Dan Kegley/With the hill where he thinks Union Major General George Stoneman set up headquarters during the Battle of Marion over his right shoulder, and the Union troops’ positions over his left, Marion historian Kenny Sturgill proposes the new retail center at Exit 47 reflect the site’s history.
By DAN KEGLEY/Staff
It’s a familiar, oft-retold story: new battles fought over old battlefields frequently make headlines across the southern and eastern United States.
This time, however, there’s no battle, no demonstrations, no cry of “Damn the developers.”
There’s only the lone voice calling publicly for remembrance, the voice of historian Kenny Sturgill who wants a retail center to reflect the historic ground on which it is proposed to be built.
Until now, no one has spoken publicly about the Battle of Marion and the planned Marion Centre that will sit on part of the battlefield south of Interstate 81 Exit 47. The last time the battle made the news was when a Civil War Trails kiosk bearing information about the battle was installed on the south side of North Main Street near the town limits a few years ago. Before that, the battle was remembered mainly by historians like Sturgill and Civil War buffs who learned of it from sources other than their own schools.
“When I was in school, the Battle of Marion wasn’t taught,” Sturgill said.
What historians know of the battle is best recounted, in Sturgill’s estimation, by David Chaltas and Richard Brown. They paint a picture of Major General George Stoneman, the Union commander of forces in Tennessee and Kentucky, adopting Sherman’s policy of total warfare, calling for the destruction of infrastructure and goods, including food and possession of civilians, in a late-war push to break the Confederacy.
Stoneman’s cavalry on Dec. 14, 1864, was pushing toward Marion from the west, “destroying everything in their path,” Chaltas and Brown wrote. On the 16th they camped at Glade Spring and on the 17th, some of Stoneman’s troops rode to Wytheville “to destroy anything that looked valuable,” including the lead mining and smelting operations ten miles beyond.
Major General John C. Breckenridge commanded the Army of the Department of Southwest Virginia and decided to move his men from their position defending the saltworks in Saltville to help stop Stoneman’s obliteration of the area.
On Dec. 17, some of Breckenridge’s forces dislodged Stoneman and his line from the hill north of the river, territory now east of the Marion DMV office. Forming their own line there, the Confederates repelled three union charges before dark.
The next day found the two armies eyeing each other across the river—Stoneman’s men arrayed along the long ridge south of the river, Breckinridge on the hills north of it in the vicinity where Smyth County Community Hospital proposes to build a new facility.
“With bugles sounding and both armies raising their battle cries the second day of battle began,” Chaltas and Brown wrote. “Columns of men in blue again charged across the mucky fields into the same contemptuous fire they had received the day before.”
Central to the action was the covered bridge over the river on the Allen farm the Union troops tried to cross. The bridge became a “trap of their own making,” wrote Chaltas and Brown, as Union troops took shelter there from the Enfield fire that picked off each one who tried to run back to the line.
Late in the afternoon it looked as though the Confederates would prevail in holding off the Union troops. That changed as they saw a long line of cavalry reinforcements joining the Federal soldiers, diverted from an attack on Saltville. An evening inspection of his line revealed to Breckinridge that too many of his men were dead or wounded for him to continue holding his position. In the dark, his men left the battlefield as a few soldiers remained for a couple of hours, firing shots to mask the Confederates’ departure.
Breckenridge’s army went over the mountain into Rye Valley. Stoneman’s troops went to Saltville, inflicting temporary damage on the salt works that was not accomplished in the Union attack two months earlier.
On Monday, Kenny Sturgill stood on a cul de sac off Rifton Road below the ridge where Stoneman arrayed his men. The field is now pastureland, revealing no hint of the history that unfolded on it.
Several hundred yards east, a higher rounded hill is where Sturgill thinks Stoneman’s headquarters was located during the battle. It’s elevated for good viewing of the maneuvers below, but distant enough from the Confederates’ Parrott guns. Four of the small cannons shelled the Union soldiers, especially those who dared advance toward the river crossing from their ranks on the long ridge.
