Blood & Earth

My Civil War Heroes
by Tom Sloper

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Index of stories

The American Civil War saved, changed, and continues to shape the United States. The story of the war's causes and aftereffects has been muddied by partisan efforts to bend history so as to preserve myths and racist ideologies. Slavery, as it existed before the war, is over, but the ugliness left behind still shapes American life today. Over a hundred and fifty years later, we still see news about racist efforts to suppress equal voting rights, about Confederate generals' names on public buildings, about the Confederate battle flag. I can't explain why this war still fascinates me, but looking at photos from the war, one gets a sense of both how recent and how long ago it was. It was a transformative time for my ancestors back then, and for all of us today.

The story of the war is usually told through the eyes of its leaders, and those of its soldiers who left written memoirs. My Civil War ancestors left few, if any, written record of their personal experiences. So I dug into historical archives to learn more about what they went through. I researched the military and census records of 17 ancestors (15 Union and 2 Confederate, all except two of them with New York origins, and it's not the two you'd expect). Then I fleshed out their war stories with imagined dialogue and details. When it's completely finished, it might be considered a historical novel. In the form of short stories or vignettes. This site is a work in progress. It was created at BloodAndEarth.com on Jan. 17, 2019. The first stories were uploaded on Jan. 19. These stories are subject to correction and improvement. Reader comments may be sent to tsloper @ bloodandearth.com. This is fictionalized, but it's based on actual people who were involved in actual events. If a reader is transported to the past but gets hit in the face with an anachronism, then that's gotta be fixed! Apologies in advance if I offend relatives. I've made up the dialogue (mostly), but these are actual events (mostly) (#saidthatalready). I may find that I need a log of what's true and what's made up. That'll be fun. :rolleyes: The profiles below are listed in no particular order. If you want to jump, use Control-F (Command-F if you're on MacOS) and type in a battle, or a place, or a name if you know it. See what might come up!

Name:	George Van Arsdale         Read George's story
Rank:	Private
Regiment:	15th New York Cavalry, Co. G (in the division commanded by Gen. George Custer in the last few months of the war)
Relation:	My great great grandfather; after the war he married the sister of Francis S. Howe, below.
Battles:	Blackley's Grove, Snicker's Gap, Ashby's Gap, Kernstown, Lacey Springs, Waynesboro
War Status:	Survived (and that's more than can be said for the three cavalry horses he rode). George Jewell was kidnapped at age 2, and "bound" to the childless Van Arsdale family. After he learned his true origins in school, he surely felt deep animosity for the institution of slavery. George was 16 when he joined the cavalry; he didn't turn 18 until after the war ended.

In 1864-65, the 15th New York was in Custer's division.

Rev. George Van Arsdale and wife (1889).

Name:	Francis Sylvester Howe         The Howe Boys' story "coming soon"
Rank:	Corporal
Regiment:	141st New York Infantry, Co. D
Relation:	My great great granduncle (brother of the postwar wife of George Van Arsdale, above)
Battles:	Siege of Suffolk, Chattanooga, March to Atlanta, Kennesaw Mountain, Carolinas Campaign, surrender of Johnston, Grand Review
War Status:	Survived

Left: Uncle Francis (described above image) and Uncle Harrison (below) marched with Sherman through Georgia and the Carolinas. Right: 100 years later, I participated in a reenactment of Kennesaw Mountain. The town square still had separate public facilities for whites and colored people.

Name:	Harrison Howe         The Howe Boys' story "coming soon"
Rank:	Corporal
Regiment:	141st New York Infantry, Co. D
Relation:	My great great great granduncle (uncle of Francis Howe, and uncle of the postwar wife of George Van Arsdale, above)
Battles:	Siege of Suffolk, Chattanooga, March to Atlanta, Kennesaw Mountain, Carolinas Campaign, surrender of Johnston, Grand Review
War Status:	Survived

The Grand Review of the Armies, 1865

Name:	Daniel M. Sloper         Daniel's story "coming soon"
Rank:	Private
Regiment:	8th Virginia Infantry (Confederate), Co. D
Relation:	My 1st cousin 4 times removed (brother of John T. Sloper below, 1st cousin of Gilman J. Sloper below)
Battles:	Gaines' Mill, Malvern Hill, 2nd Manassas, Antietam, 1st Winchester, Fredericksburg
War Status:	Deserted, survived. Daniel and his brother John were born in New York but moved to Virginia when they were young.

