| I've located a History of the 9th, which contains a little
information on "Poplar Grove Church". It seems that it was
a 2 day skirmish in which the 9th, Co G at point lost a
large percentage to killed or missing. Unfortunately the
history (like many of its style I'm sure) contains more
descriptions and accounts and photos of the survivors (who
were interviewed for it).
I had hoped that there might have been a group photo of the
different units. No such luck. Other references?
In several other civil war titles, I don't find references to
"Poplar Grove Church", however I do see "Poplar Springs Church"
on (I think) the same dates. Can anyone pinpoint either on a map?
-Chip
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I have some information that may be of help to you.
The name "Poplar Grove Church" rang a bell and I tracked it down
to a book I have "How the Confederacy Lost the Civil War" by
Hattaway, Jones et al. In it there is a photo of Poplar Grove
Church which was a wooden church built by Union troops of the
15th New York Engineers.
That sent me to my book of the War photos of Alexander Gardner,
as he was the photographer. The book is "Gardners Photographic
Sketch Book of the Civil War" by Dover Publications, New York,
1959, the picture is plate 74. In the written text is the
following:
"...the services though they cannot be styled a dedication were
conducted on Sunday, March 5, 1865 by the Rev. M. Duryea of New
York, and during each succeeding Sabbath day and during many evenings
of the week, the army chaplains and visiting clergymen were invited
to officiate. It is built not far from the site of the old Poplar
Spring Meeting House, a plain country board church, which was used
successively by both armies as a hospital during the operations on
29th and 30th September, and the 1st and 2nd October, 1864, near
the Peagram House, now the site of Fort Fisher. The present church
was used for the same purpose during the movements on the last of
March, and 1st and 2nd April, 1865. The Regiment on moving away
from its camp to take part in the pursuit of Lee's army, left a
wooden tablet over the entrance to the Church, with these words
inscribed on it: "Presented to the Trustees of Poplar Springs
Church, by the Fifteenth Regiment New York Volunteer Engineers."
Colonel Ira Spaulding commanded the Regiment, Captain McGrath the
architect and builder of the Church...."
The church was an impressive structure, a tall spire over two
wings. Plans to move it to Central Park, New York, are mentioned
but must have never happened.
The Fort Fisher mentioned is NOT the Wilmington Fort Fisher. The
1864 battles mentioned were attempts by Grant to extend the Petersburg
lines to the west and cut off the roads and railroads to Richmond.
The 1865 March-April action was probably the Battle of Five
Forks or preliminary actions. So Poplar Springs and Poplar Grove
(they are adjacent) must be in Virginia, somewhere south-west of
Petersburg. You may have enough clues above to actually find them.
If you can, find out what happened to the Church!
Toby
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| I have a 1961 reprint of a 1951 National Park Service booklet
(Petersburg Battlefields, NPS Historical Handbook Series No. 13)
and on a 1956 map it shows a Poplar Grove National Cemetery
located about 3 miles southwest of Petersburg. The cemetery is
on the east side of Virginia State Route 675 (Vaughn Road),
about 1/2 mile south of Va. S.R. 676 (Flank Road). The Vaughn
Road (SR 675) runs north-south, and is west of and parallel to
S.R. 604 (Halifax Road). The booklet doesn't say what became
of the church but the national "cemetery contains the graves
of more than 6,000 soldiers and veterans, of which over 4,000
are unknown. Nearly all are veterans of the Civil War."
You might try writing or calling the Petersburg National Military
Park for more information and a NPS map of the area.
Tom
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