This ridge is the location of the $40 million commercial development that will bring a Wal-Mart and other retail establishments. George D. Zamias Developers continued to decline this week to discuss the project or even to confirm the development’s second anchor store, a home improvement retailer.
George D. Zamias Developers said on its Web site that “Marion Centre is a planned 398,881 [square foot] power center located in Marion, Virginia. The development will be anchored by a 184,435 square foot Wal Mart and a 109,846 square foot home improvement store. Small Shop space totals 68,600 [square feet], and there are over 9 acres of available outparcels.”
Last month more than 50 people offered favorable comments about a proposed $2.1 million upgrade of the Exit 47 interchange at a Virginia Department of Transportation hearing.
Zamias Developers and Apollo Realty Partners LLC have proposed to fund the design and construction of the interchange modifications. No state funds have been used for the design, nor will public dollars be used for construction of the modifications, VDOT said.
Across the river, Sturgill used to sit on the Confederates’ hill before it grew up in shrubs and weeds and trees to imagine the battle playing out before and below him.
“A Confederate, his name was Mosgrove, wrote about seeing thousands of horses without riders but lined up on that ridge almost to Johnston Road,” Sturgill said.
Sturgill has spent countless hours searching through primary sources, the original documents that are the mainstay of historical research, learning what he can about the Battle of Marion. But he takes his research farther, and deeper by six inches or so, recovering from the ground the metal remnants that tell him often more about the battle than the paper records he’s studied.
Sturgill uses a metal detector to find bullets in sufficient concentrations to tell of the actions that sent them onto and into the soil. That’s how he said he determined the actual positions of the opposing armies. Two lines, one shorter at the middle of the slope, a longer one behind it along the ridge crest, were drawn for him by the bullets Sturgill found.
The longer line, revealed by some 2,000 bullets Sturgill found, points like an Enfield rifle toward the hill where he believes Stoneman himself stood and directed his officers. That knob is safe. Not so the Yankee lines that one day will be replaced by lines of shoppers.
The artifacts Sturgill finds tell him about past events, much like crime-scene evidence and perpetrators’ fingerprints for forensic investigators, but usually much less precisely. In an apple orchard that no longer stands off Rifton Road, he found buttons, including a VMI cadet button. However, VMI cadets would not have been fighting their fellow Confederates from Union positions.
“I take from that that a Yankee took the coat from a VMI cadet lying dead somewhere,” Sturgill said.
There are less explainable components of the battle that are still mysterious to Sturgill. For example, why did the Union work so hard at trying to cross the covered bridge directly below the Confederates’ position when the ford near Johnston Road would have allowed a much easier river crossing?
While Sturgill’s metal detecting has added to an understanding of the battle and the positions of its opposing forces, the Battle of Marion has not been the subject of significant archaeological study, according to archaeologist Tom Klatka of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.
In November 2007 a consulting firm conducted dug shovel test pits on the retail site that “did not produce any Civil War period artifacts,” Klatka said, “but STPs are not an effective method for identifying or investigating military sites. Given the proximity of the engagement to the survey project area, a more detailed study should have been taken place. On the other hand, it seems the engagement was not documented in great detail in official records. This is often the case with Civil War sites, so knowing where to look for various components of the engagements can be very difficult.”
Sturgill said there’s little information in the records about the actual positions of Stoneman’s officers and their troops. His metal detecting, he said, “pretty well lays it out.” Confederate positions are better documented, even in Northern-sympathizing sources that often don’t include details about the South’s military actions.
Battlefield archaeology, a discipline of controlled excavation, measurement, recordation and analysis, frequently refines and even corrects documentary battle histories. A Northern Virginia archaeologist, for example, found battle formations during study of a West Virginia site that came as news to historians who had to revisit and rewrite the battle’s history.
Klatka said former VDHR historian John Salmon conducted a topographic map study of Virginia Civil War sites. Using official documents, he located an engagement east of Marion in a river bottom off Bear Creek Road.
Sturgill was unaware of Salmon’s study, and suggested it may have involved a challenge to Stoneman’s troops coming back from Wytheville.