The flag of Daniel's regiment. The regiment's original flag was pink, so this is a later flag. The Museum of the Confederacy, Richmond, Virginia, 2017

In Daniel's last battle, he took a position on Marye's Heights, overlooking a field of dead and wounded Yankee boys. Daniel deserted on a moonless night a few weeks later.

Name:	John T. Sloper         Read John's story
Rank:	Private
Regiment:	35th Battalion Virginia Cavalry (Confederate), Co. A
Relation:	My 1st cousin 4 times removed (brother of Daniel M. Sloper above, 1st cousin of Gilman J. Sloper below)
Battles:	Chancellorsville, Brandy Station, Gettysburg, The Great Beefsteak Raid, Cedar Creek, Petersburg, Appomattox
War Status:	Survived

Left: The 35th Virginia was known as "the Comanches" because of their "wild Indian" war whoops and fighting style. The unit chose not to surrender at Appomattox, riding out after they saw the white flags. Right: the famous crater at Petersburg (2017).

Name:	Gilman J. Sloper         Gilman's story "coming soon"
Rank:	Private
Regiment:	184th New York Infantry, Co. B
Relation:	My great great granduncle (1st cousin of John T. Sloper and Daniel M. Sloper above)
Battles:	Cedar Creek, Petersburg, Richmond
War Status:	Survived

Gilman and his cousin John fought on opposite sides at Cedar Creek and again at Petersburg. Left: Sheridan rallies the troops at Cedar Creek (1864). Right: the famous mortar, "The Dictator," at Petersburg (2017).

Name:	Henry Sheafe Sloper         Henry's story "coming soon"
Rank:	Private
Regiment 1:	5th Massachusetts Infantry, Co. A (3 months)
Regiment 2:	7th Massachusetts Infantry, Co. B (6 months)
Regiment 3:	2nd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, Co. E (2 years)
Relation:	My 5th cousin 3 times removed
Battles:	Bull Run (5th MA), Antietam, Fredericksburg (7th MA), Fort Totten DC, New Berne NC, Plymouth NC (2nd MA H.A.)
War Status:	Survived

Left: In 1861, Henry was with the 5th Massachusetts at Bull Run (pictured: Henry Hill). Right: In 1862, Henry and the 7th Massachusetts were attached to VI Corps, near Slaughter Pen Farm, at Fredericksburg.

Name:	Nathan Bradley         Read Nathan's story
Rank:	Sergeant
Regiment:	130th N.Y. Infantry → 19th N.Y. Cavalry → 1st N.Y. Dragoons, Co. H (one regiment, three names)
Relation:	My great great granduncle (son of Zenas below)
Battles:	Deserted House, Siege of Suffolk, Bristoe Campaign, Richmond prison
War Status:	Died in prison, a P.O.W. in Richmond VA. Robert Knox Sneden, in his memoirs "Eye of the Storm," described an adventure with Nathan Bradley while in that prison (a sergeant "who belonged to the First New York Dragoons" - and Nathan was the only First Dragoon sergeant held captive at the time).

Left: the flag of the 1st NY Dragoons. Center: The building where Nathan was held captive (drawn by Robert Knox Sneden). Right: 100 years later, I joined his reenacted regiment for centennial events.

Name:	Zenas Bradley         Zenas' story "coming soon"
Rank:	Private
Regiment 1:	104th New York Infantry, Co. F
Regiment 2:	16th Veteran Reserve Corps
Relation:	My great great great grandfather (father of Nathan Bradley above)
Battles:	Injured on patrol (never experienced battle)
War Status:	Survived

Name:	Francis M. Miller
Rank:	Private
Regiment:	6th U.S. Cavalry
Relation:	My 1st cousin 4 times removed (1st cousin of Charles F. Miller, below)
Battles:	Peninsula Campaign, Seven Days, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Brandy Station, Upperville, Gettysburg.
War Status:	Francis M. Miller was killed in combat at Fairfield (near Gettysburg), July 3, 1863.

