Jedediah Hotchkiss (1828-1899)

Barrycdog

Major
Joined
Jan 6, 2013
Location
Buford, Georgia
A transplanted New Yorker, Jedediah Hotchkiss became the most famous of Confederate topographers. After a tour of Virginia in the late 1840s he settled there and founded an academy. In 1861 he gave up teaching and offered his services as a map maker to General Garnett in western Virginia. After serving at Rich Mountain and mapping out General Lee's planned campaign in the mountains, he fell ill with typhoid fever. In March 1862 he joined Stonewall Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley as a captain and chief topographical engineer of the Valley District. Often personally directing troop movements he took part in the actions of the Valley Campaign and at Cedar Mountain, Chantilly, Harpers Ferry, Antietam, and Fredericksburg. At Chancellorsville he found the route by which Jackson was able to launch his surprise flank attack on the Union 11th Corps. After the death of his chief he served the next two commanders of the corps, Generals Ewell and Early, but was frequently assigned to work for Lee's headquarters. In this dual role he served at Gettysburg and in the Mine Run and Wilderness campaigns. Accompanying Early to the Shenandoah, he served through the campaigns there until after the disaster at Waynesborough. He gave himself up upon notification of Lee's surrender. By now a major, he was arrested but General Grant had him released and returned his maps. Grant even paid for the right to copy some of them for his own reports. Most of the Confederate maps in the atlas of the Official Records were drawn by Hotchkiss. After the war he was energetic in trying to develop the economy of his adopted state. Also involved in veterans' affairs, he authored the Virginia volume of Confederate Military History.

(Hotchkiss, jedediah, Make Me A Map of the Valley)
Source: "Who Was Who In The Civil War" by Stewart Sifakis
Expired Image Removed
 
Hate to bring this up- it's a really entrenched old New England family, Conneticut before New York ( no, did not pick that up on Ancestry ) boy, wonder how much they regretted having lost him to their Southern cousins? I'm guessing a LOT! :smile: He's a 5th cousin, or 4th- you lose track that far away.
I think he is my favorite guy in the Civil War. Said this in an earlier thread, I would have loved to have tagged along in his party and watched him work.
 
Hate to bring this up- it's a really entrenched old New England family, Conneticut before New York ( no, did not pick that up on Ancestry ) boy, wonder how much they regretted having lost him to their Southern cousins? I'm guessing a LOT! :smile: He's a 5th cousin, or 4th- you lose track that far away.
JPK, Jed was quite the letter writer. Here's a site with a ton of them, very interesting; clearly and intelligently written, it will take a while to get through them.

http://vshadow.vcdh.virginia.edu/personalpapers/documents/augusta/p2hotchkissletters.html
 
I thought I'd bring one of his letters to his wife here, since this one contains SO many recognizable elements plus seem to speak in a way which must have been his ' voice', from what you can see from even briefly bwosing this collection.


"Camp near Fairfield Adams Co. Pa. July 5th 1863
My Darling:

I know you are anxious to hear from me & now while the amries are again mustering for battle, as I sit on my bundle of straw that Wm has brought me to rest on, I will write to you a few lines. I wrote to you from Carlisle -- our Cavalry went to within 2 1/2 miles of Harrisburg & scared the people there greatly, but Gen. Lee finding that the Yankee army had advanced to Gettysburg, as he expected, and so we were ordered back to take part in the great Battle -- Gen. Early, I wrote to you, had been to York & destroyed the bridge over the Susquehanna at Columbia -- so on Tuesday, June 30th, we marched one division of our army across the South Mt. (Blue Ridge) towards York & joined Early's Div --, Johnson went back to Chambersburg the day before & crossed towards Gettysburg that Wednesday we turned towards Gettysburg & encountered the enemy some 2 miles from G. and drove them in splendidly -- routing them completely and taking many prisoners, but therewas not enough of our army up to enable us to pursue, though the 3rd Corps had come upon our right & fought some --