As Civil War battles go, Marion was not a Gettysburg or an Antietam, but it is significant in local history, Sturgill argues. It’s a part of the story of the battles at Saltville, fought over the source of 75 percent of the Confederacy’s salt supply after West Virginia joined the Union and its Kanawha salt works started supplying the Union, Sturgill said.
For all his passion for history and its preservation, Sturgill is not calling for abandonment of the developer’s plans. Instead, he believes the development should honor and reflect the history of the ground it will occupy.
“I’d love to see at least the shopping center be called Battleground Shopping Center,” Sturgill said. “Some recognition that’s going to be permanent to denote the battlefield. Why not Battlefield Shopping Center? They’re dead on the Yankee line. I think the only hope for recognition is naming it Battleground Shopping Center.”
A kiosk on the Civil War Trails circuit on Highway 11 near the town limits in the middle of the battlefield “according to my findings is not correct,” Sturgill said. “We just need to make people aware of what happened there.” Historians’ “legwork needs to be maintained down through the generations so people will know what happened there.”
Perry Russ, executive vice president of Zamias Services overseeing the Marion development, would not immediately comment on Sturgill’s proposal that the retail center recognize the battlefield. Russ asked to be contacted on the matter “in 60 days.”
Great - we’re about to bulldoze even more history in Smyth County. The name should reflect the land’s history, but shouldn’t county politicians require something real from the developer: infrastructure funding, money for a park, etc.?
All developers are gonna give us now is a center name, about 70 part-time jobs that pay $6.50 an hour (workers who will still qualify for food stamps), and a lot more traffic.
History Takes Backseat to Progress in Smyth County
During my sixty-one years I have stood by and watched as one after another historic buildings have given way to “progress” in Smyth County, particularly in Marion. My uncle, Mack Sturgill, and I worked together on many projects to preserve remnants of the history of Smyth County before his death in 1998. We compiled and published four volumes of Smyth County Cemetery data, Mack published his very popular book “Abijah Thomas and his Octagonal House”, I wrote “A Southern Family in the Civil War”, as well as other projects. With the loss of Mack the county has lost one of its most ardent forces for preserving our local history. For those who are not familiar with Mack go to http://smythcountyhistory.org/mack.htm on the internet.
Now that Mack is gone and as I watch the wholesale disregard for history suddenly flung upon us I feel compelled to finally speak up. One of the counties most valuable assets, the museum of the Smyth County Historical & Museum Society has no home after decades. Recently I visited the museum on a Saturday only to find the ladies packing up every single display into boxes. When I asked what was going on I was told that they had lost the building. I was told that most of the material would be put into storage! Mack is turning over in his grave and I am mad as hell. What kind of place could let such a valuable asset be swept away to make way for who knows what, since no decision has been made as to the future use of the building.
Just how little does our history mean to those who make the decisions here? I had a young ten years old girl with me during the visit to the museum. She was fascinated at the displays that hadn’t been dismantled but after we left I tried to explain why we wouldn’t be able to go there anymore. At her tender age she could not understand why anyone would allow the museum to close. I couldn’t explain, although I tried as best I could, the reasons behind it. She talked for days about what she had seen but even more about why this was happening. Still, I couldn’t give her an answer that she, nor I could understand.
Not only are we loosing our museum but we are loosing history as the new Super Wal-Mart is getting ready to completely erase the Yankee side of the Battle of Marion. Many times I have taken my children, grandchildren and others to the parking lot at Tractor Supply and told them the story of the battle that took place here in December of 1864. As I would point out the battle lines and tell of the covered bridge that was at the center of the battlefield I could see in their eyes that they understood what I was telling them and they were fascinated by it. Young children have a thirst for knowledge and by telling the story on a level they could understand it was something that would remain in their mind for years to come.
Over many years I hunted the battlefield with metal detectors and found many artifacts that tell the story even better than what has been written by knowing where troops were lined up for battle and what kind of equipment they used.
