Living Near the Field

I must have looked at 1000 pictures...

2011-04-14T02:26:00.004-04:00

...but I finally found 2 in which I could positively identify myself. In both, I'm near the top, coming out a "shell crater" on the beach. I have my rifle almost at port arms, and have a gas brassard on my right sleeve above the elbow. Found me yet? Trust me, I'm there.

The event is the annual D-Day reenactment on Lake Erie and the beaches of Conneaut, OH. It's a good event. If you live anywhere near the area, it's well worth the trip. There are usually two P-51 Mustang fighters strafing the beach, period landing craft ,German hillside emplacements, period civilians and french Resistance fighters, and even a few airborne scenarios. Look up D-Day Conneaut on the internet. The details are there. It happens on a Saturday in mid-August. I'll post more details as it gets closer.

The beach is about 200yds wide, and by the time you run through the sand with weapons and gear, going in an out of holes, and trying to keep your head down, it's a good feeling getting to the sea wall and making a push up the hil to win the day!

On April 14, 1861...

2011-04-14T02:13:00.003-04:00

...Just 2 days after the Confederate forces in Charleston fired on Ft. Sumter, and just a day after the besieged Union garrison of the fort surrendered, President Abraham Lincoln issued his call for volunteers to "put down the rebellion."

The President's call to arms, as publiched in the Ohio Repository on April 17, 1861:

“PRESIDENT’S PROCLAMATION

“Whereas, the laws of the United States are now and have been opposed in several States by combinations too powerful to be suppressed in the ordinary way, I therefore call forth the militia of the several states of the Union, to the aggregate number of 75,000, to suppress said combinations and execute the laws. I appeal to all loyal citizens to participate and aid this effort to maintain the laws and integrity of the National Union, and perpetuity of popular governments, and redress wrongs long enough endured.

“The first service assigned the forces will probably be to repossess the forts, places and property which have been seized from the Union. The utmost care will be taken, consistent with the object, to avoid devastation, destruction and interference with the property of peaceful citizens in ay part of the country.

“I hereby command all persons composing the aforesaid combinations to disperse within 20 days from date.

“I hereby convene both Houses of Congress for the fourth of July next, to determine upon such measures as the public safety and interests demands.”

Abraham Lincoln,
President

The war had begun. No one at the time knew or could even imagine the brutality of the next four years. Most folks thought it would be over in a few weeks, would entail a lot of posturing by both sides, but would result in little if any bloodshed. Unfortunately for the combatants, these poeple would soon be proven dreadfully wrong.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt...

2011-04-12T23:22:00.003-04:00

...the 32nd President, author of the "New Deal", and the only US president to serve more than two terms died on April 12, 1945. President Roosevelt suffered from polio, and was paralyzed at the waist. He served as president through most of the Great Depression, and through the brutal years of World War II. He died just as victory over Germany's Third Reich was almost certain, an as the seemingly invicible Empire of Japan was well into the downward spiral that would also seal her fate, and the almost inevitable Allied victory.

During his presidency, Roosevelt purchased an estate at Warm Springs, Georgia, and often spent time there embracing a form of hydro-therapy for his paralysis. It was at Warm Springs that the President died. According to witnesses, he was at his desk doing daily paperwork, when he complained of a headache. Shortly afterward, he slumped forward in his chair and died. The cause of death was a severe cerebral hemorrhage. His wife, Eleanor, arrived shortly after his death,and spent a few minutes alone with the dead Prseident paying her last respects.

President Roosevelt was succeeded by Harry Truman, who also ran in and won the next Presidential election. It was President Truman who made the final decision to drop the atomic bombs on Japan and thus shorten the war.

Roosevelt's presidency is remarkable for many reasons. He became President just 32 days after Adoplh Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany, and while the United States was in the worst part of the most extreme economic depression in history. Projects such as the Tennessee Valley Authority were founded under his administration, and agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission were established. Roosevelt also set up the Social security Act, which formed the basis of Social Security, but also added a payroll tax to fund the act.

FDR's most notable speech was his "Infamy" speech, his petition to Congress to declare war on the Empire of Japan after the Pearl Harbor bombing.

On the 12th of April, 1861...

2011-04-12T11:34:00.004-04:00

...the American Civil War began in Charleston harbor. Confederates fired the first shots at the "Star of the West", a Union ship sent to supply and re-inforce the besieged garrison in Ft. Sumter. Confederates demanded the surrender of the fort, while President Lincoln declared it to be property of the US government, and refused any form of surrender of Federal property. Lincoln tested Confederate resolve, and actually (and very tactfully) coerced the Confederates into firing first.

A 34hr bombardment of the fort then commenced at 4;30 am, with Edmund Ruffin supposedly firing the first shot at Ft. Sumter. Later in the day, Captain Abner Doubleday of the Union army returned fire, ineffectively but symbolically, toward the city of Charleston. On April 13, the Union garrison under command of Maj. Robert Anderson, surrendered to Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard. Beauregard had previously been a student of Anderson's at West Point.

During the siege and shelling of Ft. Sumter, there were no battle casualties, but one Confederate died after having been wounded by a mis-firing cannon. One Union soldier did die, and another was mortally wounded during a 100 gun salute allowed by the Confederates. After this incident, though, the salute was shortened to 50 guns.

The "Star of the West" returned with Ft. Sumter's garrison to New York City, where the garrison received a hero's welcome. Anderson also kept the fort's flag, which is now on display in the museum in Ft. Sumter and is a treasured piece of American history.

Though the initial battle was bloodless, and the resulting casualties were minimal in number, the first battle for Ft. Sumter was the start of four years of a tragic war with casualties and brutality on a scale that no one imagined or saw coming. Even today, the ferocity of both sides in the America Civil War continues to awe and amaze. Though we commemorate it, and celebrate it, we must not glorify it. Most of all, we must all make sure that such an event never happens again!

Buchenwald...

2011-04-11T21:26:00.002-04:00

...As we prepare to start the official sesquicentennial of the American Civil War, let's not forget another important historical event that occurred on April 11th, 1945, the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp by the 6th Armored Division of the U.S. 3rd Army. Buchenwald is said to rank 2nd only to Auschwitz in overall brutality to those imprisoned there. Thus, it is a milestone event in a very gruesome story.

