On the drive from Springfield to Lansing, we stopped at Cabela's to stretch our legs. Below are a couple of their stuffed animal scenes.
And so our family history tour came to an end. Many thanks to DH for instigating and arranging it all.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Pictures of April 8
Monday, April 8, 2013
On the drive from Springfield to Lansing, we stopped at Cabela's to stretch our legs. Below are a couple of their stuffed animal scenes.
Note the musk ox baby in the center.
And so our family history tour came to an end. Many thanks to DH for instigating and arranging it all.
On the drive from Springfield to Lansing, we stopped at Cabela's to stretch our legs. Below are a couple of their stuffed animal scenes.
And so our family history tour came to an end. Many thanks to DH for instigating and arranging it all.
Pictures for April 7
Sunday, April 7, 2013
At breakfast the four of us got to talk with one of the previous day's speakers, Michael DuMont. He himself was a prisoner of war for 4 days in Viet Nam. He had been trained as a Para Rescue Jumper, and went in to help two wounded men whose airplane had crashed. After a few hours, the three of them were attacked and captured by Viet Cong, and DuMont was shot in the chest during that attack, with 3 ribs being broken. Because he could still walk, and the other two men could not, he was separated from them. (The other two were later rescued by US forces.) After four days DuMont was able to escape his captors, and swam in the ocean about three miles (!), where he was rescued by using his watch to make moving reflections in order to be noticed.
After breakfast we went to the service at the Salisbury National Cemetery. There were flags, a widow impersonator, a three volley salute, and a cannon firing, in addition to songs and speeches.
After the service, Michiganders had a little quality time with their state flag.
Then we left for Springfield, Ohio, arriving before dark. When dropping off WE, we got to see 5 darling kittens (anyone want a kitten?)
At breakfast the four of us got to talk with one of the previous day's speakers, Michael DuMont. He himself was a prisoner of war for 4 days in Viet Nam. He had been trained as a Para Rescue Jumper, and went in to help two wounded men whose airplane had crashed. After a few hours, the three of them were attacked and captured by Viet Cong, and DuMont was shot in the chest during that attack, with 3 ribs being broken. Because he could still walk, and the other two men could not, he was separated from them. (The other two were later rescued by US forces.) After four days DuMont was able to escape his captors, and swam in the ocean about three miles (!), where he was rescued by using his watch to make moving reflections in order to be noticed.
After breakfast we went to the service at the Salisbury National Cemetery. There were flags, a widow impersonator, a three volley salute, and a cannon firing, in addition to songs and speeches.
Flower petals were scattered on the site of the grave trenches where so many Union prisoners of war from the Confederate Salisbury Prison were buried.
After the service, Michiganders had a little quality time with their state flag.
Then we left for Springfield, Ohio, arriving before dark. When dropping off WE, we got to see 5 darling kittens (anyone want a kitten?)
Pictures for April 6
Saturday, April 6, 2013
The 16th Annual Salisbury Confederate Prison Symposium met on Saturday at Catawba College, Ketner Hall. There were beautiful flowering trees on the campus.
Dr. Freeze gave the opening talk, as he always does. Next Bob O'Connor talked about "The U.S. Colored Troops Prisoners at Salisbury Prison". After a short break, Ron Nichols talked about "A Post-Civil War Mortality View of Salisbury Prisoners from Wisconsin". After lunch William Marley told about "The Attempted Outbreak of 1864". Then Michael Dumont talked about his relative, "Ira Tewksbury: A Brother Captive Who Didn't Survive". Lastly Dr. Gray Bullard spoke on "Veterans' Pensions in the Civil War: The Experience in the South".
After the Symposium we went to the Hall House. Dr. Josephus Hall was a doctor who helped care for the prisoners during the Civil War, and he had a lovely home and grounds.
A portrait of Dr. Hall's first wife, and the Hall piano.
A reproduction of wallpaper found in the house.
On the Hall House grounds is one of the two cannons that were used to intimidate the prisoners of war inside the Salisbury Confederate Prison. Both cannons were fired during the attempted outbreak in 1864 (as we learned from one of the Symposium lectures).
