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- Jul 19, 2016
- Location
- Spotsylvania Virginia
During the civil war, many churches were pressed into service as field hospitals, recruiting centers, headquarters, places of temporary refuge and as defining landmarks on crudely drawn maps. If you were to mention the names Dunker, Wilderness Baptist, Salem Baptist, Shiloh Church or Christ Evangelical Lutheran most civil war enthusiast immediately know the battle associated with the site. But during the civil war, hundreds of other lesser known churches played less significant, yet important roles in the war. Zion United Methodist, at Spotsylvania Courthouse Virginia is one of the lesser known churches on the Spotsylvania battlefield NPS self-guided tour.
Build in 1859, then named Zion Methodist Episcopal Church South, first incounted troops of the Union army in 1862, when members of Colonel Samuel Beardsley's 24th NY Infantry Regiment temporarily held up there awaiting orders from a larger contingency of their brigade intending to do damage to the Virginia Central Railroad. Beardsley wrote a letter to his father from the church gallery.
Residents of the Spotsylvania Courthouse village lined to road in front of Zion in early May 1863, as the ambulance carrying Stonewall Jackson passed on its way to "Fairfield," the home of his friend Thomas C. Chandler, near Guiney's Station in Caroline County following Jackson's arm amputation.
When southern troops moved into Spotsylvania Courthouse a year later to block Meade's army, Generals Henry Heth and A.P. Hill both used the church as their headquarters. As fighting came to a climax on May 12, 1864 at the Bloody Angle, the sanctuary was pressed into service as a field hospital. All the pews were moved outside to make room for the wounded (most of the original pews are still in use each Sunday). Operations including amputations were performed in the sanctuary.
As the thirteen-day siege continued along the southern defensive lines, Lee frequently met with his staff at the church. On May 15th, General Ambrose Wright's brigade of Georgians was ordered to make a reconnaissance toward Myer's Hill from the church. Wright led his brigade back to their starting point near Zion after encountering a superior number of federals a short distance to the east. An outraged General Hill met with Lee at the church and demanded that a court of inquiry be convened to investigate Wright's conduct. Lee's reply to Hill exemplified the temperament and wisdom for which the Confederate commander was well known: "These men are not an army; they are citizens defending their country. General Wright is not a soldier; he is a lawyer. I cannot do many things that I could do with a trained army. The soldiers know their duties better than the general officers do, and they have fought magnificently. Sometimes I would like to mask troops and then deploy them, but if I were to give the proper order, the general officers would not understand it; so I have to make the best of what I have and lose much time in making dispositions. You understand all of this, but if you humiliated General Wright, the people of Georgia would not understand. Besides, whom would you put in his place? You'll have to do what I do. When a man makes a mistake, I call him to my tent, talk to him, and use the authority of my position to make him do the right thing the next time."
In 1957, the floor of the balcony was painted to cover up what were presumed to be blood stains remaining from May 1864, when the church was used as a hospital by the Confederate army. The decision was made to use the balcony as a Sunday school class, and the painting was done as part of the effort to prepare the balcony for that purpose. At least one stain is still visible on the knee wall at the front of the balcony. In 2018, a test was completed on that stains to determine that it was indeed blood.
In 1960, the church decided to replace the original floor in the sanctuary. While the old wide-plank floor was being removed, workmen discovered a cavalry sword in the space beneath the church. Despite that the sword had lay there for many years, it was in surprisingly good condition. The sword was presented to Reverend Cephas Haynes, the popular pastor at that time. After the death of Reverend Haynes in 1976, his widow returned the sword to Zion as a gift. The sword is currently on display at the Spotsylvania Museum until approximately January 2023.
In 2018, a tree in front of the church was removed by the Trustees. A workman's chain saw hit Minie ball buried in the trunk.
But the building is not the only sacrifice made by the church. In 1861, as the nation moved ever closer to civil war, A large proportion of Zion's male members, both present and future, would enlist in southern regiments. Likewise, seven of Zion's pastors also volunteered for the Confederacy. The first pastor of the church. John Wesley Hilldrup enlisted as a private in the 30th Virginia Infantry. During the battle of Sharpsburg, he was shot in a lung and left to die at a field hospital. Pastor Hilldrup eventually recovered and lived a full life, returning to his occupation as a pastor after the war.
