Berkeley Plantation, Virginia

White Flint Bill

Sergeant
Joined
Oct 9, 2017
Location
Southern Virginia
Berkeley Plantation is a beautifully preserved estate on the banks of the James River--ancestral home to Presidents Benjamin Harrison and William Henry Harrison. The Federal Army camped here during the Peninsula Campaign, and it was at Berkeley that "Taps" was composed.

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Willie Johnston of Vermont, the youngest Medal of Honor recipient, is also honored here.

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Great pics, thanks for sharing...…….I dated a girl who was descendant from a prominent Richmond family that lost everything when Richmond was evacuated and later destroyed. She had the most charming and authentic Virginia accent. She despised anything related to Yankees. I'll have to visit Berkley...……..looks wonderful......
 
Sidney King's painting of McClellan's Headquarters at Harrison's Landing is displayed along with his other works in the basement of Berkley Plantation

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Respectfully Submitted,

TSC Lowe, Aeronaut

That's where I took the photo of the "Taps" painting. Here's a photo I took of the painting you mention, along with another depicting Lincoln's review of the troops. All are in the basement museum.

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Its a beautiful house with a great history. The story of its restoration after becoming dilapidated from years of postbellum neglect is worth a look.

 
An interesting place I used to go by there many times in the 1980's when I lived and worked in the area. You couldn't visit there then. It was posted No Trespassing.
 
The Berkeley family at one time had four members of it holding the highest ranks in the 8th Virginia Infantry (Colonel, Lt. Colonel, Major and Senior Captain). Not surprisingly, it was also known as the Berkeley regiment. Another nickname for this regiment was the Bloody Eighth.
 
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