Assault on Allegheny - July 2009

[BobDenton37thVA]

Folks,

Here's a link to the splash page for our upcoming event:

http://www.pridgeonslegion.com/page/page/show?id=1547406%3APage%3A6952

A formal website is under development and will be available shortly.

Regards,
Bob D.

[nrandolph]

Re: Assault on Allegheny - July 2009

This is a potentially fantastic event! I had mentioned this, to Eric Tipton, as something that would be a great follow up to the Rich Mt. event. Glad to see that it's receiving some attention. The old Staunton-Parkersburg turnpike, right up the mountain on the other side of the Greenbrier river is a very beautiful and historical route that winds toward the top of Allegheny. This is some of the highest country in both states (WV and Va.). The Georgia men stationed there through the winter of 1862 suffered terribly, along with the other troops. Again, I'm tickled to death about this event and I'll plan on being there!

Neil Randolph
1st WV

[Eric Tipton]

Re: Assault on Allegheny - July 2009

Ah, the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike... brings back fond memories. ;)

[Eric Tipton]

Re: Assault on Allegheny - July 2009

Bob:

Any idea on when the web site will be up for this one? I really think that this event has promise. This is a great area of the country and the event is scheduled in a perfect time of year.

[CJDaley]

Re: Assault on Allegheny - July 2009

Bob:

Any idea on when the web site will be up for this one? I really think that this event has promise. This is a great area of the country and the event is scheduled in a perfect time of year.

THAT ROCKS!

I've been waiting for 10 years for someone to do an event on that site. The first time I saw that site (1998) I thought it was ideal for this type of event.

I go down that way every summer for a mountain bike vacation and have taken my bike up to the top of Ft. Allegheny a few times. It is truly one of the most spectacular views and untouched terrain in the country and it's only 4-5 hours from DC/Richmond.

Thanks Bob, Dave and gang for making this happen! Thanks to your efforts, the hobby will experience the beauty and historical significance of Ft. Allegheny!

[roundshot]

Re: Assault on Allegheny - July 2009

Some basic info on the site and history can be found here:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/mnf/rec/civilwar/allegheny.html

[terry winders]

Re: Assault on Allegheny - July 2009

This looks like a good one .Don't want to miss this.


Terry Winders
Mess No.1

[nrandolph]

Re: Assault on Allegheny - July 2009

Another good source of information about this battle and Camp Bartow and Allegheny is Hunter Lesser's book, Rebels At The Gates Chapters 20 and 22-23. I think that a lot of the men picked up an autographed copy when Hunter was signing them after the Rich Mt. event. A very good and entertaining book about the political origins of West Virginia and the military campaigns, if you don't have a copy.

Neil Randolph
1st WV

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Assault on Allegheny - July 2009

Bob,

Very cool site, my highland county classmate Tom Stevenson took me out here after the 2005 McDowell event...and the site is AWESOME!!!

How close will we be camped to the original fortifications?

Are any plans currently underway to pre-construct portions of defenses that may be representative to that which originally occupied the site (i.e. abati, gabions, partial palasade)? Would there be an interest in having something like these?

Thanks,

Paul B.

P.S. What's the latest news on the Wind-Turbines up there?

[BobDenton37thVA]

Re: Assault on Allegheny - July 2009

Bob:

Any idea on when the web site will be up for this one? I really think that this event has promise. This is a great area of the country and the event is scheduled in a perfect time of year.

Eric,

We are working on it now. I'm hoping to do the majority of the composition this weekend. It will probably be linked at (or through) the splash page that we already have up.

I'm hoping to open registration no later than early December, but possibly even earlier.

Regards,
Bob D.

[BobDenton37thVA]

Re: Assault on Allegheny - July 2009

Bob,

Very cool site, my highland county classmate Tom Stevenson took me out here after the 2005 McDowell event...and the site is AWESOME!!!

How close will we be camped to the original fortifications?

Are any plans currently underway to pre-construct portions of defenses that may be representative to that which originally occupied the site (i.e. abati, gabions, partial palasade)? Would there be an interest in having something like these?

Thanks,

Paul B.

P.S. What's the latest news on the Wind-Turbines up there?

Hi Paul,

Here's the answers to your questions as far as I can go with any reasonable degree of certainty.

Currently, the winter cabin sites, trenches, and the area know simply as "Top of Allegheny" is under the ownership of the Monongahela National Forest. As such, we can visit, but not fight (or camp) there as it is both sacred ground and an important archeological resource area. That is where the first (and main) part of the December '61 battle took place.

