You are standing in the middle of what was once Fort Edward Johnson. Confederate soldiers built this fort in 1862 under the command of Brigadier general Edward Johnson, a career officer from Virginia.
Look to your right, and then left across . . . — — Map (db m208803) HM
On April 19, 1862, General Johnson, with General Lee’s approval, moved our regiment from Allegheny Mountain to Shenandoah Mountain. To protect ourselves from Yankee bullets, we dug about a mile of trench in this rocky ground. We then opened our . . . — — Map (db m16775) HM
February 23, 1862
My Dear Penelope,
I write a few lines this morning to let you know that I am well & doing as well as I have since Iv been in the service. Well, Dear, wee had an alarm Friday knight about two oclock, and the way . . . — — Map (db m16776) HM
Camp Shenandoah April 9th, 1862 My Dear Penelope, I take the opportunity this morning to write you a few lines to let you know that I am yet in the land of the living and enjoying good health. I thought last week that it was done . . . — — Map (db m16777) HM
My Dear Penelope
Wee are now tolerable well fortified; got 12 pieces of cannon and places all fixed for the men to shoot from; that is, fortifications for cannon with openings to shoot through so the men can man the cannon and not . . . — — Map (db m86203) HM
Camp Shenandoah April 18th, 1862 My Dear Penelope, I take the opportunity this evening to write you a few lines to let you know that I am yet in the land of the living &, thank God, enjoying good health. Wee are now looking out for a fight here; . . . — — Map (db m16781) HM
On April 20, 1862, the Confederate garrison left Fort Johnson to protect Staunton, and to avoid being cut off from the rear by another advancing Union Army. Lt. Pryor describes the retreat from the mountain.
Camp at Westview, 7 mil N, Of Staunton . . . — — Map (db m16783) HM
Union forces now occupied Fort Johnson and were moving to capture Staunton. “Stonewall” Jackson, moving with speed and secrecy, had arrived at the foot of Shenandoah Mountain and moved west to defeat Union Generals John C. Fremont and . . . — — Map (db m16784) HM
After surviving the Battle of McDowell, in which he lost many comrades, Lt. “Shep” Pryor was later wounded in battle near Culpepper, Virginia. He survived the war, returned to his beloved Penelope, and became Sheriff of Sumter County, . . . — — Map (db m16785) HM