Pvt. Harry J. Herber, Jr. claims to be the first American soldier to tear down the barbed wire and enter the camp, though many believe this is pure embellishment on his part. The camp had been overtaken by prisoners a few days earlier.
As word of the advancing Americans reached nearby Gestapo headquarters, the guards at Buchenwald were sent and order by the Gestapo to blow up the camp to destroy any evidence of its existence, but the garrison in the camp had already fled. A prisoner answered the phone when the Gestapo called, and informed them that the camp had already been blown up, so it was not necessary to send explosives. Of course, this was a well-crafted lie.

Pfc. James Hoyt was the driver the M8 Greyhound armored car that brought Capt. Frederic Keffer, Tech. Sgt. Herbert Gottschalk and Sgt. Harry Ward into the camp. He parked the vehicle outside the fence, and Capt. Keffer and Sgt. Gottschalk entered through a hole in the barbed wire that the prisoners made.

Thousand of prisoners were held in Buchenwald. Though it was not an extermination camp, with no crematoria or gas chambers, several thousand prisoners died in Buchenwald. They were used as slave laborers, and lived in horrid conditions. Starvation and disease killed hundreds daily. Buchenwald prisoners also were used in several horrific medical experiments, such the testing of viral infections and vaccines.

Ilse Koch, the wife of the cammp commandant, was one of the most brutal tormentors in Buchenwald. She often unmercillesly beat prisoners for no reason with her riding crop, and had a collection of lampshades, book covers and gloves made from the skin of deceased inmates.

One thing worthy of note is that, as time progressed, the communist inmates who were freed from Buchenwald hunted down and captured 76 of their former guards. Their fate, as can be expected, was not pleasant.

One of the freed Buchenwald inmates was Elie Wiesel, who was the Nobel Prize winner in 1986.

Though the sesquicentennial Civil War commemoration is monumental in scope in the USA, let's remember all the brutalities, all the struggles, all the deaths, and all the sacrifice from all the wars. It is because of this history that the World today is as we know it, and that, all gripes aside, we still live in the greatest country in the history of this awesome planet.

The Land of the Free...

2011-04-09T21:28:00.003-04:00

.

...Sometimes, I wonder. On April 12th, to kick off the Civil War Sesquicentennial, Charleston is hosting a reenactment of the firing on and siege of Ft. Sumter. This should be quite an event. They have approximately 30 Confederate cannon to be placed on the shores of Charleston Harbor. No cannon will actually be allowed in the fort, so there will be no return fire. Upwards of 150,000 spectators will be in Charleston.

Sounds good, right? It should be, but...

...a hardcore, super-authentic reenactor has been placed in charge of the event, and like many of his kind, he has no tolerance for anything not being done his way or to his standards.

All uniforms will be subject to his approval. If you are not approved by him, you cannot be there. A group of gentlemen who portray various Union generals have asked to come, and they were rejected because, "Those generals weren't there during the siege, and there's no place for them."

Anyone else see a problem here?

They don't want to attend as participants. They merely want to be there,and to dress for the event theme.

Even those bringing the cannons will be required to conform to the strict guidelines of this event. If you have the wrong uniform for an early war impression, or the wrong buttons, etc., your cannon will be welcome, but you'll have to either change to a uniform more appropriate or leave.

I'm all for having some type of authenticity regulations, because you cannot do this with an " anything goes" mentality. I've seen many Gettysburg parades where authenticity was lacking, and it was ridiculous. Period-correct uniforms, shoes, eyeglasses, and equipment should be required. But, what period? The Civil War in general, or a battle-specific impression?

Say you own a cannon, and your group reenacts a gun from a battery that was formed later in the war than Ft. Sumter. You have put $45,000+ into your gun and equipment, you have a truck of suitable size and a trailer to haul the heavy cannon, and you've been invited to this event. You have to travel a few hundred miles, paying $3.50-$4.00 per gallon for gasoline in a vehicle that doesn't go too many miles on a gallon. For a multi-day event, you'll spend close to $500 on powder and friction primers. You'e taken time off of work, and have made lodging arrangements to stay for a few days. All you meals will need to be purchased in Charleston or along the road.

Is it really fair to tell those who are already volunteering their time and effort, and are spending a substantial amount of money, that they cannot participate because their shell jacket is of a pattern not made until 1862, their buttons are Western theater, etc.? I think not! The event organizers should be glad they came, because without participants, there is no event!

As to spectators, last I checked, this was a free country.They should be allowed to wear whatever uniform they want. They want to dress as Union generals? They want to wear a WWI doughboy uniform? they want to dress as Winston Churchill? Why not? They aren't participating. They aren't trying to recreate history. As long as they are carrying no weapons, breaking no laws, and are not being obnoxious, who is some hardcore, stitch nazi in charge of an event in a public U.S. city to say they cannot be there?

I wish I hadmade plans to go to this event. I'd wear my British airborne uniform and would have my wife dress as "Rosie the Riveter" just because we can, and I'd see if they tried to ban me.

If you go, good luck, and have fun. Don't be intimidated, and don't be afraid to be different. It's your Constitutional right.

Event planners and organizers need to get off their high horse and realize the facts. Your participants make the show, and your spectators make the show possible. Without either, there is no event. Also, people have the right to do what they want and wear what they want, as long as it's within the law! Deal with it!

British Commando Raids...

2011-04-06T10:10:00.004-04:00

...are an important aspect of WWII, esp. in the European Theatre early in the war along the French coastline of the English Channel. These units at first were unorganized, under-supplied, and were very loosely disciplined. They consisted of volunteers who wanted to become morebspecialized and to become involved more quickly than they could in the regular British armed forces. Quite often,these commando units consisted of foreign volunteers, many of whom were Americans.

In 1940 around the time of the Dunkirk evacuation and the Battle of Britain, there was great fear that Germany would launch an invasion against the British Isles, which at the time were not prepared for such an invasion. Over 300,000 British and French troops had been evacuated from France and were in England, but countless weapons, ammo, and other supplies had been left behind at Dunkirk.

The initial commando raids targeted select objectives and met with limited success. As the Commandos became better trained and better equipped, the objectives changed. Commandos adopted the policy of "Strike first! Strike hard, and show the enemy no mercy!" Select, specific objectives were often replaced with the idea of dropping a small unit on the coastline, allowing them to penetrate the German defenses, and to hit hard, causing as much damage as possible in the shortest amount of time. The commandos then would make their way to the shore for exfiltration, often using the chaos they created to cover their retreat.

Commando raids involved as few as two and ans many as 1200 commandos at a time. One of the more notable raids was the Canadian assault on the port of Dieppe in 1942. This was a large-scale operation that met with failure almost from the beginning and resulted in total disaster. The commandos were quickly detected and almost totally overwhelmed during this raid, Thoughit was an almost total failure, the Dieppe raid provided lessons and intelligence that would later be used during the Normandy invasion in 1944.

