The Burning

[ntsb]

Greetings,
As background I am so fortunate to have just realized a lifelong dream of mine. I am now the proud owner of some wooded acreage in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley.

The valley is so beautiful, you can't help but feel the presence of civil war history. Can any of you more experienced CW enthusiasts suggest a good reference for CW history in the valley, especially Sheridan's burning? I can't afford Heatwole's book at over 100 dollars! Also, I would love to hear your opinions on the burning. I have read variations from " worse than Sherman's march" to "exaggerated claims of damage and terror" .
Was it more of an important military action to raid supplies or was it more of a demoralizing effect? What have you read?

Thanks

 

[brass napoleon]

Greetings,
As background I am so fortunate to have just realized a lifelong dream of mine. I am now the proud owner of some wooded acreage in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley.

The valley is so beautiful, you can't help but feel the presence of civil war history. Can any of you more experienced CW enthusiasts suggest a good reference for CW history in the valley, especially Sheridan's burning? I can't afford Heatwole's book at over 100 dollars! Also, I would love to hear your opinions on the burning. I have read variations from " worse than Sherman's march" to "exaggerated claims of damage and terror" .
Was it more of an important military action to raid supplies or was it more of a demoralizing effect? What have you read?

Thanks

Congrats on your acquisition! It really is a beautiful place. I'd love to own land there myself.

Heatwole's book is the gold standard. Keep your eyes open for it - I know sometimes it shows up at reasonable prices. (I'll sell mine for $500. )

We have another thread going right now comparing the destruction of Sherman to Sheridan. I believe Sheridan's destruction was much worse on a "pound for pound" basis than what Sherman did in Georgia. But Sherman's march through Georgia was on a much larger scale and thus did a lot more damage to the Confederacy overall. It's possible that Sherman's destructiveness in South Carolina may have come close to Sheridan's destructiveness in the Valley on a "pound for pound" basis as well.

I believe that the tales of "damage and terror" in the Valley are exaggerated, in that some would have you believe that the entire valley was burned down. This is not true. For the most part the destruction was limited to targets of military value, but that included large, private barns. And Sheridan wasn't above ordering the burning of an entire town here and there for revenge. It also seems he was willing to let his soldiers engage in some wanton destruction, which some did, and some actually resisted. Overall though, it seems clear that there was more destruction done than was militarily necessary.

 

[kholland]

Greetings,
As background I am so fortunate to have just realized a lifelong dream of mine. I am now the proud owner of some wooded acreage in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley.

The valley is so beautiful, you can't help but feel the presence of civil war history. Can any of you more experienced CW enthusiasts suggest a good reference for CW history in the valley, especially Sheridan's burning? I can't afford Heatwole's book at over 100 dollars! Also, I would love to hear your opinions on the burning. I have read variations from " worse than Sherman's march" to "exaggerated claims of damage and terror" .
Was it more of an important military action to raid supplies or was it more of a demoralizing effect? What have you read?

Thanks

Welcome from Maryland.

Jeffry Wert's "From Winchester to Cedar Creek: The Shenandoah Campaign of 1864" is an excellent study of this campaign. Here is the Amazon review and a link.

Virginia's Shenandoah Valley was a crucial avenue for Confederate armies intending to invade Northern states during the Civil War. Running southwest to northeast, it "pointed, like a giant's lance, at the Union's heart, Washington, D.C.," writes Jeffry Wert. It was also "the granary of the Confederacy," supplying the food for much of Virginia. Both sides long understood its strategic importance, but not until the fall of 1864 did Union troops led by Napoleon-sized cavalry General Phil Sheridan (5'3", 120 lbs.) finally seize it for good. He defeated Confederate General Jubal Early at four key battles that autumn.

