THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 16, 1996 TAG: 9608140148
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 1E EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 79 lines
A rare book on local Civil War history has been reprinted and is being sold to finance restoration of a historic cemetery.
Stonewall Camp No. 380 of the Son of Confederate Veterans, based in Portsmouth, has published 1,000 copies of ``A Record of Events in Norfolk County, Virginia, from April 19, 1861, to May 10, 1862, with a History of the Soldiers and Sailors of Norfolk County, Norfolk City and Portsmouth Who Served in the Confederate States Army or Navy,'' by John W.H. Porter.
The book sale is the brainchild of Marion H. ``Hank'' Morris of Portsmouth, commander of Stonewall Camp SCV, retired from the U.S. Army and a retired brigadier general of the Virginia National Guard; and William ``Bill'' Blake, Chesapeake resident, Portsmouth public school teacher, re-enactor and local historian who wrote the preface.
The book is being sold at several Olde Towne Portsmouth locations and will be available at the upcoming Chesapeake Civil War Days at the Chesapeake Central Library.
All proceeds from the sale will be used to refurbish Cedar Grove Cemetery, a historic burial ground on the National Register of Historic Places. The site includes 270 Confederate dead and other war veterans from the Revolution up to World War II.
``The place had gone to hell over the years,'' Morris said about the cemetery. ``Many headstones had deteriorated so badly that you couldn't make out the inscriptions.''
Veterans buried in the cemetery who served with the Confederate Navy, for example, had headstones that simply read ``CSN.''
Morris said his SCV group, with the cooperation of the Portsmouth Parks and Recreation Department and help from citizen volunteers and from the Portsmouth Sheriff's work-release crews, have undertaken to clean up the cemetery, repainting and replacing wrought iron fencing and improving existing headstones of all the buried veterans.
Other individuals assisting Morris on the cemetery project include Blake, Gyrald Maye, Dan Williamson, Frank White, Tony Griffin and Paul Forehand of the Portsmouth Parks and Recreation Department.
Morris said he wanted to keep the original headstones in order to maintain the historical authenticity of the cemetery. To do that it will be necessary to re-cut every stone at the neighboring Ogg Stone Works. Each stone's original inscription is being restored and any new/additional information that was discovered will be inscribed on the back of each stone.
In cleaning and refurbishing the place, Morris said he and his companions have learned that the cemetery is the resting place of the first commander of the Portsmouth Naval Hospital, a Portsmouth mayor who held office for 27 years, three Revolutionary War veterans and several men who fought in the War of 1812. He also discovered that a famous Southern poetess and her brother, a recipient of England's Victoria Cross, also are buried there.
``The book is a small Civil War classic,'' Blake said. ``It's a very valuable primary historical source and research tool. It has already been used by such nationally known authors and historians as William C. Davis in `Duel Between The First Ironclads' and William N. Still Jr. in `Iron Afloat.' The book also has been used by the authors of H.E. Howard's `Virginia Regimental Series.' '' ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
AT A GLANCE
What: Re-publication of ``A Record of Events in Norfolk County,
Virginia, from April 19, 1861, to May 10, 1862, with a History of
the Soldiers and Sailors of Norfolk County, Norfolk City and
Portsmouth Who Served in the Confederate States Army or Navy,'' by
John W.H. Porter.
Who: Published and sold by Stonewall Camp No. 380 of the Sons of
Confederate Veterans, based in Portsmouth.
Why: All proceeds from the sales will be used to refurbish Cedar
Grove Cemetery in Portsmouth.
When: Books are on sale at several Portsmouth locations and will
be sold at a special price at Chesapeake Civil War Days Sept. 7-8 at
the Chesapeake Central Library, 298 Cedar Road.
Where: Books are available at Miss Pittypat's Flower and Gift
Shop, 501 High St., Portsmouth; Pfeiffer's Books & Cards, 434 High
St., Portsmouth; Prison Square Antiques, 440 High St., Portsmouth;
and by calling Hank Morris at 488-1397.
Cost: Books sell for $25 but will be sold for $22.50 during
Chesapeake Civil War Days. by CNB