Update on the Stonewall Documentary

Click Here. The film is being produced by Ken Carpenter of Franklin Springs Family Media:

"Carpenter’s previous production work has served clients such as Michael W. Smith, Max Lucado, Steven Curtis Chapman, PaxTV, Jeremy Camp, Casting Crowns, The Gideons, Compassion International, and many other leading names in Christian media."

I will be traveling to the great state of Tennessee some time later this summer to consult on the final edit. A release date in early October is planned.

Independence Day at VMI

Once again, my family and I headed south to historic Lexington, Virginia on July 4^th for the community holiday celebration on the Virginia Military Institute parade grounds. This is always a great family event complete with vendors selling everything from herbal tea to hot dogs, bluegrass music, carousel rides, hot-air balloons and, of course, fireworks. The firework show behind the VMI barracks with the United States and Virginia flag waving in the foreground is always an inspiring sight. It was here that the immortal Stonewall Jackson, at first a staunch Unionist, decided to cast his lot with his native Commonwealth of Virginia and fight for the Confederacy. It is here that he continues to be honored.

Our SCV Camp also had a recruiting booth set up at the event and I signed a few books for folks. There is no fee to get in and if you are ever in the area on the 4^th, I highly recommend this great patriotic event for the whole family.

Summer in the Shenandoah

Looking southeast near Middlebrook, Virginia.

Patriotic Movie Recommendations for July 4th

Click Here.

Richard Henry Lee - Father of Our Independence

"In three months as delegate, Richard Henry served on 18 different committees - none as important as his appointment to frame the Declaration of Rights of the Colonies, which led directly to the writing of the Declaration of Independence. On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry was accorded the well-deserved honor of introducing the bill before Congress:

...That these united Colonies are, and ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance from the British crown, and than all political connection between America and State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved...

The bill was adopted on July 2 - the formal act that dissolved the ties with England. Two days later, on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was ratified - the American Revolution became a reality."

From: B. J. Lossing, Signers of the Declaration of Independence, George F. Cooledge & Brother: New York (1848) [reprinted in Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, WallBuilder Press: Aledo, Texas (1995)], page 173:

"Mr. Lee was a sincere practical Christian, a kind and affectionate husband and parent, a generous neighbor, a constant friend, and in all the relations of life, he maintained a character above reproach. "His hospitable door," says Sanderson, "was open to all; the poor and the destitute frequented it for relief, and consolation; the young for instruction; the old for happiness; while a numerous family of children, the offspring of two marriages, clustered around and clung to each other in fond affection, imbibing and delighted by the amiable serenity and captivating graces of his conversation. He necessities of his country occasioned frequent absence; but every return to his home was celebrated by the people as a festival; for he was their physician, their counsellor, and the arbiter of their differences. The medicines which he impoprted wwere carefully and judiciously dispensed; and the equity of his decision was never controverted by a court of law."

From: Robert G. Ferris (editor), Signers of the Declaration: Historic Places Commemorating the Signing of the Declaration of Independence, published by the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service: Washington, D.C. (revised edition 1975), page 92-94:

"Richard Henry Lee, brilliant orator and fiery Revolutionary leader, introduced the independence resolution in the Continental Congress, served for awhile as its President, and later became a U.S. Senator. Fearing undue centralization of power, he fought against the Constitution and led the campaign that brought inclusion of the Bill of Rights. Throughout his life, he strenuously opposed the institution of slavery. He and Francis Lightfoot Lee were the only brothers among the signers..."

In 1789 Lee entered the U.S. Senate, but because of failing health resigned in 1792, the year after the Bill of Rights was incorporated into the Constitution. He died in 1794, aged 62, at Chantilly. His grave is in the Lee family cemetery near Hague, Virginia."

"Robert [Lee] was born at the Lee ancestral mansion, Stratford Hall, and drew his first breath in the same room in which were born two signers of the Declaration of Independence, Richard Henry Lee and Francis Lightfoot Lee." (The Maxims of Robert E. Lee for Young Gentlemen, page 61.)

RICHARD HENRY LEE WAS THE GREAT-UNCLE OF ROBERT E. LEE. THE YEAR OF LEE CONTINUES.