As the commandos evolved, so did their tactics. As the tactics improved, the raids became more effective. These raids at time sso frustrated the German war effort that the Germans swiftly adopted a policy of executing all captured commandos.

Though not as glorious or publicized as other aspects of the war, the commandos nonetheless are heroes, and their stories should be told. Commando raids were conducted all along the Channel coast, and they caused massive chaos and disruption in the German coastal defenses. Commandos ar eoften overlooked, but their overall contribution to the Allied war effort should be appreciated. It is an interesting story of a small group of people overcoming the odds and making a major contribution to a tragic situation, in a world totally out of control.

Phil Ward...

2011-04-05T20:29:00.002-04:00

...the author of "Those Who Dare", is a highly decorated Vietnam War veteran and graduate of Officer Candidate School, And Ft Benning's Airborne and Ranger Schools, earning his Ranger tab at 19 years of age. He served in the Mekong Delta Region of Vietnam in 1968, participating in such battles as the "Battle of the Plain of Reeds", where his unit landed "hot" and faced a Vietcong Main Force Regiment of 800-1300 men. Ward took command from his dying unit commander and called in airstrikes to cover his unit's exfiltration, which also pinned down the enemy until reinforcements came in and destroyed them.

Ward has received the Silver Star, the Soldier's Medal, the Bronze Star with Valor Device (3 awards), the Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device (3 awards), the Purple Heart (2 awards), the Air Medal, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, and the Combat Infantry Badge. His unit also received a Presidential Unit Citation.

After Vietnam, Mr Ward graduated with a Criminal Justice Degree from Southwest Texas State University. He has written course texts for the driver-education business he helped to establish, and his curricula gave been used by over 1,000 driver safety schools.

Ward has also served in the Texas National Guard and has taught Ranger tactics to ROTC cadets at UT, TSU, and the Texas National Guard's Officer Candidate School. His last military assignment before ending his 26 year military career was with the 10th Special Forces Group.

Mr Ward's military experience and status a a master military tactician surely helped him in his writing endeavors. His first book, "Those Who Dare", is a novel of the early years of WWII in Britain, when an invasion of the United Kingdom seemed inevitable. The book details the formation of early commando units, the evolution of commando raids, in the importance these raids had in the overall campaign in occupied France. Look for a review of this excellent book in a future nite here, and on Facebook.

Mr Ward and his wife Lindy currently live in Austin Texas. Lindy Ward is the daughter of Bob Bullock, who served as Lt. Governor to both Ann Richards and George W. Bush

Those Who Dare...

2011-04-03T22:34:00.003-04:00

By Phil Ward, a highly decorated Vietnam War veteran, is a book I've been given for review by the publisher. It details some of the small-unit commando raids by British forces (which often included American volunteers) that took place along the French coastal areas in the months following the Dunkirk evacuation, when there was great fear of a German invasion of the British Isles. Though written as fact-based historical fiction, it is an entertaining and educational read. At times, you can almost imagine what it must have been like to have been there.

Mr. Ward apparently did his research. Even the minor details seem spot on for the events of the time. It also is well-written and grabs the reader's attention from the first chapter. Being that the book I received is an advanced reading copy, it is a paperback, and it does not include a bibliography. I am very much looking forward to seeing the finished product.

Look for a full review of this book to follow, both here and on my Facebook profile. I am three days into the read, and am about 1/3 of the way through the book, so I should be ready to post the review in around two weeks

Congratulations....

2010-08-12T15:04:00.002-04:00

...Coach LeBeau on your induction into the NFL Hall of Fame! An awesome player, and awesome coach, and truly a man who is proving to everyone that what you can accomplish is not at all limited by how old you are. Here's to many more years at the helm of the most awesome D in the league! Blitzburgh is here, and the Steeler Nation is loving it! Here We Go!

A Few of the Many Reasons...

2010-08-11T21:09:00.003-04:00

...why I'll swear by the fact that the Gettysburg Battlefield is truly one of the most beautiful places in the World. Lucky for me, I live close enough to be able to see such sights on a regular basis!

More Than a Few Years Ago.

2010-07-30T09:33:00.010-04:00

a few of my friends got the bright idea of doing a book on a very-overlooked historical topic, the Confederate retreat from Gettysburg. Thousands of books had been written on the campaign and the battles, but little had been done about the retreat. It was always an area of great interest they had, and they wanted to learn more about it. In their quest to learn, they also had the desire to educate. They would document what they would learn so that others could have the same experience. years, and 900 cited-references later, the book came out. It was well-worththe wait. Depending on when you ask one of them, they may even tell you it was worth the tremendous time, effort, and frustration spent!

I think that mentality is what drives every historian. You know so much that you realize the amount of information that can still be learned. In your adventure to learn more, you want to teach others. Without historians, authors, teachers, educators, etc., where would we be?

I truly feel that living historians/military reenactors share the same desire. We want to acquire uniforms and equipment, we want to learn tactics, we want to find out the sentiment of the times we are portraying, and we are like great sponges, soaking up any and all knowledge we can. As we absorb this vast amount of knowledge, we can't help but want to share what we learn with others.

That is what being a living historian is all about. You teach history by in a small way becoming much like those you represent. You can tell a classroom full of students that the Civil War uniform was uncomfortably hot, you can tell them that an M-1 Garand rifle made a distinct ping when the empty clip ejected, and you can tell them that the food was bland and often not good. They can say they get it, remember a small bit of it, and move on. That is a basic education.

Add a living historian to the mix, and the students can feel the heaviness of the uniform, and maybe even try it on. The can hear the empty clip eject from the Garand. They can see and possibly taste the rations, etc. Students can learn more in one 40 minute living history program than they can in a semester of classroom education. The in-person,, hands-on experience, the idea that they physically touched a piece of history can outlast all the book-learning experience ever obtained.

I think this is why we do it. I know it is why I do it! It is why I want to read more books, attend more events, buy more gear, and talk with other reenactors. Individually, we can inform. Together, we can teach not only the event attendees, but each other. Everyone has different ideas, sees things differently and draws different conclusions to the same occurrences. By telling each other what we know and see, we can all experience different insight.

