A Mother's Day, July 21, 1863; Somewhere At War

JPK Huson 1863

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
Joined
Feb 14, 2012
Location
Central Pennsylvania
goose creek map woman.JPG

A woman's image from Virginia's map, 1864, one foot on the vanquished foe. So many foes lay claimed and buried, sons vanished from mothers' lives, it seems the most incongruous image of which you could dream.

With our 'Day' nearly here, a Mother's Day thread filled with patriotic or touching tributes to motherhood seems mandatory. The thing is, while researching something ( someone ) else, I could not get his mother out of my head. Well, she was my grgrgrgrandmother Magdalena, home in West Penn, Schuylkill County Pennsylvania in July, 1863. Salinda, 23 year old wife and mother of David P. Steigerwalt's children, Franklin and Allen, three and four years old was waiting too. Mothers had a bad war.

June 15th, 1863. Lincoln puts out an emergency call for to state militia. Troops, to meet Lee's threatened invasion. Maria Magdalena wouldn't see son David Peter again. Salinda, raised David's two children alone. What I do wish to know is how many graves of mother's sons are scattered over our country? David left home despite wife and children, joining two brother already in uniform, in pursuit of Lee's army. Brother Lewis, 116th Pennsylvania had survived Gettysburg's rivers of blood. Aaron and Joseph were in uniform too. They came home.

Steigerwalt Peter dad of Gideon.jpg

Maria Magdalena, pre-war. That's Peter, neither wondering, when this was taken, which son would vanish under the soil of another state.

I do not think anyone ever found David P's grave. Several years ago, too late for Magdelena and Salinda, the 2 mothers, our family found him. Well, someone did, for us.

steigerwalt david moyer.jpg

An awfully kind woman had been visiting Gettysburg College's Special Collections. Her relative, like David P. and Moyer had endured the 173rd Pennsylvania's hot, Virginia July. This wonderful stranger resolved to track down Private Steigerwalt's relatives. The map? We'll get there, be sure.

Here's a snip from just one map of the war- a small part of Virginia containing Goose Creek.

goose creek map warrenton.JPG

Bull Run, Warrenton, Leesburg, Centerville, Bristoe Station, Fairfax Courthouse-other names not listed- who is here, left behind in war's awful wake? Will we ever know? Please no one turn this into a Union v Confederate thread. David Peter was Union militia. So, what? He, like anyone mother's son in that war, was born just that, and mourned as just that.

baby mother crop lg.jpg


Mothers, this Sunday, as pancakes drown in syrup and another year's artifacts hang on the fridge, can maybe join hands over the war. Over any war- for the loss of sons and daughters, too, who never came home.
 
In reading diaries and other historical documents about the loss of so many soldiers during the CW, I have often thought of the poor mothers who would never see their children alive on this earth again. I have two sons and one daughter and nothing else would break my heart more than to lose them, especially to a senseless war.
 
Mothers, this Sunday, as pancakes drown in syrup and another year's artifacts hang on the fridge, can maybe join hands over the war. Over any war- for the loss of sons and daughters, too, who never came home.[/QUOTE]

Well said, Annie! Happy Mother's Day to all mothers on this Forum!!
 
For ALL grieving mothers of those who wore the blue and grey...we salute you on Mother's Day and always!!!
weeping veil.jpg
*also...by any chance does anyone know what she's holding in her hand? It's certainly not a riding crop, it looks almost like it's some kind of metal or ivory. Perhaps a keepsake of her lost loved one?
 
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For ALL grieving mothers of those who wore the blue and grey...we salute you on Mother's Day and always!!!View attachment 187869*also...by any chance does anyone know what she's holding in her hand? It's certainly not a riding crop, it looks almost like it's some kind of metal or ivory. Perhaps a keepsake of her lost loved one?
An interesting object. Has a hooked end.
mv.jpg
 
For ALL grieving mothers of those who wore the blue and grey...we salute you on Mother's Day and always!!!View attachment 187869*also...by any chance does anyone know what she's holding in her hand? It's certainly not a riding crop, it looks almost like it's some kind of metal or ivory. Perhaps a keepsake of her lost loved one?
Mabey her lost one had a prostetic. I know some of those had a hook end. Just an opinion though.
 
Mothers Day is only one of the 365 day's we need to honor our mothers


Mom was always so funny about Mother's Day, and still is. She said if we couldn't be nice to her all year ' round, please do not bother on Mother's Day. You know those blue eyes which can freeze marrow? That look. Boy were we nice, all year ' round. She does have to sit still for a little appreciation these days- we slide it in when she's not looking.
 
I ' think ' it's a riding crop- perhaps her mourned loved one's. From the size, maybe a child's? Women's sticks were generally long, for a reason, although no expert here on era stuff. Ladies could have carried short crops, who knows?
I can't figure out what it is. The hooked end has me stumped.
 
For ALL grieving mothers of those who wore the blue and grey...we salute you on Mother's Day and always!!!View attachment 187869*also...by any chance does anyone know what she's holding in her hand? It's certainly not a riding crop, it looks almost like it's some kind of metal or ivory. Perhaps a keepsake of her lost loved one?
It looks like she’s holding a dress hook, women would use them to lift the bottom of their dresses when stepping over puddles and things.
 
View attachment 187678
A woman's image from Virginia's map, 1864, one foot on the vanquished foe. So many foes lay claimed and buried, sons vanished from mothers' lives, it seems the most incongruous image of which you could dream.

With our 'Day' nearly here, a Mother's Day thread filled with patriotic or touching tributes to motherhood seems mandatory. The thing is, while researching something ( someone ) else, I could not get his mother out of my head. Well, she was my grgrgrgrandmother Magdalena, home in West Penn, Schuylkill County Pennsylvania in July, 1863. Salinda, 23 year old wife and mother of David P. Steigerwalt's children, Franklin and Allen, three and four years old was waiting too. Mothers had a bad war.

June 15th, 1863. Lincoln puts out an emergency call for to state militia. Troops, to meet Lee's threatened invasion. Maria Magdalena wouldn't see son David Peter again. Salinda, raised David's two children alone. What I do wish to know is how many graves of mother's sons are scattered over our country? David left home despite wife and children, joining two brother already in uniform, in pursuit of Lee's army. Brother Lewis, 116th Pennsylvania had survived Gettysburg's rivers of blood. Aaron and Joseph were in uniform too. They came home.

View attachment 187676
Maria Magdalena, pre-war. That's Peter, neither wondering, when this was taken, which son would vanish under the soil of another state.

I do not think anyone ever found David P's grave. Several years ago, too late for Magdelena and Salinda, the 2 mothers, our family found him. Well, someone did, for us.

View attachment 187675
An awfully kind woman had been visiting Gettysburg College's Special Collections. Her relative, like David P. and Moyer had endured the 173rd Pennsylvania's hot, Virginia July. This wonderful stranger resolved to track down Private Steigerwalt's relatives. The map? We'll get there, be sure.

Here's a snip from just one map of the war- a small part of Virginia containing Goose Creek.

View attachment 187680
Bull Run, Warrenton, Leesburg, Centerville, Bristoe Station, Fairfax Courthouse-other names not listed- who is here, left behind in war's awful wake? Will we ever know? Please no one turn this into a Union v Confederate thread. David Peter was Union militia. So, what? He, like anyone mother's son in that war, was born just that, and mourned as just that.

View attachment 187688

Mothers, this Sunday, as pancakes drown in syrup and another year's artifacts hang on the fridge, can maybe join hands over the war. Over any war- for the loss of sons and daughters, too, who never came home.
Hey, you know us Brits have copyright on Britannia
1440px-Britannia-Statue.jpg
 
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