The Wharf - Staunton, Virginia

It appears that I’ll be moving my professional office to the historic Wharf District of Staunton, Virginia. I’ve long had my eye on relocating there and finally found a space that will work well. Staunton, in my opinion, ranks second only to Lexington in cities in the Shenandoah Valley that have been extremely successful in preserving their 19^th century architecture and flavor. The Wharf area got its name due to the warehouse style buildings that occupy several blocks of old Staunton. Though no navigable water is nearby, the railroad is and these old structures once served for offloading and storage during the 19^th and early 20^th century. Today, most of the buildings have been renovated and are now being used for office space, retail, and restaurants. It is a beautiful and charming area and well worth visiting. I will be very close to some great restaurants as well: The Pullman and the Depot Grille. Also, in the Wharf district is the historic American Hotel which has just been renovated and is currently occupied by various businesses. I'll also be just around the corner from the historic Stonewall Jackson Hotel & Conference Center.

“The present railroad station is the third one on this site. The first station was destroyed by General Hunter's troops in June of 1864. A runaway train at the turn-of-the-century destroyed the second station. Most of the warehouses and factories that were burned by Hunter's troops were in this neighborhood. One of the surviving pre-Civil War era buildings in this area is the former American Hotel , built by the Virginia Central Railroad shortly after the railroad came to Staunton in 1854. Once one of the finest hotels in Staunton, notable guests included the reconstruction-era Governor of Virginia, Francis Pierpont, in July of 1866, and the former Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard in 1874. In June of 1874, U.S. President and Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant were serenaded by The Stonewall Brigade Band from the now-missing front portico of this hotel when their train passed through Staunton.” (The front portico was restored during the recent renovation.)

Save Oakwood Letter Campaign

Some readers may not be aware of the successes and efforts the Sons of Confederate Veterans have made towards honoring the seventeen thousand Confederate soldiers who lie buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia. The SCV has already begun the work of restoring the cemetery. There is, however, one unresolved roadblock. Although the state and federal governments are cooperating with the plan to mark all the unmarked graves at Oakwood, the City of Richmond has imposed the discriminatory practice of not allowing the installation of upright markers for the Confederate graves only. The city is hiding behind an unwritten and yet un-produced "policy" against it or states that it will not be historically accurate to mark the graves despite the fact that the Virginia Dept. of Historic Resources has approved the plan. The SCV plan would not only make the cemetery more respectable, it would save the city $30,000 or more in maintenance costs a year, as the SCV will use its own funds and already appropriated state funds (based on a figure from the dept. of parks and recreation). The plan is a win-win for everyone involved. The city will save thousands of dollars, keep ownership of the cemetery, and have a beautified tourist attraction while the SCV fulfills its mission of honoring these fallen soldiers. For some unknown reason, bureaucrats in the mayor's office seem to be trying their best to make sure these graves are never marked. Beyond that, these same bureaucrats have failed to protect the cemetery from vandalism.

See the TV report on the Oakwood plan and vandalism at: http://www.nbc12.com/news/state/8213902.html

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Please send a respectful, well written letter or email to the Richmond Times Dispatch and copy it to the mayor's office questioning why the city has refused to allow Oakwood to be restored. Mayor Wilder is a Korean combat veteran himself and he should understand the importance of honoring our deceased military veterans. Be sure to emphasize the positive benefits of the plan to Richmond such as the tax savings and increased tourism opportunities. Contact information is below:

Richmond Times-Dispatch

Email letters to the editor: letters@timesdispatch.com
Submit by Fax: (include signature): (804) 819-1216.
By Snail-Mail:

Letters to the Editor
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Box 85333
Richmond, Virginia 23293
Tips on submissions can be viewed at: http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/opinion/submit_letters.html)

Mayor's Office
Mayor L. Douglas Wilder
email: askthemayor@ci.richmond.va.us
or: wilderld@ci.richmond.va.us
fax: 804-646-7987
phone: 804-646-7970
900 E. Broad St.
Room 201
Richmond, VA 23219

In addition, if you are a citizen of the Commonwealth, please contact your delegate and senator and ask them to get involved as well. The will of the people, as represented by the General Assembly's legislation, is apparently being thwarted by Mayor Wilder's office.

Unbelievable

I am going to do my very best to resist the temptation to comment on Presidential politics this election cycle. Frankly, I see little to like in any current candidate. That being said, I could not let what went on last night during a "forum" by the Democrat candidates pass without saying something. The following comments were seen on Free Republic.

"…Joe Biden bragging about getting tested for AIDS. Biden says he knows Obama got tested for AIDS. [Wow, is that something these 2 fellows talk about at one of their swanky cocktail parties? Weird.] Is this a group confessional or a presidential debate? Camera cuts to Obama and he doesn’t seem very happy. Biden finishes bloviating and Obama interrupts to clarify that “I got tested for AIDS with [my wife] Michelle. Just so there’s no confusion.” [Now there's an idea for a date with your wife.]

