Shared by Zachary Pittard, as Guest Blogger.

I started a chapter of my life in 2012 as a young volunteer, a soon-to-be intern from Longwood University by the pushing of my mentor, thirsty for knowledge on the American Civil War and Sailor’s Creek Battlefield made my cup runneth over.

Then, this past September I celebrated with quiet remembrance my four year anniversary with Sailor’s Creek Battlefield Historical State Park. 

A spot where you can stop and take a break overlooking some of the battlefield 

THE BASICS OF BATTLES

I learned first the basics of the Battles of Sailor’s Creek. Lee was retreating; Grant was chasing him through Southside Virginia. Three battles broke out at some crossroads, a couple of farms, and resulted in the mortal wounding of Lee’s entire army. 

I started to fine tune my mind and perspective of the war and started also, while studying how to be a historian at Longwood, fine tuning my research skills. I began to take an in-depth look into the battle, how the degeneration of the army came to pass, and why the war came through that area of Virginia. That caused me then to look into more of the Siege of Petersburg, and other operations in the last few months of the war. 

LESSER KNOWN ACTION

This narrative takes a look at a lesser known action that falls under the in-depth study part of the above paragraph. While going through our seemingly infinite files of personal accounts, I came across one while looking for information on Confederate artillery in the battle, or the lack thereof. It was the battle and capture account of Colonel Frank Huger (pronounced U-GEE), ultimately taken a prisoner prior to the Battle of Sailor’s Creek proper. The account was wrought with daring anecdotes and acts of kindness from Huger’s captors. This engagement, however, took place before any of the heavy fighting took place later in the evening. Naturally, the attack did not get much coverage in the overall layout of the museum. 

Zachary Pittard with the sign that he helped create for Sailor's Creek Battlefield State Park

A NATURAL DEVELOPMENT

About four or five months ago, I was in conversation with our park manager, Chris Calkins, about the further development of the park’s newer Peter Stagg Trail  We only had one trail marker on it and felt another one was due. Chris asked if I wanted to write my very first interpretive marker and I could not say yes fast enough. Naturally, one man and his battery’s action came to mind first and foremost. I set to work meticulously writing up the narrative of Huger’s plight. 

It was an awesome feeling putting words together to discuss one of my favorite actions of the entire war. 

After writing up the script for the marker, I got the battle maps and historic images picked out and sent in the official sign request form. Three months later this December, I was holding the finished product fresh from the DCR sign shop. I was ecstatic. Happiness was abounding all around me with how wonderful it turned out. The great work of the folks at the sign shop will never be forgotten. I cannot describe how good it felt to feel and see the fruits of my labor. 

More than anything, it felt great to be able to have something planted on the grounds of a battlefield that means so much to me. 

While taking a hike, you can stop and read some of the interpreter signs to learn more about the history that took place at Sailor's Creek 

PERSONAL CONNECTION

I had two ancestors that fought at Sailor’s Creek and feel a personal connection to the site. To the memory of the soldiers who served in those four long years of war I see it as a higher calling to work at Sailor’s Creek striving to honor their service. Having that marker in my hands gave me a sense that I was holding a tangible piece of that striving effort. The marker is a symbol of my affection to the sight, but more importantly than that is it is a lasting legacy to remind visitors of the sacrifice of the brave troops that fought along that stretch of road in 1865. 

YOUR TURN

To all who read this, be sure to come by the park and take a look at this interpretive marker. Stand on the sacred ground where those brave men fought, walk the other trails, and read the other markers.

Come to Sailor’s Creek Battlefield State Park to learn about brave soldiers who did their duty one last time in the waning days of the American Civil War in Virginia.  

For directions and more information about Sailor's Creek Battlefield State Park, click here.