Category: Research

A soldier’s diary entries, December 1863

William Henry Forbush

Friends of Cedar Mountain board member Brad Forbush has a prized possession: the leather bound Civil War diary of his great great grandfather, William Henry Forbush. William spent several months in Culpeper County as part of the Winter Encampment of 1863-1864. We are grateful to Brad for sharing William’s Christmas week entries, allowing a look at a few days in the life of a soldier as the Union and Confederate armies faced each other on either side of the Rapidan River during the winter encampment. Continue reading “A soldier’s diary entries, December 1863”

Dedication of the 28th New York Monument at Culpeper National Cemetery

In the relics room at the Friends of Cedar Mountain meeting house, there hangs a laminated newspaper.  It is an original edition of the Culpeper Enterprise, dated August 15, 1902.  The dedication of the 28th New York Monument in the Culpeper National Cemetery is the subject of the entire issue.  Thinking it might be  of interest to our visitors, I transcribed the paper and post it here. Continue reading “Dedication of the 28th New York Monument at Culpeper National Cemetery”

Diary excerpt: William Ellis Jones, Army of Northern Virginia

An August 9, 1862 diary entry from William Ellis Jones, an artillerist with Crenshaw’s Battery, Pegram’s Battalion, Army of Northern Virginia, was contributed by a descendant, Connie Jones, and copied below as submitted through our Facebook page. Continue reading “Diary excerpt: William Ellis Jones, Army of Northern Virginia”

66th Ohio soldier Aaron Riker’s account of the battle at Cedar Mountain

It’s always our pleasure to meet visitors whose ancestors were at the Battle of Cedar Mountain. The July 20 tour group led by board member Brad Forbush included descendants of soldiers serving with the 42nd Virginia and 66th Ohio regiments. Continue reading “66th Ohio soldier Aaron Riker’s account of the battle at Cedar Mountain”

The Civil War in Culpeper and Fauquier Counties

The Upper Rappahannock River Mapping Project: The Civil War in Culpeper and Fauquier Counties, 1862-1864 documents the broad and complex historical landscape that extends across much of Virginia’s Culpeper and Fauquier Counties, anchored along the Rappahannock River. Continue reading “The Civil War in Culpeper and Fauquier Counties”

Cedar Mountain in Summer 2019 Hallowed Ground magazine

One of the benefits of membership in the American Battlefield Trust (ABT) is a subscription to Hallowed Ground, the Trust’s award-winning quarterly magazine filled with beautiful photography and interesting articles. Each issue takes readers into an exploration of American battlefield history, preservation successes and challenges, special events, planning a battlefield visit, and much more. Continue reading “Cedar Mountain in Summer 2019 Hallowed Ground magazine”

The 21st Virginia Infantry: A difficult first year

The following review of the 21st Virginia Infantry’s first year of battle was prepared by FCMB board member Bradley Forbush. This review was prepared in conjunction with a tour of Cedar Mountain in August 2018 by Mike Dove, a descendant of five 21st Virginia Infantry members (read the tour report). Continue reading “The 21st Virginia Infantry: A difficult first year”