Sunday, February 28, 2016

Timothy Matlack's Grave

Timothy Matlack's Grave 
Wetherills Cemetery (Free Quaker Cemetery)
Located behind the ARA Little League Fields
2800 Audubon Rd.
Audubon, PA 19403

Timothy Matlack is best known in American history for serving as the scribe for the original Declaration of Independence. Matlack also contributed to the American cause for independence by serving as a clerk to the secretary of the Second Continental Congress, storekeeper of military supplies, delegate to the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention, member of the state Council of Safety and militia officer. Matlack passed away at age 93 in Holmesburg, PA. He was originally interred in the Free Quaker Burial Ground adjacent to the Arch Street Quaker Meetinghouse in Philadelphia. In 1905, his remains were moved to the Wetherills Cemetery in Audubon, PA.

During the summer of 2015, I had the opportunity to visit a marker in Audubon, Pennsylvania for Timothy Matlack. This weekend, I decided to venture back out to Audubon to locate the grave site of Timothy Matlack. The cemetery is located in a wooded area just beyond the outfield fences of the ARA Little League Fields in Audubon.

Below is a link to my original post on Timothy Matlack, along with some photos that I took of the Wetherills Cemetery/Free Quaker Cemetery and Timothy Matlack's grave site:

http://www.mwhistoryexperience.com/search/label/Timothy%20Matlack

MW
 













Friday, February 26, 2016

48th Pennsylvania Infantry

48th Pennsylvania Infantry Monument
The Intersection of South Crater Road and South Sycamore Street
Petersburg, VA 23805

The 48th Pennsylvania Infantry was known as the Schuylkill Regiment because the unit consisted of soldiers primarily from Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The regiment was organized at Camp Curtin in Harrisburg, PA in 1861, and was mustered into federal service in September that year. The unit saw action at a number of major battles over the course of the war including the battles of Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse, Cold Harbor, Petersburg and the Crater.

The unit is best known for the actions of some of its soldiers at the Siege of Petersburg. Lieutenant Colonel Henry Pleasants, who worked as a mining engineer on the civilian side, proposed digging a long mine shaft and planting explosives under a well-defended Confederate fort. Soon after, members of the 48th began digging the mine shaft. Upon completion of the mine shaft, the gallery of the mine shaft was filled with 8,000 pounds of gunpowder under the Confederate positions. In the morning of July 30, 1864, the explosives were detonated. The explosion instantly killed around 350 Confederate soldiers. The explosion initiated the Battle of the Crater, which oddly enough, ended in a Union defeat when Union forces failed to capitalize on the early morning explosion.

The unit was mustered out of service on July 17, 1865. Over the course of the war, the unit had a total strength of 858 officers and enlisted men. The unit suffered a total of 301 casualties during the Civil War. The memorial to the 48th Pennsylvania Infantry sits in Petersburg, not too far from where the Battle of the Crater was fought. The unit is also memorialized with a monument at Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland.

Below are three links with more information on the 48th Pennsylvania Infantry, along with some photos I took during my 2009 visit:

https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/48th_Regiment,_Pennsylvania_Infantry

http://48thpennsylvania.blogspot.com/

http://www.nps.gov/pete/learn/historyculture/the-crater.htm

MW









Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Stonewall Jackson Shrine and Chandler House

Stonewall Jackson Shrine and Chandler House
12023 Stonewall Jackson Rd.
Woodford, VA 22580

General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson was a legendary Confederate commander. He served with distinction at a number of early battles in the American Civil War, and received his nickname at the First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) on July 21, 1861. During this battle, Jackson and his troops stood like a stone wall against Federal assaults. Jackson's military career and life came to an end following the Battle of Chancellorsville (April 30 - May 6, 1863) where Jackson was mortally wounded by friendly fire on May 2, 1863.

