Central Virginia Battlefield Trust Acquires Key Property in Jackson Flank Attack Sector
Originally published September 2017 · pp. 1–16
48 Pages, September 2017
New Quarterly Subscription Drive Grand Prize is 12 Books from Publisher Savas Beatie LLC
Captain Hubert Dilger.
Central Virginia Battlefield Trust Acquires Key Property in Jackson Flank Attack Sector Central Virginia Battlefields Trust has recently acquired a property closely related to a Medal of Honor commendation from the Battle of Chancellorsville. The 1.1 acre “Kinney Tract” in the Jackson Flank Attack sector sits adjacent to the intersection of the Plank and Orange Plank roads. Historically, this property sat beneath the very muzzles of Captain Hubert Dilger’s battery during one of the greatest rearguard actions of the entire war. Formerly a horse artillerist for the Grand Duke of Baden (whose daughter he was rumored to be romancing) Dilger spoke only German when he arrived in New York. After being assigned to 1st Ohio Light Artillery he soon earned the
Civil War News is excited to introduce a new quarterly promotion that we are sure our subscribers are going to love. It’s going to be a chance for you to help us build our readership while earning a chance to win great prizes. Refer as many friends as you can to subscribe to the Civil War News (new subscriptions only). There is a place on both the new subscription forms as well as the downloadable online version for new subscribers to note who referred them. Older forms will not have this option, so please make sure your name is noted for proper credit. For every new subscriber you refer, your name will go into a pool for a drawing to be held at the end of that quarter. This contest is open to individuals as well as groups (Round Tables, SCV, UCV, Preservation groups, etc.) who want to award the prize within their organization. Each new subscription you give as a gift will be considered as an entry for you, too. Our first quarterly contest, sponsored by Savas Beatie Publishing Company, will begin immediately. The winner will (CVBT) ing and announced on Saturday afternoon, December 2, 2017, nickname “Leatherbreeches” for brought him into contact with at MK Shows Middle Tenneshis eccentric habit of wearing Jackson’s soldiers massing for a see Civil War Show in Franklin, durable doe-skin trousers instead surprise attack. A spirited chase Tenn. Show promoter, Mike Kent of the regulation wool. He followed but Dilger eluded the will officiate the drawing and anquickly earned a reputation as Confederates and made his way nounce the winner at the show. one of the best artillerists in the through several miles of thick Attendance is not necessary to entire Union Army. woods to the Army of the Potomac win. The winner will also be anOn May 2, 1863, the German- headquarters at Chancellorsville. nounced on the Civil War News born Captain found himself His warnings ridiculed, the Facebook page immediately after in the middle of a rapidly frustrated captain made his way the drawing and will be contacted deteriorating situation. Disturbed back to his battery of six twelve- upon our return from the show. by persistent reports of enemy pounder Napoleons to prepare his Secondly, every individual movement across the XI Corps men for the inevitable fight ahead. CWN subscriber who refers five front, Dilger had conducted a When Jackson’s flanking attack new subscribers will automaticalpersonal reconnaissance that struck the unprepared XI Corps, ly receive a one-year subscription only a handful of units, including to Civil War News, in print or digDilger’s battery, were properly ital format, to keep or give away faced to meet them. As the 119th as a gift. and 61st Ohio regiments before The grand prize for our first them withdrew, Dilger’s battery subscription drive is an amazing was left completely exposed to collection of 12 Civil War books an entire brigade of Georgians.
His was, for a time, the only unit west Wilderness Church that was actively resisting the Confederate onslaught. Dilger volunteered to hold his position while scattered elements of several Union regiments coalesced into the Buschbeck line behind him. Firing single, and then double, canister at extremely close es, the shock of Dilger’s battery bought the Buschbeck line 20 minutes needed to organize a desperate defense, before the Georgians closed in for hand to hand combat with the gunners. Dilger finally gave the order to withdraw, miraculously only losing one gun as the Confederates demanded surrender. It was then that Dilger’s horse was mortally wounded, pinning him underneath, directly in the path of the rapidly advancing Confederates. In an act of extreme bravery Dilger’s orderly small boy named Ackley, noticing that Dilger had been left behind, took it upon himself to ride directly in front of the Confederates to search for him. After finding his Captain, both managed to ride back to relative safety behind the soon to be broken Buschbeck Line at Dowdall’s Tavern where Dilger continued the fight. Dilger’s splendid efforts and heroism would ultimately lead to a Medal of Honor in 1893, to which he responded, “It is highly gratifying to me, as an old professional soldier, to have my services…even after a lapse of 30 years, at last officially appreciated and thus handsomely rewarded.” It is CVBT’s honor to finally ensure that the land so closely associated with Captain Dilger’s heroic actions is faithfully preserved. Since the Kinney tract was already zoned as a commercial district and sits at a high volume intersection, one can only imagine what might have been otherwise.
Since the acquisition, CVBT has set to work restoring the area to its historical appearance. This included removing a nonhistorical condemned structure that was in partial collapse. This all comes at a cost of course, and CVBT has recently begun soliciting donations from members to offset the $144,000 price tag for such an important purchase. To learn more about CVBT’s mission please visit our website at www.CVBT.org.