Burgaw, NC, Depot-- Part 2

The December 14th Wilmington Star News continued with its story on the old Wilmington & Weldon Depot in Burgaw, NC.

Mike Taylor, Library Director of Pender County Public Libraries and president of the Burgaw Depot Historical Preservation Foundation has done a lot of research on the subject. The depot being attacked and set fire during the Civil War has long been a part of local oral tradition.

Taylor has found mention in a Union cavalry battalion history that it was attacked in early 1863. A cavalry regiment from New Bern made a raid on the W & W Railroad and burned it. They were pursued by a heavy artillery battalion, but got awar. The W & W Railroad was referred to as the "Lifeline of the Confederacy" for all the supplies brought in by blockade-runners to Wilmington that were then transported by rail to Richmond.

The North Carolina Office of Archives and History says that the 1850 portion of the depot still stands but has fire damage.

The depot renovation is scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2009.

It's a Depot Thing. --Old B-Runner

Burgaw, NC, POW Swap

The Nov. 29th Wilmington Star News reported that Mike Taylor, Library director of the Pender Co. Public Library and president of the Burgaw Depot Historic Preservation Association has been doing some research on a large prisoner exchange that took place at the site during the waning days of the Civil War. His organization is raising money to renovate the station.

A new marker was erected by the Civil War Trails program recently.

General Grant had decided to stop prisoner exchanges towards the end of the war. Exchanged Confederate soldiers soon found their way back to fighting forces.

After Fort Fisher fell in January, 1865, it was another month of operations before Wilmington was captured.

As Sherman's army was approaching, 6,000 Union prisoners at Florence, SC, were sent north and exchanged for Confederate prisoners at Burgaw. The Confederates turned over 1,400 Union prisoners a day during one stretch, including 120 black soldiers. By March 4th, 9000 prisoners had been exchanged.

And I Didn't Think There Were Any Prisoner Exchanges After 1864. --Old Blockade-R

Burgaw, NC, On Civil War Trails Now

The Nov. 19th Wilmington (NC) Star News reports that the historic train depot in Burgaw will be officially plaqued as part of the Civil War Trails Program at a ceremony December 4th. Research was prepared by Chris Fonvielle of UNC-Wilmington with the help of Mike Taylor.

Burgaw's location on the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad, sometimes called the lifeline of the Confederacy and it was the staging area for a large prisoner of war exchange.

Civil War Trails, Bringing History to the Masses. --Old B-Runner