The SBPA will have our display table at the George Tyler Moore Civil War Center, located at 136 W. German Street in Shepherdstown, on Saturday, December 2 from 11 am – 3 pm. We will be inside so should be comfortable. We have maps, books, posters, battlefield artifacts, a musket and much more!
Stop in after the town Christmas parade (10 am start) and say hello, or if you’d like to take a 30 or 60 minute shift, let Mike Nickerson know what time.
See the George Tyler Moore Civil War Center Facebook page for details about their activities. It should be a very enjoyable holiday afternoon in town.
Thanks to Director Dr. Jim Broomall for the invitation.
Once again battlefield supporter Steve has come thru with 2 Kestrel nesting boxes for the Osbourn Farm. These were installed this week with SBPA President Nickerson. Way to go Steve! Thank you!
That makes 7 nesting boxes for the Riverside Park and now 4 for the Osbourn Farm as part of the Birds in the Battlefield Project.
This letter, describing the Battles of Antietam and Shepherdstown, was written by Charles M. Freeman of Syke’s Division. Camp on Potomac, 22 September 1862.
It is currently being auctioned. For details and contents of the letter provided click on this link.
Dr Mike Nickerson, President of SBPA writes: SO Interesting! I just mapped out Freeman’s unit’s movements and the US 2nd Infantry crossed the Ford and went left, then up the grade onto the Ryder Farm where they were countered by Thomas’ Brigade from AP Hill’s Division. This is near the sinkhole on Vance Road off Trough where a blown Confederate cannon was reportedly thrown (a 161 year old legend that is likely true!).
We can go stand where Freeman was! We don’t have much from units on the downstream side of Trough so quite valuable to us!
Tom McGrath writes: Wow! This is fantastic! Makes you wonder what else is still out there yet to be found.
The 2nd has an interesting story in the battle. After Lovell’s Brigade of Regulars marched up Trough Road and reached “the plateau” (where Trough Road takes that sharp right angle), skirmishers were sent forward near the edge of the woodlot to the front. Once an enemy presence was suspected, Lovell was ordered to return to the ford. With the majority of the brigade still in marching column on Trough Rd he makes a crucial decision here. He writes, “To march down the road in column of fours would have subjected my command to great loss, if fired on.”
Instead, he deploys his units forward in column by battalion “with intervals of 60 or 70 paces.” The 2nd U.S. had been combined with the 10th U.S. and their battalion occupied the far left. Once the enemy was seen in force Lovell writes “the battalion were faced about, and retired slowly and in most excellent order until reaching the open ground on the hill near the river.”
The 2nd U.S. “were then thrown into the woods on our left, by the orders of the general.” Soon federal batteries began shelling the woods and the 2nd was withdrawn to the crest of bank. It is interesting to note that in this letter Freeman says, “Of course we had to ‘git up and git’ which we did very nice as our artillery from the Maryland side covered our retreat firing over our heads.”
Freeman then writes “As it was we lost twenty or thirty who were shot in the water and went floating among us down the stream.” This helps underscore the intensity of the moment that Daniel Burke would earn the Congressional Medal of Honor.
“SIR: I respectfully call to the notice of the officer commanding the gallant conduct of First Sergt. Daniel W. Burke, Company B, Second Infantry, on the 20th instant. When our troops were falling back across the Potomac, on hearing that a piece of artillery had been left unspiked, he volunteered to go back and do it, and, on getting permission, did go back and assist in spiking said gun in the face of the enemy’s sharpshooters.
Hoping that the case will be noticed as it deserves, I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,W. F. DRUM, First Lieutenant Second Infantry, Commanding Company B.”
The Two Rivers Giving Circle has honored the Shepherdstown Battlefield Preservation Association (SBPA) with its 2023 Conservation Award. The award was presented at a picnic held the afternoon of Aug. 26, at Far Away Farm, just southeast of Shepherdstown, which is part of the site of the Battle of Shepherdstown.
The association was formed in 2005 to protect and preserve the Battle of Shepherdstown site. Read the full article at The Shepherdstown Chronicle online.
SBPA President Dr. Mike Nickerson hosted a distinguished visitor to the Shepherdstown Battlefield on Friday afternoon, October 27, namely the acting Superintendent of the Harper’s Ferry National Park.
Superintendent Tanya Gossett enjoyed the tour, viewed battle artifacts and information, and discussed the future options for establishing a new National Battlefield associated with both Harper’s Ferry and Antietam.
She praised the 19 years of preservation efforts by the SBPA, Jeff Co Historic Landmarks Commission, the WV Farmland Protection Board and the Land Trust of the Eastern Panhandle. Thanks for your support Tanya!
The SBPA was pleased to host a group from the Potomac Valley Audubon Society this week at the Osbourn Farm and Riverside Park. The visit builds on a partnership to improve habitat in the battlefield as part of the SBPA’s Birds in the Battlefield project.
Dr. Nickerson presented the battle and battlefield, while the PVAS group tabulated quite a list of birds! Thanks Nancy, et al. What great weather for our outing!
See below for more details, the bird count and pix!
This week, Battlefield Volunteers Steve and Mike Nickerson installed 2 owl boxes that Steve built on the Osbourn Farm! Find both boxes and win a prize! This is part of the Birds in the Battlefield project with the Potomac Valley Audubon Society to improve battlefield habitat.
We also looked at an unsecured barn door. Thanks Steve!
Dr. Mike Nickerson, President, SBPA and Grant Smith, President, Land Trust of the Eastern Panhandle gave a luncheon presentation to the Shepherdstown Area Independent Living (SAIL) group about the past, present and future of the Shepherdstown Battlefield, and an update on our valued partners’ efforts to preserve the Battlefield.
The meeting occurred at the Trinity Church at their September meeting at noon on Friday, September 22. About 25 attendees enjoyed lunch, history and mechanisms for land preservation and conservation including land trust and farmland easements.
Pictured are Dr. Nickerson, SBPA (left) and Grant Smith, LTEP.
Questions followed about local history, battlefield artifacts, prospects for a new National Battlefield and about local families such as the Botelers (Cement Mill owners), Blackfords (Ferry operators and MD farms) and the Folks-Myers-Lowes.
The SBPA had an information table with books, maps, merchandise, pamphlets and battlefield artifacts. Of great interest, a participant was able to identify an artifact from the Battlefield found by Dr. Nickerson that was unknown for many years. It is a saddle horn ‘tree’ that was part of a ‘McClellan’ saddle that was in standard use by the Union Calvary during the Civil War. How great is that?
A Battlefield Picnic on the Osbourn Farm was hosted by the SBPA on August 26 from 4 – 6 pm. It was a highlight of the 2023 summer! The SBPA received the 2023 Conservation Award from the Two Rivers Giving Circle.
The picnic was ‘sold out’ at 65 people and the SBPA took the lead on renting a tent, tables and chairs. Live music was provided by a local band from Packhorse Ford, “Paul the Resonator and the Potomac Valley Dustbusters”.
In addition to the presentation of the award, Dr. Nickerson, SBPA President, thanked the SBPA Officers and Board of Directors, our Donors and Supporters, our Preservation Partners, the many Volunteers and Battlefield neighbors, and our County, State and Federal representatives for their long term and continued support.
The sound system was provided by Bill Unger and catered appetizers were from Grazeful, LLC., from Martinsburg. Thank you to the Two Rivers Giving Circle, volunteers who helped set up and clean up, and all who attended. Thanks for mowing the lawn Julie!