The enemy fought stubbornly & lost many killed & wounded that evening Gen. Lee came up & Longstreet & the next morning we formed a line of battle to the west of the town, crescent shaped, the enemy had possession of a line of hills, on the slope of one end of which the town of Gettysburg is situated -- above the town, about 1/4 mile, the ridge attains it greatest height & is crowned by a cemetery, enclosed by a substantial wall, another elevation, farther on, was crowned by woods & they fortified that in the night & their whole army was there, formidably entrenched & posted as we advanced on drove them to their works & though our men advanced boldly to the works & stormed them, some getting in to them, but the enemy repulsed us, & though we surrounded them our efforts to take the heights were unavailing & our loss was very great, both in officers & men. --

We renewed the fight of Friday with no better success -- though wekilled many of the enemy & took many prisoners, some 7 or 8 thousand, but our loss was also heavy & in the evening it was decided, in a council of war, to fall back & compel the enemy to come out to a fair field & also to send to Va. the large train of wagons, horses, stores &c that we had captured -- they were started yesterday & we fell back to the line of hills W. of the town -- the enemy did not follow & we spent the day moving our woundded , our trains &c -- the success of the first day was great, of the two following days we cannot say that are gained anything by them Capt Richardson, an engineer that joined us, since Boswell's death, was badly wounded in the side & we leave him in the hands of the enemy -- we move all that are able to be moved --

I saw St. Clair Kyle today & he says none of his Co. were killed, tho Reeves was wounded & some other -- I shall learn about the 52nd before I send this -- We have an abundance here -- and if the enemy follows us -page four- today again we shall fight them near here & by God's blessing shall win, for the advantage will not all be on our side -- I have been spared so far & am not as much exposed to danger as I used to be -- Gen E -- confining me to my special duties & not asking me often to do any others -- he announced me as Capt. and Top Eng. of his staff in the orders announcing to the Corps the persons composing his staff --
July 7th We have slowly fallen back across the So. Mt. through Waynesboro & on to near Hagerstown and are encamped there -- it is said with the intention of remaining, or offering the enemy battle on fair grounds.

-- The enemy has followed slowly as we retired and our army is in fine spirits notwithstanding the reverses of the last few days --. we had sent a train of wagons through to Williamsport several days ago which the enemy's cavalry fell on in a Mt. pass & captured 53 -- The rest escaped & Imboden came up and became a general [illeg.] to them = yesterday, before our advance got here, the enemy's cavalry came up and demanded a surrender of Imboden he resisted & in the meantime Stuart fell on the enemy's rear and routed them & raised the siege & we are now in communication through again & I hope to send this today -- Knowing how anxious you are to hear from me --.

Wm. says tell May she need never expect to see me, for I am scared to death, though well & hearty -- he alludes to a few shells that fell near the wagon train a few days ago & scared the darkies & wagoners nearly to death -- He has been an excellent servant to me & has shown no disposition to leave me, or neglect his duties. I heard of the safe arrival of my purchases in Winchester & hope they have gone on home -- they were directed to the care of Maj. Bell -- and were left at Dr McGuire's in Winchester -- I saw Hotch Stover today & he is well -- also one of the Dinkel boys -- Kisses for my babes & God's blessings for you all -- how I long to see you -- Good bye

Your aff husband "
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/civwarlett-browse?id=A4043
 
He was a genius. Annie, interesting you related to him. You have some great ancestors.

It was nice, finding who this man had been in the midst of things- in those days for whatever reason families kept this mental track of each other, and their children, and the movements of who went where and who was who, and was related to who and how- you've probably seen how the older generations could DO that . " Now let me see, Charlotte's daughter married that nice boy from Penn Yann, but his father was also her 2nd cousin, you know, the one whose brother was killed in the war? Their mother was born a Reed and her mother was born a Seeley which was a good thing because.... " head spinning stuff, they just ALL did it. They knew of the Southern cousins ( who were closer in the mid 1800's ), along with a few other surnames who moved South.( a lot of Husons in the Confederate muster rolls ) Wish I knew WHY, is the thing, I mean why so many moved South- jobs? One person maybe married and moved, invited others to join?
 
I thought I'd bring one of his letters to his wife here, since this one contains SO many recognizable elements plus seem to speak in a way which must have been his ' voice', from what you can see from even briefly bwosing this collection.


"Camp near Fairfield Adams Co. Pa. July 5th 1863
My Darling:

I know you are anxious to hear from me & now while the amries are again mustering for battle, as I sit on my bundle of straw that Wm has brought me to rest on, I will write to you a few lines. I wrote to you from Carlisle -- our Cavalry went to within 2 1/2 miles of Harrisburg & scared the people there greatly, but Gen. Lee finding that the Yankee army had advanced to Gettysburg, as he expected, and so we were ordered back to take part in the great Battle -- Gen. Early, I wrote to you, had been to York & destroyed the bridge over the Susquehanna at Columbia -- so on Tuesday, June 30th, we marched one division of our army across the South Mt. (Blue Ridge) towards York & joined Early's Div --, Johnson went back to Chambersburg the day before & crossed towards Gettysburg that Wednesday we turned towards Gettysburg & encountered the enemy some 2 miles from G. and drove them in splendidly -- routing them completely and taking many prisoners, but therewas not enough of our army up to enable us to pursue, though the 3rd Corps had come upon our right & fought some --

The enemy fought stubbornly & lost many killed & wounded that evening Gen. Lee came up & Longstreet & the next morning we formed a line of battle to the west of the town, crescent shaped, the enemy had possession of a line of hills, on the slope of one end of which the town of Gettysburg is situated -- above the town, about 1/4 mile, the ridge attains it greatest height & is crowned by a cemetery, enclosed by a substantial wall, another elevation, farther on, was crowned by woods & they fortified that in the night & their whole army was there, formidably entrenched & posted as we advanced on drove them to their works & though our men advanced boldly to the works & stormed them, some getting in to them, but the enemy repulsed us, & though we surrounded them our efforts to take the heights were unavailing & our loss was very great, both in officers & men. --

We renewed the fight of Friday with no better success -- though wekilled many of the enemy & took many prisoners, some 7 or 8 thousand, but our loss was also heavy & in the evening it was decided, in a council of war, to fall back & compel the enemy to come out to a fair field & also to send to Va. the large train of wagons, horses, stores &c that we had captured -- they were started yesterday & we fell back to the line of hills W. of the town -- the enemy did not follow & we spent the day moving our woundded , our trains &c -- the success of the first day was great, of the two following days we cannot say that are gained anything by them Capt Richardson, an engineer that joined us, since Boswell's death, was badly wounded in the side & we leave him in the hands of the enemy -- we move all that are able to be moved --

I saw St. Clair Kyle today & he says none of his Co. were killed, tho Reeves was wounded & some other -- I shall learn about the 52nd before I send this -- We have an abundance here -- and if the enemy follows us -page four- today again we shall fight them near here & by God's blessing shall win, for the advantage will not all be on our side -- I have been spared so far & am not as much exposed to danger as I used to be -- Gen E -- confining me to my special duties & not asking me often to do any others -- he announced me as Capt. and Top Eng. of his staff in the orders announcing to the Corps the persons composing his staff --
July 7th We have slowly fallen back across the So. Mt. through Waynesboro & on to near Hagerstown and are encamped there -- it is said with the intention of remaining, or offering the enemy battle on fair grounds.

-- The enemy has followed slowly as we retired and our army is in fine spirits notwithstanding the reverses of the last few days --. we had sent a train of wagons through to Williamsport several days ago which the enemy's cavalry fell on in a Mt. pass & captured 53 -- The rest escaped & Imboden came up and became a general [illeg.] to them = yesterday, before our advance got here, the enemy's cavalry came up and demanded a surrender of Imboden he resisted & in the meantime Stuart fell on the enemy's rear and routed them & raised the siege & we are now in communication through again & I hope to send this today -- Knowing how anxious you are to hear from me --.

Wm. says tell May she need never expect to see me, for I am scared to death, though well & hearty -- he alludes to a few shells that fell near the wagon train a few days ago & scared the darkies & wagoners nearly to death -- He has been an excellent servant to me & has shown no disposition to leave me, or neglect his duties. I heard of the safe arrival of my purchases in Winchester & hope they have gone on home -- they were directed to the care of Maj. Bell -- and were left at Dr McGuire's in Winchester -- I saw Hotch Stover today & he is well -- also one of the Dinkel boys -- Kisses for my babes & God's blessings for you all -- how I long to see you -- Good bye

Your aff husband "
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/civwarlett-browse?id=A4043


My Great Grand was in the 52nd under "Extra Billy" Smith who was under Early.
 
Back
Top