The church cemetery is the final resting place for five Confederate veterans, four cavalrymen and one artillerist. One Union veteran, from the 2nd. NY Heavy Artillery rest there also, far from his home.
Build in 1859, then named Zion Methodist Episcopal Church South, first incounted troops of the Union army in 1862, when members of Colonel Samuel Beardsley's 24th NY Infantry Regiment temporarily held up there awaiting orders from a larger contingency of their brigade intending to do damage to the Virginia Central Railroad. Beardsley wrote a letter to his father from the church gallery.
Residents of the Spotsylvania Courthouse village lined to road in front of Zion in early May 1863, as the ambulance carrying Stonewall Jackson passed on its way to "Fairfield," the home of his friend Thomas C. Chandler, near Guiney's Station in Caroline County following Jackson's arm amputation.
When southern troops moved into Spotsylvania Courthouse a year later to block Meade's army, Generals Henry Heth and A.P. Hill both used the church as their headquarters. As fighting came to a climax on May 12, 1864 at the Bloody Angle, the sanctuary was pressed into service as a field hospital. All the pews were moved outside to make room for the wounded (most of the original pews are still in use each Sunday). Operations including amputations were performed in the sanctuary.
As the thirteen-day siege continued along the southern defensive lines, Lee frequently met with his staff at the church. On May 15th, General Ambrose Wright's brigade of Georgians was ordered to make a reconnaissance toward Myer's Hill from the church. Wright led his brigade back to their starting point near Zion after encountering a superior number of federals a short distance to the east. An outraged General Hill met with Lee at the church and demanded that a court of inquiry be convened to investigate Wright's conduct. Lee's reply to Hill exemplified the temperament and wisdom for which the Confederate commander was well known: "These men are not an army; they are citizens defending their country. General Wright is not a soldier; he is a lawyer. I cannot do many things that I could do with a trained army. The soldiers know their duties better than the general officers do, and they have fought magnificently. Sometimes I would like to mask troops and then deploy them, but if I were to give the proper order, the general officers would not understand it; so I have to make the best of what I have and lose much time in making dispositions. You understand all of this, but if you humiliated General Wright, the people of Georgia would not understand. Besides, whom would you put in his place? You'll have to do what I do. When a man makes a mistake, I call him to my tent, talk to him, and use the authority of my position to make him do the right thing the next time."
In 1957, the floor of the balcony was painted to cover up what were presumed to be blood stains remaining from May 1864, when the church was used as a hospital by the Confederate army. The decision was made to use the balcony as a Sunday school class, and the painting was done as part of the effort to prepare the balcony for that purpose. At least one stain is still visible on the knee wall at the front of the balcony. In 2018, a test was completed on that stains to determine that it was indeed blood.
In 1960, the church decided to replace the original floor in the sanctuary. While the old wide-plank floor was being removed, workmen discovered a cavalry sword in the space beneath the church. Despite that the sword had lay there for many years, it was in surprisingly good condition. The sword was presented to Reverend Cephas Haynes, the popular pastor at that time. After the death of Reverend Haynes in 1976, his widow returned the sword to Zion as a gift. The sword is currently on display at the Spotsylvania Museum until approximately January 2023.
In 2018, a tree in front of the church was removed by the Trustees. A workman's chain saw hit Minie ball buried in the trunk.
But the building is not the only sacrifice made by the church. In 1861, as the nation moved ever closer to civil war, A large proportion of Zion's male members, both present and future, would enlist in southern regiments. Likewise, seven of Zion's pastors also volunteered for the Confederacy. The first pastor of the church. John Wesley Hilldrup enlisted as a private in the 30th Virginia Infantry. During the battle of Sharpsburg, he was shot in a lung and left to die at a field hospital. Pastor Hilldrup eventually recovered and lived a full life, returning to his occupation as a pastor after the war.
The church cemetery is the final resting place for five Confederate veterans, four cavalrymen and one artillerist. One Union veteran, from the 2nd. NY Heavy Artillery rest there also, far from his home.
Bringing the