April 19-30, 1862 - Battle of South Mills (April 19); Stonewall Jackson's Valley Headquarters; Lt. John Blue Escapes in Romney

April 19, 1862

Battle of South Mills (or Battle of Camden or The Battle of Sawyer's Lane)

near South Mills, North Carolina, in Camden County (at the South end of the Dismal Swamp Canal)

Burnside: Brig. Gen. Jesse Lee Reno

vs.

Col. Ambrose Wright's home command

* Part of Burnside's North Carolina Expedition that started in the Outer Banks. He entrusted Reno to destroy the Dismal Swamp Canal locks to prevent the Confederate ironclads from getting to Albemarle Sound.

*  "Wright, had prepared for the enemy. They dug a ditch across the road with marsh woodland at each end, then filled it with wood from fences and buildings and set it on fire to block the Union's movement. This ditch, known as "the roasted ditch," is still extant." (And why am I just learning this when I get home?!) Wright's guys retired exhausted, but Reno abandoned the plan based on false rumors of massive Confederate reinforcements. 

* Don't worry: Reno's troops get to New Bern three days later, and are among those who successfully occupy the area for the duration of the war. Of course, Reno himself only makes it so far as South Mountain. 

* The iron marker references April 1862 as the date of "the battle," but the Civil War Trails marker mentions other dates in 1861, 1862, and 1863. Furthermore, the marker I photographed at the canal is basically different than the one previously identified at this location by the database. And finally, there are several other Civil War Trails markers about this battle and the canal that can be found along the canal's hiking path, which seems real nice but I also didn't have time for. 

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=57037

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=282665

Dismal Swamp Canal

South Mills Lock

In December 1861, a drum's loud rattle shattered the silence here as the 3rd Georgia Infantry marched by this lock north to winter quarters in Portsmouth, Virginia. Lt. William W. Turner wrote, "The regiment took up its line of march to South Mills, at which village we spent Saturday night [December 14]. Next morning, took the turnpike along Dismal swamp canal, our baggage transport being in the canal. Tarried, Sunday night, at the village of Deep Creek. Monday we marched into Portsmouth."

This lock was the scene of dramatic action on Feb. 10, 1862, as CSS Beaufort raced past, steaming North to Norfolk, Virginia. Only she and CSS Appomattox, of the "mosquito fleet" gunboats, had survived clashes with Union naval forces in Albemarle Sound. Beaufort passed through the lock, but Appomattox was just too wide to follow; the Confederates scuttled her not far from here.

In April 1862, fearing that a Confederate ironclad would steam to Albemarle Sound via the canal, Union General Jesse L. Reno's command attacked Confederate fortifications at South Mills. The Federals forced a retreat but were unable to destroy the locks.

Union General Edward A. Wild led U.S. Colored Troops past here on a punitive expedition from Norfolk along the canal to South Mills and Camden Court House during December 5-24, 1863. Confederate guerillas emerged from the Great Dismal Swamp and "pestered" him, but they did not prevent his freeing 2,500 slaves.

Canal and marker 

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=56763

https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battles-detail.htm?battleCode=nc005

https://www.ncpedia.org/south-mills-battle

*    *    *

Meanwhile, in Virginia...

April 19-30, 1862

Stonewall Jackson's Headquarters

Elkton, VA

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=254778

Miller-Argabright-Cover-Kite House

Stonewall Jackson’s Headquarters, April 19-30, 1862

—1862 Valley Campaign—

Less than a month after his defeat at Kernstown, Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson retired to the Elk Run Valley to rest his troops and plan for the spring campaign. With his men camped all along Elk Run and into Swift Run Gap, Jackson made his headquarters here in Elkton (then Conrad’s Store). Jackson used this house, then the residence of the widow of John Argabright. According to staff member Henry Kyd Douglas, Jackson’s room was empty of furniture except for a thin mattress on the floor.

In the days that followed, the house became a beehive of activity with the arrival and departure of couriers and officers including Gens. Edward “Allegheny” Johnson and Richard S. Ewell as well as mapmaker Jedediah Hotchkiss. A major disagreement developed here between Jackson and Col. Turner Ashby over the lack of discipline in the cavalry following a botched attempt to burn bridges in neighboring Page County.

While Jackson was consumed with military affairs, he did not forget his wife, Mary Anna. Unlike in Winchester a few months before, she was unable to join him here. “I do so much want to see my darling,” wrote Jackson, “but fear such a privilege will not be enjoyed for some time to come.”

Within days of leaving Conrad’s Store on April 30, Jackson gave Union observers the impression he had retreated from the Valley. However, in a series of stealthy moves, he reentered the Valley, and by May 8 had attacked and defeated General Robert H. Milroy’s Federal army at McDowell.

*

This house was built in 1827 by Henry Miller, Jr. (the grandson of Adam Miller, perhaps the first settler in this part of the Shenandoah Valley). Samuel Gibbons, a local resident, performed the joining and carpentry. Gibbons’ son, Simeon Beauford Gibbons, was later a student of Jackson at the Virginia Military Institute and, at the time of Jackson’s stay here, a colonel of the 10th Virginia Infantry, which encamped nearby. Col. Gibbons was the most senior Confederate officer killed at the Battle of McDowell.

Context 

* * *

And, also...

April 20, 1862

Lt. John Blue Escapes(?)

Romney, WV 

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=203983

Lieutenant John Blue

Made his escape from the room immediately above when held as a Confederate spy on 20th day of April, 1862, when Romney was occupied by a regiment of Union soldiers.

Stonewall Jackson Chapter 270, United Daughters of Confederacy, Romney.

The United Daughters of Confederacy <sic> are known liars, so who even knows. 

(20 Nov. 2024) I asked Gemini: which regiment of Union soldiers occupied Romney, WV on April 20, 1862?

It said: The Union regiment that occupied Romney, WV on April 20, 1862, was the **7th West Virginia Infantry**.

No source was provided :(

And while there is a whole wiki page just for "Romney in the Civil War" - this date remains unacknowledged there. And while his grandson has a page, Lt. Blue does not. Hmmm. What is your source, "daughters"? 

Well, let's dig a little deeper. I'm talking angelfire and personal family history blogs. However, there is little else online about Lt. Blue besides this marker itself. I wonder if the 2008 book on Blue mentions this daring escape...?

Happy 420, everyone.