In my case, my desire to learn is what fuels my desire to teach. Each time I learn a new fact or get a new piece, I want to show or tell others. It's not bragging, not saying I am better than they are, and not being a snob. It truly is sharing! Sharing in a way that the past is preserved. Sharing in a way that memories are kept alive. Sharing so that the horrible events of the past can be remembered so that they never are repeated.

I had a spectator last weekend ask my a two-part question: Why do we collect all the stuff we do? and Why do we feel the need to haul it out, set it up, and show it off?He thought it would be too expensive and too much trouble.

My answer was that,when you see car collectors or show car owners, they have no problem spending money on their cars. When completed, they haul their cars out and line them up so that they can show them off. I said that I am not a car show person. I'm a militaria collector. I acquire gear, and stockpile it in my basement. I enjoy having it, seeing it, and finding out more about it. I also enjoy taking it out, setting it up, showing it off, and telling people about it. My collection is my show car, and a living history event is my car show. He said he never thought of it that we, but it made sense. I hit an are to which he could relate, and he left entertained and educated. That is what it is all about.

In the last post, I challenged living historians and reenactors to comment on why they do it and what they want to accomplish? That challenge stays. I also challenge those who are not living historians, but who attend living histories and reenactments, to tell why they go, what they learn, and what they'd like to see?

Comment,please. If they're on topic, I'll post them no matter the content!

Why the Obsession...?

2010-07-27T09:03:00.004-04:00

...with trying to re-live history? The photos are from a small event I did with a few friends in Gettysburg this past weekend. It was a good event. We wanted to do something besides Civil War, so we did a small WWII presentation.

I brought along a large part of my collection, including some of my recently acquired British gear. I was going to wear the British uniform, but with temperatures nearing 100 degrees, and a heat index well over 100, I decided that a wool uniform that is even heavier than a CW uniform might not have been the best of ideas, so I went relatively comfortable in U.S. HBT's.

But, the question still resounds. Why the obsession? You see what I have, and add it to what the other guys brought along (we had a WWII .30 cal. machine gun, several M-1's, a BAR, and a guy with over 15 various WWII pistols, let alone all the gear). There are some museums that have less gear than what we had lying next to the sidewalk.

Yet, I still have a list several pages long of things I'd still like to buy. I have 4 US helmets, but I'd like another. I have an M-1, but I'd like another. I'd like more K-rations, and some C rations, etc. You get the point!

No matter how much I get, though, there will always be more I want, and everyone I know who does this feels the same way. Why?

I have 3 Civil War muskets, and 4 sets of accoutrements. I've got 4 CW uniforms, etc. There again, I'm not bragging, but you get it.

I'll never be a Civil War soldier, and I don't claim I will. I'll never know what it was like to be a WWII soldier. I've seen modern things and done things they've never done. Soldiers from all eras, though have experienced hardships, fear and loss on an unimagineable scale, and no matter who much gear we have, we won't be able to relate. So, what arewe trying to accomplish?

Are we satisfying our own curiosity? Arewe trying to see or feel or smell what they did? The uniforms are uncomfortable to a degree one can't imagine without actually wearing them. The weapons in operation are fantastic, but you might not understand unless you saw them in real-time.

It goes on and on. No one knows how many historic reenactors there are in the country, or the world. It is estimated that there are over 100,000 CW reenactors in the US alone, and that the number of WWII reenactors is approaching 25,000. WWII is the fastest growing segment of the reenacting world, so that may change very soon. Time will tell!

If you are a reenactor or a living historian, please comment on what you have, why you do it, and what you think of the hobby as a whole. I'll post them all, and we all look nforward to reading them.

Thank you!

Pt. 4 - An Addendum

2010-07-20T20:34:00.003-04:00

I know that Pt. 3 was supposed to be the last part, but after some feedback I thought a Pt. 4 might be in order. Many thanks to Jim Coyle for asking the question that inspired this posting.

The question I overlooked : What do spectators think at events where there are Waffen SS reenactors present? The answer is an a serious, "I'm not quite sure!"

I've seen different reactions, a few of which were kind of subtle, and a few that were vocal. Let's re-cap. Please note that any conclusions drawn are merely personal opinion.

I feel that spectators, just like other reenactors, look on the SS with a morbid curiousity. Morbid from the aspect of what the SS represents. Battlefield accomplishments aside, the SS represents death! Plain and simple! The SS administered the death camps, and the SS masterminded the death of some 11 million people. I think from the history aspect, people see the SS up close and personal and want to find out what they are all about? There is no admiration. There is no respect. Most people are familiar with the Holocaust, but may not be distinctly familiar with the SS and their part in it. Thus, it becomes educational to a point.

I overheard someone questioning an SS reenactor with, "Why would you want to do that or represent that?" The answer was that it is part of history, but at the same time, a direct answer was avoided. That in itself made me wonder why, and what was trying to be avoided? If you are so proud of what you do, why don't you defend your choice and stand up for what you believe in?

Sometimes, outright hostility comes out. I heard of (second-hand info., so make of it what you will) of a confrontation between someone who had relatives who died in the death camps and a group of SS reenactors. It got hostile to the point of law enforcement coming and the event ending.

Most times, though, they are just ignored, the idea being "Just because they are there, we don't have to even acknowledge them. Don't glorify them, Don't accept them. Maybe they'll get bored and go away." It never works, but the idea is there. They can do their thing, and tomorrow we'll all go home.

I've seeen the rituals and heard the oaths. They do happen! Supposedly it is all secret, but at reenactments after midnight, anti-Semetic rituals are sometimes performed, and oaths and indoctrination happen. Evemt organizers sometimes prohibit them from coming, but then the whole dicrimination issue comes into effect. The SS use the same freedoms and beliefs that those whom they represent despised, and they hope this will benefit their cause.

As can be expected, SS reenactors always get first-class invites to Aryan Nation events. They personify what these events are all about, so they are treated like VIP's. Since most SS reenactors share the beliefs of the event, they attend, but in an effort to divert attention, they rarely attend in uniform. They don't want to be perceived as extremists!

Hello? You are at a Neo-Nazi event, and you own uniforms and equipment that represent mass-murderers! How much more extremism do you need?

The best advice I can give is to stay away. Don't show interest. Don't cause confrontation. Let them believe what they want. Just like a radio station you find offensive or a tv show you don't like. Don't try to regulate them away, as that will only encourage a fight and draw attention (exactly what they want!). Just don't watch or listen to their programming agenda!

The Best Group of Guys...

2010-07-15T10:58:00.002-04:00

...I've ever fought alongside. Co E of the 1st Kentucky Infantry, CSA. Seeing this picture brought back more than a few memories. It was probably taken 15yrs ago. My, how things have changed!

