Last Friday marked the 152nd anniversary of the Battle of Snows Hill. The Civil War skirmish took place along our road the morning of April 3, 1863, involving several thousand troops. I have a copy of the New York Times from later that month with a front page headline and account of the battle.
The story is based on dispatches from a correspondent traveling with the Union Army of the Cumberland. As much an anecdotal account of the battle and its aftermath as the actual skirmish. Looking out at these hills, it’s hard to imagine soldiers racing through here, ducking minie and cannon balls.
Over the years I’ve done a lot of research on the battle, also combed the fields and hollers with a metal detector. Found shards of cannon balls, used and unused lead shot, remnants of breastworks and fox holes. A friend once found a complete parrot shell that had drilled into the road embankment, deep into dirt where its fuse was extinguished. When we found it was cracked half open, exposing the grape shot and powder.
Our luckiest find was made by my son Marcus. He was 11 or 12, walking through the woods near our house, metal detector under arm, when he found a union boot spur sticking up out of ground.
