Military

The US Coast Guard has a long history of saving lives and deterring and defeating threats in the Hampton Roads area that dates to the Revolutionary War era. The Coast Guard in Hampton Roads has interdicted hundreds of millions of dollars of illegal drugs; saved countless lives; operated lightships, lighthouses, and lifesaving stations; ensured safe navigation in one of the largest and busiest coastal waterway systems in North America; inspected thousands of shipping containers; conducted security and safety boardings of foreign flagged vessels; and tracked commercial vessels using the Harbor Surveillance System. The team at Coast Guard Sector Virginia is composed of nearly 500 active duty and civilian personnel, 130 reservists, and 1,300 auxiliarists. The area is also home to several multimission boats and ships. Hampton Roads regional Coast Guard personnel and assets continue their multimission capability to ensure strategic and economic prosperity for the one of the gateways to the United States.

From its beginning as a Tidewater town in the 1600s, Hampton, Virginia, has weathered many storms, including the disastrous effects of the Civil War and the difficulties of Reconstruction. The city's picturesque harbors have witnessed the rise of a thriving seafood industry, the growth of educational opportunity and the plight of Hampton's African American community. Author Alice Erickson uses her own family, the Hickman family, as a vehicle to unite compelling vignettes of Hampton's most storied era. Discover the intricacies of the Virginia secession, the turmoil of Federal occupation and the revitalization of Hampton out of the ashes of conflict. Follow along Erickson's tragic and adventurous story, whose ending has yet to be written.

In 1895, the City of Richmond constructed the magnificent Leigh Street Armory for its African American militia. During Reconstruction, Virginia led the nation in establishing black militia units, and Richmond was the only city to build an armory for that use. These volunteer soldiers drilled and trained there, and many joined other volunteers to serve in the Spanish-American War. In 1899, the Leigh Street Armory ceased to serve its original function and became first a school and ultimately the home of the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia. Authors Roice Luke, Maureen Elgersman Lee and Stacy Burrs reveal the history of the Leigh Street Armory and its soldiers.

On October 19, 1781, General Cornwallis surrendered his British Army to the combined American and French forces at Yorktown, Virginia. Beyond the ending of hostilities this act came to represent the close of British colonial rule and the dawn of America's ascent as an independent country and eventual world power.

Although the events of this revolutionary time are now the foundation of an evolving American history, it is still important to remember the sacrifice and victory of these early patriots. Revival to Patriotism: A History of Yorktown and its Victory Celebrations chronicles the history of Yorktown, Virginia, and the victory celebrations that have been undertaken through the generations to remember this historic time in America's infancy.

Written in engaging prose, Revival to Patriotism, by local Yorktown author Kathleen Manley presents for the first time the history of this remarkable city from the first celebration in 1824 with the return of General Lafayette through to the 200th anniversary in 1981, commemorating America's Revolutionary victory.

When the United States entered World War I in 1917, the Virginia Peninsula immediately became a center for the intensive activities required to prepare the nation for war. The fertile farm fields overlooking the James River, Hampton Roads, and the Back River were quickly transformed into military camps, air
fields, and training bases. Almost overnight, Newport News became the second leading port for men, horses, and supplies embarking to Europe. Shipyard workers labored around the clock producing ships. Each vessel was considered "a death blow to Prussianism," which was required to achieve victory. The Peninsula experienced rapid population growth, necessitating the construction of houses and public transportation systems. Individuals on the home front worked like "soldiers without guns" as they organized bond drives, provided recreation for doughboys passing through the port, and honored local fallen heroes. World War I on the Virginia Peninsula is the first comprehensive pictorial history documenting the events that occurred on the
Virginia Peninsula during the war that was fought, as President Woodrow Wilson advised, to "save the world for Democracy." In nearly 200 compelling photographs from local museums, archives, and private collections, this volume vividly documents the places, people, and industries that framed the community's wartime experience.

With a forward by Elizabeth Thalhimer Smartt, learn about William Thalhimer's elaborate plan to save Jewish Germans from Hitler and the Third Reich.

During Hitler's rise to power in the 1930's, Richmond department store founder, William Thalhimer and his family traveled to Germany to visit relatives and business contacts. Thalhimer was deeply disturbed and increasingly alarmed as the anti-Semitism that he and his family witnessed escalated into the violence Brown Shirts and Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass. Thalhimer became determined to aid Jews fleeing from Germany, and he eventually met a representative of Gross Breesen, a German-Jewish agricultural training institute. The mission of Gross Breesen, and eventually Thalhimer, was to train young Jews in agriculture in hopes that the expertise gained would ensure the students' successful emigration from Germany. Thalhimer purchased a farm, Hyde Farmlands, in Burkeville, Virginia to give the students a home in Virginia.

