|
2008 Project The Fort F Company, 21st Virginia, Inc
On March 29th, 2008, the flag, pictured above, was raised over a Confederate earthen fort for the first time in 143 years. Men under arms and wearing the gray uniforms of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia occupied that fort for the next few days. These were the men of F Company, 21st Virginia Infantry who have been given the unique opportunity to restore and preserve an actual piece of history. The restoration of this fort, began in February of this year, is ongoing but the need for funds to pay for equipment, material and expertise is essential to maintain the high degree of quality thus far established. The Cause What: A Confederate earthen fort that is privately owned that has been left untouched and uncleared, for nearly 150 years. Where: Amelia County, Virginia part of the Petersburg-Richmond defenses whose primary purpose was to guard a railroad bridge from Federal Calvary raids. Why: The owner has requested F Company, not the park service or the state to address the issue of restoration and preservation. The owner does not want the intrusion and possible invasion of his privacy but neither does the owner want to see the fort vanish. F Company was selected because it is a federally recognized 501 (c) 3 organization and can accept tax-deductible donations while the men of F Company have previously demonstrated the will, the love and the dedication it will take to complete this task. How: The men of F Company have volunteered their time, money and dedication to restoring and preserving this fort before it completely disappears and the men who fought and died there are forgotten forever. Who: The men of F Company realize that they can not complete this task alone and are asking YOU to partner with us in this noble endeavor. History: The fighting at the fort occurred in May of 1864 when August Kautz, the Army of the James Cavalry Commander, led a raid in the area and ran into the 17th and 30th Virginia who had been sent to occupy the fort and defend the bridge. The fort was not occupied full by time troops but only when they were needed because the 17th and 30th are also listed as being at, Cold Harbor June 1-3, so it seems these troops were not at the fort for very long after the battle at on May 14th or 15th http://www.fairfaxrifles.org/history.html. Kautz had the 3rd NY and the 11th PA with him see http://www.blackburn-tree.org/11-PA-Cav/brief_history.htm and the Yanks lost about 25 men attacking the fort. The link that was found about the raid as a whole is http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1864/june/kautz-raid.htm. *Submitted by Travis Clements. Progress: From the beginning, this project has been led by Nathaniel Pate of F Company, resulting in the progress you can view. In honor of his hard work and dedication the members of F Company have designated the training area as " Camp Pate". For updated pictures of the restoration project click here. Your tax-deductible donations of any amount will be gladly accepted. Make checks payable to F Company, 21st Virginia, Inc. and mail to: F Company P.O. Box 34296 Richmond, Virginia 23234 |
|
Remembrance Project |
|
 |
|
| In remembrance of the men who served in the 21st Virginia Infantry, Company F 1861-1865 Pvt.WardFebruary 16, 1998 Men and women of Virginia , if we were alive 137 years ago, all of us here today would have been faced with a monumental decision. A decision that for hundreds of thousands of men alive back then, would eventually cost them their lives. These men answered the call of their native soil to defend their families, their homes, everything they held precious on this earth. They responded to their duty with courage, integrity, character and honor, traits which are to a great extent unknown and unfamiliar in the world today. Their unselfish sacrifices and incredible deeds of valor are unquestionably some of the most powerful magnetism that continue to draw us to this great conflict of our nation’s past. Though the conflict has long since waned, decisions regarding that conflict still exist today. One such decision now rests with us, and the question is whether we will answer the call as these men would have. Our decision involves four men that served with the 21st Virginia Infantry in F Company, three of which who do not have any marker on their grave that will speak of their commitment to untold generations (the remaining man has a small, plain granite maker which rises only inches above the ground and does not include his name). Sadly, in Richmond alone, thousands of these "martyred Sons of the South" lie in unmarked graves. And though we cannot insure that all of these men will be remembered in the same way, we can step forward and answer the call for the men of F Company that we call..............brothers. I encourage all of you to join me in this special endeavor, that we may take part in a glorious mission, and fulfill the words so eloquently described in Theodore O’Hara’s poem "The Bivouac of the Dead": Rest on embalmed and sainted dead, Yon marble minstrel’s voiceless stone Completion of this Remembrance Project has
occurred, culminating with a ceremony at both Oakwood and Hollywood Cemeteries over the
1999 Memorial Day Holiday. The pictures attached were from that ceremony. I
would encourage others to take up the torch of marking these graves of the martyred sons
of the Confederacy. Remembrance is not just for their lives that were given but
their ideals and ambitions that were cut short by this American Civil War. There are
other pictures of the ceremony. Hollywood is a privately owned cemetery and the final resting place of over 18,000 Confederate soldiers from all Southern States, including such notables as U.S. Presidents James Monroe and John Tyler, Confederate President Jefferson Davis, J.E.B Stuart, George Pickett, Matthew Fontaine Maury. Hollywood has the largest number of Confederate generals (23) interred anywhere in the world. In addition to the slain from battles around Richmond such as Seven Pines, Gaines Mill, Malvern Hill, and Cold Harbor, the Confederate Dead exhumed from Gettysburg in the 1870s, were reinterred here on what became known as Gettysburg Hill. The Hollywood Cemetery Registry of Confederate Dead, printed in 1869, contains about 7,500 names of the 18,000 soldiers that rest here. The remaining 10,500 names and locations were destroyed in a fire before 1869 (though not the Richmond evacuation fire of 1865). Markers to the men whose burial location is unknown, such as General Garnett of "Pickett’s Charge" fame, exist in certain locations. The men of F Company listed on the following pages are interred at Hollywood, and NOW have markers to designate their grave sites.
2. A.C. LEGG, JUNE 27, 1864, HOLLYWOOD CEMETERY - ROW U, GRAVE 505 Listed in the HOLLYWOOD CEMETERY REGISTRY OF CONFEDERATE DEAD and the 21ST VIRGINIA INFANTRY REGIMENTAL HISTORY. Under 18 when enlisted as a Private in Orange County on 11/10/1863. Wounded in Spotsylvania, 5/19/1864. Died of gangrene 6/26/1864.
3. R. MARION, APRIL 14, 1863, HOLLYWOOD CEMETERY - ROW T, GRAVE 414 Listed in the HOLLYWOOD CEMETERY REGISTRY OF CONFEDERATE DEAD and the 21ST VIRGINIA INFANTRY REGIMENTAL HISTORY. Enlisted as a Private in Richmond on 2/17/1863. Died 4/14/1863.
Oakwood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia Oakwood is a city owned cemetery and the resting place of over 15,000 Confederate soldiers from all Southern States. Most of the men buried here were killed during the Seven Days battles or died at Chimborozo, the South’s largest hospital during the war, which was only about a mile away and is now the site of the Richmond National Battlefield Park Headquarters. Most of the names and locations are unknown, and what information is available was compiled by Park Rangers. The man of F Company listed on the following page are interred at Oakwood, and NOW has a marker specifically for him. 1. EDWARD BATES, MARCH 10, 1864, OAKWOOD CEMETERY - DIVISION D, ROW 55, GRAVE 1 Listed in the 21ST VIRGINIA INFANTRY REGIMENTAL HISTORY. Enlisted as a Private in Pittsylvania Co. on 2/4/1863. Admitted to Chimborozo hospital with a fever on 9/17/1863. Returned to duty on 11/28/1863. Died of diarrhea on 3/10/1864
|
