June 7-19, 2017 McMichael Family Reunion and East Coast Trip
This was our trip out East for the family reunion at Harpers Ferry, W VA, visit to my brother Joe's home in Forest, Virginia, and a short visit to our friends, Brad and Jane, in Ohio. The family reunion was held near Harpers Ferry, a beautiful little historic river town where the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers meet. We stayed at Camp Manidokan near Harpers Ferry. During our 10 day trip we drove through the states of Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. Our starting mileage was 95,553. |
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June 7, Day One, On our way to Harpers Ferry and the McMichael family reunion As usual Mike and I like to start early on our trips. We got up at 5:30 and were on the road by 6:30. We knew this would be a day of driving but we were already tired starting out since a few days earlier we had just got back from our camping trip with Olivia and Alyssa. So we went from unpacking to repacking and getting ready for this trip. Our first stop was to get gas at Higginsville, Mo $2.04/gal and we're averaging 23/mpg. Lunch was at Effingham, IL where we ate lunch at Culvers (fast food). Next fuel stop was also at Effingham, IL $2.11/gal and averaging 22/mpg. Early in the afternoon I made reservations at Quality Suites in Springfield, OH since the hotels were a bit pricier if we had gone on to Columbus. This was a great hotel with a large room including a hot tub which we didn't have time to use. We found a BBQ restaurant, Rudy's BBQ and although we are used to great KC BBQ this was a delicious meal. After dinner we returned to our hotel room and enjoyed a good night's sleep. |
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June 8, Day Two, Harpers Ferry McMichael family reunion
We left at 7:15 am after having a quick breakfast at the hotel. We stopped for gas at London, OH $2.14/gal averaging 22/mpg. After driving past Pittsburg we decided to drive on Highway 40 rather than I70 for a more scenic drive. Although it was a little slower we really enjoyed the ride. We got to see lots of quaint and historic buildings, homes, and restaurants plus passing by Fort Necessity National Battlefield. We didn't have time to stop so drove on. We gassed up at Grantsville, MD $2.28/gal and 21/mg. We stopped at Victor Cushwa Memorial Bridge near Hancock, MD about an hour from our destination. This was a great visitor's center and we were able to pick up brochures for the family reunion on Antietam, Gettysburg, and Harper's Ferry. They recommended Oak Barrel in Hancock for lunch. Mike and I split a Cowboy Burger and enjoyed lunch on the patio. We arrived at Harper's Ferry around 4:15 pm and since we had time visited Harper's Ferry Visitor's Center where we picked up more information for the family. We got to Camp Manidokan around 5pm and were one of the first to arrive although most of the East Coast cousins were there since they were the ones hosting the event. Camp Manidokan is a Christian youth camp that also rents out the lodges and cabins when not being used. Not luxurious by any means but very decent accommodations. The McMichael family rented two lodges with each room having its own private bathroom and had various numbers of twin and bunk beds in each room. On the grounds there was also a pool and a couple of rough trails. After greeting the family we unpacked and got settled in our room which we were sharing with Mike's mom, Donna. All of our meals were provided by the Camp Manidokan kitchen staff and tonight's meal was tacos, rice, beans, and brownies for dessert. While we were there every meal was good which surprised us since they were cooking for a large group. Through the evening more of the family began to arrive. We had a fire each night at a fire pit right outside the lodges and that made visiting fun. This night we also went for a short walk with bedtime being at 11 pm.
June 9, Day Three, Harper's Ferry
Today was great weather, low of 60 and high of 85. It was a free day, no planned activities for the family. Most of us took off for a day at Harper's Ferry for a little exploring and lunch, the rest of the family continued to come in for the reunion. We started the day off with breakfast at the camp of fruit, bacon, and pancakes, another good meal. We left for Harper's Ferry around 9:30 am and drove to the visitor's center where we planned to take the shuttle to the battlefield and then on to what they call Lower Town. Most of us made it to the shuttle but the shuttle left a few minutes early and left Glenn, Heather, and John behind. No worries, as the shuttle leaves every 15 minutes and we waited for them at the first stop at Bolivar Heights Battlefield.
Bollivar Heights is the site of five Civil War Engagements with panoramic views and a trail. We walked a little bit of the trail but didn't have time for the entire hiking trail. The first battle of the Civil War at Harpers Ferry occurred at Bolivar Heights on October 16, 1861, exactly two years after the commencement of the John Brown Raid. (More about John Brown later.) Alarmed by Union forces in the new Confederacy, especially along the Potomac River, a Confederate force under Col. Thomas Ashby struck Union Col. John Geary's men at Bolivar Heights. Many Confederates were angry over the Union seizure of a local flour mill, which provoked some of the fighting, but soon after the Confederate attack, Geary held the location and forced a Confederate retreat. There were four more battles that took place here between 1861 and 1864.
Today was great weather, low of 60 and high of 85. It was a free day, no planned activities for the family. Most of us took off for a day at Harper's Ferry for a little exploring and lunch, the rest of the family continued to come in for the reunion. We started the day off with breakfast at the camp of fruit, bacon, and pancakes, another good meal. We left for Harper's Ferry around 9:30 am and drove to the visitor's center where we planned to take the shuttle to the battlefield and then on to what they call Lower Town. Most of us made it to the shuttle but the shuttle left a few minutes early and left Glenn, Heather, and John behind. No worries, as the shuttle leaves every 15 minutes and we waited for them at the first stop at Bolivar Heights Battlefield.