I got the Civil War bug in '94, and it has never gone away (I'm told it never will! I believe that!). I was in Nashville, having read the roadsigns of the various battlefields on the way there. I bought a Civil War magazine, and got interested. I then watched Gettysburg, and my life was changed forever! I bought the VHS Director's Cut (I paid $100 for the thing!), and when I watched "The Making Of" featurette, I was hooked!

"If these guys are reenactors, why can't I be? I can do that!" I thought. In a move that would have made Sarah Brady proud, I took one of my AR-15's one of my 2 Glocks, and an AK-47 clone I had at the time to a gun show and sold them. This was my "Civil War startup money". I then began reading the magazines and searching online. I was heavily involved in an online Civil War chatroom at the time, and it was frequented by several reenactors. they helped me find gear and gave a lot of advice.It also was how I started meeting me author-friends in the CW community. I learned of a major Civil War show coming up in Mansfield, OH, so I planned to go. (That was when I first met one of my friends in the Civil War community, Eric Wittenberg. We've come along way since that brief meeting!).

At the show, I bought some gear, and checked prices on what I would need to complete my "kit". Shortly afterward, I ordered a uniform and a musket from Old Sutler John. I was like a child on Christmas morning when a big package that I had to sign for came a few weeks later! I was an Armi-sport Enfield, and it was mine!

I wanted to go to the "Real Fury of Gettysburg" reenactment. I bought a dog tent, and some other camp items, and thought I was ready. Though I knew nary a soul who would be there, I figured I'd survive, learn some things, and possibly even enjoy it!

Guess what? I wasn't ready. I got into Gettysburg and registered early Friday afternoon. Since I knew no one there and didn't have a unit, I decided to make my pilgimmage to 'the Mecca'. I thought I had time to kill, so I went to town and also took a drive around the battlefield. Big mistake! While I was out, the rain began!

It rained, and rained, and rained some. "The Real Fury" soon became "The Real Mud of Gettysburg"! I returned to the reenactor parking lot, and my car swiftly and quickly sunk into the mud. I was there to stay for awhile. Not bad, but it was getting dark, and I had nothing in camp. I didn't even know where my particular camp would be. Who thinks that far ahead? I packed up what I needed for the night, and started walking with everyone else.

Two Confederate reenactors were walking into camp. One of them had a lantern, and I was using it to help find my way. The three of us got to talking. I told them my predicament, and they not only invited my to camp with them, but they had an extra tent (an A-frame, even!) that I could use, and unit I could fall in with! Talk about Southern hospitality, even on Northern soil!

As the weekend progressed, I learned A LOT! What I needed, what I didn't need, etc., how to march and fight in Napoleanic style, the manual of arms, etc. Most importantly, I made several good friends. I saw and fought with them many times over the years. Though I've been away and out of touch with them for a few years, I think about them all often. Everytime I pass the red barn on Pumping Station Rd, or even see it in the movie, I remember that weekend.

I had the chance to catch up with them at the reenactment this year, but too much was going on. I'm now sorry I did not! Have faith, 1st Kentucky! I'll march with y'all again soon! I'm planning a trek to Cedar Creek, so all is not lost!

"SACRED DIRT!"

Pt. 3 Hiding in Plain Sight

2010-07-14T13:35:00.007-04:00

Joachim Peiper, a Waffen SS officer, was convicted of war crimes from the massacre of over 70 Allied POW's near the town of Malmedy in Belgium during the German Ardennes Offensive. He is in the picture. German troops at the annual "Battle of the Bulge" reenactment in Ft. Indiantown Gap, PA reenact Peiper's unit. These reenactors actually celebrate Adolph Hitler's birthday. They toast him, sing to him, and eat cake! Huh? I can hear it now. "Happy Birthday to you! Now go kill some Jews!" How is this even tolerated on a US military facility? You want to toast Der Fuhrer? Fine! On your own time and in private.

At a living history in Indiana a few years ago, there were Waffen SS reenactors present. Some rocket scientist decided it was a good idea to come in first person personna as Adolph Hitler! Yep! True story, and it gets better! When asked to leave, the SS reenactors in attendance threatened to leave also. They said it was not fair. They planned a ceremony in his honor, and were hoping he would review the troops. They were honored he was there, and they treated him like a god! They all were asked to leave!

I was at an event in Ohio a few years ago at an airport near Cleveland. An African-American family was there. They were newly immigrated from South Africa. The father made mention of Apartheid when he saw the German reenactor camp. One of the SS reenactors overheard him. The reenactor said that the only problem with Apartheid was that they stopped it too soon! Event security cautioned the reenactors that they were treading very close to ethnic intimidation and that they should watch what they say. Comments from the camps were, "So much for a free country!", and "I guess you pigs have never heard of the 1st Amendment!". All this while wearing the SS Death's head hat and the uniform of the Waffen SS! So much for freedom, indeed!

Lori and I went to Chantilly, VA this past weekend to a WWII living history on the Sully plantation. There were US, British, Russian, Canadian and German camps. Some of the gear was pretty good! There was a Kubelwagen, a large display of German weapons and equipment, and even a German halftrack. That is living history. To teach people firsthand what the Allies were up against. You could see Panzerfausts, and see their similarities to the modern RPG. You could see that the AK-47 truly was a derivative of the German MP-40, much like the American M-60 machine gun came from the German MG-42. It was interesting. I thought, "Here's a group of German reenactors doing it right! It was a good-sized encampment. Then, I noticed an officer with the SS lightning bolts on his collar, and a Totenkopf (Death's head) hat on his cot. It was hidden in plain sight, meaning he was keeping a low profile, but the hatred apparently was there!

Finally, Lori and I had a popcorn-selling and living history display set up by Battlefields and Beyond bookstore in Gettysburg in May. I had some US paratrooper gear set up. I got to talking with 2 groups of guys about reenacting. One guy said that the biggest problem he had was that there were still a lot of WWII vets alive, and he didn't think it was right to have German reenactors. The other group was from German lineage, and they said they reenacted basic German infantry because they had family members who were conscripted into the Wehrmacht. Though they weren't proud of what the leaders of their Fatherland had done, it was who they were! Excellent! Remember your heritage.

I said that almost all of the WWII veterans I talked to (and I've evn talked with Hermann Goering's personal cell guard from when he was in captivity) say they have no problem with the basic German soldier or reenactor. Their problem is with the SS, and they have no idea why someone would ever want to recreate that? All agreed with me.