Obama's comment was accompanied by laughter. Hardy, har-har. Very funny. Is this the level of debate and discussion in American politics now, gloating over who has been tested for AIDS?! Is that supposed to be a qualifying characteristic for presidential candidates now? Can you picture our Founding Fathers listening in on this? Why would a married man who has been faithful to his marriage vows and faithful to his wife waste time and resources [for those who really need to be tested] being tested for AIDS? Is that considered chic now? How about that for a campaign platform - "Vote For Me: I've Been Tested for Aids!" Maybe the Republicans can counter with: "Vote For Me: I've Been Tested for Stupidity!" (And the test was positive.) Unbelievable.

This level of discussion is absolutely embarrassing for its stupidity and pandering. At least Mrs. Bill Clinton didn't try her ridiculous, patronizing Southern-fried accent. The buffoon.

Sorry, I guess I could not resist. Yes, this does qualify as a rant. I was overdue.

2007 - Not Just the Year of Lee

The following quote was "borrowed" from Doug Phillip's Blog:

“This year 2007 is an unique anniversary not just because it’s the four hundredth anniversary of Jamestown. It is that to be sure. But did you know that this is the five hundredth anniversary year of America being called America? I wonder if you have even heard that before? It was in 1507 that a man by the name of Waldseemüller looked at this new map that was being drawn of exploration across the Atlantic ocean and he wrote the name next to the Northern and Southern Hemispheres the word—America. Have you ever wondered why America is called America instead of Columbia? After all it was Columbus who discovered America. But the only problem is that Columbus thought he had gotten to the Indies.

That’s why the native Americans are still called “Indians.” There was this belief that he had found a way to India...Later there was another person by the name Amerigo Vespucci. Amerigo Vespucci came along and said this isn’t the Indies. This is a new world. These are unknown continents, and so the credit was given to him and the name has stuck forever. But what I want you to think about is that the name America is a derivative of Amerigo from a French named Emeric, which is a derivative from a German word that is Haimirich.

Now if any of you have studied German know that Haimirich means “The kingdom of Heaven.” Now think about that for just a moment. Do you realize that America’s name literally means the “Kingdom of Heaven?”...That’s a good description of America isn’t? It’s a place where the Kingdom of God has come and where the corrupting influences of humanity have been powerfully at work.

It was a hundred years after that Jamestown was settled and it’s interesting that 275 years ago this year that George Washington was born. 250 years ago this year, his (if you will) “adoptive son” Lafayette was born. It was 225 years ago this year that the first English speaking Bible printed in America was available because when Yorktown was victorious under Washington, now for the first time a Bible in English could be legally printed in the New World. It couldn’t be done because the King had a monopoly on the Bible. It could only be printed in Scotland and England. But now that there was independence that had been guaranteed, the Congress of the United States approved the Bible to be printed in America and it was approved as the Congress’s Bible 225 years ago.

This is a great anniversary year. A concatenation of events that surround the fact of Washington’s anniversary, the birthday of America being called America, the beginning of an English-speaking settlement that’s brought the Bible and American civilization at its best and tragically at its worst to the entire world through the English language.”

—Dr. Peter Lillback, author, George Washington’s Sacred Fire, President of Westminster Theological Seminary and keynote at the Jamestown Quadricentennial: A Celebration of America’s Providential History.

2007, of course is also Robert E. Lee's 200th birthday, the 140th anniversary of the construction of Lee Chapel, the 140th anniversary of the founding of Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia, and the 200th birthday of John Blair Lyle (Stonewall Jackson's intimate friend in Lexington), the year of the Rev. Peter Muhlenberg's death, and the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade in Great Britian.

More on Oakwood Cemetery

Fellow CW blogger, Michael Aubrecht has posted a news piece about Oakwood Cemetery and Richmond City Officials' refusal to work with the SCV on maintaining the final resting place of the 17,000 Confederate Soldiers buried there, one of whom is my great-great grandfather, John Meredith Crutchfield. During the War, there was a road connecting Oakwood Cemetery to Chimborazo Hospital; which is where many of Oakwood's dead came from. This included Grandpa Crutchfield. The "sacred trust" for the care of the cemetery, which the City of Richmond accepted in 1930, needs to be passed on to someone who still cares. The SCV could save Richmond some $30,000 a year by taking on this responsibility. What's the hold up?

