Berkeley Plantation, off Rte. 5, about a thirty-minute drive from Richmond, is open daily, 8:00-5:00, except Christmas. An audiovisual presentation is a prelude to a tour of the house and grounds. Admission is $8.50 for adults, $7.65 for seniors, $6.50 for children thirteen to sixteen, and $4 for children six to twelve. The Coach House Restaurant serves lunch daily and dinner by reservation only. For information phone 804-829-6018.
Shirley Plantation
Charles City County, Virginia
This handsome, three-story brick house on the James River was the ancestral home of Robert E. Lee’s mother, Anne Carter Lee. After his father suffered financial reverses, the boy lived here for a while and attended the plantation school with his cousins. During the Civil War, wounded Federal troops were brought to the lawn around the house after the nearby Battle of Malvern Hill. One Carter resident wrote that “they lay all about on this lawn and all up and down the river bank. Nurses went about with buckets of water and ladles for them to drink and bathe their faces … Mama had to tear up sheets and pillow cases to bind their wounds, and we made them soup and bread every day until they died or were carried away.” General McClellan sent a letter, “with the highest respect,” thanking the Carters for their aid to men “whom you probably regard as bitter foes.”
Shirley Plantation is off Rte. 5, in Charles City County, a forty-minute drive from downtown Richmond. It is open daily, 9:00-5:00, except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Docents lead tours of the house and grounds. Admission is $8.50 for adults, $7.50 for seniors, AAA members, and military, $5.50 for youths thirteen to twenty-one, and $4.50 for children six to twelve. For information phone 804-829-5121.
Edgewood Plantation
Charles City, Virginia
This Gothic house was built in 1849 on land that once belonged to the nearby Berkeley Plantation, and Confederate officers used the third floor to spy on McClellan’s troops when they were camped at Berkeley in 1862. On June 15 of that year, Jeb Stuart stopped by for coffee on his way to Richmond to apprise Lee of the disposition and strength of Federal troops.
The house was built for Spencer Rowland, and one of his daughters scratched her nickname “Lizzie” on the window in one of the bedrooms, where she later died of a broken heart when her lover was killed in the war. Two of the guest rooms are in the slave quarters behind the house; they overlook English gardens and the millrace canal dug by slaves in the 1700s. Over the years the house has been a church, post office, telephone exchange, nursing home, and a restaurant. Now the National Landmark has been modernized, restored to its original glory, and furnished with antiques and period reproductions. Edgewood is an ideal place to stay while exploring the other grand plantations along the James.
Address: 4800 John Tyler Memorial Highway, Charles City, VA 23023; tel: 804-829-2962 or 800-296-3343.
Accommodations: Eight guest rooms, seven with private baths.
Amenities: Air-conditioning, parking area, TV in rooms, billiard room, gift shop, swimming pool.
Rates: $$$. All major credit cards and personal checks.
Restrictions: No children, no pets, restricted smoking.
North Bend Plantation
Charles City, Virginia
General Philip Sheridan made his headquarters at this plantation in 1864 and his troops dug defensive trenches across its fields to the James River. Their breastworks can still be seen on the eastern edge of the property. The main house contains many mementos of Civil War days. The plantation desk has the original labels on its pigeonholes. Sheridan’s map of the area now hangs in the billiard room.
The present owner of North Bend, George Copland, is the great-grandson of the wartime owner, Edmund Ruffin, who is credited with firing the first shot of the war at Fort Sumter, in April 1861. Copland and his wife have restored the home and grounds to their original beauty. Federal-style mantels and stair carvings survive from the oldest portion of the house, which was built in 1819 for the sister of William Harrison, the ninth president. Also surviving are all the Greek revival features from the 1853 remodeling and many family heirlooms and memorabilia. Of particular interest is a collection of rare books, including volumes of Harpers Pictorial History of the Civil War, copyright 1869.
Address: 12200 Weyanoke Rd., Charles City, VA 23030; tel: 804-829-5176 or 800-841-1479; fax: 804-829-6828.
Accommodations: Four guest rooms, all with private baths.
Amenities: Air-conditioning, ceiling fans; billiard room, library, croquet, horseshoes, and a swimming pool are on the premises.