As I talked with the German reenactors, they told me that even the average German reenactor hates SS renactors. "They're all a bunch of cultists and fanatics! Most of the regular Germans shoot at themtoo. We do! We just wish we could use real ammo!"

So, there you have it! With the stigma of Hitler, and the aura of hatred, why would anyone want to reenact one of the most hated military organizations in military history unless they themselves shared the same hatred? They use the disguise of history, but they truly I feel are using it for hate!

Comments? Please post them! Thanks!

Pt. 2 - The Hidden Hatred Emerges in Several Forms

2010-07-13T11:22:00.007-04:00

So, on to the first WWII combat reenactment. What did we need again? Oh, that's right! Germans! No fun to fight amongst ourselves, or we wouldn't have left the Civil War, right?

What kind of Germans? There are several different units and affiliations reenacted. Before we get into it too far, let's discuss some of the types available. There might be the Fallschirmjager, or paratrooper. They were an elite unit, used moreso early in the war, but encountered in Normandy. To be a Fallschirmjager, one did not have to be a Nazi party member, though many were.

You also had the basic Heer soldat, quite often a conscripted soldier with no political motivation to fight the war, and who cared little about the outcome. The typical conscript wanted only to survive the war and to return to whatever was left of his home and family. Some of the older soldiers were WWI veterans, and wished to avoid the war but couldn't.

There were Panzergrenadiers, and other specialty soldiers with special uniforms and abilities. Some were Nazis filled with hatred, and some were not.

The most ominous members of the German army, though, were the Waffen SS. They were the fighting branch of the SS, the dreaded Schutz Staffel. The SS were those given the task of initiating and carrying out "The Final Solution" to "The Jewish Question". They set up and administered the Nazi death camps, and were ultimately responsible for the deaths of 11 million people. They were diehard Nazis and were eternally and faithfully devoted to Adolph Hitler. They were hated but feared by most of the German populace, though to say so openly would result in torture, death, or both.

There were more types of German fighters, and more branches of service, but these are the ones most represented in the reenacting world.

Wait a minute! There are Waffen SS reenactors? Really?

Sadly enough, it is true! I was shocked when I ran into them for the first time. They use the guise of, "Well, the SS were the elite troops. They had the better uniforms and equipment. They were the shock troops, much like the US Marines!"...excuse me! I don't think they were at all like the US Marines. For a citizen of the US to even say that is an insult to every Marine who wore the uniform, and every member of their families. My Dad is a marine, and always will be proud of that fact. He has nothing in common with an SS stormtrooper!

Ok, maybe in your family lineage, there were SS troopers. That is something you have no control over, and though you shouldn't really be proud of it, it is part of who you are. It doesn't need to be glorified! Maybe the reason you portray a German Fallschirmjager is because you admire all airborne forces and want tyo be different. I understand that. Maybe someone in your family (not necessarily even German) was conscripted into the Wehrmacht and forced to fight, and that is who you choose to represent. My father's side of the family was in Poland. I might have ancestors who made weapons for the German war machine, or who fought for the Wehrmacht.

Maybe you just want to recreate history. You want to represent the German conscript, the poor peasant given a uniform and a rifle, but given no choice in the matter. Totally fine, and I feel they should be represented in WWII battles and living histories. They are a part of history, and should not be whitewashed or erased.

But, anyone portraying a unit who wore the Death's Head insignia above, should not be remembered, praised, or in any way honored, as that is a symbol of fanatical extremism taken to the max! Yet, they're out there!

I've seen them, and simulatedly fought against them. I've wandered through their camps, looked at their gear, and memorized details of their uniforms so I'd know them if I ever met them again. There was no admiration or respect, however. It was more a feeling of dread or disgust!

Through this information gathering process, I've come to uncover the hidden, hatist, cultist agenda. They are merely Neo-Nazis in disguise, and many would like nothing more than to see Adolph Hitler emerge from the grave amd lead them to the domination the original SS failed to achieve. Some think they themselves could be the next incarnation of der Fuhrer!

How do I know this?...read Pt. 3!

Hiding Hatred in the Name of History (pt. 1)

2010-07-13T09:58:00.006-04:00

Before we get too far into it, let's set things up a bit. I have been a Civil War reenactor for 16 yrs. now, and have seen a lot of changes during that time. I reenact Confederate, even though I was born in Pittsburgh, PA and lived most of my life about 50 miles north of the city. This was through no love of slavery, hatred of blacks, or any other such reasons. It merely was the side that most fascinated me. The uniforms were so different, the equipment was at times so lacking, and the manpower of the Southern armies often was not there, yet they almost surprised the World and won it all. Though their cause ended in the almost-total destruction of their country, they managed to keep their country alive for four years, and came very close to gaining the foreign recognition and intervention they needed. Much like the Colonials of the late 1700's, this outnumbered and outgunned bunch of "rebels" existed longer than and accomplished more than almost anyone thought possible. That is what intrigued me about the Southern soldier. Their was no "Lost Cause" mystique, no hatred, etc.

Now, of course, there are many people who see Confederate reenactors, and think we're all are merely anti-government and pro-slavery. They could not be more wrong! In my 16 years of reenacting, I attended such events as the 135th Antietam and Gettysburg reenactments, the so-called Mega-Events of the '90's. During these times, when several thousand reenactors of both sides from not only around the country, but from around the world, were drawn together for whatever personal reasons, I had the privilege and honor of talking with many like-minded people. Quite often, our conversations were similar to what we all can imagine that the conversations of the actual Civil War soldiers around the campfires must have been like.

At the 135th Gettysburg in 1998, we had reenactors from all 11 Confederate states around our campfires or in our camp, along with people from 7 Northern states and 4 foreign countries. We got to talking politics, weather, frustrations with currrent government, the economy, and so forth. Quite a bit of time was spent discussing the upcoming battle scenarios of the next day, or reviewing and re-fighting those of the day prior. Spirits and ales were shared, as were snacks. Some had brought instruments and were playing period music. With the sights, sounds, and smells in camp, it was a surreal sense of what at times it must have been like for the soldiers of both sides.