Fort Monroe: The Key to the South is a powerful pictorial portraying the exciting history of the only fort in the Upper South to remain under Union control throughout the Civil War. Strategically located on Old Point Comfort guarding the entrance to Hampton Roads and dominating the lower Chesapeake Bay, Fort Monroe quickly became a Federal bastion within the Confederacy and influenced many of the Civil War's greatest events. Known as "Freedom's Fortress" following Ben Butler's May 1861 decision to consider slaves escaping into Union lines as "contraband of war," Fort Monroe quickly became a symbol of freedom and helped to define the wartime objective to end slavery. Soldiers on Fort Monroe's ramparts witnessed first-hand several new technologies, including the first balloon launching to observe enemy operations and the first battle between ironclad warships. Fort Monroe also played a critical role in the eventual Union victory, serving as a base for amphibious operations against Southern ports as well as staging campaigns against the nearby Confederate capital in Richmond. The drama played along the parapets of Fort Monroe during the Civil War has been brought to life by this comprehensive visual history. Fort Monroe: The Key to the South features over 175 images documenting this massive fort and its role in pivotal events like the 1862 Peninsula Campaign, Monitor-Virginia (Merrimack) engagement, and the Hampton Roads Peace Conference. Whether views of famous men like Robert E. Lee, Abraham Lincoln, and Jefferson Davis or scenes of the many soldiers and civilians serving on Old Point Comfort, this pictorial vividly chronicles Fort Monroe's tremendous Civil War heritage.

When Capt. John Smith first landed his ships at Cape Henry in Virginia Beach, he must have known the military importance of the jut of land; today, it is home to Fort Story, and the location played a key role during World War II in making sure enemy ships and subs did not sail into the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and onto Norfolk, the world's largest naval base. Smith established this country's first military base when he settled in Jamestown, building a fort to protect the early colonists. That simple military presence grew exponentially and during World War II was instrumental in not only defending the homeland, but in winning the war. From the Peninsula to Southside, the Hampton Roads area is military proud. There are more than a dozen forts and bases, many of which sprung up during World War II or were greatly expanded during that time.

Photographs and text present the evolution of Fort Myer in its first 100 years, including its buildings, people, and events.

Overlooking Washington, DC, Fort Myer holds a commanding view of America's capital. As the war ended and reconciliation began, only this fort remained and was later renamed to honor the US Army's first signal officer, Brig. Built in 1863 from the Custis-Lee estate, one of 70 defensive Civil War fortifications of the capital, this historic US Army post was known as Fort Whipple. Gen. Albert J. Myer. These acres of Arlington Heights are distinguished by unique events, including the beginnings of military aviation, the Army Cavalry showcase, ""The Three Sisters,"" and the National Weather Bureau. During World War I, Army officers trained here to fight ""Over there,"" and today two units call Fort Myer home: the Army Band (""Pershing's Own,"" since 1942) and the 3rd Infantry (""The Old Guard,"" since 1948). Photographs and text present the evolution of this national landmark in its first 100 years, including its buildings, people, and events.

Fort Wool, now a quiet historical landmark, has been witness to some of the most influential figures and events in American history. Originally named for John C. Calhoun, the fortress felt Andrew Jackson walk the ramparts as he retreated from the bustle and politics of Washington, saw Abraham Lincoln direct the shelling and invasion of nearby Norfolk during the Civil War, and guarded one of the country's most important harbors in two world wars. In this volume, J. Michael Cobb, curator of the Hampton History Museum, presents the fascinating tale of presidents and slaves, soldiers, and civilians, all linked by the stone fortress rising from the waters of the Chesapeake. Cobb paints a vivid picture of a landmark that has endured for centuries in the shifting sands, heavy weather, and swift currents of history.

Join author John V. Quarstein as he recounts the history and stories of the Civil War on the Virginia Peninsula through vintage images.

The Civil War on the Virginia Peninsula is the first comprehensive pictorial history interpreting the events that occurred on the Virginia Peninsula during the war that forever changed our nation. This volume offers over 200 fascinating images from museums, archives, and private collections throughout America; together they tell powerful stories of valor, leadership, technology, and strategy. Photographers and famous artists alike vividly portrayed soldiers, leaders, and innovations in a compelling manner that brings alive the glory and sadness of the American Civil War. This enthralling visual history chronicles the war's first year, during which the Virginia Peninsula was the focus of Union efforts to capture the Confederate capital 70 miles away at Richmond. Beginning with Union General Benjamin F. Butler's arrival at Fort Monroe in May 1861, until the time of Major General George B. McClellan's pivotal march on Richmond in the spring of 1862, the Virginia Peninsula was the scene of some of the Civil War's most critical events, including the ""contraband of war"" issue; the Battle of Big Bethel, the war's first land battle; the Monitor-Merrimac engagement, the first battle between ironclad ships; and the Peninsula Campaign.

On December 31, 1862, 16 men perished that stormy New Year's Eve when the USS Monitor sank off Cape Hatteras, N.C.