Rates: $$$. Visa, MasterCard, and personal checks.
Restrictions: No children under six, no pets, restricted smoking.
Petersburg Battlefield
Petersburg, Virginia
After an unsuccessful attempt at Cold Harbor to take Richmond by a frontal attack, Grant withdrew and attacked Petersburg. After four days of hard fighting failed to break the Confederate lines, he gave up and laid siege to the city.
Lee couldn’t afford to abandon Petersburg; it was the rail center that furnished his troops with supplies. If it fell, Richmond would surely fall, too. The siege lasted ten months, from June 15, 1864, to April 2, 1865, with the two armies in almost constant contact. When Petersburg finally fell, Lee’s surrender at Appomattox was only a week away.
The Petersburg National Battlefield, on Rte. 36, two miles east of the city off I-95, preserves Union and Confederate fortifications, trenches, and gun pits. A second unit of the park, Five Forks Unit, is located twenty-three miles to the west. It was at Five Forks that Sheridan’s troopers broke through Confederate defenses, which led to the fall of Petersburg and Lee’s retreat. The park is open daily, 8:00-5:50 in the summer, 8:00-5:00 the rest of the year, and is closed for Presidents’ Day, Martin Luther King Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
Maps for the self-guided auto tour are available at the Visitor Center. Living history programs are presented daily during the summer. Admission is $4 for adults, free for children sixteen and under. For information phone 804-732-3531.
Other sites of interest in the Petersburg area include the Blandford Church and Cemetery, which has thirteen Louis Comfort Tiffany stained-glass windows celebrating the thirteen states of the Confederacy; the windows were donated by the individual states in memory of the thirty thousand Confederate soldiers buried in the cemetery.
The City Point Unit of the National Battlefield is where, between June 1864 and April 1865, the sleepy village of City Point was transformed into a bustling supply center for the 100,000 Federal troops on the siege lines. On the grounds of the Appomattox Plantation in City Point is the cabin Grant used as his headquarters during the siege.
FOLLOW LEE’S RETREAT FROM PETERSBURG TO APPOMATTOX
With the fall of Petersburg, Lee retreated across the area called Southside Virginia, Grant in hot pursuit. Now you can follow Lee’s route, visiting the sites that played a role in the drama. The 140-mile driving tour takes al least a day. For a map of the route phone 1-800-6-RETREAT. An interpretive radio message at each stop is broadcast on 1610 AM.
Start at the Petersburg Visitor Center in the Old Towne Petersburg historic district, where you can pick up a map of the Retreat as well as books and an audiotape. Beside the Visitor Center is:
1. South Railroad Station (April 2). Lees troops evacuated Petersburg in and around the station after the last supply line was cut. Follow the red, white, and blue trailblazing signs to:
2. Pamplin Park Civil War Site (April 2). At dawn the Federal troops attacked and finally broke Lee’s defensive line. Follow the
3. Sutherland Station (April 2). Grants forces severed the South Side Railroad here, Lee’s last supply line into Petersburg. Now take Rte, 708 to:
4. Namozine Church (April 3). As Lee’s soldiers marched toward Amelia Court House, a rearguard cavalry skirmish took place around this church. Continue on Rte. 708, then right on Rte. 153, and turn left on Rte. 38 and drive about five miles to:
5. Amelia Court House (April 4-5). Confederate troops from Petersburg and Richmond assembled here, hoping to continue on to North Carolina and link up with Johnston’s army. About six miles southwest on Rte. 360 is:
6. Jetersville (April 5). Lee ran into Union forces here and changed his route to go toward Farmville. Continue on Rte. 642 for about six miles to:
7. Amelia Springs (April 6). Here the Federals came in contact with the rebel rearguard as Lee completed a night march to avoid Grant’s forces at Jetersville. Continue for about three miles, turning left on Rte. 617, to:
8. Deatonville (April 6). A brief rearguard action was fought here on the way to Farmville. About two miles along the road is:
9. Holt’s Corner (April 6). At this road junction, part of Lee’s army turned while the main force continued ahead to the crossing of Little Sayler’s Creek. Continue on Rte. 617 to:
10. Hillsman House (April 6). Near this house, which was used as a field hospital, was fought the Battle of Sayler’s Creek, the last major battle of the Army of the Potomac and the Army of Northern Virginia. Federal troops captured more than seven thousand prisoners, a fifth of Lee’s army. Stunned, Lee said: “My God! Has the army dissolved?” About a mile farther is:
11. Marshall’s Crossroads (April 6), While the battle raged at Sayler’s Creek, Union cavalry fought Confederate infantry here. Double back to Rte. 618 at Holt’s Corner, turn left, go to Rte. 619, turn left, and drive on to:
12. Lockett House (April 6). Numerous bullet holes attest to the fighting that took place near the creek close to the house. The house was later used as a field hospital. Proceed on Rte. 619 to:
13. Double Bridges (April 6). The Confederate wagon train and column that turned off at Holt’s Corner became bogged down in crossing Sayler’s Creek here and were attacked by Federal forces. Five miles south on Rte, 619 after it crosses Rte. 307 is:
14. Rice’s Depot (April 6). Lee’s men dug in here to protect the road and skirmished with Federal troops coming from the direction of Burkeville Junction. Proceed to Rte. 460 to:
15. Cavalry Battle at High Bridge (April 6). Some nine hundred Federal troopers, on a mission to burn this South Side Railroad trestle over the Appomattox River, were intercepted and most of them captured. Four miles down the road is:
16. Farmville (April 7). Both armies marched through this tobacco town. Lee, hoping to issue rations to his troops here, was unsuccessful and crossed to the north side of the Appomattox River. Three miles north on Rte. 45 is:
17. Cumberland Church (April 7). Federal forces that had crossed the river at High Bridge attacked Lee’s forces around this church and forced him to delay his march until nightfall. Turn right on Rte. 657 and drive two miles to:
18. High Bridge (April 7). Confederate forces had burned four spans of this bridge, but failed to destroy the lower wagon bridge. This enabled the Federals to continue the pursuit of Lee’s army north of the Appomattox. Circle back to Rte. 636 and proceed to the crossing of Rte. 15.
19. Clifton (April 8). Generais Grant and Meade used this location for their headquarters during the night. Grant stayed in the house and it was here he received Lee’s second letter suggesting a peace meeting. He left the next morning and rode on to Appomattox Court House. Continue on Rte. 636 to:
20. New Store (April 8). At this point, General Lee’s army would change its line of march. They would continue to be pursued by two Union army corps. Take Rte. 636 to Rte. 24, turn left, and go to:
21. Lee’s Rearguard (April 8). Here General Longstreet built breastworks to protect the rear of Lee’s army, most of which was four miles south at Appomattox Court House. Continue on Rte. 24, past the National Historic Park to the town of Appomattox.
22. Battle of Appomattox Station (April 8). In the evening. Union cavalry captured four trains of supplies at the station intended for Lee’s army. Later, after a brief engagement, they also captured portions of the Confederate wagon train and twenty five cannon.
23-26. As an alternate route in driving from Petersburg to Appomattox, following Rte. 460, are stops 23-26: Burkeville (April 5-May 1865); Crewe (April 5-6, 1865); Nottoway Court House (April 5, 1865); and Battle of Nottoway (June 23, 1864).
The Owl and the Pussycat
Petersburg, Virginia
A local merchant, John Gill, built this brick Queen Anne-style mansion in 1895, and his descendants occupied it until the 1940s. Now it is an attractive inn, two blocks from the Siege Museum, fifteen minutes from the Petersburg Battlefield, and a half-hour or so drive from the plantations of the lower James River.
The present owners, John and Juliette Swenson, had owned a bed-and-breakfast in Port Townsend, Washington, before coming here. The inn was named after Edward Lear’s famous children’s poem, and the guest rooms reflect the theme: the Owl Room includes the turret of the house, which overlooks the front garden; the Pussycat Room has a collection of teapots; and the Sonnet Room has a collection of books of poetry. Mrs. Swenson, who grew up in Bath, England, often serves Sally Lunn bread with breakfast.