Through all the conversations, two subjects never came up. What were they? Hatred based on race and acceptance of or desire to preserve slavery. Slavery as a cause of the war was discussed. Frustration with big government was discussed ( though EVERYONE agreed that we were in the greatest country in the World, even the foreigners in attendance). The World politics and sentiment in the 1860's compared to current world politics were often discussed. But, the aspect of hatred was lacking. This was the case in every event, big or small, that I attended through the years. There are a lot of Northern Confederates and Southern Yankees, but no one I ever heard expressed tolerance of slavery or the desire of a victorious Southern Confederacy. While I'm not saying such types of folks do not exist (I'm sure they are out there), I've been to many events throughout the Eastern US, and I've never met any of them that I know of. All agreed that in the case of Confederate Independence, re-unification would have had to occur at some point, or neither country would have survived the World Wars.

Let's now fast-forward to the early 2000's. I picked up a new hobby. I had met some folks who were WWII reenactors at a nearby timeline event. They told me of a WWII vehicle museum nearby (that unfortunately no longer exists), and of the owner who allowed his vehicles to be used at events. If I had any interest, I could move into their era, and I could hang with them and work with them and get a chance to not only learn about the vehicles and see them in action, but to work with them, riding in the vehicles (not just Jeeps, but Halftracks and Sherman tanks) in parades, and living histories. So, I purchased WWII paratrooper gear (under the advice of and with help from my good friend Joe), and started to get involved.

I went to the museum, and read about the vehicles. I took pictures of them and began learning all I could about them. At events where the vehicles were being used, I'd try to arrive early and help with the setup. When the events were over, I'd stay late and help with cleaning up and securing the vehicles. I made new friends, and was starting to have experiences that few other people I knew had ever had. Have you ever heard an "Easy 8" Sherman tank with the radial engine run, or seen what is required merely in start-up of such a vehicle? Have you ever ridden in a halftrack, helped change the sparkplugs in a Sherman tank, helped change the battery in a Stuart tank, or even ridden in a Sherman tank?...Not to brag, but...I have! It was not only fun, but it was a tremendous learning experience! I now knew what things I had previously only read about or seen in movies felt like, sounded like, and more importantly, smelled like.

The next step was going to an actual battle reenactment and trying to simulate and re-create WWII combat. To do that, though, you need some other guys to help. What other guys? Germans, of course, and here is where the basis of this posting begins to become apparent!

Pt. 2 to come soon!

It's an interesting way to try to disguise it!

The Major Richard Winters...

2010-06-02T23:53:00.004-04:00

...Leadership Project is something everyone should be aware of. For those who do not know, Major Winters began his military career as a lieutenant in Easy Co. of the 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division in WWII. Winters was given command of E Company on D-Day, June 6th, 1944, after the plane carrying the company commander was lost during the initial drop. All on board were Killed. Winters quickly rose to the rank of captain and eventually major, taking command of the 2nd battalion of the 506th shortly before Bastogne. He was slightly wounded in Normandy, but took part in every campaign the 101st was involved in throughout the war. Their journey culminated with the occupation of Berchtestgaden and the capture of Hitler's alpine retreat, the Eagle's Nest.The story of Easy Company is featured in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers

A monument to honor all U.S. leaders in the Normandy campaign is proposed to be built in Ste. Marie-du-Mont, France, the objective of the 101st in the Normandy invasion. The monument will feature a sculpture of then Lt. Dick Winters and a documentary film.

Details on this project can be found at www.timgraymedia.com. My wife and I will be undertaking various activities throughout the Summer to help raise money for this project, as $400,000 is needed! It is hoped by all that the funds are raised and the monument is completed shortly, so that Major Winters can witness via webcam the dedication ceremonies. Dick Winters is now 92 years old and is not in the best of health, so please donate if you can. Feel free to contact me for further details or information. Let's all do our best to support this noble endeavor!

Laughing at Living History...

2010-06-02T13:23:00.005-04:00

More from the glorious encampment. The weapons carrier isn't so bad, but look at the flag. In a parade, etc., the POW/MIA flag is great, but in a WWII camp, trying to recreate a WWII scene, not so much! The netting, the pvc weapons, the list goes on! How about a 1970's-eratruck in a 1940's-era setting? It's green, right?

As to the tent with the other displays, besides the one with the rubber grenade with disposable camera next to it, I took no others. I will say that those telling about the displays were as clueless as the displays were wrong! There was an airsoft Thompson smg, and an airsoft German MP 40. When asked a question about the firing rate of a real MP 40, the guy with the display answered, "I don't know, but I think about 37 or 39 rounds!"...talk about being informed. 400-450 is more like it, and if he was confused and thought they meant the year, I think "MP 40" should be a good clue!

Gettysburg reenacting at its worst, and Gettysburg reenacting spreading like a cancer!

What kind of history lesson...

2010-06-02T11:47:00.004-04:00

...are we teaching with crap like this on display? "The Homefront General Store" on Baltimore Street in Gettysburg advertises reenactor gear from several eras, WWII included. Quite some time ago, I had problems with the way they were doing business. I heard the owner telling someone a uniform combination went together, even though factually it did not, just to try to make a sale. The person chose not to buy, so I said nothing. I've gone in there a few times since, but have never really bought anything, mainly because their stuff really isn't all that good.

This past weekend, a WWII living history encampment, sponsored by "The Homefront", was advertised as being held near the American Civil War Museum, the former Gettysburg Wax Museum. I was doing a small living history display of my own in Old Gettysburg Village, and when I was done, I thought I'd go check out what was near the museum.

Needless to say, I was shocked and appalled! I had to laugh, but I wanted to cry! From far away, it looked farby, because modern camo netting with modern scrim was draped over the weapons display. There appeared to be a bazooka with rockets, 2 mortars, and a .30 cal. machine gun, though, so I thought I'd check it out. I'm both glad and sorry I did!

Look at the photos. The mortar tubes were made of spraycan-painted pvc, as was the bazooka. The rockets were nerf-tipped pvc , and the mg was plastic with a pvc barrel and shroud. They seemed to take pride in showing them off, and telling people how wonderful they were, and how easy they were to make! The kid doing the weapons display appeared to be no more than about 15, and was equipped with the standard-issue airsoft 45 caliber pistol. Ugh!

I had to look, just like the gory accident you may pass on the highway. You don't want to, but can't quite help yourself! I had to take some pictures, but didn't want anyone to think I was really interested. I was still in my airborne uniform and actually hoped no one would ask me any questions or would think I was in any way involved! I'll add the rest of my pictures in a following post, and they are all captioned and visible on my facebook profile.

