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| Grand Old Richmond in the War for Southern Independence |
| The Canal and Turning Basin. |
| Key Players and Private Soldiers. |
| Links to further information. |
| Welcome to Grand, Old Richmond! |
| As a someone who's been lucky enough to live all my life in one of the finest cities to be found anywhere in the world, I think it's time to share the secrets hidden beneath the modern facade most folks see when they look out upon the skyline of the capital of Virginia. Many people know that the government of the Confederacy was based here for most of the War Between the States. But, what is more obscure is the fact that in the anti-bellum years, this was one of the largest, most important locals in the young United States. Tobacco warehouses, mills of all sorts, and perhaps the most modern iron works south of the Mason-Dixon Line were located in the city on the falls of the James River. Sitting astride numerous railroad lines running up and down the Eastern Seaboard, Richmond merchants grew rich on the traffic of almost every imaginable product in transit from the industrial Northeast, as well as the cash crops heading up to the factories of the New York, Pennsylvania, and New England. When it became clear, in late 1860, that the governments of the Deep South were going to exert their right to break away from the Union of States, Virginia, always a conservative entity, decided to work as a mediator. The citizens from the home of Washington, Jefferson, Henry, and so many other Patriots of the Revolution couldn't imagine throwing all of the trials and toils of their ancestors away for a lack of understanding; however, when the shells of rebellious guns began crashing into the masonry of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, everything changed. The new president, Abraham Lincoln, ordered the Old Dominion to furnish her quota of troops to quell the wayward states forming a government in Montgomery, Alabama. It was all too much for the men of Virginia. Within days, on ordinance of secession passed, and the Commonwealth was an independent nation. This was the chance the rural Deep South needed! The only way in which the Confederacy could compete in the forthcoming conflict was to have the might of Virginia on her side. To insure this, the Southerners chose to move the capital from Montgomery to Richmond. The history of the charming city on the James was about to be changed forever... |
| A bit of an introduction... |
| On the following pages, you will find my meager attempt to pay homage to the city of my birth, the roots of my soul, Richmond, Virginia. I have collected hundreds of photographs, some contemporary to The War, some of the present, all showing the unimaginable history of one of the finest cities in the World. I hope you will learn something. I hope you see the beauty. But, most of all, I hope this will move you to help save this gem. As in so many cases these days, the past is being quickly plowed underfoot as developers snatch up every parcel of open land left. The hallowed ground, the scenes of so much carnage and courage, are becoming apartments and offices. This has to change! We must preserve and conserve what is left so our children will see for themselves what our ancestors accomplished during one of the most remarkable periods in the history of our nation. So, take a look around! Check out the photos already here, and check back often! As I aquire them, I'll be posting more, and adding everything I can find. If you have something to contribute or any comments, please let me know! Cheers, Brett |
| I have tried to organize the photographs into rather broad catagories. Please use the navigation bar to the left to find what you are looking for. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to drop me a line! |
| These pictures and drawings have been taken from various sources around the Internet. Most (all as far as I know) are of the public domain, but if I have used something that violates a copyright, please let me know, and it will be removed. If you feel I have used something of yours, and you would like a link back to your page, also drop me a line, and it will be done. ---Brett |
| This site designed and maintained by Brett Silver |
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| Due to the number and size of some of these photographs, the following pages are going to take a while to load. Please be patient, it's worth the time! |
| This work is dedicated to my favorite writer, native Richmonder, and the inspiration for my study of Virginia's history, Douglas Southall Freeman. |
| Coming Soon! |
| After being without a digital camera for a few months, I am now back in business! New material has already been added and much more will be coming in the following weeks. Enjoy!!! |