The first photo shown here is of Oakwood Committee Chairman Lee Hart repairing the recently vandalized headstone of Lt. Duncan Stafford. The second photo is of a sloppy repair made to the Obelisk in Section G by the city using Gorilla Glue. Yes, Gorilla Glue. The third photo shown is of the plaque on a large monument at the entrance gate of Oakwood. The last photo is a shot of some of the markers in the cemetery. Contact Richmond Mayor Douglas Wilder here. Please be respectful in your correspondence.

Biography Not History?

"The history of the world is but the biography of great men."
~ Thomas Carlyle

Morning Prayer

Every Friday morning at 7:30 AM, I have the privilege of meeting with my good friend and local businessman, Harry Moore. We meet at Harry's home for an hour or so of Bible study and prayer. Sitting on his back patio, this is the view we have. Two weeks ago, the season's first cutting of hay lay fresh and filled the air with its sweet aroma.

Is it any wonder so many Southern boys fought and died to defend their native sod?

Ridin' With General Lee

The deadline for the submission for a commemorative Robert E. Lee automobile plate is fast approaching. We still need a couple dozen applications in order for us to meet our goal for applications. Please help us reach this milestone by July 15th, so that we have time to work with the DMV before their deadline passes.

If you submitted an application and have since traded or sold a vehicle, then you need to print off another form for your current vehicle, fill it out correctly, and send it along with a note stating it is to replace your "old" application to the plate coordinator below. It will not do us any good to have the required number of applications if some of them are invalid because of a sale or trade.

Information is available here. DMV forms are available online here. You do not have to be an SCV member to apply for these tags.

The year of Lee continues.

Memory

"The first step in liquidating a people is to erase its memory. Destroy its books, its culture, its history. Then have somebody write new books, manufacture a new culture, invent a new history. Before long the nation will begin to forget what it is and what it was."
~ Milan Kundera

Oakwood Cemetery Vandalized

Oakwood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia had its Confederate section vandalized this past Wednesday evening. Little is known at the moment about who perpetrated the crime or why the damage was done. Reports state that the monument dedicated to those killed on Brown's Island is destroyed and that a large obelisk in Section G was toppled and subsequently broke into three pieces. The recently restored ornate grave of Lt. Duncan Stafford of South Carolina was also vandalized and his tombstone destroyed. The restoration cost over $6,000 and was borne by the South Carolina SCV. Other damage is being investigated.

I have a great-great grandfather buried in an unmarked common grave at Oakwood.

The Great Divide

Fellow CW blogger Dimitri Rotov recently commented and linked to my post about the silly notion that biography is not history. (What planet am I on?) Perhaps this exchange and opinion is somewhat illustrative of the "great divide" between "general" audiences and "academic" audiences.

Allow me to elaborate. When I was in grade school, I devoured biographies. I still do. My library is filled with them. It is where and how I first came to love history. I would have to guess this is true with most folks. Young people love great stories and biographies best provide those stories. It is easy to get hooked on history via good biography. Biography is fascinating - for all the obvious (I assume) reasons. Frankly, I find books on battles filled with dry facts about numbers, troop movements, etc. rather boring. Necessary, but boring. There are exceptions, of course, and I've read a few. I also realize this is personal preference, so please don't any of you authors take this personally.

But biography is, in my opinion, the heart and soul of history. It is where the passion of history lies; the guts, the nitty-gritty, the story behind the story. Admittedly, I'm an amateur and certainly no academic, so my opinion will not likely carry much weight with the scholars. But I really don't care. I don't write and research to please peers or opinion. I divorced myself from public opinion years ago, thank God. I write and research about the WBTS because I enjoy it and because I'm fascinated with the personal stories and seeing the hand of God mold and make men and events to fulfill His will. (That last statement will really gag the secular "scholars.")

While I write for my own and others enjoyment, and prefer an informal narrative style, I also try to thoroughly research my subject and document that research so the "scholars" who so desire can check the facts. (I assume scholars are interested in facts, though I often have my doubts.)

Many in the Civil War blogosphere seem to be enamored with their own community and "talk" primarily to and among themselves. (This is not necessarily a criticism, just an observation. And my comments are not directed at Mr. Rotov. I enjoy reading his blog and I visit often.) I do not consider myself part of that community, although I know I'm linked with many of these blogs. I am, nonetheless, grateful and honored.

To be painfully honest, many CW blogs remind me of the talking heads on TV - the political commentators who think that while they go on and on talking to themselves about the intricate workings of Washington, they somehow believe everyone else cares about what they are saying. They also seem to go to great lengths to convince each other that everyone else cares--or at least those that matter care. They need a good dose of reality. The fact is, most folks aren't even listening. Take note.