From attending the symposium during previous years, I know an owner of property that is where the prison grounds used to be. It is now thought that the Dead House was at least partially on her property. Several years ago I had given her a forsythia from my property in Michigan; that forsythia is still alive, and is the yellow-flowering bush to the left in the below photo. I like to think that bush is a celebration of life in a place where there was so much death.
Descendants of Ferd very close to the (presumed) site of the Dead House on the Confederate Salisbury Prison grounds. I like to think that Ferd would be happy if he knew a few of his descendants would honor him by taking time to go to and learn about the place where he experienced such misery.
The 16th Annual Salisbury Confederate Prison Symposium met on Saturday at Catawba College, Ketner Hall. There were beautiful flowering trees on the campus.
Dr. Freeze gave the opening talk, as he always does. Next Bob O'Connor talked about "The U.S. Colored Troops Prisoners at Salisbury Prison". After a short break, Ron Nichols talked about "A Post-Civil War Mortality View of Salisbury Prisoners from Wisconsin". After lunch William Marley told about "The Attempted Outbreak of 1864". Then Michael Dumont talked about his relative, "Ira Tewksbury: A Brother Captive Who Didn't Survive". Lastly Dr. Gray Bullard spoke on "Veterans' Pensions in the Civil War: The Experience in the South".
After the Symposium we went to the Hall House. Dr. Josephus Hall was a doctor who helped care for the prisoners during the Civil War, and he had a lovely home and grounds.
From attending the symposium during previous years, I know an owner of property that is where the prison grounds used to be. It is now thought that the Dead House was at least partially on her property. Several years ago I had given her a forsythia from my property in Michigan; that forsythia is still alive, and is the yellow-flowering bush to the left in the below photo. I like to think that bush is a celebration of life in a place where there was so much death.
Pictures for April 5 Appomattox
Friday, April 5, 2013
Confederate General Lee surrendered to Union General Grant in the parlor of the McLean home at Appomattox Court House in April, 1865.
This house was torn down once with plans to move it, but eventually was rebuilt at this site; in the meantime the wood had deteriorated during the time the house was torn apart, so pretty much just the bricks are from the original house. The person showing us the house said the McLeans did own slaves, and Mrs. McLean was 46 years old and pregnant when Lee surrendered to Grant in their parlor. An amazing coincidence is that at the First Battle of Manassas, in 1861, the McLeans had a home in that area, and General Beauregard, commanding the Confederates, had his headquarters on the McLean property there. Apparently Mr. McLean was fond of saying the Civil War started in his yard and ended in his parlor.
At breakfast in the motel we had met an impersonator of General Lee, so we stopped by the place where he and his wife were planning to do a re-enactment that weekend. He offered to take the time to put on his Civil War uniform for our taking pictures, but we did not want to trouble him to do that since he was busy building a road at the site when we stopped by.
After leaving the Appomattox area we drove on to Salisbury, North Carolina, and the symposium began that evening with a Friendship Banquet at the Landmark Church. I forgot, as I was writing the blog, to mention that the four of us descendants of William Ferdinand Bowdish each won a door prize! WE chose a fire extinguisher, LM chose a book (BUTTERNUT TEARS, written by Arlene Showalter, the speaker for the banquet), DH chose a tee-shirt, and AR chose a Hickory Farms box of goodies. Sue Curtis, Symposium Chair, said our family was having such good luck, we should play the lottery.
Confederate General Lee surrendered to Union General Grant in the parlor of the McLean home at Appomattox Court House in April, 1865.
After leaving the Appomattox area we drove on to Salisbury, North Carolina, and the symposium began that evening with a Friendship Banquet at the Landmark Church. I forgot, as I was writing the blog, to mention that the four of us descendants of William Ferdinand Bowdish each won a door prize! WE chose a fire extinguisher, LM chose a book (BUTTERNUT TEARS, written by Arlene Showalter, the speaker for the banquet), DH chose a tee-shirt, and AR chose a Hickory Farms box of goodies. Sue Curtis, Symposium Chair, said our family was having such good luck, we should play the lottery.
