Trees on Ramseur's Hill

I took Flash to Fishers Hill Battlefield and we walked up the path on what is now called Ramseur's Hill. The deciduous trees are finally bare but the sky was blue. (How blue depends on my camera settings. I'm using the old one while the Canon is being repaired for the second time.)

Sharing with NF Trees and Bushes

and Our World Tuesday

and Through My Lens

Checking on Ramseur’s Hill

I stopped by Fishers Hill Battlefield this week to see if the trail had reopened. I couldn’t tell whether the yellow tape across the bridge had been taken down or whether it had just fallen down. The Keep Out sign was laying on the decking. 

 I see that the Shenandoah Battlefields website still lists the area as closed. It has been closed to the public since a gas pipeline exploded in July. It looks to me as though much of the repair work has been completed, but you can’t get close to it because it is on the next hill. 

Battle of Fisher’s Hill, September 1864

I noticed that cows are grazing on the battlefield again. I’ve posted pictures of this area before. This time I did not go through the gate to walk up Ramseur’s Hill, but I did take a photo of Tumbling Run.

New Sign at Fisher's Hill

Finally a sign has been erected at the parking area for Fisher's Hill Battlefield! For almost two years there was no signage at this main entrance to the Civil War site. A trail here takes you up the hill to the position of Ramseur's Division.

You can read about the battle on the Civil War Trust website.  I've posted photos of Fisher's Hill before — see our April 2013 visit, for instance.

Linking to: Black and White Weekend

Fences and Signs at Fisher's Hill

Progress continues on the installation of signs at Fisher's Hill Battlefield, with a couple of new signs at the entrance for Ramseur's Hill. Note that the apostrophes are in place, unlike highway signs for the nearby village of Fishers Hill. The state highway department has a policy of dropping apostrophes to keep signs short.

An earlier series of markers on this battlefield are being replaced. The battle took place here near the end of the 1864 Shenandoah Campaign. The hill here appeared to be an ideal defensive position, but General Early's Confederate army was spread too thin because of losses suffered at Third Winchester.

The battlefield is a pretty place to take a walk, although you can see and hear Interstate 81 nearby.

Sharing with Signs, Signs and Good Fences

Fishers Hill: Animals and a Tour

Fishers Hill is just south of Strasburg. It's mostly farmland, with a battlefield and a village both sharing the name Fishers Hill.

I've toured the battlefield several times. I'll show you a few pictures of a recent tour but first let me show you some critters for Eileen's linkup.

The tour started at Ramseur's Hill Parking Lot. Ranger Jimmy from Cedar Creek Battlefield gave us an overview of the Battle of Fishers Hill and it's place in the 1864 struggle for control of the Shenandoah Valley.

The second stop on the tour was Emmanuel Church. The ranger described the approach of the Federal Troops as they moved into position to attack Jubal Early's army on Fishers Hill.

We returned to Ramseurs Hill to view the location of the surprise attack. I've made the walk up that hill several times and did not try to hike it this time.

The Battle of Fishers Hill was a Union Victory and preceded the decisive victory at Cedar Creek which ended Confederate control of the Shenandoah Valley. 

Link: Shenandoah Valley Civil War Time Line

Civil War Field Trip Noyalas-Style

The most exciting parts of Saturday's field trip were visiting places I've never seen before because they were not open to the public. Professor Noyalas had obtained permission for our group to tour there: Thoburn's redoubt position (now pasture-land along Bowman's Mill Road). The 8th Vermont Monument (on a hill behind a private home) The Stickley Farm (Residence and farm along US 11 southbound at Cedar Creek)

We also went to Belle Grove, Meadow Brook, the end point of Sheridan's ride, Ramseur's position at Miller's Mill, Cemetery Hill, and we followed the trail at the 128th New York monument.

Above: Jonathan Noyalas lectures at Thoburn's Final Position

I enjoyed the field trip. Noyalas is very knowledgeable about Cedar Creek Battlefield and just had a book published called The Battle of Cedar Creek: Victory from the Jaws of Defeat.

Other Posts about this Cedar Creek Tour:

• Monument 8th Vermont and Fellow Students
• View from Thoburn's Camp and Earthworks
• Trouble at the Trenches
• Belle Grove and 128th New York Monument
• Meadow Brook
• Cemetery Overlooking Middletown
• Sheridan's Ride
• Lone Confederate Grave
• Stickley House and Old Mills

Related Links:

• Self-Guided Tour, Cedar Creek by J. Whitehorne
• Press Release: SVBF Protects Additional Land on the Cedar Creek Battlefield, 2007
• Cedar Creek (on Johns Military History