"From Bethel To Appomattox"

I use the inscription on this Confederate monument in Boydton as an information control for the Lake Loop Permanent. It reads: "From Bethel To Appomattox."


In the picture above, Dean and Chuck record the inscription on their control cards. So what does it mean?

Enter Branson Kimball, our resident Civil War buff. He posted this history lesson on the N.C. randon listserv.

The inscription on Mike's information control in Boydton sounds strange. A Biblical name and a Native American name joined together, placed on a war memorial. What's the significance? Here's some background if you're curious.

Bethel refers to the skirmish of "Big Bethel Church" near Hampton, Virginia. It is widely recognized as the first battlefield meeting between Federal and Confederate troops in The War Between The States, taking place on June 10, 1861. 3,500 Union troops, under the command of General Ebenezer Pierce, marched on a force of 1,200 entrenched Confederates, led by Colonel Daniel Harvey Hill. Ineffectual leadership among the attackers wasted their numerical advantage.

Those missteps, coupled with a determined rebel force, resulted in a quick Confederate victory. 18 Federal troops died before they retreated, while a single North Carolinian was killed in the Confederate ranks. It was a public relations disaster for the Union, bolstering hopes across the South that independence was achievable.

Of course, Appomattox needs much less explanation. On April 9th, 1865, after a brief early morning showdown near the small town of Appomattox Court House, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia to Union General Ulysses S. Grant. Contrary to popular belief, it was not the surrender of all Confederate forces, but only those under Lee's command.

From Bethel to Appomattox -- the first battle and the last battle in the great state of Virginia. This simple inscription can be found on many Southern monuments, but in Boydton, it honors the citizens of Mecklenburg County who answered the call of their state, during our country's darkest days.

Thanks for that, Branson. I'll do my best to hunt down another historic marker as the next information control. I've already got one in mind...

Randonneurs who like a little history with their rides should check this blog post about our 600K, which passes one of North Carolina's battlefields.