Holiday Explosions-- Special Tannerite Edition

 

(Originally posted Christmas 2013)

Explosive New Year? Holiday shooting? Christmas guns and "shooting in the New Year". . . it's older than you think.

We have quite a merry Christmas in the family; and a compact that no unpleasant word shall be uttered and no scramble for anything. The family were baking cakes and pies until late last night, and to day we shall have full rations. I have found enough celery in the little garden for dinner. 

Last night and this morning the boys have been firing Christmas guns incessantly- no doubt pilfering from their fathers cartridge boxes. There is much jollity and some drunkenness in the streets, notwithstanding the enemy's pickets are within an hour's march of the city

- From A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, John Beauchamp Jones, 1866

I gathered my corn, and then set out for my Fall's hunt. This was in the last of October, 1822 I found bear very plenty and indeed all sorts of game and wild varments, except buffalo There was none of them. I hunted on till Christmas, having supplied my family very well all along with wild meat, at which time my powder gave out; and I had none either to fire Christmas guns, which is very common in that country or to hunt with.

- Life of David Crockett: The Original Humorist and Irrepressible Backwoodsman - Davy Crockett

 1804.
 Robert Mitchell, Mayor, to the Governor
 Dec. 25, Richmond

Having a moment of time to spare, I take that opportunity of acknowledging the receipt of your letter enclosing the advice of our Council of State, bearing date the 3rd of last November, and yours of the 19th of same month. It did not come to hand at that date or for many days after. I have done all in my power to prevent that evil of unlawful Gaming within this city pointed out by you; besides it encourages the unguarded youth in Idleness vice and Immorality. You may depend on my doing all in my power to prevent such violation of our laws, and punish them when detected. 

Your favor of the 24th Inst. came very late to hand on the evening of that day. Had I rece'd it early in the day I might have had it more in my power to have its contents put in execution more compleat in order to comply with your wish and my own desire. On the 23rd Inst. I wrote Maj'r Wolfe to furnish a Serg't Guard out of the militia, in order to aid our city Patrol to patrol the city and its Jurisdiction during the Christmas Holydays, which has been complyed with, but it does appear to me to be impossible to prevent firing what is called Christmas Guns, being an old established custom, although there is an ordinance of the city police fixing a fine of 5s. for every offence of firing Guns within this city. The addition of the militia to the city patrol may prevent in part the evil pointed out to me in your letter.

 I am &c                    

- From Calendar of Virginia State Papers and Other Manuscripts: ... Preserved in the Capitol at Richmond, Virginia- Volume 9, Henry W. Flournoy, 1890

We have had frequent accounts of cannon firing about Norfolk for three or four days past, and which occasioned many conjectures, but last night we learned that the ships were only firing Christmas guns. I should have but a poor stomach for such mirth were I in their situation, which must be distressing. Indeed, I have heard from very good authority that Dunmore has been drunk and they say mad since his defeat at the Great Bridge.

 -Letter of Maj. Leven Powell, Loudon County Militia,  written December 1776, Williamsburg

March 1655-6    6th of Commonwealth  

                                                           ACT XII 

WHEREAS it is much to be doubted, That the comon enemie the Indians, if opportunity serve, would suddenly invade this collony to a totall subversion of the same and whereas the only means for the discovery of their plotts is by allarms, of which no certainty can be had in respect of the frequent shooting of gunns in drinking, whereby they proclaim, and as it were, justifie that beastly vice spending much powder in vaine, that might be reserved against the comon enemie, Be it therefore enacted that what person or persons soever shall, after publication hereof, shoot any gunns at drinkeing (marriages and ffuneralls onely excepted) that such person or persons so offending shall forfeit 100 lb. of tobacco to be levied by distresse in case of refusall and to be disposed of by the militia in amunition towards a magazine for the county where the offence shall be comitted.

- From The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of All the Laws of Virginia, from the First Session of the Legislature, in the Year 1619, William Waller Hening,ed. 1823

You will notice they made to sure to exempt weddings and funerals from the ban.

It should be noted that there was also the tradition of the "Christmas gun," a specifically childhood exercise, that consisted of boring a hole into a particularly stout log, filling said hole with gunpowder, and then setting it off.

Rebuilding After the War- 1866

 

                                             PROPOSALS. 

                                  SEALED PROPOSALS FOR REBUILDING 

the JAIL, in New Kent county, according to the plan and specifications filed at this office and with the Clerk of New Kent, will be received by the Committee, at the Court House of said county, until the 12th day of April next. 

