I had found a cemetery on a deadend road. It was a beautiful little cemetery and full of history. It's called (the name is actually bigger than the cemetery) the Lower Marsh Creek Presbyterian Church Cemetery. I forget the name of the road its on, but it goes back through a farm and then dead ends right at the cemetery. I've been there several times and have yet to see another soul.
The reason I went there was because I was looking for the grave of Alexander Dobbin. I was able to find it. When you go into the cemetery, its about in the middle but all the way down towards the farm. He is buried there with two wives and a child or two. The stones are made of slate and the wording is etched into it. Considering that he died at the beginning of the 1800's, I find it amazing that you can still read them.
But it the search for Rev. Dobbin, I stumbled across the grave of someone that I hadn't thought about and was shocked to see: Ephraim Whisler. Now, you ask, who is Ephraim Wisler??? Well, if you are familiar with the battle of Gettysburg, Ephraim Whisler's house played an important role. His house is where the first shot of the battle was fired from. If you go to his house today, there is a small obelisk-type monument in the side yard dedicated to the First shot.
Ephraim Whisler had heard the noise of troop movements and he went outside to see what was going on in his front yard. As he reached the road, a cannonball hit the road right in front of him and it splattered dirt all over him. It was such a shock to him, that he had a heart attack. He died on August 11, 1863.
To find his grave surprised me immensely. I hadn't really thought about him much. I knew the story of the first shot. I knew the story of how he died. And I knew that the park owned the house. What I didn't know was his age. I was always of the belief that he was much older. It came as quite a shock to learn how old he really was.....he was in his early 30's.
This cemetery has many graves of men who fought in wars throughout the history of our nation: the Revelutionary War, the Civil War, WWI, WWII, etc. It still has burials today. I have to believe that this is one of the earlier cemeteries in the area. I know for a fact that it pre-dates Evergreen and the National Cemeteries. Walking around in there is like walking through the history of this nation.
Now, everyone always wonders about "ghost stories". Has anything weird ever happened to you? Spending so much time in cemeteries, I haven't had anything weird happen....except at this one. One day I was walking through, looking at the graves and thinking. Now, you have to understand that this cemetery is in the middle of no where. There is a farm down the road a couple of hundred yards, but that is it. There is nothing else in the area. Nothing! Well, while I was standing there looking at the headstones, I suddenly smelled cigar smoke. I know the smell of cigar smoke because I HATE the smell of cigar smoke. It lingered around two or three of the graves. I looked up, thinking maybe someone was nearby, but no one was around. I walked about 5 yards away and the smell dissipated. I still didn't think anything of it until I started to walk past where I had originally smelled it and there it was again. Very distinct. I walked about 5 yards or so past it again but on the other side and again it was gone. Hmmmmm. Strange. I haven't smelled that smell again and I really wish I had paid more attention to whose grave I was at....but I have no idea who was there. It makes me sad, now that I think about it. Someone was reaching out to me and I have no idea who.
This is definitely one of those places that you have to keep coming back to over and over again. I have a list of cemeteries that I like to visit and this one is at the top of my list.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Cape Hatteras
I thought that today I would write a little bit about some of my trips down to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. When I had gone down there (and its been a few years now) I didn't know much more about the Civil War than the basics so to say that I was a little surprised to find out that there was a ton of Civil War history down there is an understatement.
I'm not so much a fan of the northern end of the Outer Banks....places like Nagshead, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk. It's too touristy for me. So I sort of "zone out" until we hit Cape Hatteras National Seashore. This is MY country. When you have to drive 20 miles just to get to the next "town" and that "town" is lucky to have a grocery store I am in heaven. That's when I started noticing "the signs".
The Signs are fairly small and they usually point down some off the beaten path road and they will usually say something like "Civil War Marker" with an arrow. Cool! Now, if it had been one or two signs, I probably could have convinced the family to stop at all those signs....but there were more....lots more.
Now what could possibly have happened on that thin strip of land that juts out into the ocean. The strip of land ranges anywhere from a mile to a couple hundred yards wide. But it goes on forever.....100+ miles. The sound, which is between the Island and the Mainland isn't very deep. I've seen windsurfers way out in the sound, fall off their boards and when they stood up, the water was up to their waists. So, they couldn't have had any kind of naval battle. Hmmm. Just what took place down there???? Well, I've done research. I LOVE research!
I found this on the internet and found it very interesting: The Civil War saw Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in the center of conflict. The Confederate army wanted to destroy the lighthouse to prevent the Union ships benefiting from it, and naturally the Union forces wanted to protect the lighthouse. After several battles in 1861, defeated Confederate troops retreated with the lighthouse's Fresnel lens. In 1862, the tower was relit with a second-order Fresnel lens, and then upgraded the following year with a first-order lens. The tower was severely damaged in the war, and after peace was restored to the country, the Lighthouse Board determined it would be less costly to build a new lighthouse, 600 feet to the north, rather than repair and refit the existing one. The original Cape Hatteras Light was destroyed in a blast of dynamite, and the Fresnel lens it had most recently housed was shipped to California for use in the Pigeon Point Lighthouse. http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=356
There is a book out called "Touring the Carolina's Civil War Sites" by Clint Johnson that looks to be a good read. I quickly went over it on Google books and it looks interesting. Another book that I have to add to my list (and is that list ever long!!!).
One day I am going to return to The Outer Banks and when I do, I am going to take a picture of every single one of those markers. I am determined to find out exactly what took place, where it took place, who was involved and how it ended. I know that one of the inlets was a good place for ships to use in order to reach the mainland....so that is why the Confederates didn't want the Union forces to be able to approach....but what else happened??? Hmmmm....one day I will know!
I'm not so much a fan of the northern end of the Outer Banks....places like Nagshead, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk. It's too touristy for me. So I sort of "zone out" until we hit Cape Hatteras National Seashore. This is MY country. When you have to drive 20 miles just to get to the next "town" and that "town" is lucky to have a grocery store I am in heaven. That's when I started noticing "the signs".
The Signs are fairly small and they usually point down some off the beaten path road and they will usually say something like "Civil War Marker" with an arrow. Cool! Now, if it had been one or two signs, I probably could have convinced the family to stop at all those signs....but there were more....lots more.
Now what could possibly have happened on that thin strip of land that juts out into the ocean. The strip of land ranges anywhere from a mile to a couple hundred yards wide. But it goes on forever.....100+ miles. The sound, which is between the Island and the Mainland isn't very deep. I've seen windsurfers way out in the sound, fall off their boards and when they stood up, the water was up to their waists. So, they couldn't have had any kind of naval battle. Hmmm. Just what took place down there???? Well, I've done research. I LOVE research!
I found this on the internet and found it very interesting: The Civil War saw Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in the center of conflict. The Confederate army wanted to destroy the lighthouse to prevent the Union ships benefiting from it, and naturally the Union forces wanted to protect the lighthouse. After several battles in 1861, defeated Confederate troops retreated with the lighthouse's Fresnel lens. In 1862, the tower was relit with a second-order Fresnel lens, and then upgraded the following year with a first-order lens. The tower was severely damaged in the war, and after peace was restored to the country, the Lighthouse Board determined it would be less costly to build a new lighthouse, 600 feet to the north, rather than repair and refit the existing one. The original Cape Hatteras Light was destroyed in a blast of dynamite, and the Fresnel lens it had most recently housed was shipped to California for use in the Pigeon Point Lighthouse. http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=356
There is a book out called "Touring the Carolina's Civil War Sites" by Clint Johnson that looks to be a good read. I quickly went over it on Google books and it looks interesting. Another book that I have to add to my list (and is that list ever long!!!).
One day I am going to return to The Outer Banks and when I do, I am going to take a picture of every single one of those markers. I am determined to find out exactly what took place, where it took place, who was involved and how it ended. I know that one of the inlets was a good place for ships to use in order to reach the mainland....so that is why the Confederates didn't want the Union forces to be able to approach....but what else happened??? Hmmmm....one day I will know!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Just Who Was Israel B. Richardson Anyway?
I did some searching. Afterall, if Hancock replaced him in the Battle of Antietam, I think I should know a little bit about his predecessor. As a Hancock "stalker" (as I have been called), I need to know all things Hancock and if anyone who had anything to do with him. So I did some searching.
Here are some facts that I learned about him: He was born on December 26, 1815 in Fairfax, Vermont (its a small town about halfway between Burlington and St. Albans....another Civil War related town that I have been to). He attended West Point and was graduated in 1841. Now this is interesting because Hancock graduated in 1844....so they probably knew each other at the school. I'm not sure how involved seniors would have been with freshman (plebes) but they may have known each other from classes or even barracks or whatever. He was given the nickname of "Fighting Dick" because once out on the battlefield he fought just as hard as his men. One thing that I saw repeatedly about him, was that he was quoted as saying "I would never put my men somewhere that I wasn't willing to go." I wish all leaders felt that way. He recruited and organized the 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry. And was made the Colonel of that infantry. Now, at this point you are probably saying, how did he go from Vermont to Michigan???? Good question. This is all I know, somehow, he made his way down from Vermont and settled in Pontiac, Michigan. It was at a point after he resigned from the Army in the 1850's. He must have either been stationed in the area or traveled through the area and grew to like it, so it became home.
Now, at the Battle of Antietam, he attacked the enemy at the Sunken Road. During this fighting, he was wounded by a spent shell fragment. So many men were wounded this way. I don't believe that direct hits were as common as the indirect hits. The wound wasn't considered life threatening but infection set in and eventually it led to pneumonia and he ended up dying on November3, 1862 in the Pry House. If the Pry House sounds familiar, it was the house that McClellan used as his headquarters during the Battle of Antietam.
General Richardson sounds like an interesting guy. I really do need to find out a bit more about him, but I'm glad I got to know him a bit better. There is a Civil War Round Table in the Pontiac, Michigan area that is named after him. If a group of this caliber is naming itself after this gentleman, then he must have been a really good guy. Sounds like more research is needed!
Here are some facts that I learned about him: He was born on December 26, 1815 in Fairfax, Vermont (its a small town about halfway between Burlington and St. Albans....another Civil War related town that I have been to). He attended West Point and was graduated in 1841. Now this is interesting because Hancock graduated in 1844....so they probably knew each other at the school. I'm not sure how involved seniors would have been with freshman (plebes) but they may have known each other from classes or even barracks or whatever. He was given the nickname of "Fighting Dick" because once out on the battlefield he fought just as hard as his men. One thing that I saw repeatedly about him, was that he was quoted as saying "I would never put my men somewhere that I wasn't willing to go." I wish all leaders felt that way. He recruited and organized the 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry. And was made the Colonel of that infantry. Now, at this point you are probably saying, how did he go from Vermont to Michigan???? Good question. This is all I know, somehow, he made his way down from Vermont and settled in Pontiac, Michigan. It was at a point after he resigned from the Army in the 1850's. He must have either been stationed in the area or traveled through the area and grew to like it, so it became home.
Now, at the Battle of Antietam, he attacked the enemy at the Sunken Road. During this fighting, he was wounded by a spent shell fragment. So many men were wounded this way. I don't believe that direct hits were as common as the indirect hits. The wound wasn't considered life threatening but infection set in and eventually it led to pneumonia and he ended up dying on November3, 1862 in the Pry House. If the Pry House sounds familiar, it was the house that McClellan used as his headquarters during the Battle of Antietam.
General Richardson sounds like an interesting guy. I really do need to find out a bit more about him, but I'm glad I got to know him a bit better. There is a Civil War Round Table in the Pontiac, Michigan area that is named after him. If a group of this caliber is naming itself after this gentleman, then he must have been a really good guy. Sounds like more research is needed!
Ike's retirement home
Living here in Gettysburg, I often drive past the Eisenhower farm and think nothing of it. But somehow, today, I realized that a former president of the United States and the former Allied commander of WWII lived HERE in MY town. How many people in the United States can say that?
Dwight D. Eisenhower spent a lot of time here prior to actually moving here. During WWI, he was in charge of the Tank Corps that had a camp on the spot where Pickett's Charge took place. This Tank Corps encampment changed the landscape of the ground where Pickett's, Trimble's, and Pettigrew's men charged across that field. They flattened some of it out, built small ridges at other areas, and just destroyed the ground so that what we see today is not necessarily the ground those brave men marched across. But Ike was there!
He also came back several times as a visitor before actually purchasing a house/farm here. There is also a famous picture of his class of cadets sitting on the steps in front of Christ Lutheran Church....and there is Eisenhower, right in the middle of them.
One of the park rangers has told me that Eisenhower had "caught the bug" that so many of us have. That horrible disease that gets into your blood and no matter what you do, it won't die. That disease that makes you return time and time again to this hallowed ground. What is it? I don't know but I know that I have a fatal case of it. I figure that this disease is going to kill me yet. But its also comforting to know that there are thousands of people out there that have it and there were thousands that had it before I was even born.
The Eisenhower farm is a beautiful piece of property at the corner of Pumping Station Road and West Confederate Avenue. At the time of the battle it was the Pitzer farmhouse. The Eisenhower's more or less torn down the house that was on the farm (except for a small section that was still stable) and rebuilt that house to what you see today. Former President Eisenhower also rebuilt that farmland. The ground was so devastated that nothing would grow on it....but using his techniques, he rebuilt it and made that ground able to grow crops. He also had his prized Black Angus Cows.
Too often people move to other areas and instead of improving the ground and the community, they tear it down. President Eisenhower improved everything he did. Or so it seems to me. I have to congratulate him on a job well done in the improvements that he made to his farm. Today the farm is open to the public. You need to go to the Visitors Center and catch a shuttle from there (the Eisenhower's wanted the farm to remain a working farm and didn't want a huge parking lot made on the ground....so that's the reason for the shuttle service). The trip over is well worth it! Walking the ground is a wonderful way to step back in time. The house is the way Mamie left it.....straight from the 1950's.....although she died in the 1970's. Seeing the putting green or the BBQ area or the skeet shooting range or any number of other things on that ground is a great way to spend an afternoon. I highly recommend it to anyone who even has a remote interest in the Eisenhower's. A great time to visit is at Christmas when the house is decorated!
Although I haven't spent much time there, I have gone a few times and its something that any visitor to Gettysburg should consider. To understand Eisenhower, is to understand his obsession with this place.
Dwight D. Eisenhower spent a lot of time here prior to actually moving here. During WWI, he was in charge of the Tank Corps that had a camp on the spot where Pickett's Charge took place. This Tank Corps encampment changed the landscape of the ground where Pickett's, Trimble's, and Pettigrew's men charged across that field. They flattened some of it out, built small ridges at other areas, and just destroyed the ground so that what we see today is not necessarily the ground those brave men marched across. But Ike was there!
He also came back several times as a visitor before actually purchasing a house/farm here. There is also a famous picture of his class of cadets sitting on the steps in front of Christ Lutheran Church....and there is Eisenhower, right in the middle of them.
One of the park rangers has told me that Eisenhower had "caught the bug" that so many of us have. That horrible disease that gets into your blood and no matter what you do, it won't die. That disease that makes you return time and time again to this hallowed ground. What is it? I don't know but I know that I have a fatal case of it. I figure that this disease is going to kill me yet. But its also comforting to know that there are thousands of people out there that have it and there were thousands that had it before I was even born.
The Eisenhower farm is a beautiful piece of property at the corner of Pumping Station Road and West Confederate Avenue. At the time of the battle it was the Pitzer farmhouse. The Eisenhower's more or less torn down the house that was on the farm (except for a small section that was still stable) and rebuilt that house to what you see today. Former President Eisenhower also rebuilt that farmland. The ground was so devastated that nothing would grow on it....but using his techniques, he rebuilt it and made that ground able to grow crops. He also had his prized Black Angus Cows.
Too often people move to other areas and instead of improving the ground and the community, they tear it down. President Eisenhower improved everything he did. Or so it seems to me. I have to congratulate him on a job well done in the improvements that he made to his farm. Today the farm is open to the public. You need to go to the Visitors Center and catch a shuttle from there (the Eisenhower's wanted the farm to remain a working farm and didn't want a huge parking lot made on the ground....so that's the reason for the shuttle service). The trip over is well worth it! Walking the ground is a wonderful way to step back in time. The house is the way Mamie left it.....straight from the 1950's.....although she died in the 1970's. Seeing the putting green or the BBQ area or the skeet shooting range or any number of other things on that ground is a great way to spend an afternoon. I highly recommend it to anyone who even has a remote interest in the Eisenhower's. A great time to visit is at Christmas when the house is decorated!
Although I haven't spent much time there, I have gone a few times and its something that any visitor to Gettysburg should consider. To understand Eisenhower, is to understand his obsession with this place.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
The Feisty General
Feistiness is a trait that I like in people. Why? Not sure. But when I look back at the Civil War or any time period in history, the feisty people are the ones that I am drawn to. Gettysburg had its share. But there is one Confederate general who just embodies feistiness....right or wrong, you can't say that he wasn't....and that general is Isaac Trimble. Now there is that famous scene in the movie "Gettysburg" where he goes in and tells General Lee how he offered Ewell to take a division and "Take that hill", etc. Did that really happen? Not sure....but there may or may not have been a witness to the situation. This is just full of suggestions....but no one really seems to know just what really happened. I've added a bit from a book about him.
Trimble accompanied Ewell during the whole of July 1, giving unsolicited advice with the receipt of every order from Lee and at every turn in the road. Trimble's close association with Ewell ended at a stormy meeting in the late afternoon, after the retreat of the Union Eleventh Corps and after Ewell had received Lee's order to take Cemetery Hill "if practicable" but avoid a general engagement. Trimble then buzzed excitedly, "General, don't you intend to pursue our sweep and push the enemy vigorously?" According to Trimble's later recollection, Ewell only paced about, cited Lee's order not to bring on a general engagement, and looked confused. Trimble urgently advised taking Culp's Hill, which he saw as the key to the whole Union position. "Give me a division," he said, according to one witness, "ans I will engage to take that hill." When this was declines, he said, "Give me a brigade and I will do it." When this was declined, Trimble said, "Give me a good regiment and I will engage to take that hill." Ewell snapped back, "When I need advice from a junior officer I generally ask for it." Trimble warned that Ewell would regret following his suggestions for as long as he lived, threw down his sword, and stormed off, saying he would no longer serve under such an officer.
On July 2, Trimble stood by in his status as major-general-at-large.
On July 3, two of Hill's division which Lee had earmarked for the climactic charge on the enemy center were without commanding generals. For the attack, Lee assigned Trimble to command Pender's division, where senior Brig. Gen. "Little Jim" Lane had been in charge since Maj. Gen. Dorsey Pender had been wounded the previous afternoon. Trimble probably saw his two attacking brigades for the first time when he and Lee rode along their lines that morning. Trimble's men were put in the third line behind the two lines of Heth's division (now commanded by Brig. Gen. Johnston Pettigrew). Pettigrew's and Trimble's brigades were on the left of Pickett's division, jumping off from a line between McMillan's Woods and Spangler's Woods on the west slope of Seminary Ridge.
During the grand assault in mid-afternoon, which became famous as Pickett's Charge, Trimble rode on his mare Jinny. As he crossed the Emitsburg Road, a bullet smashed his ankle, also wounding his horse. Trimble sent a message to Lane to take charge of the division, which was by then a jumbled mass of men, each following a flag and fighting on his own hook.
This would be Trimble's last moment of active rebellion. He was carried away, and the lower third of his leg was amputated at a farmhouse in the rear. Surgeons warned that infection would set in if he were moved in an ambulance, so Trimble chose to stay and be taken prisoner. He spent the next year and a half in Northern hands, then was exchanged in February 1865. Lee surrendered before he could return to the field. Taken from Larry Tagg's book, "Generals of Gettysburg"
Trimble was 61 years old when he arrived at Gettysburg and he didn't have a command, but it says a lot (or maybe Lee was just sick of him) that General Lee gave him a command later in the battle. Again, questions abound....just no answers. This is just one of those things that makes you wonder.
Trimble accompanied Ewell during the whole of July 1, giving unsolicited advice with the receipt of every order from Lee and at every turn in the road. Trimble's close association with Ewell ended at a stormy meeting in the late afternoon, after the retreat of the Union Eleventh Corps and after Ewell had received Lee's order to take Cemetery Hill "if practicable" but avoid a general engagement. Trimble then buzzed excitedly, "General, don't you intend to pursue our sweep and push the enemy vigorously?" According to Trimble's later recollection, Ewell only paced about, cited Lee's order not to bring on a general engagement, and looked confused. Trimble urgently advised taking Culp's Hill, which he saw as the key to the whole Union position. "Give me a division," he said, according to one witness, "ans I will engage to take that hill." When this was declines, he said, "Give me a brigade and I will do it." When this was declined, Trimble said, "Give me a good regiment and I will engage to take that hill." Ewell snapped back, "When I need advice from a junior officer I generally ask for it." Trimble warned that Ewell would regret following his suggestions for as long as he lived, threw down his sword, and stormed off, saying he would no longer serve under such an officer.
On July 2, Trimble stood by in his status as major-general-at-large.
On July 3, two of Hill's division which Lee had earmarked for the climactic charge on the enemy center were without commanding generals. For the attack, Lee assigned Trimble to command Pender's division, where senior Brig. Gen. "Little Jim" Lane had been in charge since Maj. Gen. Dorsey Pender had been wounded the previous afternoon. Trimble probably saw his two attacking brigades for the first time when he and Lee rode along their lines that morning. Trimble's men were put in the third line behind the two lines of Heth's division (now commanded by Brig. Gen. Johnston Pettigrew). Pettigrew's and Trimble's brigades were on the left of Pickett's division, jumping off from a line between McMillan's Woods and Spangler's Woods on the west slope of Seminary Ridge.
During the grand assault in mid-afternoon, which became famous as Pickett's Charge, Trimble rode on his mare Jinny. As he crossed the Emitsburg Road, a bullet smashed his ankle, also wounding his horse. Trimble sent a message to Lane to take charge of the division, which was by then a jumbled mass of men, each following a flag and fighting on his own hook.
This would be Trimble's last moment of active rebellion. He was carried away, and the lower third of his leg was amputated at a farmhouse in the rear. Surgeons warned that infection would set in if he were moved in an ambulance, so Trimble chose to stay and be taken prisoner. He spent the next year and a half in Northern hands, then was exchanged in February 1865. Lee surrendered before he could return to the field. Taken from Larry Tagg's book, "Generals of Gettysburg"
Trimble was 61 years old when he arrived at Gettysburg and he didn't have a command, but it says a lot (or maybe Lee was just sick of him) that General Lee gave him a command later in the battle. Again, questions abound....just no answers. This is just one of those things that makes you wonder.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
My Travels up a Mountain
Back in March, a friend of mine and I climbed a mountain to find a signal station. I didn't realize that when she said, "Climb a mountain", she meant "CLIMB A MOUNTAIN". When I saw the mountain I realized that this was the craziest thing she had ever dragged me along to do and it was, by far! This is why we are known as the "Lucy and Ethel" of the battlefield.
Well, we arrived at the Grotto in Emmitsburg, Md and walked through the Grotto until we came to a hidden little bridge that crossed a small creek and led to a trail up the mountain. The little bridge is sealed off....so we had to walk across the creek, which wasn't too bad. Then we went up the mountain.
The trail that leads up there is a sunken road, more or less. It was easy finding the trail and staying on it but the real problem were the leaves. The leaves came up to our knees. Because of this, we couldn't see what was UNDER the leaves...boulders, holes, etc. This made walking this part of the trail very treacherous. Also, it was like walking through a foot of snow....not easy for moving. This part of the trail is fairly steep and with the leaves, I was pretty much breathless after a couple of hundred yards. But it gets easier. What we found out was that this was the hardest part of the trail.
We continued up the trail and eventually you get out of the sunken road and end up on just a plain mountain trail....nothing fancy....just a trail. Thankfully, someone had marked it with red paint and we were able to follow the paint. The path became less steep, although you will still walk uphill. This went on for what seemed like forever. It took us about an hour to walk up to the top of the mountain. At one point we saw a sign that told us the lookout was 1 mile ahead. I really didn't think that I could go another mile, but I really don't think it was a mile....a couple of hundred yards, maybe. But, who knows, we had NO idea how far we had gone.
Well, we finally reached Indian Lookout. Now, what was the significance of Indian Lookout? It served as a Signal Station during the Battle of Gettysburg. The view from up there was magnificent. We could see forever. We were told that you could see Little Round Top, Big Round Top, the Peace Light, and all sorts of things from up there. The more we stood and looked, the less we saw. I have no idea where these things were. But when we got back, one of the pictures that was taken was examined and sure enough, you COULD see all that. Now we have to go back up there and see just where all this was.
I feel for those poor men who had to climb all the way up there in order to use it as a signal station. What a climb that was for those poor men! But, I'm sure they were used to it. We certainly weren't.
The climb back down the hill was about half the time it took to get up there. There are all sorts of trails at the top of that mountain and unless you know exactly which trail you came up to it from, you can easily get lost. We started to go the wrong way, but soon straightened ourselves out. One good thing to do is mark the trail when you reach the top because the red paint doesn't start appearing until about 100 yards down. It's really easy to get lost up there.
Overall, I'm glad I went up there. It was quite the walk and my feet hurt so bad that when I got home I couldn't even have my blankets on my toes. But despite the pain, I would do it again....but only in the wintertime and with LOTS of water with me.
Well, we arrived at the Grotto in Emmitsburg, Md and walked through the Grotto until we came to a hidden little bridge that crossed a small creek and led to a trail up the mountain. The little bridge is sealed off....so we had to walk across the creek, which wasn't too bad. Then we went up the mountain.
The trail that leads up there is a sunken road, more or less. It was easy finding the trail and staying on it but the real problem were the leaves. The leaves came up to our knees. Because of this, we couldn't see what was UNDER the leaves...boulders, holes, etc. This made walking this part of the trail very treacherous. Also, it was like walking through a foot of snow....not easy for moving. This part of the trail is fairly steep and with the leaves, I was pretty much breathless after a couple of hundred yards. But it gets easier. What we found out was that this was the hardest part of the trail.
We continued up the trail and eventually you get out of the sunken road and end up on just a plain mountain trail....nothing fancy....just a trail. Thankfully, someone had marked it with red paint and we were able to follow the paint. The path became less steep, although you will still walk uphill. This went on for what seemed like forever. It took us about an hour to walk up to the top of the mountain. At one point we saw a sign that told us the lookout was 1 mile ahead. I really didn't think that I could go another mile, but I really don't think it was a mile....a couple of hundred yards, maybe. But, who knows, we had NO idea how far we had gone.
Well, we finally reached Indian Lookout. Now, what was the significance of Indian Lookout? It served as a Signal Station during the Battle of Gettysburg. The view from up there was magnificent. We could see forever. We were told that you could see Little Round Top, Big Round Top, the Peace Light, and all sorts of things from up there. The more we stood and looked, the less we saw. I have no idea where these things were. But when we got back, one of the pictures that was taken was examined and sure enough, you COULD see all that. Now we have to go back up there and see just where all this was.
I feel for those poor men who had to climb all the way up there in order to use it as a signal station. What a climb that was for those poor men! But, I'm sure they were used to it. We certainly weren't.
The climb back down the hill was about half the time it took to get up there. There are all sorts of trails at the top of that mountain and unless you know exactly which trail you came up to it from, you can easily get lost. We started to go the wrong way, but soon straightened ourselves out. One good thing to do is mark the trail when you reach the top because the red paint doesn't start appearing until about 100 yards down. It's really easy to get lost up there.
Overall, I'm glad I went up there. It was quite the walk and my feet hurt so bad that when I got home I couldn't even have my blankets on my toes. But despite the pain, I would do it again....but only in the wintertime and with LOTS of water with me.
The Sunken Road
Now, to go back to Antietam. I took a bit of a walk on the Sunken Road/Bloody Lane Trail. Unfortunately, I didn't have too much time because I really wanted to go back to the VC to do a battlefield tour with a ranger (which I highly recommend to anyone who happens to be in the park on a day that they are offered).
The Bloody Lane happens to be the area where Hancock fought. And being a HUGE Hancock fan, I HAD to go and check it out.
I went to the Mumma farm and cemetery before I got over to the Sunken Road. The farm had a fair amount of school kids running around the yard with Signal Corps flags....so I never got to the farm itself. I'm guessing that these kids were learning about the Signal Corps and how the messages were delivered. This, in and of itself, is a very interesting topic that I will have to talk about some day. Some of the signal stations are in very obscure areas and I have been to a few of them....so I will talk about them soon. But the cemetery was awesome. I love old cemeteries. It's not very big and there are probably a 1-200 people buried in it, but when you start to look at the names, there are quite a few names that are familiar to anyone who has studied the battle. The day that I was there I ran into 2 other people heading into the cemetery to take a look around. So I had it all to myself prior to the others heading in. I can't remember how many trees are in the cemetery but I know that with the trees and the the hilltop, there was a constant breeze. The cemetery is completely surrounded by a beautiful stone wall. It's just a nice little cemetery. As I was leaving, that was when I ran into the other couple.
From there, I went on to the Sunken Road. This old farm road is very deceptive. The first time I went into it, I was shocked at how "sunken" it really is. I stood in the middle of it and the sides were actually over my head. This was a complete surprise to me because in all the pictures I've seen of it and the way it looked from the sides, I didn't think it was that deep. But it is! I'm looking at my map of the different regiments involved. I didn't realize how many actually fought there. On the Union side, they had: 4NY, 108NY, 7WV, 132PA, 5MD, 130PA, 8OH, 1DE, 14CT, 14IN. Then on the Confederate side, it was: 30NC, 4NC, 14NC, 2NC, 6AL, 5AL, 12AL, 26AL. Its odd looking at some of these regiments and seeing those same guys at other battlefields. Some fought at Gettysburg, others fought at Chancellorsville, and the list goes on and on. Some of these guys fought each other repeatedly on the battlefield....but in different places. I think about these things often. Did they recognize the same guys? If they saw a guy, battle after battle, and finally he fell, did they feel bad for him or where they glad? Just what went on in the heads of these men?
I wonder about some of the leaders. Quite a few of these men never made it to Gettysburg. But one that intriques me a bit is Israel B. Richardson. I'm going to have to check out his biography. I guess one of the reasons that he intriques me is because Hancock took over after he was wounded.
There are so many things that I need to look up....and so little time. One day I might scratch the surface!
The Bloody Lane happens to be the area where Hancock fought. And being a HUGE Hancock fan, I HAD to go and check it out.
I went to the Mumma farm and cemetery before I got over to the Sunken Road. The farm had a fair amount of school kids running around the yard with Signal Corps flags....so I never got to the farm itself. I'm guessing that these kids were learning about the Signal Corps and how the messages were delivered. This, in and of itself, is a very interesting topic that I will have to talk about some day. Some of the signal stations are in very obscure areas and I have been to a few of them....so I will talk about them soon. But the cemetery was awesome. I love old cemeteries. It's not very big and there are probably a 1-200 people buried in it, but when you start to look at the names, there are quite a few names that are familiar to anyone who has studied the battle. The day that I was there I ran into 2 other people heading into the cemetery to take a look around. So I had it all to myself prior to the others heading in. I can't remember how many trees are in the cemetery but I know that with the trees and the the hilltop, there was a constant breeze. The cemetery is completely surrounded by a beautiful stone wall. It's just a nice little cemetery. As I was leaving, that was when I ran into the other couple.
From there, I went on to the Sunken Road. This old farm road is very deceptive. The first time I went into it, I was shocked at how "sunken" it really is. I stood in the middle of it and the sides were actually over my head. This was a complete surprise to me because in all the pictures I've seen of it and the way it looked from the sides, I didn't think it was that deep. But it is! I'm looking at my map of the different regiments involved. I didn't realize how many actually fought there. On the Union side, they had: 4NY, 108NY, 7WV, 132PA, 5MD, 130PA, 8OH, 1DE, 14CT, 14IN. Then on the Confederate side, it was: 30NC, 4NC, 14NC, 2NC, 6AL, 5AL, 12AL, 26AL. Its odd looking at some of these regiments and seeing those same guys at other battlefields. Some fought at Gettysburg, others fought at Chancellorsville, and the list goes on and on. Some of these guys fought each other repeatedly on the battlefield....but in different places. I think about these things often. Did they recognize the same guys? If they saw a guy, battle after battle, and finally he fell, did they feel bad for him or where they glad? Just what went on in the heads of these men?
I wonder about some of the leaders. Quite a few of these men never made it to Gettysburg. But one that intriques me a bit is Israel B. Richardson. I'm going to have to check out his biography. I guess one of the reasons that he intriques me is because Hancock took over after he was wounded.
There are so many things that I need to look up....and so little time. One day I might scratch the surface!
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