Jack's Shop battle flag

[civilwarincolor]

It has something of a marker nearby the battle site. Amazing how such a battle can be forgotten. At least they didn't build a mall over it.

Edit: The picture is huge when clicked on so you can see what it says a little easier.

By J. J. Prats, October 31, 2009

That is terrific! I wonder why there is not a Wikipedia entry for this? My wife keeps a list of Civil War trivia dates that we use for our Civil War In Color Calendar and I asked her about this battle yesterday. She had never heard of it. She has more than 13,000 bits of trivia and this was not anywhere on the list. She has added it to the list.

I really wonder how many "other" battles and skirmishes have just fallen off the radar. The thing about this one that really surprises me is that JEB Stuart, Kilpatrick and Buford (particularly Stuart) are well known commanders, but this battle does not appear on their list of battles they participated in.

 

[RebYell64]

That is terrific! I wonder why there is not a Wikipedia entry for this? My wife keeps a list of Civil War trivia dates that we use for our Civil War In Color Calendar and I asked her about this battle yesterday. She had never heard of it. She has more than 13,000 bits of trivia and this was not anywhere on the list. She has added it to the list.

I really wonder how many "other" battles and skirmishes have just fallen off the radar. The thing about this one that really surprises me is that JEB Stuart, Kilpatrick and Buford (particularly Stuart) are well known commanders, but this battle does not appear on their list of battles they participated in.

There's so much that is forgotten. Noonday Creek, Burning of Canton, Milliken's Bend....

Reminds me of this. Look through the pictures, you won't be disappointed....
http://www.npr.org/sections/picture...7/a-civil-war-in-the-olive-garden-parking-lot

 

[ErnieMac]

Civil War Trails and Virginia state historical markers mark the action. The Civil War Trails marker gives a pretty good synopsis of the battle. IMO the main reason Jack's Shop doesn't get more notice is that it fell into the black hole of the autumn of 1863 that engulfed accounts of the Army of the Potomac between Gettysburg and the Overland Campaign.
http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=23964
http://www.hmdb.org/Marker.asp?Marker=23965

 

[The Colvin Study]

I was flipping through CW images on the LOC and noticed this flag of Battery D, 2d U.S. Artillery. On the flag it lists a number of the battles and campaigns they participated in and on the list was one battle that I had not heard of "Jack's Shop", but when I saw it listed on the flag it got me curious. Why would you list the battle on your flag if it was not important to the men of that unit?

View attachment 247280

I decided to look further to see what I could find about the unit and the battle. The battle took place September 21-22, 1863 in Rochelle in Madison County VA (about 50 miles West of Fredericksburg).

The battle itself, while now forgotten, featured some well known players. For the North General Buford and General Kilpatrick and for the South no less than JEB Stuart was at the helm. The battle itself is named for a blacksmith's shop in the area. While the outcome was not clear, as both sides claimed victory it did prove to be the deadliest battle in the county.

More about the Battle of Jack's Shop here, more about the 2nd United States Artillery, Battery D here. Note that in the history of the battery the battle is not even listed and they are listed as performing Reconnaissance across the Rapidan (which is just a 1/4 mile from "Jack's Shop" road today) on the dates of the battle. My feeling is that while they may have crossed the Rapidan at the same time, as far as the men were concerned the battle was more important, or they would not have listed it on their flag.

"Jack's Shop" also served as a local post office to those in what would later be known as Rochelle. One of my ancestors had his wheelwrights shop in Rochelle at the time. You can also get a clearer sense of where the shop was with this battle analysis. https://www.pecva.org/region/madison/battle-maps/

 

[milhistbuff1]

J. F. Hart's SC Flying Arty battery was there. 1876 history of the battery cued to first reference to Jack's Shop.

 

[The Colvin Study]

J. F. Hart's SC Flying Arty battery was there. 1876 history of the battery cued to first reference to Jack's Shop.

The "Madison turnpike" referred to in that passage was known as the Blue Ridge Turnpike (built 1850) and today known as U.S. 29. I've spent months in Madison county archival material for a forthcoming essay I'll be publishing at my blog. From what I've read, it's never been discovered who "Jack" the blacksmith was. Interesting.

 

[Oceanweather]

Huzzah for Civil War Trails!