     BAT. D. CHRISTIAN, 

     WM. W. TALIAFERRO, 

    JOHN D. CHRISTIAN, 

    JOHN MAYO, 

    HENRY I.. BROOKE, 

        Committee.

-Richmond Whig, 24 March 1866

Thomas Binford, Oliver Gathright and Mitchell Allen were appointed commissioners(from Henrico) to meet New Kent commissioners, and advertise for proposals to rebuild Bottoms bridge, which is to be 125 feet long and 12 wide.

 

-Richmond Whig,  10 April 1866

Western New Kent 1866

 

A Civil War era map of the western half of New Kent County from Harper's Pictorial History of the Great Rebellion Part First published in 1866. The section shown, which I have cropped and enlarged, stretches from Matadequin Creek and the Pamunkey River in the North to Long Bridge Road and the Chickahominy River in the south. A seemingly accurate map a few features stand out to me. Two buildings marked as churches are unnamed. The one closest to Dispatch Station should be Providence Methodist. The one on the road to Long Bridge should be Emmaus Baptist. The other two are interesting as representing the fog of misinformation that winds up being published in a war even a civil war. In the northwest corner of the map we have a building marked down as "Hopesville Ch." which should be of course Hopewell Baptist Church. Stranger, at the site where St. Peters Episcopal should sit is a building marked as "Fish Hall." A little research has revealed that Lester Manor in King William County was know in the nineteenth century by the Pamunkey Indians. Lester Manor should be just off the eastern side of the map where the railroad crosses the Pamunkey. Lester Manor was the closest railroad depot to the Pamunkey Indian Reservation and the tribe sold a great deal of fish through the depot leading to the depot/house/ settlement being called "Fish Hall" or possibly even "Fish Haul." A report from the York River Railroad in October 1861 even refers to the depot as "Fish Hall.

As for the location on this map, well don't believe everything you read in the press.

Pie at Cumberland- 1862

MY FIRST ARMY PIE.

Yea, cousin, your apple-pie of exquisite flavor and finely baked. I think it must have been made in my mother’s old fashion- the nicely, sliced apples placed between two crusts that, in the oven, become reduced to state of tender and delicate crumpiness? no, there is no such word, well, crustiness- not of that flaky and oleaginous sort that one meet with at the high priced restaurant, which are half confectionery and half cook-shop. When the pie was done to perfection my mother drew it from the oven, insinuated a knife-blade between the edge of the upper and lower crusts all around, and lifted the top carefully off. Then, with her knife or a small spoon she manipulated the apple, now thoroughly cooked, to a fine pulp, adding to it just enough of sweet batter, white sugar, and the blessed spices of the East- of what sort beside nutmeg I hardly know, although I am inclined to the belief she used only nutmeg and cinnamon. In the city where lemons are always handy, I suppose you might add another treat with a little of the juice and some grated peel; but in the country we had to depend upon the apples, of which we had the plumpest, crisp it and juiciest. After the "Interior department" had been skillfully compounded and mixed, all smoking hot, the upper crust was carefully replaced and flattened upon the delicious pulp and a little sugar-dust sifted over it, you had an apple pie that would melt in your month and cause your palate to twist about and wriggle fondly after the last morsel as it descended the esophagus. Ah! I have fond recollections of my early pie-eating.

But an army pie! Did you ever see one, or attempt to masticate one? 

I trust you have not. 

I have eaten an army pie, and felt afterward very much like the old chap did  who had bragged about eating crow, and who, when put to the test, worried down a piece, and said, "Yes, I kin eat crow, but I swear I don't hanker arter it." 

It was in May, 1862, when MCCLELLAN’S grand army moved from Roper's Church to Cumberland Landing, one sunny day. It was a march of twelve or thirteen miles, and I was on foot and all unused to tramping. I will tell you some other time how I happened to be with the army. It was not as a fightist I went along. This was my first march, and when I arrived at the place called Cumberland Landing, on the Pamunkey river, I was very tired and in a famished condition. Along the route I had been animated by the novelty of everything around; the great army trains rolling along; the columns of troops marching and halting for rest, some strolling into the edges of the beautiful forest some stopping by the way at farmers' houses to buy milk or other refreshments- the ferocities of war had not been developed at this early stage of the struggle- and, roving where I listed, talking to the frightened secesh and noting the features of the landscape's view to my eyes I thought not of fatigue. One of the pleasures of the march was the recognition of many an old friend in the New England regiments, most of whom, alas have since been mustered out of this world's service, "Then they felt that the soldier's life is always gay." They had captured Yorktown, had given the enemy a thrashing at West Point, and were marching gaily "on to Richmond." 

