History in Our Backyard civil war soldiers fundraised for fxbg community
By Sarah Kay Bierle Fredericksburg's place in the crossfire of the Civil War battle during December 11-13, 1862, is legendary. Normalcy for the small city on the Rappahannock disappeared as artillery shells pounded the buildings, and urban warfare erupted as soldiers battled for control of the town. Then, the new occupiers in blue uniforms plundered many of the civilian homes and businesses.
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Schoolgirl Eliza Alsop recorded damages to her family's home in Fredericksburg during the Union occupation of the town. In addition to damage to the family's house and garden and the destruction or theft of most of their food supply, they "put their wounded on the feather beds, which are consequently all stained up, tore up the carpets & put them in the garret, cut up the sewing machine, & threw the wooden part into the garden, but carried off the machinery. Destroyed six gallons of cider in bottles, besides some two or three boxes of mineral water‌. Tore up curtains for bandages, shivered mirrors,
great & small, strew books about the garden & removed or destroyed one volume of almost every work. Broke up china & glass in the greatest abundance, & managed to [make] it impossible for us ever to get things as they once were. When any one asks Father how much they injured him he says I can tell you much better what they left, than what they destroyed." M a n y historians and War on the homefront as Union soldiers fought and plundered writers have Fredericksburg in 1862. (Library of Congress) addressed the details and effects of war on the homefront as it It's a small, usually overlooked occurred in Fredericksburg. However, postscript in Fredericksburg's Civil War there's a lesser known response, offering a history, and a gentle reminder that we can portrait of compassion and kindness in pull together to help those in need and response to the destruction suffered by support our local community through the community. difficult or challenging times. During the winter of 1862-1863, some of the soldiers W i t h who had Union troops back surrounded ...the southern soldiers started the 19th across the river and battled and Confederate Century equivalent of a "Go Fund Me" through the soldiers settled campaign to provide financial aid to the town, across into winter camps, suffering community....It's a small, usually the railroad the southern overlooked postscript in Fredericksburg's tracks, and soldiers started through the Civil War history, and a gentle reminder the 19th Century f a r m l a n ds equivalent of a that we can pull together to help those in became the need and support our local community "Go Fund Me" ones to rally through difficult or challenging times. campaign to to fundraise to provide financial repair some of aid to the suffering the damages caused by war. Sometimes Jedidiah Hotchiss, community. a kindness and compassion shine brightest topographical engineer serving on General after the darkest pages of history. "Stonewall" Jackson's staff, recorded in his diary on January 3, 1863: "A donation of over $700 was sent in by a Ga [Georgia] Sarah Kay Bierle serves on staff at Regiment for the Fredericksburg Central Virginia Battlefields Trust; when not at work preserving historical sites, sufferers, and all parts of the army are she is often reading or hiking. Central giving liberally to the despoiled people. The Gen. gave $100." It seems that some friendly competition occurred between units in the Army of Northern Virginia. Hotchkiss wrote on January 7: "I drew my pay for Nov. & Dec. 1862, today & gave $15 to the Fredericksburg fund, for the relief of the sufferers by the enemy. Our Hd. Qrt. [head quarters] have raised over $800, & A.P. Hill's Div. [division] some $10,000.00"
Virginia Battlefields Trust seeks to preserve battlefield land to protect the memory, meaning, sacrifices, and stories of the Civil War soldiers who fought and fell here. To learn more about this grassroots preservation organization and their 24 years in the local community, please visit: www.cvbt.org
front porch fredericksburg
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