By late 1864 the Confederate soldiers were without proper attire for the harsh temperatures which was in the mid 30s. Many without shoes or boots fought on ignoring the cold rain, the deep mud and lack of both warm clothing and ammunition. Although the battle only lasted two days it was a pivotal point in the raid into Southwest Virginia by General George Stoneman. The Confederates under the command of John Cabell Breckinridge (former presidential candidate who ran against Lincoln) ran completely out of ammunition and had to leave the battlefield under cover of darkness on the night of December 18th.
With the Confederate forces gone General Stoneman marched on Saltville and destroyed the saltworks which was the major supplier of salt for the Confederacy. Today salt is something we take for granted but in the 1860s it was vital for preserving meat since there was no refrigeration those many years ago, curing hides and as a dietary supplement for the soldiers and their horses as well as other livestock. By the time Breckinridge re-supplied and made his way to Saltville it was to late. The home guard has been overwhelmed by Stoneman’s 5,000 troops and the town lay in shambles.
Two down. The museum is gone and the side of the battlefield where the Union troops fought from will soon be under Wal-Mart asphalt, but it doesn’t end here. Now Mountain States Health Alliance has an option on the land where the 1,200 Confederate soldiers fought, holding off the much superior forces of Stoneman until they ran out of ammunition. Yes, the entire battlefield will be soon history and I don’t use history in a good sense here.
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Continued…
Mountain States Health Alliance’s plan is to build a 50 bed hospital to replace Smyth County Community Hospital that currently has 170 beds. Doesn’t this sound like a giant step backwards? I remember when Smyth County Community Hospital was first build with donations of the working men and women of the county. And what say do we have in this process? None. How is it that a hospital that was publicly funded be cast aside for a much smaller facility? Sounds to me like nothing more than a tax write-off for the corporation with little consideration for providing enough beds to take care of the needs of the citizens of Smyth County. Suppose we have a major disaster in the county and with Interstate 81 running through the county that is a distinct possibility. How will the new hospital be able to give care to so many if they only have 50 beds? I don’t have the answer. Has anyone at Mountain States Health Alliance discussed this with the Emergency Coordinator of our county? In an emergency situation we know the faster the treatment the better the survival rate. That is common sense but if there are no beds for the injured they will have to be transported to other hospitals either in Abingdon or Wytheville.
On a positive note I would like to mention the Museum of the Middle Appalachians in Saltville. It is amazing what they have done there and if any of you reading this article have not visited their museum I highly suggest that you do so. You will be pleasantly surprised at the “big city” quality of their facility. It is first class!
But back to the subjects at hand. Should we all gather at a cemetery and bid a final farewell to history in Smyth County? Bury our most precious historical documents and artifacts in a coffin then close the lid, shovel dirt over it and go on like nothing of note ever took place here? Should we simply erase our history and start over with a clean slate? I think not! It is time for the people of Smyth County to stand up and say our history IS important. There are hundreds of people living here who have enough wealth to build the museum a building to house our precious history but as yet, as far as I know, not one has stepped forward with a plan to rescue our past. Can we call what is happening here progress or just extreme greed?
I was greatly upset when I heard the museum was closing as even tho I do not live in Marion now I grew up there and still take my children and grandchildren back to visit. I have purchased many books fom Mary Kegley in Wytheville and the books from the Sturgill’s, oh yes I did get traditions for Smyth County.
I can not believe that everyone in Marion is just ignoring the battle field or museum does no one remember our past I am 80 years old and I enjoying showing my grandchildren things that even their parents are unable to. We do not have a future without a past.
I was not born nor raised in southwest VA, however, this is where I have chosen to make my home. I feel it is a great shame for the local folks to just sit by and “LET”, not only their history but their children and grand-children’s history disappear. History is not just stories about our past but it is a part of what makes us who we are. I find it rather sad that a small town like Saltville can and does preserve it’s history more so than our own county seat. I know that it can not and will not stop the building of these new facilities, but I greatly agree that we need to at least pay some respect to those who fought for our beliefs, regardless of which side we agreed with, be recognized by acknowledging them with some sort of name for the new centre in their honor.
