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The Cause
Vol. XII, No 5 ....... 36th Regiment of Virginia Volunteers, Company A ...... May 1999 Contents
Reflections on "the good old days" at Buffalo This month's address to the Unit comes in the form of private Terry Wass' reflections on the recent Buffalo event:
"A "mighty spiffy" Lt. Dan Bishop conducts a safety check on the muskets at Buffalo. We are glad to see that no new members joined the exclusive "crater club." Have you noticed that since the inception of the Hurricane event in March, the turn out at Buffalo has just not been the same?? I can remember "back in the day" [hey, I'm old .... I can reminisce] when it was difficult to find a place to layout your bed roll at Buffalo. It was the first event of the new season, and a time to see everyone that you last saw at the January meeting. It was a time for drilling new recruits, and trying to remember the difference between "support arms" and "right shoulder shift." Well .... this years Buffalo living history sure was different. My family and I arrived Friday evening at dinner time ... the first ones there [along with Mary Jo]. I set up Marlene and girls tent, dug a fire pit, and laid out my bed roll. I anxiously waited for other members of the 36th to arrive ...... I waited all night. Well folks, that's when I realized that Buffalo had changed. I really missed the old day Buffalo as I tried to fall asleep ..... while trying to gaze at the stars through the glare of the new parking lot lights. I've painted a pretty gloomy picture haven't I .... Read on. The next two days, Saturday and Sunday, just added further conformation that Buffalo had changed! Saturday started slow ... the usual breakfast at the Senior Citizens Center ... still no one else arrived. Then, mid-morning, Cousin Ed (Walker) arrived, confirming that I indeed did have the right weekend. Soon, there were more members of the 36th, both recruits and old-timers. Lt. Bishop came looking "mighty spiffy," and the Frampton clan arrived and a second wall tent went up. I began to feel better. Saturday turned out to be a wonderful day. We drilled, talked and interfaced with the public. Lt. Bishop did a good job of drilling the group, easily maneuvering us around the Indians [complete with animal skins and "dream catchers"] and the politicians [Republican I believe]. Penny and Jeff Clagg brought "Mr. Toes," their tame, pet chicken. He was a real popular attraction. Sunday was the "usual" for Buffalo. Drill, Church, a real good skirmish in Fred and Lynn Sergent's backfield and lunch supplied by the ladies of Buffalo. I really enjoyed myself! Late Sunday afternoon, I realized that there were other changes at Buffalo. I asked a few of the other "old timers," and yep ... they agreed with my observation ..... additional changes had occurred. The only fighting and tension at this year's Buffalo was during the skirmish. The Republicans were the only group practicing "Politics." There was no dissension in the ranks .... It was a "bull free" weekend .... I had fun. Thanks to all that came to Buffalo this year. I hope that next year; more members of the 36th will spend the night ... and we have a record turn out of old timers and recruits. But if not, as long as we have "fun" .... it will be another successful Buffalo.
August Rosseau Writer wants to make Stonewall film The following article comes from the June 11, 1999 issue of The Charleston Gazette, written by MaryWade Burnside. A Clarksburg native hopes to return to his state and make a film about his hometown's most famous resident, Stonewall Jackson, proposing to put the Confederate general in the same light as Gen. George Custer and Rhett Butler. Clyde Ware, a TV writer and a film director who has made such movies as 'No Drums, No Bugles" starring Martin Sheen, has begun writing a script and looking for investors for what he expects will be a $10 million independent film. "I'd like to film it in West Virginia and the areas around West Virginia," Ware said by telephone Thursday from the office of his production company, Delaware Pictures, in Hollywood. "That's where a lot of the battles were fought." Ware does not have a title for his film, which he hopes to begin shooting in 2000. He hasn't looked for financing either, making details of the project tentative. "I thought Stonewall Jackson would be a legendary hero in a positive manner for West Virginia," Ware said. "Most everyone knows the name, but not the man. If you mention Custer, you get this image of a daring man, and Errol Flynn played him in a movie." Ware has in mind a pretty big Hollywood player for Thomas Jackson, nicknamed "Stonewall" at the first Battle of Bulll Run. "I haven't said this yet, and it's kind of crazy, but what the hell," Ware said. "This will seem offbeat, but rm thinking of somebody like Nicolas Cage. He's kind of wild and crazy, and Stonewall was a bit of a character.' Ware eventually will approach potential investors in West Virginia in an effort to raise the $10 million. He realizes that paying someone like Cage would command a huge portion of that budget, but he plans to offer a percentage of potential profits in exchange for a lower salary. Jackson was born in Clarksburg in 1824 and raised near Weston. He still has an international reputation as a brilliant military strategist. He died at the hands of his own men in 1863 near Chancellorsville a month before West Virginia was formed. "With this Kosovo thing, people are really aware of frendly fire killings," Ware said. Ware does not believe the fact that Jackson fought in the Civil War for the side that supported slavery wi!! diminish the general's appeal to a movie-going audience. "If you remember 'Gone With The Wind,' when Rhett Butler joined the war, he fought for the South," Ware said. "It didn't make him a nonhero." Ware said he was once offered a writing job for the TV show "The Dukes of Hazard," but he did not want to portray his section of the country in that light. He did direct a 1975 TV film called "The Hat'fields & the McCoys" starring Jack Palance as Devil Anse Hatfield. "There are about 2 million West Virginians, and if everyone gave five bucks, they'd own the picture," Ware said. 'I know it can't be done, but I always say, "Why not?'" Editor's note: I hope that Mr. Ware reads James I. Robertson Jr. 's book on Stonewall Jackson before making his film. Some of his comments suggest to me that he really doesn't know much about Jackson's career other than the usual stories about his eccentricities. Personally, I can't picture Nicholas Cage portraying the general.