In addition to a narrative of the campaign (featuring dozens of characters, including General George Custer and future president Rutherford B. Hayes), this book is a study of command. Both Sheridan and Early were capable military leaders, though each had flaws. Sheridan tended to make mistakes before battles, Early during them. Wert considers Early the better general, but admits that few could match the real-time decision-making and leadership skills of Sheridan once the bullets started flying: "When Little Phil rode onto the battlefield, he entered his element." Early was a bold fighter, but lacked the skills necessary to make up for his disadvantage in manpower. At Cedar Creek, the climactic battle of the 1864 Shenandoah campaign, Early "executed a masterful offensive against a numerically superior opponent, only to watch it result in ruin." With more Confederate troops on the scene, history might have been different. Wert relates the facts of what actually happened with his customary clarity and insightful analysis. --John J. Miller

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0809329727/?tag=civilwartalkc-20

Just talked to a buddy from college last night whose dad has had a 5 acre getaway in Stephens City which is halfway between Strasburg and Winchester. Love Winchester, which is associated with Stonewall Jackson and Patsy Cline. An interesting combo to say the least.

 

[southern blue]

Greetings,
As background I am so fortunate to have just realized a lifelong dream of mine. I am now the proud owner of some wooded acreage in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley.

The valley is so beautiful, you can't help but feel the presence of civil war history. Can any of you more experienced CW enthusiasts suggest a good reference for CW history in the valley, especially Sheridan's burning? I can't afford Heatwole's book at over 100 dollars! Also, I would love to hear your opinions on the burning. I have read variations from " worse than Sherman's march" to "exaggerated claims of damage and terror" .
Was it more of an important military action to raid supplies or was it more of a demoralizing effect? What have you read?

Thanks

I know there is a copy of The Burning in the public library in Strasburg if that helps.

ttp://www.amazon.com/Touring-Shenandoah-Valley-Backroads-Edition/dp/0895873869

This is more of a travel book than a history book but it is full of history. I highly recommend this.

 

[cash]

Look at Scott Patchan's Shenandoah Summer and The Last Battle of Winchester.
Also look for books by Jonathan Noyalas, who also writes about the Valley in 1864.

 

[LittleGuy1864]

First off, congrats on your land acquisition! Like you, my dream is to own land/house in the Shenandoah Valley one day, after I retire from the military, and to live in Woodstock or Edinburg. Like others have said, Heatwole's book is the go-to for The Burning and current prices can be a little rich for some people's blood. I go to Amazon.com almost daily sometimes to keep checking back on prices for certain books. Sometimes you'll get lucky and find that third party seller that will let it go for a reasonable price. I bought Ted Mahr's book on Cedar Creek for $63 shipped and now the cheapest price is $500+. Check eBay as well...

As kholland mentioned, Wert's book is great as well. I have it, and it is very readable and has a lot of great information on The Burning. George E. Pond's book The Shenandoah Valley in 1864 has one chapter on The Burning as well.

Rebecca

 

[kevikens]

I agree that the valley is one of America's most beautiful sights, even more so when you get off of I-81. While one day driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway-Skyline Drive I happened to run into a ranger who told me that the Valley was not such a beautiful place until after the CCC had gone to work on it in the 1930's. He told me that the Valley was so devastated during the war and then by intensive logging and over intensive tilling of the slopes that by the early decades of the 20th Century the valley had a very depleted look about it. It might be interesting to look at a photo record of the region to see if that was true.

 

[leftyhunter]

Greetings,
As background I am so fortunate to have just realized a lifelong dream of mine. I am now the proud owner of some wooded acreage in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley.

The valley is so beautiful, you can't help but feel the presence of civil war history. Can any of you more experienced CW enthusiasts suggest a good reference for CW history in the valley, especially Sheridan's burning? I can't afford Heatwole's book at over 100 dollars! Also, I would love to hear your opinions on the burning. I have read variations from " worse than Sherman's march" to "exaggerated claims of damage and terror" .
Was it more of an important military action to raid supplies or was it more of a demoralizing effect? What have you read?

Thanks

John Freeling in his book "The South vs the South' argues it was a basic COIN strategy of destroying the Valley so the CSA partisans and guerrillas would have no way of getting food and leave Union wagon trains in peace.
Leftyhunter

 

[leftyhunter]

Greetings,
As background I am so fortunate to have just realized a lifelong dream of mine. I am now the proud owner of some wooded acreage in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley.

The valley is so beautiful, you can't help but feel the presence of civil war history. Can any of you more experienced CW enthusiasts suggest a good reference for CW history in the valley, especially Sheridan's burning? I can't afford Heatwole's book at over 100 dollars! Also, I would love to hear your opinions on the burning. I have read variations from " worse than Sherman's march" to "exaggerated claims of damage and terror" .
Was it more of an important military action to raid supplies or was it more of a demoralizing effect? What have you read?

