April 19, 2013

Sachs Bridge, dating from the 1850s, occupied this site during the battle.

  Did you know there’s a beautiful covered bridge just a few miles from the battlefield? Though Sachs Bridge has become a veritable command center for paranormal enthusiasts, it offers more than just creepy vibes. Its appeal is two-fold: beauty and history. As for the beauty, the bridge stretches lazily over Marsh Creek, a great (and quiet) place to picnic, relax, or take a hike . . . literally. So you’ve got a lovely old structure, a peaceful creek, and enough woodland to feel secluded. If you want solitude, make sure to avoid the bridge after dark . . . there are sure to be a goodly number of ghost hunters trekking across the old weathered boards.

 

Once you cross the bridge, this marker can be found.

A peaceful view of Marsh Creek

Concerning history, there’s a ton. Sachs Bridge was constructed in the 1850s (though the modern bridge is more or less reconstructed, with some original material, after floating downstream during a particularly violent flood). It was used by Southern troops retreating from the battlefield and was supposedly close to a field hospital. I’m not exactly sure where said hospital was located. If you can take away the parking lot and modern signage in your mind’s eye, it’s very easy to imagine how the bridge and its environs would have looked in 1863.

**HONORED TODAY**

COL. EDWARD CLAXTON EDMONDS

38^th Virginia Infantry

Born January 21, 1835 --- Died July 03, 1863 at age 28

Col. Edmonds had a full and busy life before his wounding at Gettysburg, but that didn’t make his death before the age of thirty any easier to bear. He was a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and later became involved in teaching. In the 1860 census he was listed as residing in the Southern District of Pittsylvania, Virginia. Col Edmonds was killed at the Pickett-Pettigrew-Trimble Charge and is thought to be buried at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond. His passing was mourned by Margaret (Maggie), his wife of five years, and by his three-year-old daughter, Mollie. A photo of him can be found here.


(c) 2013 Skies of Blue and Gray