SHIRLEY PLANTATION

Can you imagine a piece of property remaining in the same family for eleven generations? The immense size of the property alone, would make it difficult. Originally 450 acres, it grew to 800 acres through the years by way of marriage and land acquisitions.

This is precisely what Shirley Plantation is. Located on the banks of the James River, near Richmond, VA, Shirley Plantation is still owned, operated, and occupied by direct descendants of the original owner – Edward Hill. In 1613 this land was settled by Sir Thomas West who, in 1638, granted a portion to Edward Hill. This began the eleven continuous generations of ownership and occupation.

Visiting this plantation was interesting in many aspects. To see how an elegant plantation is laid out in regard to the supporting buildings to the main house, the locations of those structures, and the symmetrical style was fascinating. And obviously, the history attached to this property was a huge plus in the visit.

Unfortunately, visitors are not permitted to take photos of the interior of the Great House. But to tour it is no less exciting. From the moment you walk in the main entrance you are quickly carried back to the 18^th century. Most of the Great House is still as it was when it was built. The construction started in 1723 and completed in 1738. Edward Hill III, grandson of the original property owner, built this mansion for his daughter Elizabeth who married John Carter, eldest son of prominent Virginian and land baron Robert “King” Carter.

The entry hall is more than just a hall. It is a receiving room that was used to welcome and meet with guests; some of those guests being the Harrison’s from the neighbor plantation Berkeley, in addition to George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. The most eye-catching item in this room is the carved walnut “Flying Staircase”. It traverses to the third floor with no visible means of support. The tables in this room are original to the house, as is the floor and plaster walls, and wall hangings. In fact, all the furnishings, wall hangings, silverware, and china are period items. Most are original to the Great House with family portraits throughout.

We were permitted to also view a bed room, parlor, and dining room – all furnished and each with its own stories. From the tales of Ann Hill Carter’s birth in this house to her marrying “Light Horse” Harry Lee in the parlor in 1793. They would later become parents of Robert E. Lee, who himself, had visited this mansion. Interesting – always a Civil War connection. The windows in the dining room are etched with names from throughout the years. The story goes that as the Hill-Carter women became engaged, they would etch their name in the windows with their engagement ring, thus testing the quality of the diamond. You can still read the names.

During the Civil War, as McClellan retreated to end his Peninsula Campaign, many of the Union’s wounded soldiers ended up on the lawn of this Mansion. Although the Hill’s supported the Southern cause, they cared for and fed these men knowing that their own relatives may be somewhere suffering the same fate and would want Northerners to treat them the same way. McClellan, seeing this, wrote a Field Order to protect the plantation from any destruction. A copy of this field order is on display.

The upper two floors are still occupied by the direct descendants of Edward Hill and, therefore, were not available for touring. The rest of the property was a self-guided tour with the exception of the farm which is still in use. Because the plantation is still family farmed, Shirley Plantation is one of the oldest family-owned businesses in North America. This property is definitely an architectural treasure. It has been extremely well preserved; the outbuildings along with the Great House.

Notice the three foot high pineapple on the roof. This was a symbol of hospitality during the Colonial era.

The Great House was supported by numerous outbuildings, all built in a symmetrical layout creating a Queen Anne Forecourt. At first arrival you will pass the ice house on one side and the store house on the opposite side of the walkway. Both are identical in style and appearance. As you near the Great House you will pass the two-story kitchen with living quarters on the right and the two-story laundry with living quarters on the left. Again, both of these buildings are identical to each other. Each contained second floor living quarters to house the workers of each building. The smokehouse, stable, corn crib, and dovecote sit outside the courtyard. The pump house is located near the kitchen, but out of view so as not to disturb the symmetry of the courtyard.

I found the dovecote to be an unusual structure. Fascinating in style and unknown for its usage, I investigated just a bit. Here are a few photos. The dovecote was used for doves to raise their young. Doves were considered a dining delicacy in the 1700’s. The interior walls house 108 roosts for the doves’ roosting. The high and pitched roof was to protect the doves from other animals.