As for the new hospital. I say what a waste. If they aren’t going to build a facility to accommodate us for emergencies or for the population of our area, then why bother. Sounds like to me more of a plot of some sorts for Mountain State Alliance to force local folks to have to travel to their larger facilities than expand our local facilities to support us locally.
And finally, my thoughts on Marion’s museum. I still remember when I first moved into this area taking my children to that museum. We all greatly enjoyed our visit there. It helped my children get a sense of their families past,(they have family from this area). It even encouraged them to seek out more history from the area, which in return had us making several trips around the area to follow up on the things they had learned. It saddens me greatly to think of this history packed away in boxes and just sitting in storage. Can you not hear your ancestors crying to be released? What a shame!
Everytime there is progress something has to be go. Either a battlefield or someones favorite tree. I grew up in Smyth county and never even knew it had a museum. Give me a break, get over the civil war allready.
But Joe B, is another Wal-Mart “progress”? If this development were bringing decent paying full-time jobs, I doubt there would be as much criticism. Instead, beautiful land will be paved over, and the Wal-Mart in Marion will be abandoned and left as an eyesore.
I WAS BORN IN MARION .THOSE PEOPLE THERE ARE SO FAR BACK IN TIME .I GO BACK TO VISIT AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR THE PLACE NEVER CHANGES .MY FATHER AND MOTHER AND A BABY BROTHER ARE BURIED THEIR. ITS ASHAME THE FOLKS DON’T WORRY ABOUT THEIR FUTURE AND THE FUTURE OF THEIR CHILDERN , GET WITH THE TIMES. THE CIVIL WAR 144 YEARS AGO THERE IS NO FUTURE IN THE PAST. LIVE AND WORK FOR YOUR FUTURE. AND THE FUTURE OF YOUR CHILDERN, AND THEIR CHILDERN.
Poet and philosopher George Santayana: “Those
who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.“
Since Santayana’s time the statement has been made by many statesmen in various forms. If we are to forget the past then should we throw out the Declaration of Independence or the Bill of Rights? Just because it is ancient should we burn the Bible? Those who think history should be thrown out with the trash should take a long look at what we have learned from it.
For those of you that think there have been no changes here in Marion take a look at downtown the next time you visit. The Lincoln Theater draws crowds monthly for the nationally televised “Song of the Mountains” series.(the history of our mountain music.) Even at night there are few parking places on Main street due to the new businesses there that are thriving. Yes, there are problems that need addressing here but it is not all bad in Smyth County.
There are many of us here who are proud of our heritage, not ashamed as some of you must be. If we didn’t learn from the Civil War, slavery would still exist. Would that be progress? If you care so little for Marion and Smyth County why bother coming back? We have some forward thinking leaders here who have brought about positive changes, not the least of which is Ken Heath who has revitalized downtown Marion and it is a trend that will continue into the future. Most of us received a good education here, but obviously there are a few who did not.
Smyth County is struggling like all of SW Virginia but we will survive. It is not the people of the area who have caused these problems. We have lost many industries and thousands of jobs due to NAFTA and other decisions made in Washington, not Smyth County. Southwest Virginia has lost many sons and daughters to another war, the one in Iraq and if we don’t learn something from this war we certainly will be doomed to repeat it. Do you want that?
It is good that those of who make such derogatory comments about the history of our area no longer live here.
Does Smyth Co. have a Planning Commission where the ideas that have been discussed in this Fed back Section, be formally addressed and brought before the Board of Supervisors and they in-turn could go forward to the Shopping Center Developers as a “united body” to aire their feelings/suggestions/ideas/Financial Participation to help establish a museum. You’re going to have one of the supervisors bring this up before the board, or go to the County Administor for his help/guidance. This must be done in a civil manner and if nothing happens, so be it.(If the Board of Supervisors are not aware of how the community feels about this—-then someone who has just voiced a major concern must address the Board during open business portion. Don’t just sit on your hands
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