The Stonewall Jackson Shrine and Chandler House is located in Woodford (Guinea Station), Virginia. This site commemorates the location where Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson died on May 10, 1863. The Chandler House once served as the plantation office for Thomas C. Chandler's plantation Fairfield. During the Battle of Chancellorsville, wounded Confederate soldiers were brought here for treatment, including Jackson. Jackson received surgery to have his left arm amputated from gunshot wounds and rough treatment while being evacuated from the battlefield. Doctors also discovered that he was ill with pneumonia while receiving treatments for his wounds. The bed where "Stonewall" Jackson spent his final days is located in the Chandler House.

The plantation office (Chandler House) is the only remaining building from Thomas C. Chandler's 740-acre plantation. The Stonewall Jackson Shrine and Chandler House is maintained by the National Park Service. The hours of operation for the Jackson Shrine and Chandler House vary depending on the season of the year. I would recommend contacting the park to see if the house is open prior to your visit.

Below are two links with more information on this historic site, along with some photos that I took during my 2009 visit to the Stonewall Jackson Shrine and Chandler House:

http://www.nps.gov/frsp/learn/photosmultimedia/shrines.htm

http://www.virginia.org/listings/Museums/StonewallJacksonShrine/

MW











Friday, February 12, 2016

Upcoming Event - Harry Kyriakodis Interview

The Matt Ward History Experience will interview Harry Kyriakodis on Tuesday, February 16, 2016. This interview will be part of an upcoming episode of the blog's monthly podcast. Harry Kyriakodis is an author, historian and tour guide, who has written three books (pictured below) and is a regular contributor to the Hidden City Philadelphia website. Harry is known for having what is likely the largest private collection of books about the city of Philadelphia. His collection consists of over 2700 titles.

If you have any questions that you would like answered by Harry, please post them in the comments of this blog entry, send them to me via Twitter @RevWarBuff23 or via Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mwhistoryexperience

For more information on Harry Kyriakodis, please visit the following websites:

Amazon.com Author Page - http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Kyriakodis/e/B005D9T8J2

Hidden City Philadelphia Page - http://hiddencityphila.org/author/HarryK/

MW





(Photos - Harry Kyriakodis Amazon.com author page)

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Grant House/Sheltering Arms Hospital

William H. Grant House/Sheltering Arms Hospital
1008 E. Clay St.
Richmond, VA 23298

The William H. Grant House/Sheltering Arms Hospital is located in Richmond, Virginia. The three-story brick townhouse in the Italianate style was built in 1856 by Richmond tobacconist William H. Grant. The home was used for mixed purposes until 1892, when it was acquired by Sheltering Arms Hospital. Sheltering Arms Hospital was established in 1889 as a "haven of mercy" for impoverished Virginians needing medical attention. The hospital was committed to providing medical attention to all regardless of their ability to pay. The hospital was housed in the William H. Grant House from 1892-1965.

Below are two links with more information on the house and hospital, along with a few photos I took during my 2009 visit:

http://www.placestogoinrichmond.com/places/3383168-William-H-Grant-House/

http://www.shelteringarms.com/sa/ourhistory.aspx

MW




Thursday, February 4, 2016

Upcoming Event - Dave Weinberg Interview

The Matt Ward History Experience will interview Dave Weinberg in upcoming weeks. This interview will be part of an upcoming episode of the blog's monthly podcast. Dave Weinberg is a sports journalist from New Jersey, who has covered the Philadelphia Eagles, boxing, MMA, golf and high school sports for the Press of Atlantic City since 1986. Weinberg was inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame in 2015.

If you have any questions that you would like answered by Dave, please post them in the comments of this blog entry, send them to me via Twitter @RevWarBuff23 or via Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mwhistoryexperience

For more information on Dave Weinberg, please visit the following websites:


Dave Weinberg Twitter - @PressACWeinberg

New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame Pagewww.njboxinghof.org/david-weinberg/

MW

(Photo - Press of Atlantic City Official Website)