Pictures for April 4, Petersburg area
Thursday, April 4, 2013
During the siege of Petersburg, Ferd was in the Battle of the Crater. At a point where the Union and Confederate lines were quite close, the Pennsylvania miners dug a long tunnel underground, put in dynamite under a Confederate fort, and blew it up. Despite the initial success of the operation, the day unfortunately did not end well for the Union.
Present-day appearance of the doorway to the tunnel.
Diagram of the miners' system for ventilating the mine with fresh air.
Appearance of the crater now.
DH read out loud a fictional but very entertaining story about how the timbers were obtained for building the tunnel.
An example of abatis used in the siege of Petersburg, as well as a mortar.
As Grant extended the siege line around Petersburg to capture railroads supplying Richmond, Ferd was captured at the battle of Weldon Railroad in August, 1864.
Today the railroad is in the distance behind where we are standing.
During the siege of Petersburg, Ferd was in the Battle of the Crater. At a point where the Union and Confederate lines were quite close, the Pennsylvania miners dug a long tunnel underground, put in dynamite under a Confederate fort, and blew it up. Despite the initial success of the operation, the day unfortunately did not end well for the Union.
As Grant extended the siege line around Petersburg to capture railroads supplying Richmond, Ferd was captured at the battle of Weldon Railroad in August, 1864.
Pictures for April 3
I can't believe all we saw on Wednesday, April 3, 2013
The Rappahannock River in Fredericksburg where the Seventh Michigan came across to chase out the sharpshooters in the town buildings so Burnside could get a bridge built across the river, allowing his army to make it across.
In Fredericksburg, DH interviewed a Confederate descendant about the Civil War.
Battle of the Wilderness (spring, 1864) area in which Ferd's brother Lucius lost an arm, and Ferd's brother Corridon/Corydon received a fatal wound.
In May of 1864 Ferd wrote in his diary about fighting at Spotsylvania Court House. He mentioned building breastworks (earthworks), remnants of which are still present (I am "hiding" in one above).
DH guided us to a monument marking where Ferd's regiment (27th Michigan as well as the 17th Michigan, and many others) fought at Spotsylvania Court House.
A few miles away we saw the building in which Confederate General Stonewall Jackson died.
In Richmond we toured the Confederate White House. This is the rear, looking toward the White House from the garden.
Also in Richmond we walked on a pedestrian bridge across the James River to Belle Isle, where Ferd was held prisoner for about 6 weeks before being shipped on to Salisbury.
We found the area where thousands of prisoners of war were held. It was surrounded by a "dead line", which if a prisoner came too close to, he risked being shot. In an act of affirmation of life, we lit there a birthday candle (for the birthdays of DH on April 2 and LM on April 4). This candle played the "Happy Birthday" tune over and over until we located the wire from the battery and WE snipped it.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Grave of Lewis Wetzel in West Virginia. Wetzel was an Indian fighter and a contemporary of Betty Zane.
Hindu community cow and elephant statues.
DH surveying the West Virginia stream to figure out the best approach for fording. The GPS said to take this road, and DH didn't let a few inches of water stop him.
Monument at Gettysburg (facing Pickett's Charge) for the Seventh Michigan, in which Ferd's brother Lucius, fought.
Ferd had a first cousin, named Arvine Bowdish, who was with the New York 149th, which fought at Culp's Hill at Gettysburg. For those of us on this trip, Arvine would be our first cousin, 4 x removed.
Arvine survived the Civil War and went back for the dedication of this monument.
Ferd had a first cousin, named Arvine Bowdish, who was with the New York 149th, which fought at Culp's Hill at Gettysburg. For those of us on this trip, Arvine would be our first cousin, 4 x removed.
Arvine survived the Civil War and went back for the dedication of this monument.
Easter Sunday, March 31, 2013
First cousins, children of Gladys and Fern.
BE with daughters ES and KF
Parents CG & ES
Children IS, KL, CJ
JP & KF
All (at least those who cared) rooting for Michigan.