Name:	Charles F. Miller         Read Charles' story
Rank:	Sergeant
Regiment:	6th U.S. Cavalry, Co. I
Relation:	My 1st cousin 4 times removed (1st cousin of Francis M. Miller, above)
Battles:	Peninsula Campaign, Seven Days, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Brandy Station, Upperville, Gettysburg, Belle Isle.
War Status:	Charles F. Miller was captured at Fairfield (near Gettysburg) and imprisoned in Richmond, was exchanged, and survived.

L: Francis M. Miller. C: In the 1960s, I visited the Gettysburg battlefield not far from where Francis was killed and Charles was captured. R: In 2017, I visited Richmond's Belle Isle, where Charles was imprisoned.

Name:	Chauncey Butler         The Michigan Musketeers' story "coming soon"
Rank:	Third Corporal → Third Sergeant
Regiment:	26th Michigan Infantry, Co. H
Relation:	Husband of my 1st cousin 4 times removed (Lucy Chamberlain, sister of Edward and George Sumner Chamberlain below)
Battles:	Siege of Suffolk, New York Draft Riots, Mine Run, Wilderness Campaign, Spotsylvania
War Status:	Died of wound received at Spotsylvania (9 days later)

Chauncey Butler
ancestry.com

Name:	Edward Chamberlain         The Michigan Musketeers' story "coming soon"
Rank:	Private
Regiment:	26th Michigan Infantry, Co. H
Relation:	My 1st cousin 4 times removed (brother-in-law of Chauncey above, brother of George Sumner C. below, 1st cousin of Finley below)
Battles:	Mine Run, Wilderness Campaign, Spotsylvania
War Status:	Killed in action at Spotsylvania (same day his brother-in-law Chauncey Butler was shot)

In 2017, I visited the Spotsylvania battlefield. The Bloody Angle is where Edward was killed and Chauncey was fatally wounded.

Name:	G. Sumner Chamberlain         The Michigan Musketeers' story "coming soon"
Rank:	Private
Regiment:	26th Michigan Infantry, Co. H
Relation:	My 1st cousin 4 times removed (brother-in-law of Chauncey above, brother of Edward C. above, 1st cousin of William, Horton, and Finley below)
Battles:	Mine Run, Wilderness Campaign, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor
War Status:	Survived. His first name was George, but I already have a George, so I'm using his middle name instead. I think of Sumner, Edward, and Chauncey as "The Three Michigan Musketeers." All three were born in New York but moved to Michigan when young.

Left: Sumner's enlistment paper. Right: I visited the Cold Harbor battlefield in 2017. After the fight here in June 1864, Sumner fell sick and was not able to fight another battle.

Name:	Horton Chamberlain         Horton's story "coming soon"
Rank:	Private
Regiment:	1st New York Veteran Cavalry, Co. D
Relation:	My great great granduncle (brother of William below, and 1st cousin of Edward and George above, and 1st cousin of Finley below)
Battles:	Blackley's Grove, New Market, Andersonville
War Status:	Died a P.O.W. at Andersonville. Held at Andersonville at the same time as Robert Knox Sneden (who met Nathan Bradley in Richmond), and John Ransom (whose Andersonville diary became famous).

Left: the flag of Horton's regiment. Right: Andersonville, drawn by Sneden

Name:	William N. Chamberlain         William's story "coming soon"
Rank:	Sergeant
Regiment:	89th New York Infantry, Co. C
Relation:	My great great granduncle (brother of Horton above, and 1st cousin of Sumner and Edward above, and 1st cousin of Finley below)
Battles:	Antietam, Fredericksburg, Mud March, Suffolk, Cold Harbor, Petersburg
War Status:	Survived

Left: "Burnside's Bridge" at Antietam. Uncle William was wounded in a fight up on that hill in the background of this view. Cousin Daniel was up that way, too, fighting for the other side. Right: William and Daniel faced off again at Fredericksburg (photo 2017).