Address: 405 High St., Petersburg, VA 23803; tel: 804-733-0505; fax: 804-862-0694; E-mail: [email protected].
Accommodations: Six guest rooms, two share a bath.
Amenities: Air-conditioning, off-street parking, TV in common room, sun room, badminton, croquet.
Rates: $$, including full breakfast on weekends, continental on weekdays. All major credit cards and personal checks.
Restrictions: $20 cleaning deposit required for pets, no smoking.
Fort Monroe
Fort Monroe, Virginia
This is the largest stone fort ever built in the United States. Construction began in 1819, and four years later the fort received its first army garrison. In 1831, a young army engineer named Robert E. Lee arrived to help supervise the construction of the fort’s moat.
When war came, the Confederacy did not attempt to seize Fort Monroe. As a result, Virginia had no fort throughout the war, which denied the state access to the sea.
Lincoln visited here to observe the Union attack on Norfolk, and later McClellan used the fort as the springboard for his Peninsular Campaign.
Jefferson Davis, captured after the war, was imprisoned here. First kept in a casement, a chamber in the wall of the fort, he was moved to a room in the fort’s officers’ quarters, and released two years later. His cell, now a museum, has been restored to its appearance when Davis was imprisoned.
The Casement Museum/Fort Monroe, PO Box 51341, Fort Monroe, VA, is open daily, 10:30-4:30. Guided tours with two weeks’ notice for groups of ten or more. To reach the fort from I-64, take Exit 268 and follow the signs to Fort Monroe. For information phone 757-727-3391.
Willow Grove Inn
Orange, Virginia
Confederate General A. P. Hill once made his headquarters in this classic plantation house, and the trenches and breastworks his men built are still visible on the spacious grounds. Willow Grove had seen war before. During the Revolution, generals Wayne and Muhlenberg camped here, and later Dolley Madison was a neighbor. The house is in the National Register and is a Virginia Historic Landmark.
The inn stands on a hill overlooking the meadows of the Piedmont region, near where three of the first five presidents lived: Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe. Seven guest rooms are named for Virginia-born presidents and furnished with period pieces.
Despite its impressive historical credentials, Willow Grove is a relaxed, friendly place to stay. What once was the root cellar is now a bar and the scene of weekend sing-alongs. On cold winter nights, fires burn in the fireplaces of the second-floor bedrooms. The meals here are exceptional. Dinner may include smoked Rappahannock trout, shank of venison, saddle of rabbit, local greens, and goat cheese. Particularly popular is the three-course brunch on Sunday.
Willow Grove is expensive, but few historic inns in the country measure up to it.
Address: 14079 Plantation Way, Orange, VA 22960; tel: 540-672-5982 or 800-949-1778; fax: 540-672-3674.
Amenities: Air-conditioning, off-street parking, restaurant, pre-breakfast tray delivered to room. Civil War Camp reenactment during summer.
Rates: $$$, including full breakfast and dinner. All major credit cards and personal checks.
Restrictions: Notice required if bringing children. Pets allowed in cottages but not in main house. Restricted smoking.
Inn at Narrow Passage
Woodstock, Virginia
In March 1862, this inn served as Stonewall Jackson’s headquarters during his Shenandoah Valley Campaign. It was here that Jackson ordered Jedediah Hotchkiss to “make me a map of the valley.” (The extraordinary Hotchkiss maps are displayed in the Handley Library in Winchester.)
The inn wasn’t new then; it has been welcoming travelers for more than 250 years. The oldest part of the inn was built around 1740, and its sturdy log walls were protection from Indian attacks at the Great Wagon Road’s “narrow passage,” where the roadbed was only wide enough for one wagon to pass through. A large addition was made to the inn around the time of the Revolutionary War.
Innkeepers Ellen and Ed Markel Jr. welcome guests with lemonade served on the porch. Rooms in the older part have pine floors and stenciling. Rooms in the later additions also are decorated in the colonial style, but open to porches, with views of the Shenandoah River and the Massanutten Mountains. Most rooms have fireplaces. A hearty breakfast is served by the fireplace in the dining room.
Chuck Lawliss Page 6