Monument to Betty Zane whose heroic run for gunpowder in 1782 saved Fort Henry (now Wheeling, West Virginia) from an Indian attack. Gladys and Fern each had the book BETTY ZANE written by Zane Grey, which books were read over and over.
Children IS, KL, CJ
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Saturday, April 6, 2013
April 5, 2013
We visited Appomattox Court House, where Lee surrendered to Grant in the parlor.
At breakfast in the motel, we had met a man who impersonates General Lee, so we briefly stopped by the place where "General Lee" was going to be working this weekend.
Then it was on to Salisbury, and to the evening meal that started the Symposium activities for this weekend.
We visited Appomattox Court House, where Lee surrendered to Grant in the parlor.
At breakfast in the motel, we had met a man who impersonates General Lee, so we briefly stopped by the place where "General Lee" was going to be working this weekend.
Then it was on to Salisbury, and to the evening meal that started the Symposium activities for this weekend.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
April 4, 2013
Today is LM's 79th birthday. She received a birthday card from her husband even though he is not here.
We went to the site of the battle of the Crater in Petersburg, where Ferd fought. We also went to the Weldon Railroad area where Ferd was captured.
On our way to Appomattox we saw huge snowflakes.
Just a short blog today, Alice
Today is LM's 79th birthday. She received a birthday card from her husband even though he is not here.
We went to the site of the battle of the Crater in Petersburg, where Ferd fought. We also went to the Weldon Railroad area where Ferd was captured.
On our way to Appomattox we saw huge snowflakes.
Just a short blog today, Alice
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Wed, April 3 2013
Today we saw the place on the Rappahannock where, in December, 1862, Lucius Bowdish and the 7th Michigan came across to Fredericksburg to take out the snipers in the buildings on the shore. Then we went to the Wilderness Battlefield, where, in 1864, Lucius lost an arm and Corridon Bowdish was fatally wounded. Next we went to the Spotsylvania Court House Battlefield, where Ferd's 1864 diary begins in May by telling of fighting there. Next we took a little side trip to see the building where Confederate General Stonewall Jackson died of pneumonia after being shot by his own men and losing an arm.
We stopped for lunch, and DH ate his dessert before eating his sandwich, and after his sandwich, helped LM finish her dessert. I told him he would make it into a blog entry if he ate dessert both before and after his sandwich.
Then it was on to Richmond, where we toured the Confederate White House. Then we walked across the James River on a suspension bridge to Belle Isle and saw the area where Ferd was kept as a prisoner of war for several days in the late summer of 1864 (before being shipped off to Salisbury Prison).
This evening we ate at Chipotle, and it was good.
Today we saw the place on the Rappahannock where, in December, 1862, Lucius Bowdish and the 7th Michigan came across to Fredericksburg to take out the snipers in the buildings on the shore. Then we went to the Wilderness Battlefield, where, in 1864, Lucius lost an arm and Corridon Bowdish was fatally wounded. Next we went to the Spotsylvania Court House Battlefield, where Ferd's 1864 diary begins in May by telling of fighting there. Next we took a little side trip to see the building where Confederate General Stonewall Jackson died of pneumonia after being shot by his own men and losing an arm.
We stopped for lunch, and DH ate his dessert before eating his sandwich, and after his sandwich, helped LM finish her dessert. I told him he would make it into a blog entry if he ate dessert both before and after his sandwich.
Then it was on to Richmond, where we toured the Confederate White House. Then we walked across the James River on a suspension bridge to Belle Isle and saw the area where Ferd was kept as a prisoner of war for several days in the late summer of 1864 (before being shipped off to Salisbury Prison).
This evening we ate at Chipotle, and it was good.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
We had a wonderful Easter dinner - great food and great company.
The Ohio cousins graciously rooted for the University of Michigan to win, considering Michigan was the last of the Big Ten still surviving in the NCAA basketball tournament, and Michigan did win.
DH, WE, LM, and I drove to the border of Ohio and West Virginia, where we stopped in Martin's Ferry at the grave of Betty Zane and read the story of how she saved the fort from the Indian attack by running for the gunpowder. This reading was recorded in a 3-D video by WE. Gladys and Fern (our mothers) each had the book about Betty Zane, and these books were read over and over.
