Things I think about

I spend the majority of my time at work thinking. I have a job that doesn't require too much work....not sure if that's good or bad. Anyway, I have lots of time to think. I've been thinking a lot about the Civil War and some of the men who fought in it.

One of the things that I wonder about is how these men were able to do all the walking that was required of them. Now, my great great grandfather fought in the Sixth Corps (by the time they got to Gettysburg he was in the Sixth Corps). Prior to actually arriving in Gettysburg, they had walked from Westminster, MD all the way to Gettysburg.....around 32 miles....and they did it all in one day! Now, I'm not old and I'm not young but I find this interesting. I can walk about 3 or 4 miles before my feet start screaming at me. I'm wearing shoes designed for walking and my feet still hurt. How could these guys walk in their brogans and still be able to march 32 miles? I find this totally amazing.

Now there are a couple of things to keep in mind: a) these guys that lived in the 1800's did a lot more walking than we do in the 21st century. They didn't have cars like we do, so they either used a horse to get where they were going or they walked. b) after all marching as much as they did for the first two years of the war, I'm sure that their feet were pretty much numb. So, I'm sure that they were able to handle it much better than we would be....but it still just makes me think.

Just some ramblings on a spring morning....still anticipating my journeys for the summer. I plan to go down to the Fredericksburg/Chancellorsville area in June. I'm really looking forward to that because of all the battlefields in the area. Besides Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, there is also Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Brandy Station, Kelly's Ford, Cedar Mountain, and other minor spots. I'm not sure 1 1/2 days will be enough to hit the tip of the iceberg, but I'm sure going to try. I was down at Chancellorsville and the Wilderness in March for about 3 hours. I took pictures of all the signs and then read them at home. It wasn't a great trip but it got me interested in what I was going to be looking for when I went down overnight. Standing in the spot where Stonewall Jackson was shot was so intense. I can't really explain it, but the feeling that overtook me was almost more than I could handle. I look forward to more of those type of experiences. It should be an exciting trip!