Thanks

Off topic but if a landowner needs some does culled in exchange for money for a rare CW book or medicinal rare whiskey? Just saying.
Leftyhunter

 

[rhettbutler1865]

Like the others have said--Congrats! I know how nice it is to own a great piece of land--and yours,. being historic! I sold mine 20 years ago--hang on to it! Isn't a day goes by, I wish I had it back!

 

[ntsb]

Why was it that when Lee went north to Gettysburg, he reimbursed farmers, merchants, etc for goods his army requisitioned, but Sheridan just burned all the food and materiel without any consideration of reimbursement. Why did Lee bother? Why such a dramatic difference in the way the Army's treated civilians and public property?

 

[kholland]

Why was it that when Lee went north to Gettysburg, he reimbursed farmers, merchants, etc for goods his army requisitioned, but Sheridan just burned all the food and materiel without any consideration of reimbursement. Why did Lee bother? Why such a dramatic difference in the way the Army's treated civilians and public property?

According to John Hoptak in his book "Confrontation at Gettysburg:A Nation Saved, A Cause Lost" Lee issued General Orders No. 72 which forbade pillaging and required requisitioed goods to be paid for. According to Hoptak this was to show that the Confederates were much better behaved and respectful of private property.

Personally I think that this went along with Lee's strategy in his Antietam and Gettysburg campaigns to win a battle on northern soil and make the civilian support for the war cease. And that is not done by stealing their goods and horses.

Unfortunately his army took back to Virginia some 500 African-Americans (some former slaves and some free) as slaves. Needless to say no re-reimbursement there.

In comparing Lee and Sheridan, Lee was trying to do some sort or public relations program with the Northern populace and Sheridan was doing a "shock and awe" campaign to take the southern populace out of the war materially and emotionally.

 

[Drew]

Unfortunately his army took back to Virginia some 500 African-Americans (some former slaves and some free) as slaves. Needless to say no re-reimbursement there.

I was about to "like" your post until I saw this. We'll need a new thread with evidence, good evidence of this.

 

[Drew]

Why was it that when Lee went north to Gettysburg, he reimbursed farmers, merchants, etc for goods his army requisitioned, but Sheridan just burned all the food and materiel without any consideration of reimbursement. Why did Lee bother? Why such a dramatic difference in the way the Army's treated civilians and public property?

You already know the answer. To demonstrate a civilized, well-disciplined and behaved Army to the North and to the world. He succeeded and for 150 years responsible historians of every political stripe have agreed. It's only recently that Neounionists have delved into propaganda sources in an attempt to portray the Gettysburg Campaign as a slave raid. It was not.

 

[hanna260]

You already know the answer. To demonstrate a civilized, well-disciplined and behaved Army to the North and to the world. He succeeded and for 150 years responsible historians of every political stripe have agreed. It's only recently that Neounionists have delved into propaganda sources in an attempt to portray the Gettysburg Campaign as a slave raid. It was not.

Drew, you're very right in that this is the wrong thread to debate this but I don't think that saying that some of the soldier's in the Army of Virginia may have shipped some African Americans back into slavery, which is all that I've heard, is the same as saying that the Gettysburg Campaign was a slave raid. Unless of course you've heard something different.

Edit: And congrats to the original poster! Gah- forgot what this thread was really about for a second.

 

[Drew]

Drew, you're very right in that this is the wrong thread to debate this but I don't think that saying that some of the soldier's in the Army of Virginia may have shipped some African Americans back into slavery, which is all that I've heard, is the same as saying that the Gettysburg Campaign was a slave raid. Unless of course you've heard something different.

New thread, H.

Congratulations to the Original Poster on the land acquisition. There are good recommendations on the burning of the valley here. I will add Henry Kyd Douglas' memoir, I Rode With Stonewall. Douglas was native to the place and spent nearly the entire war there, but for Jackson's role in the Seven Days' and the Maryland/Pennsylvania campaigns. Anyone living in the Valley with an interest in the war should read it.