18th-Century White Oak Tree Felled by Rains

The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association in 1860 opened the estate to the public, shortly before the Civil War began in 1861. A large percentage of visitors to Mount Vernon during the war were soldiers. To ensure Mount Vernon remained neutral ground, soldiers could neither be armed nor dressed in uniform to visit the estate. Miss Tracy, secretary to the MVLA’s chairwoman Ann Pamela Cunningham wrote, “They have behaved very well about it. Many of them come from a great distance and have never been here, and have no clothes but their uniforms. They borrow shawls and cover up their buttons and leave their arms outside the enclosures, and never come but two or three at a time. That is as much as can be asked of them.”

In 1865 toward the conclusion of the Civil War, Union soldiers carved a five-pointed star and a Latin or Greek cross into this oak tree. Over the years, the carvings were periodically re-cut to prevent the bark from obscuring them.

“While there are differing opinions on the symbols and what they may represent, we have some clues to point us in the right direction,” said Mount Vernon’s director of archaeology Luke Pecoraro.

Logan and his corps were definitely present for the Grand Review of the Armies held in Washington DC on May 23-24, 1865. During this event, about 145,000 men (including Logan) were under the overall command of General Sherman. Many of the regiments who were with Logan that visited Mount Vernon arrived after the Grand Review before returning to their home states.
“If they are indeed corps badges,” said Pecoraro, “my educated guess of working with the evidence that we have is that they were carved by members of the 20th corps. The 20th corps was part of Sherman’s Army, as was Logan’s 15th, and perhaps oral history was conflated to combine the two. The 60th and 102nd New York regiments both visited Mount Vernon, both were in the 20th corps, served with Logan, and participated in the Grand Review.”

“As a compelling case for the 102nd [corps], before the regiment was mustered out, members of the 184th New York were transferred to it; the 184th had been part of the 6th corps (Greek Cross)," he continued. “The 102nd was in service and stationed in Alexandria at the war’s end before the men were sent home to New York in July of 1865. Therefore, it seems logical to me why you might see the star and cross together, and perhaps were carved by the 102nd as it would have included men who served in both corps.”