July 11 - 12, 1864 - Postmaster Blair’s Falkland Mansion Burned by Confederate Forces Throughout the Civil War, civilians were caught in the crossfire of the fighting. Sometimes the damage or deaths caused by soldiers was purely incidental, sometimes it was done in the name of eliminating a specific source of support for the opposing army, but sometimes the destruction was done in the name of vengeance for some prior act committed by the other side in battle or on a raid. It is certainly understandable the hate that can be generated when one sees his fighting companion killed by the enemy or watches a splendid building destroyed by the other’s cannons, but the general rules of war forbid purposely destroying civilian property and shooting civilians. By mid-1864 the Federal Army was finally making gains on Gen Lee and his Southern forces. In a desperate move—similar to the push to Gettysburg—Lee allowed Gen Jubal Early and his forces to sneak through the Shenadoah Valley and come around through Maryland to attack Washington. Although he was eventually routed by some great delay fighting by the Union troops in place followed by a quick detachment of a regiment fighting under Grant in Northern Virginia, Early did penetrate the Silver Springs area around which Post Master General Montgomery Blair had his Falkland country home near his father’s. Early’s men looted the house and put it to the torch before moving on to other large homes, including that of Blair’s father. Just as the men were preparing to do the same to the senior Blair’s house, Gen Breckenridge rode up and demanded the men cease the looting and leave that house intact. It turns out that Breckenridge had been befriended by the senior Blair many years earlier. Blair was consumed by the destruction of his house and justifiably hoped for justice. Many of his neighbors actually collected funds to help him rebuild, but he acknowledged that it would simply be inappropriate for him to accept their assistance with hundreds of other poorer neighbors likewise lost homes and farms and yet were not being compensated. Blair did, however, voice some public vehemence against Gen Halleck who was responsible for protecting Washington and the word spread to Lincoln that Blair wanted him fired. Lincoln politely responded to all his staff that it was inappropriate for any cabinet member or other governmental official to demand someone outside their department be dismissed. That decision was purely for the President and he would exercise it, if appropriate, on his own. With many reasons for wanting to lash out at someone to be punished for his destroyed home, it is worthwhile to learn that when Blair found out Gen Ben Butler of the North had torched a Confederate Officer’s house in retaliation for the burning of his Falkland estate, Blair publicly exclaimed, “If we allow the military to invade the rights of private property on any other grounds than those recognized by civilized warfare, there will soon cease to be any security whatever for the rights of civilians on either side.” He had learned to cool his desire for vengeance. From Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin (Simon & Schuster, 1230 Ave of Americas, 10020), 2005. [characterqualitystories] Pictured below: Montgomery Blair, Falkland Mansion cafepress/CivilWar1861to1865Part2 cafepress/USCivilWarColoredApparel
Posted on: Fri, 11 Jul 2014 09:48:08 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015