Reclaiming History: The Faded Photograph That Illuminates the History of Prince William County
By: Lisa Timmerman, Executive Director
The Town of Dumfries Town Council convened on Tuesday, 01/19/2021, and approved the “Resolution to Support Renaming of Mine Road to Batestown Road”. On behalf of the Potomac District division of The Prince William Historical Commission, Ms. Yolanda Green discussed Batestown, the significant and vibrant African American community present before the opening of Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine in the late 19th century. “Mine road came up from Dumfries and went to the mine, but the portion that split off to the right and north was known as Batestown Road. After the mine closed, and with it the remaining section of the road leading toward the mine, Batestown Road became labeled as if it was a continuation of Mine Road.” Past and current residents remember the refusal of mail delivery unless they “adopted” the new address and have actively worked to restore the name to its’ historic origin. The Prince William Board of County Supervisors Vice Chair, Andrea Bailey, and members of the commission acted upon the community’s efforts. This resolution furthers the Town’s initiative to reclaim Dumfries African American history by recognizing the predominant and vital African American communities that laid the foundations and led to opportunities and growth for Prince William County.
We will focus on Batestown in a future blog, but today, our archives can help illuminate this resolution with a very intriguing and outstanding photograph.
(Negative to Photo Enhancement of King Bates Cabin)
On the back of this photograph, J.F. Wheat wrote the following: (full transcription below)
“This log cabin was owned and occupied by a Negro named King Bates, unmarried who lived alone. During the war between the States & during the winter of 1864, My Cousin C.A. Dunnington & myself while scouting within the enemies lines one cold winter night called at this cabin & asked for something to eat & to be permitted to warm and rest our tired bodies. King Bates invited us in & gave of such food as he had - permitted us to spend the night & occupy his bed. This negro was a quiet, orderly, sober & industrious citizen, he could easily have had us captured had he been so disposed. As it was, we were warmed & fed and sheltered by this old darkey & in the early morning of the next day continued on our mission & I think on that or the day following, made captures of men Side Arms & horses & returned to our Command then encamped on the south side of the Rappahannock River near Fredericksburg.
I think it was during the winter of 1864, Charles & I spent the night with King Bates. Bates lived many years after the war and did a great deal of work for the old soldiers that he had fed & sheltered during the war. The Cabin is standing today & looks about as it did 43 years ago. Poor old King has passed into that unknown world after a long life of faithful service. The writer will never cease to remember him with feelings of gratitude & good will.
Peace to his ashes.
J.F. Wheat, Co. A. 4th Va. Cav.
Fitz Lees Command. C.S.A.
1907”
We currently do not have writings or transcribed oral histories from Mr. King Bates. Thanks to the efforts of the families and community to preserve the history of Batestown through oral, written, and legal/court records, we know that Batestown formed in the 1820s, and by the 1860s, 550 freed persons lived in the community. As Ms. Green noted, while Batestown residents found life to be economically difficult, King Bates still offered the Confederate soldiers both food and safe lodging.
Based on the information above along with legal records, we can confirm that Charles A. Dunnington and John F. Wheat enlisted in the 4th Regiment of the Virginia Calvary, Company A, The Prince William Calvary. Wheat specifically noted he served under Fitzhugh Lee’s command helping to narrow down locations and timeline. While Fitzhugh Lee became the commander of the calvary of the Army of Northern Virginia on 02/11/1865, he started leading calvary brigades when promoted to brigadier general on 07/26/1862. His command served at the Battle of Second Manassas (08/1862), the Battle of Fredericksburg (12/1862), along with successfully sending scouts to locate the right flank of Joseph Hooker’s Army of the Potomac at Chancellorsville (05/1863). After battling in the Gettysburg Campaign, Lee’s command attacked Union Forces at Trevilian Station in 06/1864. In 09/1864, Lee commanded the Confederate calvary in the Shenandoah Valley, although his injury in the Third Battle of Winchester led to a few months of recuperation. By 02/1865, Lee led the final weeks of the siege of Petersburg. Wheat estimated he stayed at the cabin in the winter of 1864, noting he returned to his command near Fredericksburg after the “captures of men Side Arms & horses.” It is worth noting that during the Fredericksburg campaign, Stuart allowed one brigade under General Wade Hampton to raid Dumfries and the surrounding area in December 1862. The men successfully raided Union forces during each of the four attempts, although they only reached the actual Town of Dumfries during the second raid. The fourth raid, noted as the least successful, still managed to steal wagons and Union soldiers.
(Photograph on Display in The Weems-Botts Museum, Gift of Randolph K. Wheat)
The photograph is currently on display in the Exhibit Room in The Weems-Botts Museum with the negative safely stored in our archives. As visitors investigate the exhibit cases, we ask them to consider the following: What can we learn from this primary source – both the photograph and the handwritten inscription? How did prevalent racist stereotypes and attitudes of the local population influence our historical records? What sources can shed an accurate light on the free and enslaved population in Prince William County?
Note: While our buildings are closed for our winter hibernation, we are excited to introduce new virtual programs along with adapting popular ones to help everyone remain safe. You can find information and tickets to both free and paid programs here on our website. Stay tuned for February 2021 as we feature everything from African American folklore at our Children’s Day to historical horror with The Weems-Botts Bibliophiles!
(Sources: HDVI Archival Files: Bates, Dunnington, Wheat; Town of Dumfries Town Council Meeting of 01/19/2021; Reclaiming Dumfries African American History Presentation by The Prince William County Board of Supervisors & The Prince William County Historical Commission; Encyclopedia Virginia: Longacre, Edward G. Fitzhugh Lee (1835-1905); National Park Service: Battle Unit Details: Confederate Virginia Troops: 4th Regiment, Virginia Calvary; National Park Services: The Civil War: Search for Soldiers Database)