Bollivar Heights is the site of five Civil War Engagements with panoramic views and a trail. We walked a little bit of the trail but didn't have time for the entire hiking trail. The first battle of the Civil War at Harpers Ferry occurred at Bolivar Heights on October 16, 1861, exactly two years after the commencement of the John Brown Raid. (More about John Brown later.) Alarmed by Union forces in the new Confederacy, especially along the Potomac River, a Confederate force under Col. Thomas Ashby struck Union Col. John Geary's men at Bolivar Heights. Many Confederates were angry over the Union seizure of a local flour mill, which provoked some of the fighting, but soon after the Confederate attack, Geary held the location and forced a Confederate retreat. There were four more battles that took place here between 1861 and 1864.
The shuttle then took us to Lower Town that had a few museums, shops, and restaurant. I was surprised it was a little more touristy than I thought it would be. Our first stop was at a visitor's center here where we bought a t-shirt, a couple of book marks, and a magnet for our trailer. We walked the first block which consisted of a number of old stores such as a dry goods store, a haberdashery store, grocery store, bakery, and a shoemaker. They were all made to look like buildings from the civil war era but we could sctually buy products and wares from them.
At the end of the block was the John Brown Museum where we watched 3 short films about the life of John Brown. Abolitionist, John Brown struck a blow against slavery at Harpers Ferry, and soon the Civil War trapped the town between North and South. In October 1859 John Brown and his followers seized the armory and several other buildings. The raid failed, with most men killed or captured. Brown's trial and execution focused attention on the issue of slavery and propelled the nation toward civil war. John Brown's raid made Harpers Ferry a symbol of freedom. Mike's mom began to get tired shortly after we got to Harpers Ferry so Mike and I didn't have enough time to see everything and we didn't get to hike any trails. We ate lunch at Harpers Ferry as there were lots of good restaurants in the town. Later in the day when Donna had returned to camp Mike and I stayed a little longer to walk the town. There were a lot of little shops and restaurants and was a little more commercial than we like. We walked across the RR bridge across the Potomac River and that was a nice walk. There was a trail down from the bridge but we didn't have time to take it. We decided to drive back to camp and would try to return on Sunday for a hike. Dinner that night at Manidokan was turkey, potatoes, and vegetables and was really good. We watched a short film that Heather had produced, Amazing Grace, that we really enjoyed. After dinner we went outside and sat by the fire until it was bed time. All in all it has been a very nice day! Photos for Day 3, Bolivar Battlefield and Harpers Ferry |
June 10, Day 4, Tubing, Kayaking and Family Time
Temperature was about perfect today, in the 60s this morning reaching about 80 for the high. We had breakfast prepared by the camp staff this morning. Breakfast call was at 8:15 am every day. Most everyone was doing tubing and kayaking today at the river. We arrived around 10:30 am, picked our tubes and away we went. Unfortunately, I didn't want to bring my camera into the water so I don't have any photos of our water activities. The water felt cool at first but as the day's temperature rose the water felt great. We tubed for about an hour and a half before stopping for our lunch, (a sack lunch we prepared with foods provided by the camp staff). After lunch some of the group decided to tube again and a few of us decided to kayak. Mike and I kayaked for most of the afternoon before heading back to camp for rest, dinner, time at the camp, and sitting around the fire. Nice day and great visit with all of the relatives.
Photos for Day 4, McMichael Reunion Family Photos
June 11, Day 5, Harpers Ferry and Gettysburg This was our last day at the family reunion so after breakfast Mike and I said our goodbyes to the family and went back to Harpers Ferry. The one trail I had read about was Jefferson Rock Trail so Mike and I decided to hike this short but steep trail. The weather was beginning to get hot and humid and it was predicted to last the rest of the week. We started the trail by climbing the stairs to St Peter's Catholic Church. St Peter's Catholic Church occupies a prominent location on the heights above Harpers Ferry. The original church was built in 1833 and it was the only church in Harpers Ferry to escape destruction during the civil war. The church commands a sweeping vista across the gorge of the Shenandoah River above its confluence with the Potomac River. The street along the side of the church building is part of the Appalachian Trail. A short trail leads from the church to Jefferson Rock. There was a mass going on as we walked past the church. The trail was enjoyable but I was glad the trail was a short one because it was really getting hot. Jefferson Rock trail is situated along the Appalachian Trail between the Lower Town and Camp Hill areas of the park. The location offers gorgeous views of the surrounding mountains, the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, and the water gap. The trail passes by the ruins of St. John Episcopal Church until you reach Jefferson Rock. Several large masses of Harpers shale, piled one upon the other, comprise Jefferson Rock. The name of this landmark derives from Thomas Jefferson, who stood here on October 25, 1783. Because this natural foundation had dwindled to very unsafe dimensions by the action of the weather, and still more, by the devastations of tourists and curiosity-hunters, four stone pillars were placed under each corner of the uppermost slab sometime between 1855 and 1860. After taking a few photos of Jefferson Rock Mike and I went on a short distance to visit Harper Cemetery, a 250 year old cemetery. Photos for Day 5, Jefferson Rock Trail and Harper Cemetery |
Once we had reenergized with lunch we were ready to go again so we went to the visitor's center at Gettysburg Battlefield. At first it was a little overwhelming there was so much to see and do. I thought we could schedule a private guide for the following day but I was told I had to book that 3 days prior so we were advised to show up the next day by 9am to request the guide. The ranger said that usually by 10 am all of the guides had been booked for the day. There is no fee for the entrance to the park/battlefield so to make up for it there were fees for other activities, such as the guide, film, museum, and the cyclorama. The guide was $75 and the pass to the film, museum, and cyclorama was $15. We didn't think that was really too expensive considering if we had taken the bus tour that would have been $35 each.