All in all, this was a very interesting plantation to visit, both architecturally inside and out, and historically. Well worth the time.

MANASSAS - The First Battle

They were simply trying to get to the train depot at Manassas Junction. Their orders were to squash the Southern uprising.  Richmond was its capitol and the easiest and quickest way to end the rebellion was to capture that city. Many of the Union soldiers were 90 day volunteers with no army experience. The same held true for the Confederates, they were volunteers and green. The problem for General Irvin McDowell was that the Confederates, numbering around 22,000, were encamped at Manassas Junction.

McDowell devised a plan to battle and defeat the Rebels, but due to Southern sympathizers in Washington D.C. that operated a successful spy ring, his troop movements had been passed onto Confederate General G.P.T. Beauregard at Manassas Junction. Beauregard, the General that ordered the shots fired on Fort Sumter to open the Civil War, dispatched his troops and formed a line of defense along Bull Run.

McDowell’s troops marched for two days in the hot July heat and humidity, eventually reaching Centerville, north of the Junction, and rested.  Unable to cross at the Stone Bridge on Warrenton Turnpike, McDowell assigned a division to attack the Rebels here as a diversionary tactic, and marched the remainder of his troops (approximately 31,000) around the left flank of the Confederates with the intention of collapsing their left flank and taking the field. Then onto Richmond; or so he thought.  

As McDowell planned to attack his enemies’ left flank; likewise, Beauregard made plans to attack his enemies’ left flank. If this had happened, the battle would have turned into a counter clockwise motion of troops attacking each other.

This is not what happened.

As skirmishes occurred at Blackburn’s Ford as well as the Stone Bridge and various spots on Bull Run, the Union was arriving at Sudley Spring and marching down Sudley Road toward the Warrenton Turnpike. Believing the Union were feinting attacks supported by some intelligence information, the Confederates pulled 900 men from the Stone Bridge defenses and moved to Matthews Hill to halt the Federal march. With the reduced forces at the Stone Bridge and Bull Run, the Confederates’ lines were breached and they retreated south to Henry Hill. As the Union and Confederates exchanged infantry and artillery fire, the Rebels were also overrun at Matthews Hill. They, too, retreated to Henry Hill.

McDowell, thinking he had taken the day, did not pursue but rather celebrated what he determined to be a victory over the Rebels. McDowell elected to shell Henry Hill instead, which allowed the Confederate troops to regroup along with being reinforced by General Joseph E. Johnston’s troops from the Shenandoah Valley arriving by rail. Also reinforcements came in the form of General J.E.B. Stuart’s cavalry and General Thomas J. Jackson’s Virginia Brigade.

As the battle resumed and moved to Henry Hill, the Confederates now had the advantage – higher ground and artillery for closer range usage. Here is where General Jackson was given his name “Stonewall” by General Bernard Bee. As Bee's troops started to break, he shouted to them "There is Jackson standing like a stone wall. Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer. Rally behind the Virginians."

The conflict waged for hours on Henry Hill with the Southerners taking the upper hand.  Chinn Ridge experienced this struggle also when late in the afternoon, the Union lines crumbled under a strong attack. With fierce and bloody fighting throughout the afternoon, and certain cannon changing hands several times, the Northern lines finally broke as the soldiers fled the field and ran, helter-skelter, back across Bull Run, through Centerville, and all the way to Washington, D.C.  

The first battle of the Civil War was over and the field belonged to the Confederates. They were able to rally their troops, and being led by outstanding generals, drove the Yankees into retreat. Both sides realized that their thoughts of one simple battle and the war would be over were gravely wrong.

This was the beginning of a long, bloody, and costly rebellion.

Thirteen months later, in 1862, these fields and hills would, again, bear witness to this conflict as the Second Battle of Manassas would take place on Chinn Ridge, Henry Hill, Matthews Hill and the surrounding areas.