Well, we arrived at Cumberland, and the army began to dispose of itself in that shape which, fortuitously, made on the hills and plains one of the most splendid military pictures ever seen. I did not pause to look at picturesque effects, but in obedience to the fierce demands of appetite which arose at soon as we had reached our destination for the day, I sought eagerly for sustenance. 

As the turkey bustard and the raven scenteth afar off the unsavory carcass, so doth the soldier scent an army sutler, and I found a blue-coated living stream setting toward the bank of the river, where some masts of schooners were risible above the high grounds adjacent to the stream. Pressing along with the straggling column I found several vessels lying In the crooked river or creek, and one of them, at least, was a craft belonging to that noble band of men who shared the fortunes of war with our brave soldiers; I mean, of course, the army sutlers. This craft was a small schooner, lying a little way from the shore, and from its deck were transferred, along a long-boat which lay, bows on to the bank, what seemed to be the object of the "sacred rags" of the soldiery, ARMY PIES! 

The steep, high bank was filled with soldiers slipping down to the water's edge, and soldiers scrambling up from the boat with the much-coveted pies. The longboat was filled constantly with hungry customers, and the eagerness, hurry, and confusion Increased the delay In serving them. I struggled along with the rest, with hunger gnawing inside my waistband, and at last became the possessor of a pie, for which I paid a silver quarter dollar- we had silver in those days. Afterwards the cloud of war, Instead of having a "sliver lining," as all clouds are supposed to have, became lined with greenbacks. I got ashore and mounted the bank with difficulty, receiving many offers of half a dollar for my price from the soldiers in the rear, who would be delayed an hour, as I had been, in making the achievement. 

Cousin, an army pie is an awful thing- like two discs of greasy leather with apple pumice baked between. I was faint with hunger, I devoured that pie, and have been an invalid ever since. At first the horrible stuff lay like lead in my stomach, and then it began to aggress, tumbling about and thumping my ribs in the most agonizing manner, my hunger was appeased with a vengeance! I managed to reach the tents of the officers of the 1st Massachusetts artillery, and Lieutenant McCartney applied such restoratives as he had at hand, but was long before I recovered from the immediate effects (I shall never be fully restored) of that ARMY PIE.      Pius 1st

-Daily National Republican.(Washington, D.C.), January 22, 1866

150 Years Ago: The Recovery from War

The York River Railroad.- This line is now progressing finely toward completion, and ere the approaching winter expires, with its accustomed bleakness, the iron horse will be dashing proudly through the rich and productive valley of the Pamunky to West Point, and bringing to this mart the invaluable treasures of York river and its tributaries, together with other desirable products of the Tidewater region. The people along this line, who have suffered almost beyond endurance by the ravages of war, will hail with delight tho sound of the shrill whistle and the graceful train as it glides once more over the land they love. This will, indeed, be a happy era for an enterprising people who are now shut out from this city for the want of requisite facilities to transport them and the products of their indefatigable toil, nearly all of which now find access to Baltimore, Norfolk, and other cities, attributable to the extreme isolated position this country bears to this city since the destruction of this road. We have watched and felt a profound interest in this improvement from its earliest inception to the present moment, and know that previous to the war the most sanguine anticipations of success had been more than realized by ardent friends. The extensive travel and immense freight over it enhanced the thrift of this city no little. A greater portion of this trade justly belongs here, and will naturally come when this avenue has been opened sufficiently for its transition. Till then it will seek other markets, to the great detriment of Richmond, which has already lost materially by unwise legislation on other lines of internal improvement. 

The road is now in excellent running condition to Chickahominy river, a distance of twelve miles from the city, with a material train passing over it daily. A splendid bridge now spans this widely famed stream, and is ready for the trains to pass over, with the exception of putting the rail down, which, we are informed, will be done in a few days. The grading north of the Chickahominy is of a lighter character than that already finished, and continues to the White House. There will be a passenger car placed on the road when completed to Dispatch station, for the accommodation of the public. This is only two miles north of the bridge, and will soon be ready, from the fact of the large number of hands employed. 

General William H.F. Lee has contracted to furnish all the material for constructing a bridge across the Pamunky river, and with his usual promptness will have the whole of it in place at the time specified. The building of the bridge must necessarily consume much time, owing to its large dimensions, etc. There are laborers at this time engaged in putting piles in their proper places for superstructure of bridge. If I there is nothing to retard the present operations on the road, we can with safety say that it will be completed to the White House by the 1st of February next. 