It had been a long day so we decided to simply drive the battlefield with the map that the visitor's center had provided us. The map actually helped us to acclimate to the battlefields as Gettysburg is a very large area. What we found out the next day with our guide was that Gettysburg has 1300 state monuments that were built by various state organizations so they vary in size and design. The majority of monuments are about the Union forces. The Confederate states were bankrupt after the war and couldn't afford to place monuments here. When the southern states were able to afford monuments rules were changed so no additional monuments could be placed. We think the rules were changed legitimately because there is an abundance of monuments but we also think politics played a large role limiting the number of Southern monuments, thus not recognizing the role the Confederacy played during the Battle of Gettysburg. In addition, the information on the monuments is not always accurate because the information is provided by that organization and they have their own recollection of history. The victors (Union) are the ones that wrote the history. We found out that for accurate information we should read the park system's brass plaques that are also displayed along with the monuments. No matter how you feel about the issues of the civil war (which was more than just slavery), you have to admire the soldiers on both sides that fought valiantly for what they believed was right.
It had been a long day so we decided to simply drive the battlefield with the map that the visitor's center had provided us. The map actually helped us to acclimate to the battlefields as Gettysburg is a very large area. What we found out the next day with our guide was that Gettysburg has 1300 state monuments that were built by various state organizations so they vary in size and design. The majority of monuments are about the Union forces. The Confederate states were bankrupt after the war and couldn't afford to place monuments here. When the southern states were able to afford monuments rules were changed so no additional monuments could be placed. We think the rules were changed legitimately because there is an abundance of monuments but we also think politics played a large role limiting the number of Southern monuments, thus not recognizing the role the Confederacy played during the Battle of Gettysburg. In addition, the information on the monuments is not always accurate because the information is provided by that organization and they have their own recollection of history. The victors (Union) are the ones that wrote the history. We found out that for accurate information we should read the park system's brass plaques that are also displayed along with the monuments. No matter how you feel about the issues of the civil war (which was more than just slavery), you have to admire the soldiers on both sides that fought valiantly for what they believed was right.
June 12, Day 6, Gettysburg National Military Park
We got up early this morning and ate at quick breakfast at the hotel. We got to the Visitor's Center around 8am and inquired about the private guide. It was the luck of the draw on who you got and unfortunately I think we drew the short straw! The guide was very knowledgeable but a rather elderly man who droned on as if it was a tape we were listening to. It seemed like if we interrupted him with a question he had to get back on track to his script. We would have rather had a more conversational guide but at least this guy knew his stuff. To be a guide they have to go through a somewhat rigorous screening to qualify. Our guide told us he had been doing this for 25 years. The guided tour took us about 2 hours and even though our guide wasn't very good we don't regret hiring a personal guide. just wish we would have had a different one.
The Battle of Gettysburg, fought from July 1 to July 3, 1863, is considered the most important engagement of the American Civil War. After a great victory over Union forces at Chancellorsville, General Robert E. Lee marched his Army of Northern Virginia into Pennsylvania in late June 1863. On July 1, the advancing Confederates clashed with the Union’s Army of the Potomac, commanded by General George G. Meade, at the crossroads town of Gettysburg. The next day saw even heavier fighting, as the Confederates attacked the Federals on both left and right. On July 3, Lee ordered an attack by fewer than 15,000 troops on the enemy’s center at Cemetery Ridge. The assault, known as “Pickett’s Charge,” managed to pierce the Union lines but eventually failed, at the cost of thousands of rebel casualties, and Lee was forced to withdraw his battered army toward Virginia on July 4. After the Battle of Gettysburg the Confederate Army and government were demoralized and they would never again launch an offensive challenge on northern territory. On the Union side it sparked a new wave of military enlistments as the north began to believe they could win the war. Our research tells us that the Confederate Army had 70,100 soldiers and 22,700 casualties which was a third of Lee's army. The Union Army had 93,700 soldiers and 22,815 casualties. This could be a low estimate as no one recorded the actual numbers.
The Battle of Gettysburg, fought from July 1 to July 3, 1863, is considered the most important engagement of the American Civil War. After a great victory over Union forces at Chancellorsville, General Robert E. Lee marched his Army of Northern Virginia into Pennsylvania in late June 1863. On July 1, the advancing Confederates clashed with the Union’s Army of the Potomac, commanded by General George G. Meade, at the crossroads town of Gettysburg. The next day saw even heavier fighting, as the Confederates attacked the Federals on both left and right. On July 3, Lee ordered an attack by fewer than 15,000 troops on the enemy’s center at Cemetery Ridge. The assault, known as “Pickett’s Charge,” managed to pierce the Union lines but eventually failed, at the cost of thousands of rebel casualties, and Lee was forced to withdraw his battered army toward Virginia on July 4. After the Battle of Gettysburg the Confederate Army and government were demoralized and they would never again launch an offensive challenge on northern territory. On the Union side it sparked a new wave of military enlistments as the north began to believe they could win the war. Our research tells us that the Confederate Army had 70,100 soldiers and 22,700 casualties which was a third of Lee's army. The Union Army had 93,700 soldiers and 22,815 casualties. This could be a low estimate as no one recorded the actual numbers.
After the guided tour we decided to take a break for lunch at the Visitor's Center. Surprisingly they had a large selection for lunch and it was excellent food. After lunch we decided to go to the Gettysburg Battle film, the museum, and the cyclorama, all located in the Visitor's Center. Although Mike thought $15 for each of us was a little pricey we thought it was well worth it when we were through. The movie, A New Birth of Freedom, was good as it was produced by the History Channel. After the movie we went to the cyclorama, a large circular oil painting. The cyclorama is a three-dimensional effect that surrounds viewers who stand on a central platform, placing the viewers in the center of the Battle of Gettysburg. This fantastic painting brings the fury of the final Confederate assault on July 3, 1863 to life, providing the viewer with a sense of what occurred at the battle long touted as the turning point of the Civil War.
The Gettysburg Museum offers visitors a museum experience that tells the story of the Battle of Gettysburg and its significance to our nation’s history. The museum’s collection of artifacts and archival items provide visitors perspectives from President Abraham Lincoln, Confederate President Jefferson Davis, Generals George Gordon Meade and Robert E. Lee, soldiers, war correspondents and civilians. Throughout the museum were interactive and visual stations. Five of the galleries included short video presentations on the causes of the Civil War, the three days of the Battle of Gettysburg and the results of war, and two “Voices” theaters feature readings from battle participants. Of the 12 galleries, 11 are based on phrases from Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and organized around the museum’s major themes, including the Gettysburg Campaign, and the causes and consequences of the American Civil War. It was a huge museum; when we were part way through I thought we were almost at the end of the museum so I told Mike I would wait for him outside. As we all know Mike reads every detail and I take about half the time he does to go through any museum. I waited for quite a while and Mike never came out so I went back to find him. It was only then I realized we had only gotten half way through the museum. Now that I had rested I wanted to go back and make up for the other half I hadn't seen. So....Mike ended up going through parts of the museum twice! We've had a good laugh about this incident quite a few times. We were inside the museum for at least 4 hours.
One story that we were told by our guide stuck with us and shows us that some things never change with politics in Washington, DC and this story involves General Sickles. As a senator Sickles killed a man in front of witnesses because the man was having an affair with his wife. Sickles obtained good lawyers and he got off in the first ever temporary insanity plea. Fast forward to the Civil War when he was made a General because of his political and money connections. He reported to General Mead at the Battle of Gettysburg. He was told to spread his men along Cemetery Ridge and Little Round Top, he ignored orders and spread his men at Devil's Den, The Peach Orchard, and the Wheatfield. He left the high ground undefended (Little Round Top) so Mead had to send troops to cover it. Sickles almost lost the entire battle because of this, and yet he was not disciplined. After the war he claimed he was one of the heroes of the war, and yet because he was a senator he was able to get funding for the creation of the Gettysburg Battlefield National Park. So although he definitely was not a hero of the war it was because of his later position in politics that we have the Gettysburg Battlefield National Park today. Ironic how politics have not really changed!
The Gettysburg Museum offers visitors a museum experience that tells the story of the Battle of Gettysburg and its significance to our nation’s history. The museum’s collection of artifacts and archival items provide visitors perspectives from President Abraham Lincoln, Confederate President Jefferson Davis, Generals George Gordon Meade and Robert E. Lee, soldiers, war correspondents and civilians. Throughout the museum were interactive and visual stations. Five of the galleries included short video presentations on the causes of the Civil War, the three days of the Battle of Gettysburg and the results of war, and two “Voices” theaters feature readings from battle participants. Of the 12 galleries, 11 are based on phrases from Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and organized around the museum’s major themes, including the Gettysburg Campaign, and the causes and consequences of the American Civil War. It was a huge museum; when we were part way through I thought we were almost at the end of the museum so I told Mike I would wait for him outside. As we all know Mike reads every detail and I take about half the time he does to go through any museum. I waited for quite a while and Mike never came out so I went back to find him. It was only then I realized we had only gotten half way through the museum. Now that I had rested I wanted to go back and make up for the other half I hadn't seen. So....Mike ended up going through parts of the museum twice! We've had a good laugh about this incident quite a few times. We were inside the museum for at least 4 hours.
One story that we were told by our guide stuck with us and shows us that some things never change with politics in Washington, DC and this story involves General Sickles. As a senator Sickles killed a man in front of witnesses because the man was having an affair with his wife. Sickles obtained good lawyers and he got off in the first ever temporary insanity plea. Fast forward to the Civil War when he was made a General because of his political and money connections. He reported to General Mead at the Battle of Gettysburg. He was told to spread his men along Cemetery Ridge and Little Round Top, he ignored orders and spread his men at Devil's Den, The Peach Orchard, and the Wheatfield. He left the high ground undefended (Little Round Top) so Mead had to send troops to cover it. Sickles almost lost the entire battle because of this, and yet he was not disciplined. After the war he claimed he was one of the heroes of the war, and yet because he was a senator he was able to get funding for the creation of the Gettysburg Battlefield National Park. So although he definitely was not a hero of the war it was because of his later position in politics that we have the Gettysburg Battlefield National Park today. Ironic how politics have not really changed!
After the museum we headed for an early supper at Gary Owens Irish Pub. I guess we expected too much as the reviews were great, however the ambiance was good and the food was all right. I had the Shepherd's Pie and Mike had the Guinness Beef Stew. I'm still glad we went as it was a different meal than what we usually have. After our dinner we decided we wanted to take a few more photos of the battlefields especially Devil's Den that we didn't get a chance to take on our guided tour. So for the third time in the last two days we drove the battlefields.
After the drive we decided to go to the Military Cemetery. Gettysburg National Cemetery contains the graves of over 6,000 servicemen including the final resting place for more than 3,500 Union soldiers killed in the Battle of Gettysburg. Nearly half of the civil war burials are unknown soldiers. A few days after the battle, the governor of Pennsylvania, Andrew Curtin, visited the battlefield and was deeply moved by what he saw. Bodies of soldiers had hurriedly been buried and some not at all. Curtin and representatives of the northern states took steps to create a national cemetery. Beginning October, 1863, bodies were carefully removed from the field and reinterred here. The work took 5 months. On November 18, 1863, before the burials were completed, government officials, battle veterans, and citizens assembled to dedicate the cemetery. President Abraham Lincoln rose to deliver “a few appropriate remarks,” now known as the Gettysburg Address. His two-minute speech served as a reminder of the sacrifices of war and the necessity of holding the Union together. The focal point of the cemetery is the Soldier's National Monument dedicated July 1, 1869. At its base are four figures representing War, History, Peace and Plenty, while 60 feet above Liberty holds the wreath of victory and the sheathed sword of battle. This was a very sobering walk to end our evening. |
We returned to the hotel, got a treat of ice cream not far from our hotel (not half as good as Mr. G's the night before) and called it an evening. We have Antietam tomorrow.
June 13, Day 7, Antietam Battlefield
This was an extremely hot day. It was only about an hour to Antietam from Gettysburg so we headed out early after having breakfast at the hotel. The road to Antietam was hilly and curvy but beautiful. As soon as we got to Antietam we stopped at the small visitor's center and bought an audio tape of the battlefield. We drove the battlefield listening to the CD and the stops it suggested. The CD had a lot of information. Antietam had the largest single day loss of life ever. There were over 100,000 troops and 23,000 were either killed, wounded, or missing after twelve hours of savage combat on September 17, 1862. The Battle of Antietam ended the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia's first invasion into the North and led to Abraham Lincoln's issuance of the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. Compared to Gettysburg, Antietam was a small battlefield so it didn't take long to take the audio tour of the battlefield by car. By the time we drove the battlefield, we were hungry, drove into town, and ate at Captain Bender's Tavern. The food was pretty good considering Sharpsburg is a small town without many shops or restaurants. After eating some lunch we returned to Antietam and drove the auto route again but taking photos this time. We did some walking on a few paved trails but because it was so hot we didn't walk far.
One of the most noted landmarks on this great field of combat is a house of worship associated with peace and love. The Dunker Church ranks as perhaps one of the most famous churches in American military history. This historic structure began as a humble country house of worship constructed by local Dunker farmers in 1852. On the eve of the Battle of Antietam, the sound of cannons booming at the Battle of South Mountain seven miles to the east was plainly heard as the Dunkers attended church. Confederate infantry and artillery were being positioned around the church in anticipation of the battle that was fought the next day. During the battle of Antietam the church was the focal point of a number of Union attacks against the Confederate left flank. At battles end the Confederates used the church as a temporary medical aid station. A sketch by well known Civil War artist Alfred Waud depicts a truce between the opposing sides being held in front of the church on September 18, in order to exchange wounded and bury the dead. At least one account states that after the battle the Union Army used the Dunker Church as an embalming station. One tradition persists that Lincoln may have visited the site during his visit to the Army of the Potomac in October 1862. As for the old church, it was heavily battle scarred with hundreds of marks from bullets in its white washed walls. Likewise artillery had rendered serious damage to the roof and walls. By 1864 the Church was repaired, rededicated and regular services were held there until the turn of the century. Then, the congregation built a new church in the town of Sharpsburg. Souvenir hunters took bricks from the walls of the church and a lack of adequate maintenance weakened the old structure. In 1921 a violent storm swept through the area flattening the church. In 1962, the Church was restored for the 100th Anniversary of the Battle on the original foundation with as much original materials as possible and now stands as a beacon of peace on the battlefield. Our visit to the Dunker Church was like a step back into time. We took note of the simplicity of the church with its plain windows, crude wooden benches, and the simple table at the front where the elders of the church would have read from the old Bible. Inside the church, it was easy to imagine the sacrifices of the men at the Battle of Antietam.
Another monument that we noticed was a rather large stone in memory of Clara Barton. Around noon on September 17, 1862 Clara Barton arrived on the northern edge of what they called "The Bloody Cornfield". The Cornfield was the center of a bloody battle at Antietam where Federal soldiers from the First and Twelfth Corps clashed with Lee's men. The Cornfield changed hands again and again as both sides attacked and counterattacked. More than 25,000 soldiers fought in and around the Cornfield. By 9:30 a.m. thousands of them lay dead and dying. Barton arrived with a wagon load of bandages and other medical supplies. As bullets whizzed overhead, Miss Barton cradled the heads of suffering soldiers, prepared food and brought water to the wounded men. She was christened "The Angel of the Battlefield". In 1881 Barton founded the Red Cross. She not only provided neutral assistance to soldiers in war but conceived and put into practice the provision of aid to civilians after natural disasters. The red cross on her Antietam monument, made of brick taken from her Massachusetts birthplace, commemorates her role as founder of the American Cross.
We also climbed the Antietam Observation tower. In 1897, Antietam's stone Observation Tower was built during the War Department's era of battlefield preservation. In 1890, congressional legislation gave the War Department oversight of the Antietam Battlefield Commission created to preserve and maintain the battle lines from the September 17, 1862 Battle of Antietam. In 1933 administration of the battlefield transferred to the National Park Service. The preserved landscapes were meant to honor the dead and serve as open-air classrooms for military study. The tower stands nearby what they call Bloody Lane. For nearly 3 1/2 hours Confederate troops held the 800 yards of the sunken road, repelling four Union charges, until troops finally broke the line. The heavy fighting caused this farm land to be filled with dead and dying soldiers, thus the name, "Bloody Lane".
Our next visit was to Burnside Bridge. The three arch stone bridge built in 1836 became the focal point for the attacks of General Ambrose Burnside's Union 9th Corps during the afternoon phase of the Battle of Antietam. About 450 Georgians held up Burnside's attack for a few critical hours, making the bridge one of Antietam's best known landmarks. This was a nice, quiet walk to the bridge and it was hard to imagine the lives that were lost in this area during the battle.
We decided to go to the visitor's center as it was getting really hot outside. We watched a short film on the Battle of Antietam and went through the museum. The visitor's center was nice but very small compared to Gettysburg. Before leaving the visitor's center area we visited the Maryland Monument. This monument stands as the only monument in Antietam dedicated to the valor of men on both sides. This monument was dedicated in 1900 and present were several battle survivors of both the blue and the grey.
One of the most noted landmarks on this great field of combat is a house of worship associated with peace and love. The Dunker Church ranks as perhaps one of the most famous churches in American military history. This historic structure began as a humble country house of worship constructed by local Dunker farmers in 1852. On the eve of the Battle of Antietam, the sound of cannons booming at the Battle of South Mountain seven miles to the east was plainly heard as the Dunkers attended church. Confederate infantry and artillery were being positioned around the church in anticipation of the battle that was fought the next day. During the battle of Antietam the church was the focal point of a number of Union attacks against the Confederate left flank. At battles end the Confederates used the church as a temporary medical aid station. A sketch by well known Civil War artist Alfred Waud depicts a truce between the opposing sides being held in front of the church on September 18, in order to exchange wounded and bury the dead. At least one account states that after the battle the Union Army used the Dunker Church as an embalming station. One tradition persists that Lincoln may have visited the site during his visit to the Army of the Potomac in October 1862. As for the old church, it was heavily battle scarred with hundreds of marks from bullets in its white washed walls. Likewise artillery had rendered serious damage to the roof and walls. By 1864 the Church was repaired, rededicated and regular services were held there until the turn of the century. Then, the congregation built a new church in the town of Sharpsburg. Souvenir hunters took bricks from the walls of the church and a lack of adequate maintenance weakened the old structure. In 1921 a violent storm swept through the area flattening the church. In 1962, the Church was restored for the 100th Anniversary of the Battle on the original foundation with as much original materials as possible and now stands as a beacon of peace on the battlefield. Our visit to the Dunker Church was like a step back into time. We took note of the simplicity of the church with its plain windows, crude wooden benches, and the simple table at the front where the elders of the church would have read from the old Bible. Inside the church, it was easy to imagine the sacrifices of the men at the Battle of Antietam.
Another monument that we noticed was a rather large stone in memory of Clara Barton. Around noon on September 17, 1862 Clara Barton arrived on the northern edge of what they called "The Bloody Cornfield". The Cornfield was the center of a bloody battle at Antietam where Federal soldiers from the First and Twelfth Corps clashed with Lee's men. The Cornfield changed hands again and again as both sides attacked and counterattacked. More than 25,000 soldiers fought in and around the Cornfield. By 9:30 a.m. thousands of them lay dead and dying. Barton arrived with a wagon load of bandages and other medical supplies. As bullets whizzed overhead, Miss Barton cradled the heads of suffering soldiers, prepared food and brought water to the wounded men. She was christened "The Angel of the Battlefield". In 1881 Barton founded the Red Cross. She not only provided neutral assistance to soldiers in war but conceived and put into practice the provision of aid to civilians after natural disasters. The red cross on her Antietam monument, made of brick taken from her Massachusetts birthplace, commemorates her role as founder of the American Cross.
We also climbed the Antietam Observation tower. In 1897, Antietam's stone Observation Tower was built during the War Department's era of battlefield preservation. In 1890, congressional legislation gave the War Department oversight of the Antietam Battlefield Commission created to preserve and maintain the battle lines from the September 17, 1862 Battle of Antietam. In 1933 administration of the battlefield transferred to the National Park Service. The preserved landscapes were meant to honor the dead and serve as open-air classrooms for military study. The tower stands nearby what they call Bloody Lane. For nearly 3 1/2 hours Confederate troops held the 800 yards of the sunken road, repelling four Union charges, until troops finally broke the line. The heavy fighting caused this farm land to be filled with dead and dying soldiers, thus the name, "Bloody Lane".
Our next visit was to Burnside Bridge. The three arch stone bridge built in 1836 became the focal point for the attacks of General Ambrose Burnside's Union 9th Corps during the afternoon phase of the Battle of Antietam. About 450 Georgians held up Burnside's attack for a few critical hours, making the bridge one of Antietam's best known landmarks. This was a nice, quiet walk to the bridge and it was hard to imagine the lives that were lost in this area during the battle.
We decided to go to the visitor's center as it was getting really hot outside. We watched a short film on the Battle of Antietam and went through the museum. The visitor's center was nice but very small compared to Gettysburg. Before leaving the visitor's center area we visited the Maryland Monument. This monument stands as the only monument in Antietam dedicated to the valor of men on both sides. This monument was dedicated in 1900 and present were several battle survivors of both the blue and the grey.
We had hotel reservations at Hilton Garden in Martinsburg, a short distance from Antietam knowing that our day today might be a long day. Before we arrived at the hotel we stopped in Shepherdstown for dinner. We had been told to go to Bavarian Inn, a German restaurant. Guess I have to quit reading Trip Advisor, I think we expect too much from our meals. I ordered Weiner Schnitzel and Mike had Schweinebraten. Both were good but not as great as we expected. The ambiance of the place was pretty cool though, as this was in the bar area in the basement of this hotel. After Dinner we drove to our hotel, a very nice hotel but we barely used any of the amenities because we were so tired.
Photos for Day 7, Antietam Battlefield
June 14, Day 8, Drive through Shenandoah NP and Blue Ridge Parkway to Joe's
We knew today we should have a short drive so we slept in a little bit and then decided we would drive through the Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway to get to Joe and Mollye's in Forest, VA. Shenandoah National Park's scenic roadway, Skyline Drive, follows the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains for 105 miles. At its southern end it joins the Blue Ridge Parkway which stretches 469 miles to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We drove Skyline Drive and started at the half way point at Swift Run Gap Entrance Station. If we had to do over again we would have started at the Front Royal (North) Entrance but we didn't know any better. It was a beautiful drive with numerous pull offs. We drove south for 40 miles in the Shenandoah National Park where the road changed to the start of Blue Ridge Parkway. We drove a total of 100 miles and it took us over 4 hours so it's probably a good thing we didn't start at the north entrance. Skyline Drive is a narrow mountain road with beautiful vistas and flowers along the road. We stopped at Loft Mountain Wayside at the outdoor picnic area for lunch and had some sandwiches which we had purchased earlier at Jimmy John's. We even managed to buy a couple of t-shirts there at the store. Once we were on the Blue Ridge Parkway we stopped at Humpback Rocks Visitor's Center where we got maps and brochures of the area. There was a trail up to the rocks that we would have liked to take but decided against it. We drove on and took a quick break at James River Visitor's Center but it was closed. We could tell that Shenandoah NP and Blue Ridge Parkway are popular camping destinations with lots of picnic areas, great scenery, numerous hiking trails, campgrounds, and wildlife. Along our drive there were a number of trails we wanted to explore but we didn't have the time if we wanted to make Joe's by dinner time. After the James River Visitor's Center we left the parkway driving towards Joe's. We arrived at Joe and Mollye's near 5 pm, a little later than we planned, and had a nice relaxing dinner at their home.
June 15, Day 9, Day at Joe's
This was our day of rest and we were ready for it. Joe and Mollye had to work this day so this morning we took time to do some laundry. Joe was able to leave work late morning and we met Mollye for lunch at a local cafe. The sandwiches were good and we loved being able to visit. After lunch Mollye took us by her school where she works and showed us the library/media room that she is in charge of. The work she does is quite impressive and she loves her job. It's amazing what the school offers their students to stimulate learning. Mike, Joe, and I went back to their home and visited the rest of the afternoon until Mollye got off work. We ate out for dinner at a Mexican Restaurant where they made guacamole at our table. It was a fun meal and we really enjoyed being with Joe and Mollye. We went back to their home and visited the rest of the night.
Photos for Day 9, Visit with Joe and Mollye
Photos for Day 9, Visit with Joe and Mollye
June 16, Day 10, Pippin Hill Farm and Winery
We had breakfast at Joe and Mollye's, then LeAnne drove to Joe's house mid morning to join us on our trip to Pippin Vineyard. It was so nice to visit with her. I was hoping to see her little boy, Ben, but he and Ethan, LeAnne's husband, had other plans at their home in North Carolina. It took us about an hour to get to the winery. Pippin Vineyard is a beautiful place and although today was warm there was a nice breeze. First thing we did was a wine tasting of about 5 wines. Most of their wines are dry and Mike and I prefer a sweeter wine. Instead of purchasing a bottle we ordered a couple of glasses of the wine that we liked the best. We got a table outside on the veranda. Joe and Mollye and Mike and I laughed that they call this a patio in the Midwest but it's called a "veranda" in the south! We ordered a cheese and meat tray and that was wonderful. A little later we ordered a light lunch and it was very good. It was really an enjoyable day and it was nice to have LeAnne with us. More Photos from Pippin Hill |
Later that evening, Emily and Seth met us at Joe and Mollye's house and we ordered pizza. We stayed and visited with everyone until about 10 pm when we went back to a hotel in Lynchburg. It's always hard to tell Joe and Mollye goodbye. This last time it was four years since we had seen them and I wonder how long it will be before we see them again.
June 17, Day 11, Drive to Lancaster, OH
Mike and I slept in a little bit today as we only had a 6 hour drive to Brad and Jane's in Lancaster, OH. It was sunny, hot, and humid today. There wasn't much going on today as it was just a day of driving. The only stops we made were when we got gas @ Ripley, WVA and when got lunch. Most of our drive was on two lane highways, not interstates, so it took longer than we anticipated. We arrived at Brad and Jane's around 4:30 pm. Brad and Jane are friends that we met in Tucson. They have a very nice home but all I could see is the work it requires for upkeep as they have a fairly large home with a big yard. That night Brad grilled chicken and Jane made a lot of other foods to go with the chicken. As usual, she went to a lot of trouble, and dinner was great. After dinner it was nice enough to sit out on their patio and visit. We drank some of the ice wine that we had purchased when we went with them last year to Niagara on the Lake. We spent the night at their home.
June 18, Day 12, Hocking Hills
The next day we had breakfast at Brad and Jane's and decided to go to Hocking Hills, nearby. Brad and Jane have talked about Hocking HIlls State Park and we were interested in visiting it. Before we drove to Hocking Hills, they gave us a short tour of Lancaster. Hocking Hills is a great state park. It has hiking, caves, waterfalls, canoeing, zip lines, camping, and more. It looked like a great place for Mike and I to visit one of these days. We decided to hike Conkles Hollow, a narrow valley with steep black sandstone walls on a mostly paved walkway. It was a nice walk because it was cool with the shade of all the trees. There were ferns everywhere. It was a beautiful and almost tropical walk.
In the park, we ate at the Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls and our meal was excellent. Cedar Falls Inn is a 1840s log cabin so it was a kind of cool place to eat. We looked at one of their cabins in the woods just out of curiosity. The cabins are small but have nice layouts and very private with a nice covered porch. It would be a great place for the McMichael Reunion but I doubt we could talk them into it. We stopped at the Visitor's Center there which is sponsored by a local tourist department rather than administered by the state park. There was a pencil sharpener museum right outside of the visitor's center that Mike thought was amusing. On our way back to Jane and Brad's we stopped at a small craft mall but didn't stay long. We ate leftovers for dinner at Brad and Jane's, but it was still good. It was still hot and had been raining so we didn't sit outside this night. We stayed inside and played cards which was fun. Tomorrow will be a long drive home so we went to bed at Brad and Jane's intending to start for home at an early hour.
June 19, Day 13, Drive Home
We were up early and started our drive to home at 7 am. We told Brad and Jane goodbye hoping we will see them next winter in Tucson. It was going to be another hot day. We had packed sandwiches from Brad and Jane's so we could eat lunch on the road. We tried to stop every few hours to stretch our legs and/or get gas. We bought gas at South Vienna, OH $2.09/gal, Effingham, IL $1.94/gal, and Boonville, MO $1.88/gal. Our lunch was at the first rest stop in Ill. We got snacks later in the day at one of the gas stations and arrived home around 7 pm. It had been a 12 hour day and we were glad to be home.
Our ending mileage was 98,244 so it had been a trip with total mileage of about 2700 miles. It has been a great trip with lots of great visits with friends and family. We are hoping family visits will be more frequent so we're hoping we can do a similar trip in the not too distant future.
Our ending mileage was 98,244 so it had been a trip with total mileage of about 2700 miles. It has been a great trip with lots of great visits with friends and family. We are hoping family visits will be more frequent so we're hoping we can do a similar trip in the not too distant future.