A Whirlwind Trip to Virginia

Eric,
I’d lay odds the most stressful part of the trip was navigating those stop lights around the outlet malls at Leesburg!

Craig

Eric,
A couple of week ends ago, I made it out to Nance’s Shop, St. Mary’s Church, Salem Church, Herring Creek, Haxalls, and J. Rocks – Not far from the Malvern Battlefield.

I was just trying to get a feel for the lay of the land out there, and had some interesting personal experiences with some of the locals. When you cross the Chickahominy at Long Bridge and Turn Left at Barnett’s Road, You see a Saw Mill and Logging Venture. I remember a Business Relationship with the Logging Company there at Roxbury going all the way back to the late 1970’s. They shared with me then that they were close to a Cavalry Battle from the Civil War. The Chickahominy Estuary drains down towards the Barnett’s Road and makes for some very interesting scenery by Edna’s Mill, still standing from prior Civil War era. Edna’s Mill was freshly painted, and was looking very good. Next was Mt. Pleasant Cemetery on the Old Union Road, where my Wife and I stopped to look at the Gravestones. There were dozens of Nance’s, and shortly after we arrived a nice lady drove up, and we chatted for several minutes. Her Ancestry was from the Nance’s, and she knew stories about the Cavalry actions there and the Blacksmith Shop business in that Community. She was very helpful with instructions, as Nance’s Shop was just down the Old Union Road, with a Historical Marker.

We found Nance’s in just a couple of minutes driving from the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, and We Parked in the lane – off to the side of the road. In short order, we saw someone on a Motor Cycle racing to us. I told him what we were doing, and he introduced himself as James Black. James showed us where Nance’s Shop would have been and mentioned that in addition for it’s reputation as a Blacksmith Shop, Nance’s was also an Armory – repairing Weapons and Producing Items needed by the Confederacy in their War Effort. There were several workers there, and the Shop was fairly busy. James had just graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in Engineering and was very helpful in sharing information about Nance’s. When I showed him my old Civil War Map, with some of the places of engagement, I pointed to J. Rocks, and he said – “that’s my cousins place, I am very sure of it”. Then he mentioned that we should wait to talk with his dad, who pulled into the lane just a couple of minutes later.

James Father, Mark Black and I chatted for quite awhile and when I showed him my Civil War Map – He had comments for several of the places in the Community, and he knew the people that lived there currently. When he looked at J. Rocks, he said – Hey, That’s Uncle John’s Place, no doubt about it. Shortly below his place was a Civil War Era Farm calleld – Stagg’s. Mark said that Stagg’s and All of the Farms in the Area were Well Farmed and Very Flat in the Area, and Mentioned that at Stagg’s they could easily see the Masts of the Ships in the James around Harrison’s and City Point. I thought that very interesting, because today it is very wooded, and from Route Five it’s impossible to see the River. When I mentioned Samaria Church, Mark Bristled – “It’s Not Samaria, It’s St. Mary’s”. The Locals just slurred the name of the Church. It’s St. Mary’s! When I brought up Samaria again a few minutes later – He corrected me again and reminded me of the Southern Slurring of St. Mary’s.

He Invited me down the lane to have some Lemonade or some cool drinks, but I said that I had to go. His hospitality was very infectious and offered me a tour of the farm at any visit back that I wanted. Linda and I were so impressed with his courtesy and thanked him for taking time out of his busy day. He had help arriving to help cut some hay. With instruction of how to get to St. Mary’s, we were off down the road.

Down the Lott Cary Road and Samaria Road / Samaria Baptist Church were hundreds of horses from a local riding club. Perhaps it was appropriate to see a large number of horses down a small country road. I have often wondered how Cavalry operated up and down those small country roads in large numbers, and with clashes against other large numbers of other Cavalry – the riding through the Woods, Bushes, and Plowed Fields Must have been Absolutely Awful. The Lott Cary Road Community are primarily descendents of Slaves and Blacks, and Lott Cary, a Preacher and Physician was the first American Missionary to Africa. Very Interesting rural Community.

From St. Mary’s, my Wife and I went into Richmond for Lunch and Returned to the Frazier’s Farm / Glendale area and took a few minutes to clean up the Overgrown Weeds and Bushes that had Enveloped the Riddell’s Shop Marker. Riddell’s and Glendale the same location as the Battle of 1862 – End of June, right before Malvern Hill. In June of 1864, two years later, Federal Forces meet Confederates Again at Riddell’s. This time to Screen the Confederates from Grant’s Main Army Crossing the James. Wilson’s Cavalry would Skirmish with Barringer’s Cavalry around Riddell’s, Malvern Hill, Crenshaws, J. Rocks, Nances, and Herring Creek – Before they are the last ones to cross the James River on the way to Petersburg.

In an Earlier Topic, where it was mentioned that The Federal Cavalry Forces were at a Disadvantage in “Leadership” in 1864, the Results of the Moves across the Pamunkey and the James by Grant’s Army was Provided by Good Leadership by General Wilson. Perhaps, the Movements themselves versus the Battles were the Ultimate Reasons for Gaining the Strategic Positions of Pinning Lee back in a “Siege” that Lee knew would defeat his Army.