It will be ineffable pleasure to see this line opened to West Point. The enormous prices that fish add oysters now command in our markets will suddenly collapse, and we will be enabled to indulge in the luxuries of salt water without fear of being made bankrupts by paying the exorbitant prices of $1.50 per gallon for oysters, and in the same ratio for fish. 

Mr. Williams, do continue to hurry up the road, so that we can get to York river, and feast on bivalves, trout, sheepshead, drum, and hogfish. 

-The Daily Dispatch, 12 November 1866

150 Years Ago . . .

Fire in the Woods. A fire broke out in the woods on the farm of Mr. Charles Trivillian, in New Kent county. Va., on Tuesday week, and raged for three days. sweeping during that time over a number of farms, among which was the White House tract, and destroying several barns and a large amount of fencing.

-The Evening Telegraph. (Philadelphia), March 23 1866

Travails of an Assistant Subassistant Commissioner, Part II

A follow up to last week's post about the "difficulties" of Captain Brooks of the Freedmen's Bureau  . . .

Bureau R F & A L

Hd Qrs Supt 9th Dist. of Va

Fort Monroe, Va June 14 1866

Armstrong S. C.

Supt. 9th Dist Va

Endorses statement of Capt Brooks Asst Supr. with bills against Private "Wilson," and directs that such action shall be taken that as to secure justice both to Wilson and his creditors, etc. etc.

Bureau R F & A L

Office Asst Supt. York co. Va

Yorktown VA. June 30 1866

Respectfully returned with information that Private Wilson has received his pay prior to the receipt of the within communication. He acknowledging that he owed Thirteen 00/100 Dollars. Capt Parker 12th U.S. Infty Comdg his Company retained the same out of his pay and I believe now has the amount in his possession. I would respectfully request that Private Wilson be relieved from duty at this office and the vacancy be Supplied by a good trustworthy enlisted man from the "Fort." Wilson is diseased to such an extant that he is unable to ride on horseback making his services perfectly useless to this office.

F. A. Massey

for Dist 5 R F & A L

Asst Supt. York Co. Va.

"Virginia, Freedmen's Bureau Letters or Correspondence, 1865-1872." Index and Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2013. Citing NARA microfilm publication M1913. College Park, Maryland: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

The Travails of a Assistant Subassistant Commissioner

Capt. A. M. Brooks was the Assistant Subassistant Commissioner of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands i.e. the Freedmen's Bureau for New Kent and Charles City. Stationed in Barhamsville and then New Kent Courthouse he served from March 1866 to December 1867.

His command consisted of one orderly.

New Kent C. H. Va.

June 10th 1866

Gen. S. C. Armstrong

Dear sir.

    My orderly Prvt. Wilson has failed to report with his team from Yorktown as ordered and I wish him to be relieve from duty with me. 

    I send herewith bills which he has contracted and ask that they be stopped from his pay. In regard to the bill for Board of horse the facts are as follows. When I went to Richmond I gave him orders to meet me with the horses at Yorktown on Wednesday. He left here on Sunday taking with him everything but his equipment,saying "Damned if he was coming back until he got his pay." One of the horses was taken sick on the road but instead of bringing him here as he should have done, he left him with a man at Barhamsville at an expense of $1. a day.

    The Bill for cooking, washing & etc is I think just as Elvira Meekins subsisted him as claimed. The bills for Medical attention are I know just as he has an aggravated case of Syphilis and both the physicians attended him.

    My bill against his him is partly for money which I loaned him, and partly which he appropriated to his own use from money forwarded to me by him from Portsmouth, without my knowledge or consent.

    He took with him a violin belonging to Mrs. Geo. T Bromley of this county leaving his own here, which I would request you to return.

    There was taken from the Hotel a valuable silver soup ladle with the initial "B" engraved on it, on the evening before he left. From conversations he held with the servants in regard to its value and what it could be sold for, on the same day it was taken, suspicion falls on him.

    I can get no clue in regard to the letter he spoke of, so can make no claim for it, he is lazy and insolvent and no reliance whatever can be placed in his assertions, but there is nothing to substantiate charges if he was tried by Court Martial.

Very Respectfully

Your Obt. Servt.

A. M. Brooks

Capt. & Asst. Supt.

I somehow feel that Captain Brooks enjoyed writing this letter..


Transcribed by myself with relish from the Virginia Freedmen's Bureau Correspondence, 1865-1872
 As a side note, Armstrong High School in Richmond is named for General Armstrong who founded Hampton University.