For you Civil War history buffs...

[Lilred]

I've been workin with the lucky contractor who is remodeling the Lockett house at Sayler's Creek.
For those of you not familiar: Sayler's creek was one of the last battles of the Civil War, retreatin from Petersburg through Amelia and on his way to Farmville Lee was caught there.
Of course, he made it to Farmville and then on to Appomatox where he surrendered.
Anyways, I wanted ya'll to see some pics...
This one of one of the chimneys riddled with bullet holes. The house was in between the Union & Confederates. Durin the battle, it was used as field hospital where the family says that the front yard was full of the dead & dyin. The house is still with the original family who has owned the house & land since the late 1700's...the house was built by them.

[Lilred]

All through the sidin you can see more holes. The sidin stayed durin renovations even tho it's pine. It is so old, that the soft part of the grain has wore away, leavin deep indentations in the sidin.

[gspsonny03]

Great pictures Lilred. Thanks for sharing.

[Lilred]

I dont know how many of ya'll are like me....but this pic is awesome. Notice the wrapped beams, the orginal double door on the front (all walnut btw) and the solid posts, all hand hewed.
of course, the screen door is not original, but the rest is. The transom and sidelights are beautiful. (Yep, there's more bullet holes there)

The inside was kept relatively simple tho...a simple baseboard but a beautiful dentil at the top of each room. I could go on and on...sorry..I am a old house civil war history freak :S

[Jack]

LilRed, that's great stuff!
Thanks for showing us.

[Gunslingergirl]

Very cool pictures and story. I love old houses. They always have so much history, and this one has more than most.

[BILLY D.]

WOW, far out Lilred. Hope you got more inside and outside pictures. The comparison pictures would really be nice after the re-construction and re- hab.

Is the house presently occupied? Or has it just sat and deteriorated over the years?

Either next year or the year following I plan on making a trip to study the South. I was never fortunate enough to be Stationed there except for short stints in S. Carolina and Louisanna. I now have kids living in Maryland and N. Carolina so I would have a base camp for my journies.

Keep the pictures and the stories of Southern heritage coming, I find them extremely interesting.

Thank you very much for them.

Bill

[Lilred]

Glad ya'll enjoy em...I have a few more pics but not many. But I am glad to share em. I actually supplied alot of the buildin materials for that house. Some of the brickwork had to be redone so we had a company out of NC handmake the brick the way it was 250 yrs ago. It was a perfect match. Those pics were taken before the brickwork was done.
Billy, if you plan on making a trip, there is a book out there called "In the Presence of Mine Enemies" that was a FACTUAL and wonderful book on the understanding for Southern thinkin. It's not what you think...and it will help you understand what kinda caused the way of thinkin...so to speak. The book is based on 2 counties, the first in Augusta VA (you can read bout my folks in there) and Franklin, PA. The differences in the 1860 election, Democrats, Republicans and the Whigs....amazin. And you can read how differently 2 counties, one from the north and one from the south, thought about the whole secession thing. A very good read....for anyone north er south.

Anyways...I dont have many pics of the inside but I'll post what I got. No-one has lived there since the early 1930's but the great-great grandson is movin back in the house once it's finished. The state gives alot of grants to owners of historic homes to keep them original, so it paid em to get the handmade brick and some of the original beams intact.
The contractor has found the most amazin things there...cannonballs, minie balls, jars and the neatest I actually saw with my own 2 eyes....a chisel...buried halfway through a first floor beam covered by boards & plaster fer 250 years.
I almost beat him up and took it but I thought better of it ;)

Here is a pic from the inside of the front door lookin out...you can see the original hardwood floors and plastered walls. At the battle of Sayler's Creek, there were actually 3 different engagements. Lockett's farm was between Humpreys & Gordon.
16,500 Union, 7,000 Confederates.
Union losses was 536, Confederate 1,700. Lee lost ALOT of his wagons and supplies which was the breakin point for him.

[Lilred]

This is one of the original beams in the basement that needed replacement. You can still see the original hash marks in it from the broadaxe. That is COOL...

[Lilred]

Pic of the whole house...wish I had it lol

[Lilred]

This is Sayler's creek...and the bridge below the house where they fought for control over this bridge....beautiful spot

[BILLY D.]

Originally posted by Lilred
Pic of the whole house...wish I had it lol

Lilred

Looking at it from the practical standpoint, by the time all the upgrades are complete and re-construction you could buy a really beautiful ultra home in a big city.

However, who da heck wants to be practical. I'd rather have to visit the outhose than live in a big city.

I like the two fireplace concept. I don't know how folks made it in them days. Of course it doesn't get terribly cold there, but even so I would imagine they had their share of Pulmonary diseases, kennel cough or what have you. I can't remember the technical words for it. I remember reading about most folks in those times slept in a semi reclining almost sitting position so fluids would not collect in their lungs.

