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Last June while attending the Civil
War Institute in Gettysburg I decided to take a detour on my way
home and look for a house called "The Bower". Located somewhere
between Martinsburg and Charlestown, West Virginia, it was, during
the Civil War owned by the Dandridge Family and the house was
offered by them to General Jeb Stuart to serve as his headquarters
during the autumn of 1862 shortly after the Battle of Antietam.
While Lee, Jackson, and Longstreet
had their headquarters at Bunker Hill Virginia, on the Valley Pike
(today U.S. 11) between Martinsburg and Winchester, Virginia, Stuart
chose to stay at "The Bower". Here during the months of September,
October and into November was located the famous "boys club" which
revolved around Stuart and his group of officers which included
Stuart, John Pelham, Heros Von Borke, Wade Hampton and much of the
the cavalry of Lee's Army. The house was the site of many
entertaining nights with Stuart and Von Borke reciting and acting
out scenes from Dickens and Shakespeare. Lively conversation, dances
and games of whist, chess and cards were all enjoyed by the folks
both military and civilian during their sojourn at the Dandridge
home.
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The Bower, near near Leetown,
West Virginia
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It was from this location that
Stuart launched his Chambersburg raid in October 1862. John Pelham
became enamored with Sallie Dandridge at this time and the two spent
many evenings walking through the fields and woods of the Dandridge
property. No one knows, however just how involved they actually
became with each other as Pelham was killed 5 months later at
Kelly's Ford, Virginia and Sallie was married to a local man shortly
after the close of the War. She died in childbirth shortly
thereafter. The whole lively sojourn came to a sudden halt when
Burnside began to move on Fredericksburg. The "boys club" was broken
up, Stuart, Pelham and Von Borke rode away from "The Bower" never to
return.
I left Gettysburg and drove to
Sharpsburg, Maryland where I was able to obtain information on a
place called The George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the
Civil War in Shepherdstown, Maryland. and it was while visiting the
Center that I happened just by chance to read the plaque on the wall
of the charming old house in which it was located. It seems that the
house was purchased by actress Mary Tyler Moore and donated to
Shepherd College in honor of her father George. I was thoroughly
surprised however knowing not only that Mary Tyler Moore was from
this section of the country but also that Stonewall Jackson’s
headquarters in Winchester was at one time owned by an ancestor of
the actress.
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The George Tyler Moore
Center for the Study of the Civil War,
Shepherdstown, Maryland
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It was here that I met Mr. Thomas
White who was more than helpful and assisted me in finding "The
Bower" on a local map. Although I had found the approximate location
on Google Maps I did not know what condition the roads were in and
if the owners would be friendly. I drove down Sulfur Springs Road
and came upon the home which is the centerpiece of a huge working
farm in rural Jefferson Co West Virginia. The owners were more than
happy to show me around while we talked and I took pictures. They
were well aware of the historic significance of the home and showed
me the exact location on the grounds where the soldiers had pitched
their tents. I left feeling fulfilled in that I had visited a Civil
War landmark that many of us have read about and knowing that it
would be there for many more years to come. |
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