Alexander Hunter

Alexander Hunter M V B K Y Photo: Two we don’t have are in Helm, Defend, 15, 16. His sources: none given. The first is of Hunter standing in infanty uniform. The second is a sketch of his face; it might be from Hunter’s book. ***Small in chart, face sketch. Use?[2025] Same in report.[2026] Copied to Word doc saved in electronic Hunter folder under corresp. logs as of 2007-01-02. Born: 4 June 1843 in Norfolk.[2027] [2028] He was born on a Sunday, and “[c]hristened by Mr. Talbot, Chaplain of the U. S. Ship Macedonian.”[2029] Married: He wed first Alice Swain on 22 June 1882 in Richmond; they were married by “Rev. Mr. Armstrong.” She died during the 1800s. He wed second Mrs. Filah Saunders.[2030] “His widow, Filah A. Hunter, died January 12, 1915, buried next to him.”[2031] Died: After 1913.[2032] He died on 30 June 1914 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington,[2033] in “Sec. 16 grave 261-A.”[2034] He died on 2 July 1914 in Silver Springs, Maryland, at age 71.[2035] He was “buried with full military honors in Arlington Cemetery, Confederate Section.”[2036] Obituary: Children: No issue from either marriage.[2037] Parents and Siblings: Mary Frances “Molly” (Blow) (31 August 1816–1 October 1880) and Lt. Bushrod Washington Hunter, U. S. N. and C. S. N. (31 May 1807–26 June 1888). She was born at “Tower Hill,” Sussex; he in Alexandria. They wed on 1 November 1838 in Fairfax. Both died in Warrenton. His mother is buried[?] at St. Paul’s Church, Alexandria.[2038] Their ten offspring were: Fanny Blow; Eliza Waller; Alexander [BH]; Anna; Bushrod Washington, Jr.; Mary; Monimia Fairfax; Jennie; Isabel Waller.[2039] Bushrod and Monimia died as infant and toddler. Mary wed J. Bowie Gray and had four children. Alex’s other sisters did not marry.[2040] One of his sisters came to his aid when he was in dire need. Hunter was wounded at Wilderness and afterwards taken to Chimborazo Hospital, which he describes as “that Hades” in one of his more-delicately worded passages about the place. He writes, “The three days I spent in that hospital were the most terrible of my life….” “I wrote an urgent letter to my sister, who occupied a Government postion in the city [Richmond], and begged her for God’s sake to get me away. … On the third day my sister, accompanied by the surgeon of the post, found me, and within an hour I was transferred to a private hospital [The Robertson] in Franklin Street.”[2041] Other Family: His maternal grandparents were Eliza Ellen (Waller) (31 January 1791–18 July 1841) and Col. George Blow (3 February 1787–21 October 1870). They wed on 12 December 1807 in Williamsburg. His grandmother was born in Williamsburg and died in Portsmouth. His grandfather was born in Portsmouth and died at “Tower Hill,” Sussex County. Both are buried at Cedar Grove, Portsmouth (lot 326). His paternal grandparents were Sarah Ann (Tyler) and Nathaniel Chapman Hunter (1764–1812).[2042] For Hunter’s date of birth, a family researcher cites a 1715 Blow Family Bible, also known as “The Saloon Bible.” It is interestingly annotated: “This family Bible of the Blows was carried off by the Yankees from the residence of George Blow, Sr., in James City County [Wheatland] … in the summer of 1862. Found by a soldier in a drinking saloon, … who offered it for sale for $25. $5 was subsequently paid… Written by me this 4th day of 1865, Fannie Blow Hunter.”[2043] “[H]is parent’s plantation, “Abingdon,” is now D. C. National Airport. There is info on the Hunter family at the museum in the main terminal.”[2044] “Washington National Airport was built… on mudflats alongside the Potomac River at Gravelly Point,… 4½ miles south of Washington, D. C. “Captain John Alexander built a mansion called “Abingdon” on the site in 1746. A descendent, Philip Alexander, donated most of the land on which the City of Alexandria was built, and it [the city] was so named in his honor.… “Abingdon” was destroyed by fire in 1930. In 1998, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority preserved the site and housed artifacts found there in the Exhibit Hall, located in Terminal A.”[2045] Stories, Letters & Biographies: Author of Johnny Reb and Billy Yank (1905); The Huntsmen in the South (1908); Women of the Debatable Land (1912); The Ancient Iron Pot; The Old National.