The reality of the war was really brought home by what we learned there. Confederate soldiers that were paroled at Appomattox came back through the area on their way home ... only to see the Confederate dead still all over the fields (the Union army buried their dead, left the Confederates). The farm manager and his hands were trying to bury the dead in mass graves. The house had been used as a surgery by the Union - the state police forensic folks tested what looked like blood stains on the underside of the boards (blood ran through the cracks) and confirmed it was very old blood. Amputated body parts were stacked outside the door and thrown into the well, which obviously rendered it useless. The wife and kids living there were in the basement during the battle - she could not bear to stay there after the battle (moved in with the farm manager's family). Her husband was one of the prisoners used as a human shield by the Union at Charleston in an attempt to silence the Confederate gunners at Fort Sumter ... one of The Immortal Six Hundred. I believe he later returned to his family.
Something else interesting ... those troops captured at Sailor's Creek were not paroled .... the soldiers who made it to Appomattox were a lot more fortunate and allowed to go home after the surrender. Surprisingly (to me), the Sailor's Creek battle prisoners were shipped way north (midwest) and put in prison camps there ... were not released until well after the war ended at Appomattox.
When on the grounds of the battlefields, depending on the day, the conditions (fog, mist, etc.), it's surprising some of the experiences that occur. Being at Sailor's Creek with the house decorated for Christmas (and a Santa Claus there, dressed in a period suit, too) and then hearing what happened in the house and around it was something I won't forget (but for me, no 'spirits' like Antietam). Here's an interesting link on Sailor's Creek. My 3rd great grandparents owned a farm and were in the house at the time a well-known battle took place in VA so there is lots of CW history in the family. I always resent it when people comment on the Civil War still going on for Southerners, but no, we Southerners don't forget our (family) history.
Awesome post!
Very interesting post. I live in Lynchburg and have been to Appomattox but never Sailor’s Creek.
Our family lost a descendant in the fighting at antietam (49th Penn volunteers, I think) so I understand what you mean.
The subsequent treatment of the 600 is a good deal less justifiable.