Mike Foster/Confederate Sharpshooter

This thread is illustrative of this board. I personally, don't care about Mike Foster, but enough do to make a decent discussion of him, his whereabouts, his accomplishments, and his resting place.

That's just me. I am gratified to see that others find things interesting that I don't. In the supermarket, I rarely buy aparagas and never eggplant or squash. Others do. This is a supermarket board. Pick and choose. Most everything is here.

And it can get finer. I like liver and bacon and onions. My wife has to be out of town before I can indulge, and then only in the summer when I can vacate the smell.

We get along just fine. And, this board and it's various forums and thread can, as well. All it takes is a little give and take. And a willingness to not get offended at little things.

I'll suspect that many, if not most, have experienced what I'm talking about. Yes, we have some younger members who have not, but they will.

One has to go along to get along. This is a debating society; not a catfight over who wins the tabby.
Come on Ole, You know you would have loved to be wandering around that cemetary looking for that grave with me.:smile coffee:
 
Come on Ole, You know you would have loved to be wandering around that cemetary looking for that grave with me.:smile coffee:
Actually, Ted, no. I have an unwillingness to walk over ground under which there might be a body to disrespect by stepping on it. In other words, I'm not into cenetaries.

Was in Richmond, KY, some years ago and virtually sat in the car while the others prowled the gravesites. Won't do it. And I'm claustrophobic as well.
 
Actually, Ted, no. I have an unwillingness to walk over ground under which there might be a body to disrespect by stepping on it. In other words, I'm not into cenetaries.

Was in Richmond, KY, some years ago and virtually sat in the car while the others prowled the gravesites. Won't do it. And I'm claustrophobic as well.
In that case you would not have liked this one. Very old and cramped. There must have been 10 other churches around there and all had an old cemetary. There are some Amish around and they pop around in their buggys. Pretty country though.
 
In that case you would not have liked this one. Very old and cramped. There must have been 10 other churches around there and all had an old cemetary. There are some Amish around and they pop around in their buggys. Pretty country though.
We used to camp at a place abutting a very old cemetary. No one cared for that cemetary except to cut the grass. Walked through it once. Hated it.
 
We used to camp at a place abutting a very old cemetary. No one cared for that cemetary except to cut the grass. Walked through it once. Hated it.
They tend to be tight. You try to watch your step , but after so many years you don't know for sure. Nobody else does either.
 
Great photos and very interesting.

My son was always afraid when we went to a cemetery of stepping on folks. He would always jump over spots were he thought folks were.

I actually like old cemeteries. I find them peaceful and know the dead don't hurt you, but the living can.
I like to visit the old cemetarys in the country. I like to look at the oldest head stones. I was a pall bearer a couple years ago at the service where the cemetary was very old and on a hill in the middle of a large cow pasture. The cemetary was fenced off but you had to watch your step getting to it.
 
That area of West Virginia brings back many memories. Spent time there, long before I studied the area and the Civil War.
I wonder if that Confederate soldier ever fought in his home county. Many remained loyal long after their home area was lost to any Confederate control.
Some ten to fifteen years ago I studied what happened in West Virginia and why the Union prevailed there, despite brave soldiers on the other side. A relative, on their side of the family, had some relatives who served the Union in Fayetteville, W.VA, and surrounding area. It was a good study on logistics, where the Union could logistically serve eastern West Virginia better than the Confederates could serve their army from Richmond, Lexington and Roanoke. Far easier to start a war; far harder to win a war. That area of West Virginia proved that point.

Will have to review it as it is mostly unknown history. Good to see any additional history on the internet.
 
That area of West Virginia brings back many memories. Spent time there, long before I studied the area and the Civil War.
I wonder if that Confederate soldier ever fought in his home county. Many remained loyal long after their home area was lost to any Confederate control.
Some ten to fifteen years ago I studied what happened in West Virginia and why the Union prevailed there, despite brave soldiers on the other side. A relative, on their side of the family, had some relatives who served the Union in Fayetteville, W.VA, and surrounding area. It was a good study on logistics, where the Union could logistically serve eastern West Virginia better than the Confederates could serve their army from Richmond, Lexington and Roanoke. Far easier to start a war; far harder to win a war. That area of West Virginia proved that point.

Will have to review it as it is mostly unknown history. Good to see any additional history on the internet.
I don't think there was a lot of fighting in Summers county, but just a few miles away in Greenbrier county there were a couple good fights in Lewisburg and White Sulphur Springs. One of my ansestors Benjiman Cook signed up in White Sulphur in the 14th Virginia Cavalry and fought at Lewisburg and Droop Mountain.. Foster could have been involved in some of that action.
 
In the last 45 years I have dug by hand in excess of 500 graves at every hour of the day and night. No one ever bothered me, those friends and chidren it was a way of working through there loss.
Sometimes with the right helper a lot of philosophy discussions that helped me to be, I think a better person.
When I was a boy some folks frowned on walking on graves, but today in this part of the country if you walk with respect it is considered to be ok.
,
 
In the last 45 years I have dug by hand in excess of 500 graves at every hour of the day and night. No one ever bothered me, those friends and chidren it was a way of working through there loss.
Sometimes with the right helper a lot of philosophy discussions that helped me to be, I think a better person.
When I was a boy some folks frowned on walking on graves, but today in this part of the country if you walk with respect it is considered to be ok.
,
Back in my younger days we would get together to dig the grave in the country grave yards. It saved the family, usually someone in our rual community, some money. Your comment about the interesting conversations brought back memories. They don't do that much now. One person with a backhoe has replaced the hand dug by friends job.
 
Back in my younger days we would get together to dig the grave in the country grave yards. It saved the family, usually someone in our rual community, some money. Your comment about the interesting conversations brought back memories. They don't do that much now. One person with a backhoe has replaced the hand dug by friends job.
Interesting in that my Dad specified the guy he wanted to dig his grave. Dad was the janitor of the largest local church, and he knew who dug the neatest hole. So, when he died, we asked that guy to dig.
 
Interesting in that my Dad specified the guy he wanted to dig his grave. Dad was the janitor of the largest local church, and he knew who dug the neatest hole. So, when he died, we asked that guy to dig.
That reminds me of the grave we dug for a friend several years back. He gave his wife a mason jar of prime moonshine to be given to the men that dug his grave. We got the job done and will never forget his forsight.
 
Just a little country graveyard in West Virginia, eh tmh10? .... The picture tells a story, "from First Manassas to Appomattox", "personally decorated as the bravest man in the brigade"; "desperately wounded" at the very end, he hangs on until 1875 ...... More than thirty years later, forty years after the war, "comrades and friends" erect a grave-marker for the sharp shooter.

It's hard for me today to properly fathom such deep and abiding respect. That's comradeship. Wondering, I looked up what I could about this Mike Foster; yet how can I really know anything about the personal traits that so inspired those around him? Someone on a thread once asked what Civil War veteran you would most like to meet, or have dinner with? I have at last decided: I would like to meet a man like this (and hopefully he'd tell me the whole story, from beginning to end). :thumbsup:

Mike Foster was my 4th great uncle. I'm so proud to be related to such a brave man!
Thank you all for your pictures, info., and input.
 
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