MONDAY 1 April 2013
We went to the grave of Lew Wetzel, a person from the time of Betty Zane. We stopped to use the restrooms at a Hindu community in the West Virginia hills (this is not an April Fool's joke). Then, as we were traveling the back roads of West Virginia, we forded a stream in JL's car, with the water being 8-10 inches deep. Again, this is not an April Fool's joke, and it might be best to not mention it to JL.
We ran into a snowstorm in Pennsylvania, but drove on to Gettysburg where Ferd's brother Lucius fought in the 1863 battle with the 7th Michigan Infantry. I think the granddaughter of Lucius told me Lucius tried to hide for awhile during that battle, but probably he was present for helping to repulse Pickett's charge. A monument for the 7th Michigan has been erected where they fought. Lucius went back to Gettysburg for the 50th anniversary of the battle.
TUESDAY 2 April 2013
It was plenty chilly this morning, but it warmed up with lots of sunshine. We're starting to see flowering trees in addition to daffodils.
Today we went to Harpers Ferry, the beautiful spot where the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers meet. One can see three states there: West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland. We saw the building in which the US military, under the command of Robert E. Lee, captured John Brown, which was a factor in precipitating the Civil War.
Today is DH's birthday. He received a card, and a free dessert at the restaurant.
The Ohio cousins graciously rooted for the University of Michigan to win, considering Michigan was the last of the Big Ten still surviving in the NCAA basketball tournament, and Michigan did win.
DH, WE, LM, and I drove to the border of Ohio and West Virginia, where we stopped in Martin's Ferry at the grave of Betty Zane and read the story of how she saved the fort from the Indian attack by running for the gunpowder. This reading was recorded in a 3-D video by WE. Gladys and Fern (our mothers) each had the book about Betty Zane, and these books were read over and over.
MONDAY 1 April 2013
We went to the grave of Lew Wetzel, a person from the time of Betty Zane. We stopped to use the restrooms at a Hindu community in the West Virginia hills (this is not an April Fool's joke). Then, as we were traveling the back roads of West Virginia, we forded a stream in JL's car, with the water being 8-10 inches deep. Again, this is not an April Fool's joke, and it might be best to not mention it to JL.
We ran into a snowstorm in Pennsylvania, but drove on to Gettysburg where Ferd's brother Lucius fought in the 1863 battle with the 7th Michigan Infantry. I think the granddaughter of Lucius told me Lucius tried to hide for awhile during that battle, but probably he was present for helping to repulse Pickett's charge. A monument for the 7th Michigan has been erected where they fought. Lucius went back to Gettysburg for the 50th anniversary of the battle.
TUESDAY 2 April 2013
It was plenty chilly this morning, but it warmed up with lots of sunshine. We're starting to see flowering trees in addition to daffodils.
Today we went to Harpers Ferry, the beautiful spot where the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers meet. One can see three states there: West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland. We saw the building in which the US military, under the command of Robert E. Lee, captured John Brown, which was a factor in precipitating the Civil War.
Today is DH's birthday. He received a card, and a free dessert at the restaurant.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Friday, March 29, 2013
Four of us who are William Ferdinand Bowdish's great-great-grandchildren are planning to visit some of the places where Ferd went during the Civil War almost 150 years ago.
Ferd was born in New York State
on 2 Oct 1828, and he died on 5 June 1867 in Michigan and was buried near Stockbridge. Ferd had four brothers who also enlisted in the Civil War. Sadly, one died from a battle wound, and another lost an arm.
Ferd wrote letters home and kept a diary. One day Ferd had his diary in a pocket, and a bullet hit the diary, knocking Ferd down, but he was not seriously injured. See the pictures of Ferd, his diary, and his tombstone.
Ferd was born in New York State
Ferd wrote letters home and kept a diary. One day Ferd had his diary in a pocket, and a bullet hit the diary, knocking Ferd down, but he was not seriously injured. See the pictures of Ferd, his diary, and his tombstone.
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