Company News Last month we mentioned that Caleb Frame had graduated from high school, but we have since learned that there are two other members of the 36th to complete their high school requirements.
Congratulations to all four of our outstanding young men! On March 31, Gary and Sherri Price welcomed to their family a beautiful baby girl, Madeline Christine, who measured in at 7 lbs., 15 oz. and 20 inches. Sherri reports that she looks just like the other two girls, Molly and Maggie. The Prices now live at 2.326 Strawberry Rd., St. Albans, WV 25177. Terry Wass has been doing an outstanding job on the 36th Virginia Website. He reports that the site has had over 800 "hits" since Jan. 24. The Website address is: www. geocities.com/Bourbon Street/Quarter/6650/index.html
Charleston Virginia: New laws on the eve of war The following information comes from the book "Charleston 175" by John G. Morgan. The book was a collection of articles on the 175-year history of Charleston, W, Va. published in 1970. Early in 1861, practically on the eve of the Civil War, a new Virginia law gave the town of Charleston broad powers and extended boundaries. The act by the Virginia General Assembly, effective March 21, established the office of mayor and made him the chief executive officer, conservator and justice of the peace. The legislation made it clear that the mayor, within the corporate limits, had authority to "exercise all the powers and duties vested in the justice of the peace for the county." He also was given full control of the town police. In effect, the law seemed to say that the town was its own boss within its own territory. The lawmakers didn't want the town to be under the thumb of the county court. This was probably the most significant legislation affecting the town since 1818 when Charleston became a corporate entity with offices established for president, recorder and trustees. There are no official records of the persons who held those offices or how they performed their duties. There is no evidence that meetings of council members or trustees were recorded before 1867. The 1861 law specifically required that "council shall cause to be kept a Journal." The comprehensive statue further spelled out the power of council to "pass all needful orders, bylaws and ordinances not contrary to the constitution and laws of Virginia." Council was authorized to enact "reasonable laws and penalties or imprisonments in in the county jail for a term not exceeding 30 days." Another provision, demonstrating that Virginia legislators still endorsee brutality in 1861, gave council the power to prescribe "corporeal punishment by stripes, when other than white persons are the offenders."
The legislation specified that the mayor, a recorder and five
councilmen were to be elected. In addition, the offices of town
sergeant, treasur er, commissioner of revenue and overseer of the
poor were estab: lished. Council was given additional powers to: The 1861 statute specified that council could construct landings, wharves and docks an its grounds and collect a reasonable duty on ye,< sels using the same. Authority was given to appoint as many wharfmasters for the town as might be necessary. Permissive power was granted to tax all male persons older than 16, dogs and real estate. Taxes were not to exceed $1 on every $100 of the value of unimproved lots ... of $2 per head on each taxable person. Power was given to grant or refuse licenses to owners of wagons, drays, carts, hacks and other wheeled carriages, kept for hire as carriers for the public. Censorship power was given to "prohibit any theatrical or other performance, show or exhibition, which it (council) may deem injurious to the morals or good order of the town." Language of the act proved for major expansion of the corporate limits. Actual development proceeded at a slow pace, however. The eastern part of the town wasn't developed beyond Bradford Street for many years. One of the larger farms in the immediate Charleston area was that of Adam B. Littlepaga on Kanawha Two Mile, with 250 improved and 950 unimproved acres. This was the farm on which Gen. Henry A. Wise would choose to make his camp after arriving in Charleston in June 1861. Wise entered Charleston on the 26th with his force consisting primarily of the Richmond Light Infantry Blues, the Pig Run Invincibles and two cavalry units for the purpose of gathering recruits for the "Wise Legion" and to increase the faith of the Confederates and strike a little fear into the hearts of the Union supporters. He set up his headquarters and established some fortifications on the farm.
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