The Civil War in Rockville

Transcription

1 ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA Maryland Division Camp #1398 Colonel William Norris See Inside Republic of West Florida Minutes March 1 Camp Meeting 2 3 Guest Speaker 3 The Civil War in Rockville June 2011 Author and Historian Eileen S. McGuckian from Peerless Rockville spoke on Rockville during the unpleasantness. (The following was taken from the peerlessrockville.org website.) Rockville in the 1860s: Divided by Loyalties, United by Community River Crossing 3 Like small towns throughout Maryland and Virginia, Rockville got caught up in complicated issues that resulted in a national war. Rockville s experience during this traumatic period was more social than military residents, merchants, farmers, slaves, children and other local townspeople were deeply affected by events around them. Rockville in 1860 was a thriving center of commerce and local government. Although small, the town was the junction of several major roads, making it strategic to the movement of troops and supplies during the war. A walk past the old homes on North Adams Street enables you to envision Rockville at this time only with horses, hogs, geese and goats running loose in the dirt streets. election in 1860, political leaders assembled In 1860, 365 people lived in Rockville. Twothirds were white. Of debate whether Mary- at the Courthouse to the black population, land should secede. about two-thirds were Families, neighbors enslaved. Most people and congregations split farmed or were skilled over issues of the day. as millers, carpenters Federal intervention, and blacksmiths. The in the forms of legal linear business district maneuvers and encamped soldiers, sup- was small, but it was the largest in Montgomery County and always for the Rebel cause. pressed local sympathy busy with Courthouse Rockville citizens traffic. There were 3 took both sides. Richard Johns Bowie, a hotels, 4 general stores, a post office, 4 doctors, lawyer and owner of 6 churches, 6 lawyers Glen View Farm, was a and a slave trader. In Unionist. His good 1860, Rockville became friend, William Veirs the first town in Montgomery County to Rockville Rifles and Bouic, captained the incorporate. sided with the South. Due to Maryland s situation as a slave-hold- exempted 233 local Dr. E. E. Stonestreet ing border state, Rockville citizens were Army. Reuben Hill was men from the Union caught in a tangle of a slave who fought sentiments and loyalties. Soon after Lincoln s Continued on page 4

2 Page 2 Republic of West Florida What does the Republic of West Florida have to do with the War Between the States? The Confederate States of America had no official flag for the first 24 days. The first flag widely used in the Confederacy was the Bonnie Blue, which was displayed throughout the war. It was the flag of the short-lived Republic of West Florida. This area, extending from the panhandle of Florida to the Mississippi River, was included in the Louisiana Colony of France in When Louisiana was ceded to Spain in 1762, West Florida went to Great Britain. There was a world war in the late 1700s. During that war, Spain took West Florida from Great Britain in The British also lost many other North American colonies during that world war. In 1800, Louisiana was returned to France. Spain claimed that the sale did not include West Florida. In 1803, France sold the Louisiana Territory to the U.S. West Florida had many British settlers, but was ruled by Spain. They rebelled in 1810 and established a republic. It was absorbed by the U.S. a short time thereafter and became part of the states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. The tradition of a free republic continued and when these states withdrew from the United States, they used variations of this. Hurrah! Hurrah! For Southern Rights, Hurrah! Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag That Bears a Single Star! On Saturday, Sept. 11, 1810, a troop of dragoons under the command of Major Isaac Johnson set out for the provincial capital at Baton Rouge. At the head of the column rode a colour sergeant carrying a blue flag with a single, five-pointed white star. This flag had been made a few days before by Mrs. Melissa Johnson. Together with other republican forces under the command of Colonel Philemon Thomas, these men captured Baton Rouge without loss to themselves, imprisoned Governor de Lassus and, on Sept. 23, 1810, raised their Bonnie Blue Flag over the fort of Baton Rouge. Three days later, John Rhea, president of the West Florida convention, signed a Declaration of Independence, and the lone star flag became the emblem of a new republic. The Republic of West Florida was short-lived. When Spanish rule was removed from the country with neither the use of American troops nor risk to itself, the government of the United States was interested in asserting its claim to West Florida. On Oct. 27, 1810, President James Madison issued a proclamation declaring West Florida under the jurisdiction of the governor of the Louisiana Territory. On Dec. 10, 1810, the flag of the United States replaced the Bonnie Blue Flag over Baton Rouge, and the Republic of West Florida passed into history. Minutes On Saturday April 30, Compatriots Dave Redden and Harold Ford performed the road cleanup on our Adopt-A-Road segment of Martinsburg Road. The first River Crossing meeting will be held Thursday, May 19, at Hershey's Restaurant in Gaithersburg. The meeting was adjourned at about 9:15 p.m.

3 Page 3 Minutes March 1 Camp Meeting The meeting, held at Gaithersburg s VFB Hall, was called to order by Commander Steve Gill after the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag, the salute to the Confederate Flag and the reading of the SCV Charge. There were 8 members and guests attending including compatriots Matthew Heimbach, Frank Brown, Tom Keefer, Bruce Funk, 1st Lt. Commander Bob Brewer, Camp Commander Steve Gill and Adjutant/ Treasurer Harold Ford. Our special guests were Kate Brewer and Eileen S. McGuckian. Guest Speaker Bill Offut of Bethesda is a retired Montgomery County Public School teacher, published author and noted local historian. His family dates back through Montgomery County history. He is a longtime Montgomery County Historical Society Speaker/ volunteer. His topic is Confederates From Rockville. Minutes of River Crossing Meeting Compliments of Compatriot Bob Brewer Commander Steve Gill and Compatriots Bob Brewer, Frank Brown and Harold Ford attended the first River Crossing meeting at Hershey's Restaurant on May 19 at 7 p.m. Compatriot Brewer provided the below minutes: The River Crossing will begin an hour earlier at 11 a.m. on Saturday Aug. 20. Compatriot and Author Gregg Clemmer will be leading a Smithsonian tour bus that is scheduled to arrive at 11 a.m. (and scheduled to depart at 2 p.m.). Gregg will be stopping at various places along the towpath and describing incidents that happened along the way. When they return from the river, lunch will be served. We will be entertained by a local Blue Grass band. There is a need for volunteers to help make this the most successful one ever. The Second River Crossing meeting will be Wednesday, June 29, at 7 p.m. at the Hershey's Restaurant in Gaithersburg, Md. The event will be held rain or shine

4 Page 4 The Civil War in Rockville Continued from page 1 with the U.S. Colored Troops. Anderson boys fought for the South, while the Dawson s and the Beall sisters favored the North. Rockville saw action every year of the Civil War. By spring 1861, some 10,000 Federal troops were stationed nearby. Most of them camped on the Fairgrounds, now Richard Montgomery High School saw the Courthouse used as a field hospital after the bloody Battle of Antietam and the beginning of arrests of local pro-south citizens for disloyalty. In 1863, JEB Stuart arrived to a warm reception by townspeople. A letter written by Dora Higgins described her husband s arrest at Christ Church. The Confederates were charmed by local girls, and they captured a long Union wagon train. Reticent teamsters and paroled teamsters delayed Stuart s arrival at the Battle of Gettysburg. Rockville was the scene of hot conflict following the Battle of Monocacy in the Confederate invasion of July Jubal Early s cavalry skirmished in Rockville before and after their unsuccessful attack on Washington, D.C. Somewhere in the confusion, the Confederates carried off the town s records. And, at the end of the war, George Atzerodt, one of John Wilkes Booth s accomplices, Although small, the town was the junction of several major roads, making it strategic to the movement of troops and supplies during the war. rode the Rockville mail stage in his unsuccessful attempt to escape capture. After the war, Rockville residents returned to the common social, economic, religious and civic bonds they had created over a century of time. Former slaves built new lives, aided by a local office of the Freedmen s Bureau. Public schools flourished. Soldiers returned from the war to farm, teach and practice law. Men who fought for opposing causes resumed friendships and civic responsibilities together after the conflict. Some vouched for the claims of others against property damage by Federal soldiers. And little Rockville remained a sleepy own until the 1870s, when the railroad came through.

5 Sons of Confederate Veterans ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA Maryland Division Camp #1398 Page 4 The newsletter of the Colonel William Norris Camp 1398 is published 12 times a year by the camp as a service to its membership and to the public. Officers Steve Gill, Commander Horizon Place Phone: Derwood, MD StevenGill@Lycos.com Heritage Violations Notify the Camp Heritage Officer compatriot Jim Stargel (jim.stargel@ffa.gov) of any heritage violations. Harold E. Ford Adjutant/Treasurer Colonel William Norris Camp #1398 Robert Brewer, 1st Lt. Commander 205 E. Deer Park Drive Phone: Gaithersburg, MD brewer000@comcast.net Major David King Jr., 2nd Lt. Commander 5611 Oak Place Phone: Bethesday, MD Dejota.King@verizon.net Dan Buckingham, 3rd Lt. Commander Front Field Lane Phone: Potomac, MD danbuckingham@hurrisafe.com Harold Ford, Adjutant/Treasurer Jacobs Road Phone: Mt. Airy, MD dept911@comcast.net Thomas Keefer, Chaplain Cross Bridge Way Phone: Germantown, MD Mitch Mroczka, Recruiting Officer 7333 Brenish Drive Phone: Gaithersburg, MD mroczka1@verizon.net Jim Stargel, Heritage Officer/Quartermaster jim.stargel@faa.gov