[2046] “In the spring of 1863 he transferred to the Virginia Black Horse Cavalry…”[2047] See Biographies Chapter. “They were no longer holiday soldiers, delighting in their own warlike shadow… but were changed to veteran cavalrymen and accomplished scouts with each a record of daring deeds.”[2048] “At no time during the war was the army in such superb condition as in the spring of sixty-four.… There was not a private soldier in the Army of Northern Virginia who did not believe that the coming year would find the South victorious. … So they laughed lightly around the camp-fires over old stories, and spoke assuredly of the future…. “And the South! What a wonderful country it was destined to be!…”[2049] See Biographies Chapter. [NOTE:move from bios to epilogue (?)] “‘Johnny Reb; I say, J-o-h-n-n-y R-e-b, don’t shoot!’”[2050] See Stories Chapter under Joseph Samuel Read. “…I had made up my mind to get within the Federal lines; and I also decided that there was one man who could make the trip with me, and that man was Billy Thorn of the Black Horse Cavalry.”[2051] See Stories Chapter under William Thorn. “Here we found Clarke, of the Black Horse….”[2052] See Stories Chapter under George W. Clarke. “Alexander Hunter… says, ‘She was the Florence Nightingale of Mosby’s Confederacy.’”[2053] See Johnzie Tongue. [q mrks issue?] Alexander Hunter … described the Martin family. See Stories Chapter under John Martin, Sr. [NOTE:need to put this under name of one of the boys] “Josh was… a born soldier.”[2054] See Stories Chapter under George Washington “Josh” Martin. “Dick Martin… was second to none…” See Stories Chapter under John Richard “Dick” Martin. “Robert… was the orderly sergeant of the Black Horse…” See Stories Chapter under Robert Edward “Bob” Martin. “Courtney Washington, Willie Spilman and Boyd Smith…” need source See Stories Chapter under Courtney Washington. “At the surrender at Appomattox I was at home on horse detail. On my return trip to the Company, I met it at Madison Courthouse. They had refused to surrender.”[2055] See Stories Chapter under John Edward Armstrong. Another article about Hunter’s many prison escapes is at reference.[2056] A very interesting essay about a controversial article that Hunter wrote regarding Lincoln’s assassination can be found at reference. It also provides a sketch of Hunter. “Author of several substantial and well- written books, he is recalled today chiefly for a 2,300-word article published in 1878. At the time of its appearance this article was printed widely in the nation’s leading newspapers, often on front pages. Its key point was the sensational claim that John Wilkes Booth had killed President Abraham Lincoln because Booth was a frustrated rival of Lincoln’s son Robert for the hand of a young lady. Hunter’s “Booth and Bessie Hale” grabbed the nation’s attention at the time it appeared. It produced denials, rebuttals, and angry editorials, and it brought brief acclaim to its young author. Over time some of its points have been embraced by many writers on Booth and the Lincoln assassination.”[2057] CSR: 5’8”, fair complexion, dark hair, black eyes; gentleman; enlisted 27 May 1863 Alexandria; transferred from Infantry 27 April 1863; captured 8 January 1864 Warrenton; Old Capitol Prison 16 January 1864; Point Lookout Prison 3 February 1864; escaped; captured 8 February 1864 Point of Rocks; Camp Chase 24 February 1864; absent fishing detail April 1864; wounded in right leg April 1864; wounded 7 May 1864 Todd’s Tavern; furloughed for 60 days 26 May 1864; from Elizabeth City County. Additional Information: Wounded at Todd’s Tavern, [—?—] 1864. Member Virginia Legislature from Alexandria.[2058] [Check Va. legislative records.] [pending fc pp 26–27] Lived at 67 Waterloo Street in Warrenton after the war.[2059] Rank/Regt: Pvt. H 4th VA Cav. Black Horse Troop.[2060] Listed as “Alexander Hunton.”[2061] Was one of seven men who crossed the Rappahannock River on foot in a midnight downpour as part of a horse raid circa December 1863. See reference Hunter’s own acount of this story.[2062] “Member of Mosby’s Rangers and The Black Horse Cavalry.” “Occupation: Author,” and “[f]or forty years an employee of the General Land Office, Washington.” “Member of the Legislature of 1879….”[2063]