I have been a little slow with posting lately. I have been playing with my wife's video camera and have not had much luck yet. There is something wrong with the battery so I cannot get it to record the video entries that I want to make. I have not given up on it yet so keep an eye out for videos coming soon.We went to the Chesterfield Berry Farm today and picked strawberries. We ride out there twice each year, once for strawberries and once for pumpkins. It is a long drive but we always have a good time. They have good barbecue and beans so that alone makes it worth the trip!
I was going through some old pictures tonight and came across some that we took in July of 2003 at Drewry's Bluff, part of the Richmond National Battlefield. It was a major defensive position for the Confederates, being along a critical bend in the James River. There was an earthworks, a barracks and three large artillery guns to shoot at Union vessels.
I do not pretend to be an expert on the site. My main interest is that my wife's ancestor, Ansalem Clemens / Clemmens / Clements / Clemments / Clemons / Clemmons / Clemans / Clemmans ... you get the idea, well he supposedly died at that site. Family legend (and his wife's pension application) says that he was killed in battle on May 15, 1862 at Drewry's Bluff. My wife and I, she being seen in this photo aiming a large gun, went to the site to check it out. It is quite secluded, well back into the woods, and is not well travelled. We never saw another person for the two hours or so we were there.
The Richmond Dispatch from May 19, 1862 stated that "Bowyer’s battery, from Botetourt county, lost one man killed – George Clements – and three wounded." The name is not right but Ansalem was from Botetourt County and he was serving in their artillery unit.
To give you a little background, only days before this battle, the city of Norfolk had fallen to Union forces and the Confederates made a stand against the Union Navy, right here at the Bluff. They were able to hold off the Yankees, only a few miles from the Confederate capital!
We know that Ansalem died in this time period from estate records from Boteourt County, Virginia. Ansalem left $475 in the bank at Buchanan, Virginia. His wife was given one third, $107.89, and each of his ten children received $21.57. No mention was made of any funeral expenses. That leads me to believe that he was either buried on site or near by. I recently discovered that some of the Confederates that died at Drury's Bluff were buried at a church at Fort Darling.
I found this photo on the Internet of Confederate graves at the church. Its source was cited as "View of Confederate Church at Fort Darling—Graves in the foreground—Entrance to the Fort on the right. Gardner Stereo #1069. William Frank Browne - photographer. Negative at Library of Congress (LC-B815-1135)." The site I "borrowed" my copy from is a great source for Richmond Civil War history, you should check it out by clicking here: Civil War Richmond
In short, I am pretty sure that Ansalem was killed at Drury's Bluff when he was about sixty-years old. That sounds a little strange but not impossible. He was a stone mason by trade so perhaps his skills were used to help construct some of the structures at the site or maybe he was good at math and could help aim the artillery better. Who knows but his wife claims that he was there and the newspaper supports that a Clements died there during battle.
I want to go check out the site of this Confederate church but I have not made it over there yet. If anyone knows anything about the church or if it exists today, please share what you know with all of us.
1 comment:
Kevin.
The organization of Bowyers Company of Heavy Artillery was short lived. It was disbanded in June 1862, with some members transfered to 20th Battalion Va Heavy Artillery Company-C
The confederate Army was reorganized in May-June 1862 thus many early war smaller units and commands were restructured or complied etc.
In the first year of the war many enlistees were younger or older than the usually accepted ages. During the restructuring those under 18 or over 35 were normally discharged and sent home. There wasnt the shortage of men in the ranks during that time frame.
The Cannons at Drewrys Bluff were four of the large caliber ones such as the pic with your wife. Thats an 8inch Columbiad made at Bellona Foundry also in Chesterfield. Three of the guns were inside the fort. "Capt Tuckers" gun was a 10 inch Columbiad that sat just north of and outside of the fort walls also facing the river. There were a line of other artillery pieces around the exterior walls of the fort at one time.
After the fall of Norfolk back into Federal hands this fort and several others were constructed to protect and defend the river approaches to Richmond.
The Church that once stood outside the fort is long gone. Evidence of where the cemetery was is still there well hidden in the woods. The graves there were reintered after the war in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond. The identity of the individual graves was lost to time and they are in a common marked grave there. If your ancestor was buried there he most likely now rests at Hollywood Cemetery.
Respects
Frederick
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