We have currently solidified a relationship with owner of Traveler's Repose and the Camp Bartow site at the base of Allegheny Mountain. This is where the Federal Camp will be Friday evening, as well as registration. Parking will also be in Bartow, WV, and a short walk to Traveler's Repose. The CS camp for Friday evening just happens to be owned by a good friend of ours, so that is solid as well.

We have also met and made good friends with the man who owns the majority of the land along the Pike leading towards the Fort. He is really helping us out tremendously, and will be providing the Saturday afternoon skirmish land (on the original ground!) and the Federal Camp for Saturday night.

The main Fort site is owned privately, and we are also developing a relationship with the landowner as well. But our dilemma is that he runs cattle up there in the summer, and we are very concerned about possibly damaging the camp's fortifications themselves. Now mind you, the cattle probably roaming about up there year after year have probably damaged them to a far greater degree than we would in a single day; but as good stewards of the past, we'd hate to accelerate any erosion. Thus, at the very least we would want to stay off the works. But that doesn't mean we can't camp the CS troops within the fort. Unfortunately, the firing of the muskets could really panic the cattle, so we will have to see what the fort's owner will let us do there, if anything. At the very least, we will be able to tour the entire site.

Now here's the exciting part. We will be able to reproduce the original camp area where the battle took place (if we choose to), approximately 0.5 miles from the original site. The terrain is similar, and the breastworks of "fallen timber" described in the accounts of the battle can be replicated easily. I'll be going to the site the weekend of November 15th to plan this aspect of the event, and meet with the owner of the fort.

To summarize, we are about 80% complete with getting the pieces into place, and will be finalizing most of what we are doing before the website is posted. I'll be updating information as it develops.

Regards,
Bob D.

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Assault on Allegheny - July 2009

Now here's the exciting part. We will be able to reproduce the original camp area where the battle took place (if we choose to), approximately 0.5 miles from the original site. The terrain is similar, and the breastworks of "fallen timber" described in the accounts of the battle can be replicated easily. I'll be going to the site the weekend of November 15th to plan this aspect of the event, and meet with the owner of the fort.

Regards,
Bob D.

Very cool....so where do we start reading descriptions of the camp and the battle? We got under a year to start prepping for this!

Thanks,

Paul B.

[BobDenton37thVA]

Re: Assault on Allegheny - July 2009

Very cool....so where do we start reading descriptions of the camp and the battle? We got under a year to start prepping for this!

Thanks,

Paul B.

This link is a start:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/mnf/rec/civilwar/allegheny.html

Here's an interesting first person account:

http://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/robson/robson.html

I'd strongly suggest Hunter Lesser's excellent book 'Rebels at the Gate'. If you don't have it, GET it!

http://www.amazon.com/Rebels-at-Gate-W-Lesser/dp/1570717478

On the upcoming website, I'll be putting up some accounts from unpublished sources that I have as well.

Hope that helps,
Bob D.

[nrandolph]

Re: Assault on Allegheny - July 2009

I was thinking of this event the other evening and I wondered if you all had gotten in touch with Hunter Lesser? He doesn't live very far away around Elkins and he might be willing to lend some expertise, much as he did with Eric Tipton and the Ohio boys for the Rich Mt. event.

Neil Randolph
1st WV

[BobDenton37thVA]

Re: Hunter L.

Neil,

Funny you ask.

Actually, Hunter and I have been talking about an event at Allegheny since he was the archeologist for the National Forest, going back now almost 16 years! Hunter provided us with invaluable unpublished letters from members of the original 37th VA when we first formed the unit back in 1992/93, specifically the Barrett brothers' letters. We also got a lot of information from Bob Krick in the form of unpublished manuscripts of 37th VA soldiers' memoirs.

Any relevant info from the unpublished stuff I have, I'll be putting on the website. Of course, by the time of the battle (December 1861), the 37th VA had already been transferred to the command of Stonewall Jackson in Winchester. But they were at Allegheny from when Camp Bartow was abandoned in early October, until they left for Winchester in late November. In fact, many of the soldiers of the 37th, being "mountaineers and handy at nearly every trade..." were instrumental in building many of the cabins at Camp Allegheny according to period accounts.

From what Hunter has told me, the works at Allegheny were actually "renovated" several times during the war, as the federals occupied the site after it was abandoned by the Confederates in the spring of 1862. Nevertheless, the fort's footprint remained basically the same. Allegheny was the forward post facing east into Confederate held Highland and Bath Counties after the Battle of McDowell (which is why those counties sort of "protrude" into WV).

Regarding Hunter, I'm hoping to get him to do a lecture at the event for us; or perhaps have him lead a field trip around the forts and cabins sites.

Regards,
Bob D.