Name:	Ezra Chamberlin         Read Ezra's story
Rank:	Private
Regiment:	7th Connecticut Infantry, Co. K
Relation:	My 7th cousin 3 times removed
Battles:	Fort Pulaski, James Island, Fort Wagner
War Status:	Killed at Fort Wagner. His dogtag was taken from his body (possibly by J.F. Carlsen if not by Joseph Ridgeway), and was worn aboard the Confederate submarine CSS Hunley by Confederate seaman Joseph Ridgeway. Ezra's dogtag was discovered in 2001 when the Hunley was raised from the sea bottom. Ezra was the 6th cousin once removed of William, Sumner, Edward, Horton, Finley, and Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain.

The Hunley history.com

Ezra's dogtag © 2001 Friends of the Hunley - National Geographic

Name:	Finley Chamberlin         Finley's story "coming soon"
Rank:	Private
Regiment:	9th Michigan Infantry, Co. I
Relation:	My 1st cousin 4 times removed (1st cousin of William and Horton, and of Edward and Sumner - also brother-in-law of Elliott B. Kinne, below)
Battles:	Chattanooga, Chickamauga, Atlanta, Nashville
War Status:	Survived

Name:	Elliott B. Kinne         Elliott's story "coming soon"
Rank:	Private
Regiment:	16th Michigan Infantry, Co. K
Relation:	Husband of my 1st cousin 4 times removed (he was brother-in-law of Finley Chamberlin, above)
Battles:	Appomattox, Grand Review
War Status:	Survived

RECURRING THEMES: * CUSTER * MOSBY * LOUDOUN * NEW YORK * Four themes recur throughout the heroes' journey: two characters1, and two locations. George Armstrong Custer was the youngest general in the Civil War. He was famous for his flamboyant attire and his daring cavalry tactics. He won an important cavalry fight at Gettysburg, preventing a catastrophic attack on Meade's rear. Custer's men tangled with cousin John Sloper's 35th Virginia Battalion several times. And grandpa George VanArsdale's 15th New York Cavalry came under Custer's command in late 1864. John Singleton Mosby commanded the 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, operating largely independently of the Confederate armies, causing havoc with Federal communications and supply in the northern counties of Virginia. Cousin John Sloper's comrades were jealous of Mosby - they wanted to protect their home county, but their unit was roped into regular service. Cousin Nathan Bradley was captured by Mosby in Nathan's first cavalry fight. Loudoun County, Virginia, was the home of John & Daniel Sloper, and was the scene of actions involving Yankees George VanArsdale, Horton Chamberlain, Nathan Bradley, & Charles Miller. Upstate New York is where I am from, and it's where my ancestors were from. My heroes all came from the western part of the state (above the 42nd parallel Pennsylvania line). All but two, that is. And I'm not talking about the Virginia Sloper boys (they were born in Upstate New York). Even the Michigan Musketeers (Sumner, Edward, and Chauncey) were born in Upstate New York, before migrating west. The two exceptions are Henry & Ezra, from New England (Massachusetts & Connecticut, respectively). And I'm not counting Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain or Montgomery Meigs (both from other states), since it's the enlisted men who are the subjects of these stories. Officers' tales have been examined thoroughly by historians. I have focused my efforts on my ancestors who were unsung enlisted men. I want their stories to be remembered. * * *

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Montgomery C. Meigs

NOT A RELATIVE, BUT A COOL STORY I CAME ACROSS

Thomas Sloper became a "galvanized Yankee," so called because although initially gray,
he took to wearing a blue coat - kind of like a galvanized bucket.

If you enjoy these stories, your donation would be gratefully accepted, and would help defray the cost of maintaining and updating this interactive novel. Thank you!

¹ It must be the videogamer in me; I think of these two as NPCs (non-playable characters).

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© 2000-2019 Tom Sloper

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