As much as I admire Jackson; I must correct all of you to my opinion; it wasn't Jackson standing like a stonewall: it was his men! Few understand - they being the ones that have had the "experience". Regards, Ray ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alyson L. Taylor-White" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2011 7:27 AM Subject: Fwd: News from Virginia's Executive Mansion Hi All - here's news from the Executive Mansion in Richmond. Alyson Begin forwarded message: > From: Virginia's Executive Mansion <[log in to unmask] > > > Date: August 3, 2011 4:17:18 PM EDT > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: News from Virginia's Executive Mansion > Reply-To: [log in to unmask] > > Having trouble viewing this email? Click here > > > MANSION E-NEWS > AUGUST 2011 > In This Issue > Web Renaissance > Offical Bicentennial Book of the Mansion > Fog of War Descends of Governor's Mansion > No Picnic in Manassas or at the Mansion > > Quick Links > Executive Mansion > Virginia's Executive Chef > Mansion Tours > Governor McDonnell > First Lady of Virginia > Governor's Mansion Web Renaissance > > The mansion's web presence has come about face in cyberspace with its > newly launched website. This illuminating site is just a click away at > www.executivemansion.virginia.gov. The interactive site includes > information about the current Civil War exhibit at the Mansion, the > history, mansion events, recipes from the Executive Chef, menus of what > VIPs are served when they visit the Mansion and much more. We encourage > you to continue to check back for updates. > Mansion's Civil War Sesquicentennial Commemoration Exhibits > > The inaugural exhibit focuses on the death and lying in state of General > Stonewall Jackson at the Mansion. The exhibit includes Jackson's Death > Mask, which was made as his body lay at the Mansion. > > The Executive Mansion thanks the Valentine Richmond History Center for > loaning the death mask to the Mansion. Other items featured in the > exhibit were generously loaned by the Museum of the Confederacy, the > Virginia Historical Society, and the Library of Virginia. > > Exhibits will continue throughout the Sesquicentennial and are included > as part of regular mansion tours. > > For more information, click here. > > > Author Mary Theobald matches book text with appropriate images > VIRGINIA AUTHORS CHRONICLE HISTORY OF VIRGINIA'S GOVERNOR'S MANSION > > In 2013, Virginia's Executive Mansion-the oldest occupied governor's > residence in all the fifty states-marks its 200th anniversary. To > celebrate this bicentennial milestone, we are planning a yearlong series > of special events at the Mansion and on Capitol Square. Some events are > inspired by historical occasions such as the antebellum band concerts and > the informal receptions that Virginians have long enjoyed. > > The Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) is publishing a handsome coffee > table book that will chronicle the riveting history of this residence. > Research has revealed a wealth of human stories with a visual treasure > trove of compelling images. The lively text is peppered with ghost > stories, pets and pranks, famous and fashionable faces and the rhetorical > building blocks that bring the mansion to life. A must-read for lovers of > Virginia's venerable past. This official book of the Mansion's > Bicentennial is scheduled to be released in October of 2012. > > MANSION PORTRAIT CONFIRMED AS AUTHENTIC GEORGE BINGHAM > > The Mansion's "Portrait of a Boy and His Dog" hanging in the ladies > parlor has been authenticated by Bingham specialists Fred R. Kline, Dr. > Paul Nagel and author William Kloss, advisors to the Catalogue Raisoonne > Supplement. > > George Celeb Bingham (1811-1879) was born in Augusta County Virginia and > moved west in 1819 becoming Missouri's first artist. Bingham, called the > "old master" of American art is best known for his iconic "Fur Traders > Descending > the Missouri". > > This endearing portrait, long attributed to Bingham, is of Colin Dunlop > and was painted during Bingham's six month stay in Petersburg in 1841. > The portrait was deeded to the Governor's Mansion in 1977 by the estate > of Martha Spottswood of Petersburg Virginia. > > > THE FOG OF WAR DESCENDS ON THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION > > Peaceable, "Honest John" Letcher was a lawyer, journalist and embattled > Civil War Governor > > Governor Letcher > of Virginia. His transformation from dove to hawk transpired in three > horrific months in early 1861. Moderate, John Letcher, an advocate for > the gradual emancipation of slaves, had labored to preserve the Union and > was prominent in the organization of the failed February, 1861 Washington > peace conference. By April all hope of peace had disappeared with seven > of the deep South states seceding from the Union. Hopes of any > reconciliation were dashed when President Lincoln called for troops to > suppress the rebellion. Virginia seceded from the Union on April 17th, > 1861. Governor John Letcher, now the hawk, embraced his responsibilities > to organize the state for war and complete a smooth transition from State > to Confederate control. > > Letcher's administrative skills were enacted immediately. On April 23rd, > Letcher offered Robert E. Lee the command of the States defense forces, > Lee accepted. President Lincoln's invitation to command the Union forces > had been turned down earlier in 1861.The following month Letcher > orchestrated moving the Confederate capital from Montgomery, Alabama to > Richmond, and on May 29 the city greeted President Jefferson Davis with > cheers and celebration. > > Governor Pierpont > > Virginia was soon to have two governors, due to these actions and the > vote for secession from the Union. Delegates from the northern and > northwestern counties of the State refused to join the Confederacy and > elected Francis Pierpont as their governor at the Wheeling Convention. > Pierpont served in Alexandria and was protected by the Union while acting > as governor presiding over the captured portions of the state. Pierpont > prevailed after the war. In 1865 President Andrew Johnson appointed him > as the provisional governor of the reunited state of Virginia. > > > THERE WAS NO PICNIC IN MANASSAS OR AT THE MANSION > > > Battle at Bull Run - image from the Library of Virginia > The first battle of Manassas, Bull Run, as it is called in the north, on > July 21, 1861 was destined to bring a quick end to the southern > disturbance. General McDowell's 30,000 troops were certain to rout the > Confederate Army of General Beauregard. So confident were > Washingtonian's, they made the thirty mile trip to witness the spectacle > as sport. Senators and celebrators, politicians and picnickers, braved > the sweltering heat to witness the Union triumph. By early afternoon it > appeared that a glorious Union victory was at hand. Then it all changed > when troops under John Letcher's close friend, the relatively unknown > Colonel, Thomas Jackson, held their ground against the Union advance. > Inspired by this example, General Bernard Bee told his men to look to > Jackson who was standing "like a stone wall," and to "rally 'round the > Virginians." It was here that Jackson's nickname originated. General > Johnson's southern reinforcements arrived by rail and the tide turned. > The rebel conquest was complete and devastating to the defeated Union > Army who turned and ran, with the spectators, back to Washington. > > The march to Richmond had been stopped for now, and the fall and winter > would be time for the Union troops to think tactics for the encounters to > come in the spring of 1862. > > The Virginia Central Railroad brought the wounded, dying and dead back to > Richmond and with them the horrors and reality of war. Both sides were > sobered by the causalities and violence of the battle. The dye had been > cast, war was inevitable, relative quiet prevailed for the remainder of > 1861, and this would be the proverbial calm before the bloody storm. Now > the weight of war was on the shoulders of Governor Letcher, President > Davis, their generals and troops. > > > > Forward email > This email was sent to [log in to unmask] by > [log in to unmask] | > Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | > Privacy Policy. > Virginia's Executive Mansion | Capitol Square | Richmond | VA | 23219 > Alyson L. Taylor-White 804-920-2783 ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html