Civil War Cannons, Chancellorsville

CheeseBoxRaft, on May 2, 2008, said:

These cannon do not represent Confederate artillery. They mark a Union artillery emplacement at Chancellorsville on a farm that was called Fairview.

minnickbw, on May 3, 2008, said:

Those are definitely Confederate Artillary positioned in the later part of the battle. You can use the maps on this site as reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Chancellorsville

minnickbw, on May 3, 2008, said:

...look at the May 3rd and 4th maps. These cannons were positioned in the later part of May 3rd, to more than likely zero in on the center line of Union troops under Sickles and Couch.

minnickbw, on May 3, 2008, said:

The cannons had been moved forward, down from the top of that hill, where some other cannons mark their earlier position, as the Union troops fell back towards the Rappahannok River.

CheeseBoxRaft, on May 4, 2008, said:

Sorry, but you are mistaking these cannon for the Confederate cannon at Hazel Grove. Don't take my word for it, however. Jut write to the historian at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park and he will confirm that this picture is of cannon representing the Union guns at Fairview: http://www.nps.gov/NER/sendmail.htm?o=139%3F%28JZ%2B%3AH%3BJ%3BFQV%5FZEFLHE%20%20%0A&r=/frsp/contacts.htm

CheeseBoxRaft, on May 4, 2008, said:

Or you can look at the links to the Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park virtual tour.

This the Hazel Grove page which shows the Confederate artillery. They are pointing to the northwest toward Fairview and Chancellorville at the far end of the clearing: http://www.nps.gov/frsp/photosmultimedia/hazelgr.htm

This the Fairview page which shows the Federal artillery: http://www.nps.gov/frsp/photosmultimedia/fairviewhs.htm

The Union cannon at Fairview are angled in the same manner as the ones in your photograph. Their muzzles point toward the southwest, toward the CS cannon at Hazel grove. These two artillery displays are the largest on the Chancellorsville battlefield, indeed are the largest artillery displays within the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park system of battlefields. I have been there many times and was even out there today for the 145th Anniversary of the battle.

minnickbw, on May 27, 2008, said:

Hmm, I don't know. I was with my history professor and "Military History of the Civil War" class at the time I took those photos, and it made sense to me that those would be Confederate cannons. How about I just change it to "Civil War Cannons" until we figure this out for sure, because I still do not see how those are Union cannons!

minnickbw, on May 27, 2008, said:

But using logic here: These cannons in the photo are pointed in the direction of the intersection of Plank Road and Eyls Ford Road, where the ruins of a house remain (honestly, I do not remember the name of the family that lived there, but the house was basically destroyed by Confederate artillary coming from the direction of my photo). There are, however, Union cannons right next to the house, positioned towards the cannons in my photo; and I know for sure that those are Union cannons. Also, look at the type of cannons in my photograph, if I am not mistaken, those are Napoleonic cannons, which the Confederates would have been using...the Union cannons are almost always solid black. (Looking at cannons is not the most relieable source though, because cannons can be gained and lost in the heat of battle, so each side could be making use of their winnings, which happened many times throughout the war). But in this case, I would say that those are definetely Confederate cannons, or were at least Confederate cannons at one point...

CheeseBoxRaft, on May 28, 2008, said:

The name of the house ruins is "Chancellorsville." It served as an roadside inn and was owned by the Chancellor family and this is where the battle takes its name. You are correct that the house was hit by Confederate artillery during the battle and it burned. However, the cannon in your photograph do not face the Chancellorville house. They represent Union guns at Fairview that faced Hazel Grove. The Chanellorsville house is a quarter of a mile behind them. As I've stated before I think you are confusing them with the artillery display of Confederate Cannon at Hazel Grove, which do indeed face toward the Chancellorville house but are postioned farther to the west/southwest. While CS cannon were brought into the Fairview area and shelled the Chancellor house after the US guns were pulled back, the cannon in your picture represent the Union gun position at Fairview.

I live within a short driving distance of Chancellorville and have visited the battlefield hundreds of times. It sounds like you have only visted there once briefly for a class. I can assure you that the guns in your photograph represent the Union artillery postion at Fairview, which did in fact become a CS artillery position later in the battle, but the guns there today represent the Union artillery position.

If you still don't believe me, then I suggest you write to John Hennessey, the chief historian at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville National Military Park and send him your photograph. He will confirm that cannon in your picture represent the Union artillery at Fairview.

minnickbw, on June 3, 2008, said:

I may have been there only once but I distinctly remember walking down that hill from the South-West, where some other Confederate cannons are (where I took some other photos), and stumbling across these cannons. I really do not know what to tell you. Maybe the angle of my photograph is throwing you off, or maybe those cannons have been removed since I have been there. I don't know, but you can also see the trenches on google earth that are in the background of my photo. I also, distinctly remember seeing the ruins of the Chancellorville house and the plank road traffic from that position. If I am wrong then I will change it, but I just don't see how I am wrong!

minnickbw, on June 3, 2008, said:

Alright, I was looking at the National Parks Service of the Interior website for the Battle of Chancellorsville. Here is the site:

http://www.nps.gov/frsp/hazel.htm

They actually have a photograph taken of those cannons from the exact same position I took mine. And it is labeled "Union artillery position at Fairview" but then it says, "Teams of horses strained to haul Confederate cannon from Hazel Grove to the former Union line at Fairview. A.L. Scott observed Lee near this new artillery position: 'He was standing by his horse with reins over his arm, calmly directing the battle.' With the Confederates pounding the Chancellorsville Inn from three directions, that Union position also fell promptly."

I do not think the photograph on the website is labeled exactly right, because it seems that this position was an Union artillary position that was later taken by the Confederates and used to bombard the Inn. The cannons in the photo have to be Confederate though because of the type of cannon they are and due to the fact that they are pointed in the direction of the Union line. And I know that is where I took the photo because I remember it distinctively and the N.P.S. website proves that those are the same cannons at Fairview...sooo I guess we are both right.

CheeseBoxRaft, on July 3, 2008, said:

The web site is not mislabled and the guns do not point toward Chancellorsville. They represent the Federal Artillery position at Fairview and they face toward the Confederate guns at Hazel Grove. National Park Service personnel at Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park will gladly confirm this by writing:

Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park 120 Chatham Lane Fredericksburg, Virginia 22405