Lots of stuff in the works. A recap of this past weekend’s trip to Frederick, MD for a Save Historic Antietam Foundation tour of the 1862 Maryland Campaign up to South Mountain and side trips to Monocacy Battlefield, and Gettysburg; a preservation alert on Harper’s Ferry; a couple of author interviews and perhaps one with a small publisher; the new Civil War Times is out, with my regular column – now titled Collateral Damage – on Antietam’s Roulette house (surprisingly no modern photos ran with the article, so I’ll post a few here); some interesting stuff from two diaries on the Battle of Fredericksburg; and one other topic that I can’t recall just now but will probably come to me at the most inopportune moment.
Also, in the course of working on my book-like-thingy I came across some errors in my Orders of Battle – mostly first names, initials and spelling). I’ll correct them eventually too, but if you notice any in the meantime please let me know.
Stay tuned!
Harry Smeltzer
Bull Runnings 
I saw last Saturday at UVA Special collections Homer G. Richey Papers MSS 5640. The Collection is billed “Nelson Co. business records”. The collection is not indexed. In box 1 is a Roll of Botetourt Dragoons book (not labeled on the outside) All the records are 1861 only in the book. it starts off Capt Pitzer, 1st Lt. R.H. Burks, 2nd Lt. C. Breckenridge. I’m trying to see if the book is known about. If it is not I am willing to have the book copied and scanned and sent to ——?. (In box 2 there is a signature book of Lucy Pitzer. So this book was taken to Faber, Nelson Co. from Botetourt-likely). In the 1861 muster book is a loose paper of Harriet Kyle’s land assessment. So this told me these people were distant cousins of ours (but I won’t get into that here).
Sam Towler
Charlottesville
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Sam, I’m not familiar with the book, but that really doesn’t mean much. Some of my readers are much more in tune with this kind of thing, so let’s see what they have to say. I’d be interested to see what all is in it.
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I contacted Robert J. Driver who wrote the book in the regiment series on 2nd Va. Cavalry that the Botetourt Dragoons were in. He said he has not seen the book so I am going to have the book copied the next time I go to UVa Special Collections. Apparently the Pitzer family took the 1861 regiment book to Nelson Co. and it ended up in this unindexed collection.
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That’s interesting, because I thought that Bob D. had set-up an online business moving many of the different regimentals. I know that there are some volumes that are completely unavailable anymore, and the 2nd Va. Cav. may well be totally out of print. HE Howard isn’t going to reprint subsequent editions either. Now, the artillery books seem to be available… I guess they just aren’t as popular… which is a bummer for me :-)
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I’m confused by your comment, Robert. I think the “book” to which Sam was referring in his first post is a much older book, not one of the Howard series, on the Botetort Dragoons. I think that is the book he is going to copy.
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Sorry, my mistake. I read the last comment without seeing what preceded it.
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UVa special collections says the book is copied being the original 1861 muster roll book of Botetourt Dragoons. Apparently taken to Nelson co. by the Pitzers. UVA never indexed the Martin Faber papers so you would never find it besidens stumbling on it like I did. If anyone else wants a copy besides Robert J. Driver they can contact me. I’m going to scan it and email it to him.
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