This article mentions Col. John Hill LAMAR of Georgia, who was killed at the battle of Monocacy
Submitted by S. L. Hemp [ SLHEMP at aol dot com ]
TO UNVEIL MARKER NEXT ANNIVERSARY
U.D.C Will Erect Monument on Monocacy Battlefield.
Mrs. Ellicott Fisher, of Philadelphia, who was Miss Mamie Tyler,
of this City, tells of how wounded were cared for on the battlefield.
"Many a family's darling fell on Monocacy's field, where for years
they lay unmarked. Now all sleep in beautiful Mt. Olivet where the
Confederate monument, the soldier on guard, keeps his eye on those
little mounds marked and "unknown".
B.S. Boatright, of Tennille, Georgia, says he was in the battle in
Evans' Brigade. "Some of my comrades were killed, where a brick
house broke our lines. Three or four ladies came from the cellar with
wine for the wounded. If any of them are living I would like to meet
them."
Captain J.N. Taliaferro, of the same Brigade, now of Austin, Texas,
says he was "wounded in front of a brick house, bordered with
evergreens."
This house was the residence of Colonel C. Keefer Thomas, of
Araby. The ladies in the cellar were Mrs. Keefer Thomas, Mrs. James
H. Gambrill, Miss Alice Thomas and Mamie Tyler.
Some years later Miss Tyler, then Mrs. Gatchell, wrote reminiscences
of that July day. This letter was read at the May meeting, 1913, of the
Fitzhugh Lee Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy. Miss Tyler,
now Mrs. Ellicott Fisher, of Philadelphia, was of the Tyler family that
lived where is now All Saints Rectory [113 Record Street, Frederick].
Her interesting letter is given in full as most appropriate to the anniversary,
today.
TO CELLAR FOR SHELTER
At nine o'clock on the morning of July 9, 1864, Araby, the country
seat of Colonel C. Keefer Thomas, where I was visiting his daughter
Alice, was a scene of restful beauty, under a cloudless summer sky. One
hour later, the scene had changed. Federal soldiers were assembling from
every direction. Colonel Thomas was ordered to seek shelter at once, with
his family in the cellar. It is needless to say we were not long obeying the
command.
The Rebel line was near enough to be seen and, in a moment, pieces of
shell were flying too near to be pleasant. The battle had begun and
continued six hours, hours of suspense, anxiety and, at time, terror.
There were some amusing episodes during those long hours of confine-
ment. One of those seeking shelter was an old colored "mammy" who
became quite indignant with the younger inmates for feeling the pangs
of hunger. She remarked frequently, "honeys, say your prayers, dis is
no time to eat, pray de good Lord to deliver us from this dreadful battle."
You can imagine how strange the sounds outside of those walls.
minnie balls slashed the shrubbery while the larger missiles of war's
fearful instruments twisted huge limbs from the trees, leveled down
chimneys and tore out an angle of the house. One of the Federal
officers kindly brought us a bucket of ice water and we conversed with
him upon his ideas of the result of the Battle. Of course he expected
to drive the Rebels back in a short time, at which we very boldly
expressed deep regret, and also requested him to let us have a wounded
Confederate, who was lying outside the cellar window between the fires,
inside with us. This he consented to do, perhaps in consideration of a
remark made by one of us, "wouldn't you rather have a live prisoner than
a dead one?" This wounded man received our most devoted attention, our
handkerchiefs were used in bathing the wounds with ice water. To him we
were indebted for an explanation of the "Rebel Yell", having once heard,
never to be forgotten. A change came over his despondent face as he
shouted, "there's the cry of victory, raise me up." A moment later the
cellar door was opened by a comrade, who expressed deep sympathy for
his condition, and carried him to the sunlight outside. Imagine if you
can the sight that greeted the eye when released from our prison cell.
The soft carpet of grass had become the resting place of dead and dying
soldiers, a battlefield in verity and truth. One poor soldier, as we
passed, begged for a pillow to rest his dying brother's head upon,
remarking "I am the last of five brothers, all slain in battle."
HELPING THE WOUNDED
General J. S. B. Gordon was the first to greet us, with the exclamation,
"What, women and children here?" To Alice Thomas and myself he
said, "Girls you must be brave and do what you can for these poor men,
we have not surgeons enough here."
And we did what we could with loving hands and eager feet and, when
night descended upon that camp, the scene was a novel one. All
through the dark hours we heard the voices of dying men, some singing,
some praying and a few cursing in their delirium. Outside of our room
we found a dead man lying, but that was a small matter, at the close
of so fearful a day. Excitement and enthusiasm had filled every nerve
with courage and desire to help our cause.
At daylight next morning we arose from a sleepless bed to see
what else we could do for our men. The first act was a most solemn
one. General Gordon was looking for us to attend the burial of two of
his staff officers, Colonel Lamar and Major Van Valkenburg. He said it
would comfort the families of those men to know that a little band of
friends had gathered to witness the performance of so solemn a rite.
It was an impressive scene, the sun was rising in the East, "giving color
to all inanimate objects, as only nature can." The birds seemed to be
chanting a requiem in the grand old tree under which we stood. That
spot was selected to mark the graves of the two brave men whose
remains would be removed later. Around those graves stood General
Gordon, the chaplain, Alice Thomas and myself, and the body servant
of Colonel Lamar, with the bullet-torn hat of his master pressed to his
heart, weeping bitterly.
WON GENERAL GORDON'S APPROVAL
The most gratifying memory to our hearts was General Gordon's
approval of our conduct. "You have been brave girls, I will never
forget you." The Confederates only held possession of that part
of Maryland twenty-four hours, then returned to Virginia.
Child that I was I can never forget the scenes on that battlefield,
and General Gordon's surprise at seeing us come out of the cellar.
I wore a short gingham dress and my hair was curled. Years later,
in a fashionable New York hotel, in evening dress and, of course,
a different dressing of the hair, imagine my surprise when General
Gordon came up and said, "Is this Mamie Tyler, the little heroine of
Monocacy?" and then we enjoyed a long talk over that memorable
July day on Monocacy field.
----Mary Addison "Mamie" (Tyler) Gatchell [now Mrs. Ellicott Fisher]
Daughter of Dr. Samuel & Lucretia (Baltzell) Tyler and
Granddaughter of Dr. William Sr. & Mary (Addison) Tyler
SOURCE: The Daily News
Frederick, Maryland
July 9, 1913
Notes: Maj.Gen. John Brown GORDON, CSA
born 6 Feb 1832 Georgia
U.S. Senator, Governor of Georgia 1886-1890
died 9 Jan 1904 Miami, Florida
Artillery: Lt.Col. John Floyd King, CSA
Col. John H. LAMAR (killed) 61st GA Infantry Vol.
Lt.Col. James D. Van Valkenburg (killed) 61st GA Inf. Vol.
Maj. Peter Vredenburgh, Jr. 14th NJ Vol., UNION he
died at 3rd Battle of Winchester, VA 19 Sept 1864
“Mamie” Tyler married 1868 Hugh M. Gatchell of Baltimore
abt1897 Ellicott Fisher of Philadelphia
Alice Thomas married 1868 Julius H. Anderson of Baltimore
[Mr. Anderson died 5 Jan 1875 at age 28] Alice died 11 Jan 1910 “Thomas” farm
Samuel S. Thomas married and lived at Berryville, VA
Christian Keefer [C.K.] Thomas died 26 June 1889 at “Thomas” farm
Evelina Virginia (Buckey) Thomas (wife of C.K. Thomas) died 1899
The “Thomas” farmhouse sustained 7 mortar hits during the battle.