The United States Navy's first ironclad warship rose to glory during the Battle of Hampton Roads on March 9, 1862, but there's much more to know about the USS Monitor. Historian John Quarstein has painstakingly compiled bits of historical data gathered through years of research to present the first comprehensive picture of the lives of the officers and crew who served faithfully in an iron ship unlike any vessel previously known.

""The Monitor Boys,"" a moniker the men gave themselves, is a reflection of how these hundred-odd souls were bound together through storms, battles, boredom and disaster. Just living aboard the ironclad took uncommon effort and fortitude. Their perseverance through the heat, stress and unseaworthiness that defined life on the ship makes the study of those who dared it a worthy endeavor. Many recognized that they were part of history. Moreover, the Monitor Boys were agents in the change of naval warfare.

Following Quarstein's compelling narrative is a detailed chronology as well as appendices including crew member biographies, casualties and statistics and dimensions of the ship. Readers can dive into the world of the Monitor and meet William Flye, George Geer and the rest of the men who risked everything by going to sea in the celebrated ""cheesebox on a raft"" and became the hope of a nation wracked by war.

The Chancellorsville Campaign was the true high water mark for both the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac. The campaign would be the Confederates' greatest battle, though it came at the cost of losing General Stonewall Jackson at the height of his military success and public popularity. Although the Confederacy prevailed at Chancellorsville, Fighting Joe Hooker used the defeat to institute a multitude of reforms in the Army of the Potomac, which paved the way for the hard-fought victory at Gettysburg and heavily influenced the Union winning the war. Shenandoah University professor James Bryant weaves together a concise yet comprehensive account of the engagement, one brought to life by excerpts from the letters of Lee, Jackson and Hooker, as well as many other soldiers.

Join William C. Connery as he recounts the notable events and battles that occurred in Northern Virginia in 1861 after the firing on Fort Sumter. Beginning in May 1861, both the Confederate and Union armies assembled in Northern Virginia as politicians were deciding how and where the Civil War would be fought. Several months passed as both armies maneuvered and attempted to complete reconnaissance on the other. During this early time, the first officers on both sides were killed; Mount Vernon was declared neutral territory; the Confederate battle flag was adopted; and the first real battles of the war took place in Northern Virginia.

From 1861 to 1865, hundreds of thousands of troops from both sides of the Civil War marched through, battled and camped in the woods and fields of Spotsylvania County, earning it the nickname 'Crossroads of the Civil War.' When not engaged with the enemy or drilling, a different kind of battle occupied soldiers boredom, hunger, disease, homesickness, harsh winters and spirits both broken and swigged. Focusing specifically on the local Confederate encampments, renowned author and historian Michael Aubrecht draws from published memoirs, diaries, letters and testimonials from those who were there to give a fascinating new look into the day-to-day experiences of camp life in the Confederate army. So huddle around the fire and discover the days when the only meal was a scrap of hardtack, temptation was mighty and a new game they called 'baseball' passed the time when not playing poker or waging a snowball war on fellow compatriots.

The effects of the war raging across Europe were visible in Richmond as early as 1939, and Richmonders are always ready to fight for their cause. In that year, the city saw its first parking meters on the streets and began to collect aluminum scrap for use in war industries. In 1940, pursuant to the new draft law, Richmond's sons between the ages of twenty-one and thirty-five registered for the draft. While bomb shelters were put up all over the town, dances were held to maintain local morale. Even as local German families faced discrimination, Richmonders strived for a sense of unity and solidarity. Author and historian Walter Griggs Jr. revives this conflicted spirit, memorializing the sorrow and celebrating the triumphs of a resilient southern city through world war.

Just south of the Mason-Dixon Line, Frederick, Maryland, was poised at the crossroads of the Civil War.

Here, Confederate troops passed west to the Battles of Antietam and South Monocacy, while Union troops marched north to Gettysburg and south to raid the resources of the Shenandoah Valley. Both heroes and villains were made in the spired city, such as Dame Barbara Fritchie, who is said to defied General Jackson; General Jubal Early, who threatened to put the town to the torch; and the local doctors and nurses who cared for thousands of wounded soldiers. Join local historian John Schildt as he recounts the fascinating history of Frederick in the Civil War.

After four bloody years of Civil War battles in the Shenandoah Valley, the region's inhabitants needed to muster the strength to recover, rebuild and reconcile. Most residents had supported the Confederate cause, and in order to heal the deep wounds of war, they would need to resolve differences with Union veterans. Union veterans memorialized their service. Confederate veterans agreed to forgive but not forget. And each side was key to the rebuilding effort. The battlefields of the Shenandoah, where men sacrificed their lives, became places for veterans to find common ground and healing through remembrance. Civil War historian and professor Jonathan A. Noyalas examines the evolution of attitudes among former soldiers as the Shenandoah Valley sought to find its place in the aftermath of national tragedy.