
Freeman’s Ford, as well as other lesser-known battle sites.
It is also a fact that the Army of
the Potomac wintered in Culpeper for five months in 1863-1864. Many of the
tangible resources of that occupation—Pony Mountain; Hansborough’s Ridge,
etc.—remain in pristine condition, and we’d obviously like to see them stay that
way.
Culpeper needs “advocates” who can
speak on behalf of battlefield lands that cannot speak for themselves. As we see
it, that’s our job, and we plan to be effective spokesmen on behalf of
“Civil War Culpeper.”
Does this enhanced role on behalf of
other battle venues mean that we will pay less attention to America’s greatest
cavalry battlefield? A resounding “No!” is the firm answer. Right now, for
example, your Foundation is working closely with property owners and our
partners to secure additional battlefield land at Brandy Station. Soon, we will
have some wonderful news to report in this regard!
So please join up with us if your
membership has elapsed. And kindly renew if you never left us. We badly
need your support in the months ahead. And I am certain you will find the
esteemed board of the Brandy Station Foundation eminently worthy of your trust.
If I can answer any questions, you
are urged to contact me by e-mail,
ClarkBHall@aol.com.
So, saddle up, and let’s charge!
The work takes patience. A lot of
it. Christopher Mills has patience. And patience has its reward. Christopher
Mills is an Architectural Conservator from New York. He made two trips to Brandy
Station this spring to accomplish some desperately needed repairs to the walls
of the Graffiti House.
In addition to the repairs--after 145
years--Chris has provided the Brandy Station Foundation with more graffiti. But
uncovering more graffiti wasn’t why Chris was hired. The plaster walls have been
slowly separating from the lathing which holds it in place. The wall on which
the Dancing Lady resides was the worst. Chris used a method known as plaster
consolidation to stabilize and reattach the compromised plaster to the lathing.
As part of the process Chris cleaned
the walls in the preparation for the insertion; in doing so he removed paint and
post Civil War plaster. With the removal of the ‘modern’ material, graffiti
unseen for decades is now visible. In fact, it has been determined that all the
graffiti that can be recovered in the Dancing Lady room has now been revealed.
Chris Mills below the newly uncovered
graffiti: First snow Nov 9th 1863
More pictures, including a soldier
peering out the window and possibly a locomotive and coal car are visible; a
weather report appears near the ceiling “November 9, 1863 first snow of season”;
and a number of new names. Board member Mike Block found these references to
November 9, 1863: 4th Michigan Infantry Corporal Henry S. Seage Co
E. 4th Michigan Vol. Regt.
Mon Nov 9th 1863 Rose at
Sun Rise had breakfast and about 1 P.M. went out on Brig Drill ordered by our
new Brig Genl Bartlett on acct of Boys yelling Hard Tack at Him. Came in from
Drill and immediately the Genl Call Sounded and we fell in and went over the
River and Camped for the Night awful Cold It Snowed quite hard tonight the first
snow of the Season.
http://home.midsouth.rr.com/devinney/diary2.html
-40th Virginia Infantry:
The regiment marched through falling snow to the old camp along the Rapidan, by
way of Peyton’s Ford. (40th Virginia Infantry, Robert E. L. Krick, p.
36)
One name has ended a mystery that has
stared at us since the graffiti was found in 1993. Just who was George?
‘George’ signed his name three times, each in a variation of Block Style. But
Chris, in his preparation work for the stabilization, uncovered George’s last
name – Howver, above the front window. Mike Block found the following: George
Howver served in company H, 7th Virginia Cavalry, Hired as a substitute for
Joseph Hoover in Rockingham County on July 1, 1862. He was likely present with
the regiment from that date until January 1864, when he was captured near
Moorefield on January 24. He first went through Atheneum Prison and then on to
confinement at Camp Chase, Ohio. A month later, he was transferred to Fort
Delaware where he remained until he took the oath of allegiance and was released
on June 15, 1865. George was listed as a farmer, age 17 when captured.
Before Chris left for contracted
projects in New York, he spent a little time in the Maryland Scroll room and has
found another name, possibly John L Knotts of the 12th Virginia
Cavalry. Finally, work was done over the Trellis Window in the hallway. Words
have been uncovered but have yet to be deciphered. The marvelous thing about the
Graffiti House is how it slowly gives up its secrets. When the graffiti is
revealed, the search begins to answer the questions: who are you, when and why
did you enter in the house, and what is the story behind the charcoal on the
wall?
Chris Mills stands in front of the walls at the
Graffiti House that he is preserving.
BRANDY STATION
FOUNDATION – 2010 MEMBERSHIP FORM
Please enroll me as a member of the
Foundation.
_____$25 Membership
Additional Donation $_______
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Mail to: Brandy
Station Foundation, P.O. Box 165, Brandy Station, Virginia 22714
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The Brandy Station
Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit, community-based membership group dedicated
to preserving the natural and historic resources of the Brandy Station area of
Culpeper County, Virginia. It relies on
tax-deductible donations
to meet its goals.