One other thing not house or history related. Are you of Irish decent? Daughter #3's daughter is taking violin/fiddle lessons and had a recording of a group called Celtic Woman. They are a singing group/ singles and are they ever great. They sing like angels both singly and as a group. Mainly Irish music, new and old. They have a fiddler in the group you just have to see to believe. She plays the fiddle and dances around the stage and just captures the heart of the audience. By the way, all the women are gorgeous. The fiddlers name is Mairead Nesbitt. Just a firecracker.

They have a concert on Public Broadcasting System. If you get a chance watch it, you won't be disappointed. I don't have a drop of Irish blood but I like their music as a lot of our old country songs are based on Irish ballads.

Best wishes, Bill

[Lilred]

lol...probaly not cold compared to where you are...but..back then..highs in the winter would have been in the 20's or 30's at best. Lots of snows too.
You are right, dsyentry was a big killer then..and scarlet fever.
But to be honest I would much rather live in a place like that than in some "gated community" somewhere.

I have no Irish in me...I am Scottish. My folks went from Scotland to Ireland durin the early 1600's in the northern part, where the king of England gave the Scots land and rid himself of the troublemakers lol...cause then they was too busy fightin the Irish. With my folks, it aint last 20 yrs fore my first ancestor to America came over. He returned to Scotland and sent his sons and their wives back to America 9 years later. They ported in PA and came straight to VA and found their deeded land in Augusta county. We have been here ever since tormentin the residents lol
Clans Anderson & Campbell are my scottish heritage.

My hubby swears there is Viking in me somewhere...but I dont believe him :P lol

[BILLY D.]

Originally posted by Lilred
lol...probaly not cold compared to where you are...but..back then..highs in the winter would have been in the 20's or 30's at best. Lots of snows too.
You are right, dsyentry was a big killer then..and scarlet fever.
But to be honest I would much rather live in a place like that than in some "gated community" somewhere.

I have no Irish in me...I am Scottish. My folks went from Scotland to Ireland durin the early 1600's in the northern part, where the king of England gave the Scots land and rid himself of the troublemakers lol...cause then they was too busy fightin the Irish. With my folks, it aint last 20 yrs fore my first ancestor to America came over. He returned to Scotland and sent his sons and their wives back to America 9 years later. They ported in PA and came straight to VA and found their deeded land in Augusta county. We have been here ever since tormentin the residents lol
Clans Anderson & Campbell are my scottish heritage.

My hubby swears there is Viking in me somewhere...but I dont believe him :P lol

Now theres some history for ya. The Vikings pillaged, plundered and raped the British Isles on many ocassions. It was one of their favorite places for vacationing. Fact is it is said the Vikings discovered America long before Columbus got here. The Vikings were world travelers.

In some ways I'm glad the Irish and Scots never amassed large Armys and took off for domination. I'm sure they could have kicked a$$ and took names.

Now if we could just get the Vikings football team straightened out. :(

Bill

[Rapier]

I am a member of the SCV, my 4 GG was a member of Company L "Madison Rangers" of the 2nd Florida Infantry Regiment, Florida Brigade, Mahone's Division, ANV at Sayler's Creek. The regiment started out as an unattached regiment and was assigned to Anderson's division after Yorktown, then to Picket's division the night before Picket's assault on the union center at Gettysburg. My 4 GG surrendered at Appomattox Court House after the battle there. Of the 1200 members of the regiment that started the war on July 12, 1861, plus the 5th and 8th Florida Regiments, only 67 were still alive in April of 1865 at war’s end.

" The remnants of the Florida Brigade were assigned to guard the wagon trains during Lee's Retreat on the morning of April 6, 1865. At Lee's last major battle, the Battle of Sayler's Creek, the Florida boys were the first offered up to defend against the overwhelming Union forces...they were swept away."

My maternal Scotts are the Clans Gregor and Jones of Scotland, not Whales. My paternal German ancestors settled the Dutch Fork in SC in 1742 coming from the area of Stuttgart.

Restoring historical buildings is a time consuming and expensive task. However, it is a worthwhile project.

Best to you and your group.
Ed

[Rapier]

Bill,
I am sure you have heard the old saw about whiskey being invented to keep the Irish from conquering the world? More truth than not to that statemnet.
Ed

[Lilred]

Rapier,
I am glad your 4gg made it to Appomatox, it was the same way with the 14th VA calv....out of co c....my gg grandfather's bro was the only man to make it. My GG was imprisoned in Point Lookout until the war was over. The other 2 brothers died durin the war.
My other gg & his brothers on my moms side all made it.

They say the brothers that did make it was as crazy as a junebug when they finally returned home. Hence, the whiskey.
Funny thing, family stories say they made more of it than drank it lol ...and that went on fer many many years after. Contrary to polular belief...moonshinin is as popular today as it was then. The mtns are full of them ole ridgerunners. My folks made it through the great depression makin it & made dern good money durin prohibition LOL :rolleyes: