Jim, Interesting. Never heard of a Piedmont in Augusta County. The name is not in character as a Valley place name. Looks like good farming bottomland. I wonder how Mt. Crawford fits into the battle. That is what distracted me, the mountain that isn't there. I grew up in the southwestern section of Rockingham County. I joined the Navy during the Korean War at the recruiting station in Mt. Crawford. It is also known to have a fine restaurant (Evers, now under another name) just north of town. As I said earlier, this problem will be solved as more information becomes available. Thanks for your input. Wilmer L. Kerns -----Original Message----- From: varockin-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:varockin-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Joseph J. Messersmith, Jr. Sent: Friday, May 23, 2008 12:10 AM To: varockin@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [VAROCKIN] Name of cemetery on Cemetery Road in Mt Crawford The Battle of Piedmont took place a couple miles north of New Hope in Augusta County, Virginia. Here is the link to a Mapquest map of the area. http://www.mapquest.com/maps/New+Hope+VA/ If you zoom in enough, you'll find that the road that goes through New Hope is called Battlefield Road. There is a stone marker along the road where the battle took place. This link gives information on the battle. http://valley.vcdh.virginia.edu/HIUS403/auhome/piedmont.html Staunton is about 8 miles SW. I grew up in Grottoes, which is about 4 miles NE of the battlefield. Jim Messersmith Rockville, VA At 11:17 PM 5/22/2008 , you wrote: >Phyllis, > >Piedmont, WV is in the mountains near the Potomac River. The nearest larger >town is Cumberland, Maryland. The B&O Railroad passed through Piedmont, and >there were numerous skirmishes and battles between Union and Confederate >forces to gain control over the railroad. Piedmont, in 1864, was in >Hampshire County, WV and in 1866 or 1877 Mineral County was formed. Piedmont >fell into the new County, as it is still there. I should add that WV became >a State in June 1863 so, technically, Piedmont was in WV in 1864 when your >guy was killed. I have seen several such mistakes during the 1863-1864 time >(VA vs WV), just as we sometimes fail to record the correct year in our >checkbook after New Years Day. I am not a Civil War expert, but I know the >areas. > >I don't understand why he was buried in Staunton, VA. I was born and raised >in Rockingham County and never heard of a Piedmont in the County. From >Rockingham County, crossing over the Blue Ridge Mountains (east) is a >geo-cultural region called Piedmont that stretches into North Carolina. But >it is a geographic area and not a town. Rockingham County is in the heart of >the Shenandoah Valley. > >There is truth in all the information you have, but a mistake or omission >and a missing link. It can be solved. Keep on digging. That is my two-cents >worth. > >Wilmer L. Kerns > >-----Original Message----- >From: varockin-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:varockin-bounces@rootsweb.com] >On Behalf Of Kevin Frye >Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2008 10:14 PM >To: varockin@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [VAROCKIN] Name of cemetery on Cemetery Road in Mt Crawford > >Often when the bodies were buried, they were marked by wooden headboards. >This was the case in most National Cemeteries including here at >Andersonville. Stone grave markers were to replace the wooden markers for >years and the standard civil war grave marker you mostly see with the shield > >were not made until 1898. Its possible he was registered there and the >wooden marker was damaged beyond being read. We have a copy of the " >Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio" in our archives at >Andersonville. I will be there tomorrow and will look him up and see what >is mentioned. Ill even copy the page he is recorded on and email it to you. > >Just a thought. > >Kevin > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Phyllis Garratt" <pgarratt@gessert.us> >To: <varockin@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2008 10:02 PM >Subject: Re: [VAROCKIN] Name of cemetery on Cemetery Road in Mt Crawford > > > > Thanks for your response, Kevin. That's my guy. > > > > I actually subscribed to that database just to see what I could find on > > him > > and found what you found. So the other day I called and they said he was > > not > > buried there. I asked about unmarked graves and they seemed to think that > > was unlikely. But as you point out, it could certainly be a possibility. > > There are several family stories about him and so far all have been proven > > true, so we are slightly inclined to think he was actually buried on Mt > > Crawford right where he fell, which I'm told happened a lot during the > > Civil > > War...although more so in the first years of the conflict when things were > > far less organized. > > > > If he is in an unmarked grave at Staunton, do you know how that would have > > happened? I mean, his regiment knew who he was. And someone knew enough to > > log him in as being buried in Staunton. Were things so chaotic that men > > were > > just buried without any name tied to them? > > > > > > > > Phyllis > > > > -----Original Message----- > > Frederick Brandt > > Residence was not listed; 28 years old. > > Enlisted on 6/13/1861 as a Private. > > On 7/6/1861 he mustered into "H" Co. OH 28th Infantry > > He was Killed on 6/5/1864 at Piedmont, VA > > Other Information: > > Buried: Staunton National Cemetery, Staunton, VA > > Sources used by Historical Data Systems, Inc.: > > - Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio > > - Roll of Honor of Ohio Soldiers > > (c) Historical Data Systems, Inc. @ www.civilwardata.com > > > > > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > > VAROCKIN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > > > > -- > > No virus found in this incoming message. > > Checked by AVG. > > Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.24.0/1460 - Release Date: 5/22/2008 > > > 7:06 AM > > > > > > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >VAROCKIN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes >in the subject and the body of the message > > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >VAROCKIN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > >-- >No virus found in this incoming message. >Checked by AVG. >Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.24.0/1461 - Release Date: 5/22/2008 >4:44 PM ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to VAROCKIN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Thanks to Wilmer, Kevin, Diane and Jim M and everyone else who provided input. I am picking up a modern day map of Virginia and West Virginia after work today and will review all of your input. I sent a death record request to Augusta County about a week ago and hope to hear something soon. I am told that a CW death record for that time period would have been filed there. I really appreciate all the input about the lay of the land, and also about WV vs VA. When I get home from work this evening, I will pour over everything and try to figure this out. The Mt Crawford notation on his original CW Service record could be a clerical error. Most of the comments in his records say Battle of Piedmont. I'm not sure who or where these documents were filled out. Is there a Mt Crawford in the town of Mt Crawford? When I look at Google Earth I can see a raised area in the town of Mt Crawford and a road surround the raised area called Cemetery Road. It does appear there is a cemetery there. I'd like to find out the name of that cemetery and will call the town in a few moments to see if there really is. It sure looks like it from the aerial. But I understand it is a ways from where the Battle of Piedmont was fought, so it's a long shot. But I need to rule it out. Also, in the battle history there is a mention that some of the worst fighting happened hear the Col. Crawford home. Perhaps the recorder got things mixed up and wrote Battle of Mount Crawford instead of Battle of Piedmont on the second record of death. Phyllis