Comments on: Side trip to Fox’s Gap

By: Brian

Brian — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:36:42 +0000

Thanks for the pointers, Curt. I hope the books are doing well.

By: Curt Older

Curt Older — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 21:08:01 +0000

Dear Sir or Madam,

I just wanted to make you aware of two books I have written that relate to the Battlefield of South Mountain in Maryland.

My ancestors, John, Frederick, and George Fox lived at Fox’s Gap in the 1700s or in the vicinity.

The Land Tracts of the Battlefield of South Mountain was published in 1999 and identifies all the land tracts of the battlefield.

I traced many of the monuments and other historical sites back to the original land owners in the 1700s.

On May 2, 1755, General Braddock, George Washington, and Governor Sharp passed through Fox’s Gap on their way to capture Fort DuQuesne.

My second book, The Braddock Expedition and Fox’s Gap in Maryland was published in 1995.

Both books are available from Heritage Books.

Thanks,

Curt Older

By: Brian

Brian — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:37:24 +0000

Thanks for the add-in Gerry. By ‘rear’, do you mean the direction of his own troops?

By: Gerard Mayers

Gerard Mayers — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 23:15:04 +0000

With respects to the monument to Sam Garland… he was kin to Confederate General James “Pete” Longstreet. Sam Garland was from Lynchburg, VA and in command of a brigade of North Carolina troops. His mortally wounded body was carried from where he was shot, down the woods road (now part of the Appalachian Trail) to the Mountain House and laid on the porch of that Inn…where he ultimately expired.

I have read/heard that Sam Garland actually received his mortal wound from the rear……..

By: Brian

Brian — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 02:44:36 +0000

Thanks Tom and Craig – you’re talking about the same kind of things that worry me.

By: Craig

Craig — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:24:07 +0000

I agree with regard to appropriateness, density, and bias. Down the mountain a ways at Crampton’s Gap, several interpretive markers were setup under the Blue and Gray Trail. While these are appropriate and I don’t detect a bias, the density level is a bit much for even me, who likes to record the markers. I count over 20 “items” within 100 feet of the War Correspondent’s Arch. Good content, but can be overwhelming to the visitor.

By: Tom Clemens

Tom Clemens — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 05:28:22 +0000

A good question Brian. Most of the monuments, and interprewtive plaques, etc. at Fox’s Gap are on private property. Since they do not need to go through state or national scrutiny, it is fairly simple to do. It does, however raise issues of appropriateness, density and bias. The NPS owns the Reno monument, after the fact of construction, but most of the land is still not state owned. Should anybody that wants to place a monument be allowed to do so? How many can be placed before we stand accused of ruining that which we sought to preserve? Should interpretation be vetted, or does everyone decide their own meaning of events and people?
Obviously my bias is that monumentation and interpetation follow an exhaustively researched and objective plan, but with privately owned land, that is not possible.
Oh, and before I forget, North Carolina has a beautiful monument a couple hundred yards dowen the road. The first weekend in June the MD Park Service is sponsoring a living history weekend at Fox’s Gap that should be a great event. They have permission to allow cannon to occupy the ground where Bondurant’s AL battery first fired at the Ohio troops of Cox’s Division. We spent the previous Saturday up there cutting out a non-historic tree line, also very satisfying.
Regards,
Tom