The wax museum has a history of inviting non-authentic Civil War groups to their grounds, like the Civil War Heritage Foundation (which a lot of us know and love due to the anything-goes mentality). I thought this was a step in the right direction, a chance to turn things around a bit and generate some different interest, but I was sadly mistaken. Had it been somewhat good, I'd have volunteered to get involved in the future and help things get going. As it is, though, I'll stay away. Like all things Gettysburg (including ghost tours, bike week, and even the reenactment)one step forward turns into two or three steps backward. Businesses run toward the money, while those in-the-know would be better served by just running away!

These things are huge!

2009-09-28T15:47:00.004-04:00

They are two nuclear power generators headed for the Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Facility. At 7 stories tall, and 510 tons each, getting there has been no easy task. Utility lines needed to be moved, bridges strengthened, and road beds covered with gravel.They move at 2mph on a trailer with 26 independently-controlled axles on a trailer rig with 3 drivers. They left Maryland over 2 weeks ago and are finally nearing their destination.

Last night, Lori and I got to see them after they were hoisted across Rte. 30 near Columbia. It was quite a sight! I could only imagine how difficult and nerve wracking driving and lifting them could be, especially don the narrow mountain road they must now travel. We may go up again just to satisfy the curiosity of seeing them go across the bridge to the island.

The amount of money involved, both in planning and pulling off this move must be staggering!

They look a little different...

2009-09-16T22:48:00.004-04:00

...when they're encased in ice. These pictures were taken after an ice storm this past February. I had totally forgotten that they were one my memory card, but here are a few. Though it was awhile after the storm, there still was a lot of ice.

They have a bit of a surreal look to them like this. Hadn't seen this with the monuments before. What do you think?

Some things are too good...

2009-09-15T23:41:00.002-04:00

...to pass up. The following blurb appeared in the Sun., Sept. 6 edition of
The Harrisburg Patriot News.

"Man charged after cannon ball hits house.
Uniontown State police have charged a self-proclaimed Civil War buff with accidentally firing a 2-pound cannon ball through the window of a neighbor's home.

William Maser, 54, of Georges Twp. told WPXI-TV on Thursday that his hobby is re-creating Civil War cannons.

Maser said he was firing the cannon Wednesday night when the ball ricocheted and hit the house 400 yards away.

Police said no one was hurt by the cannon ball that slammed through a window and a wall before landing in a clothes closet.

WHAT'S NEXT? Maser is charged with reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct."

-The Associated Press

Personally, I think the humiliation he will suffer at the hands of his buddies would suffice. With idiots like this out there, we should all be thankful that no one was hurt!

Heroes Are Among Us...

2009-09-11T23:07:00.003-04:00

...though they don't all admit to being heroes. Earlier this week, I had an encounter with one such person in the store. A guy who looked to be in his late 20's came in. He had a younger, attractive woman with him, and a little girl who looked to be about 2 or 3. The guy was wearing a US Marine Corps cap, but that wasn't what got my attention.The attention-getter was has prosthetic leg. His left leg was gone just below the knee, though you'd have never known it by watching him walk.

We got to talking, making some small talk about the weather and such. I told him we did give a 10% military discount if he had his ID. Then, we got on the subject of the military. "Lost my leg a year ago in Fallujah. It's ok, though. I still get by."

"Thank you and your family." I told him.

"Aw, it isn't much. Was walking a patrol with a buddy, and one of them little bastards popped an IED. Got my leg, and badly hurt my buddy's arm. It's all good, though. The little raghead bastard stuck his head up to admire his handiwork, so I popped three rounds at him. He got my leg, but my buddy and I are still breathing. I got him twice in the head, so you tell me who won that one! The thing that really pissed me off was that they made me come home. I wanted to stay, and I'd go back now if they'd let me! Hope my politics don't offend you. Which news do you watch?"

"Mostly FOX," I told him. "Hannity's my favorite, but I listen to Glenn Beck and Rush on the radio when I can."

"Good boy!" he said. "Hannity's my boy! Done a lot for the troops!" he said with a smile. "Remember one thing - don't listen to what them other know-it-all types are saying! Those people need us there. They want us there, and we need to stay the course. It would be a disaster if we left it go now. Place would go to Hell faster than anyone could imagine!"

I told him I agreed. What more can one say about such people? Here's a guy shopping with his wife and kid, someone just like the rest of us who's been dealt a tough blow and is just trying to get by. What's he do? Cry and whine, and ask for a handout? Nope! Keep on living and doing what needs to be done!I seriously do think this guy would go back if he was allowed, and that his biggest gripe was having to come home in the first place and leave unfinished business behind.

Gives me chills and makes me proud to live in a country with such people. Where would we be without them?

The Last Confederate General

2009-09-05T23:16:00.005-04:00

I was contacted via email several months back and asked if I would like to receive a free copy of The Last Confederate General by Larry Gordon, which wa due to come out around 6 months afterward. Of course, I accepted. I wasn't 100% sure anything would come from it, but it was worth a try. After some chaos and delay, because I changed addresses (both snail mail and email), I received a copy.

This type of thing was new to me. Though I have been given books by authors who were good friends, no one had ever asked me to review a book for them before.

I was favorably impressed. It appeared to be well done. There was an index, a good-sized bibliography, endnotes, a few maps, and even some pictures. The cover was nice, and it was put together very well. I was eager to get started on it!

The thing that intrigued me about this book was the somewhat obscure subject matter. Seemingly every aspect of every major Civil War battle has been written about, and many of the major-players in the war have had countless bios done on them. This was a preson who I had never previously heard of, and that made it even more appealing.

This book tells the story of John Crawford Vaughn and his cavalry from eastern Tennessee. Vaughn is an interesting character. He was a close personal friend of Jefferson Davis, he was wounded several times in battle but returned to fight again, and his wife and family were imprisoned and held hostage by the Union army.

I understand from working with other authors just how much research and legwork gathering facts and information are required to do a historical work. With such an obscure subject, I can only imagine the countless hours of work (and often of frustration) that Mr. Gordon must have put into this book.

The book itself is a good read. It is well-written, and it keeps the reader interested. I personally enjoyed it, and would recommend it to anyone without hesitation. I was surprised to find pictures of Vaughn, but apparently they are not only out there, but Mr. Gordon managed to find them. They add a lot to the overall quality of the book.

A few minor faults became evident in reading, however. Throughout the book, there are many endnotes to supporting sources of some of the conclusions made. That said, the author does draw a few unsubstantiated conclusions. While they are only minor and do not detract from the historical value of the book, I did find them annoying at times. A notable one occurs on pg. 10, when discussing possible nicknames for a young John Vaughn, the author states that..."Today, no one knows what friends and family called John Crawford Vaughn...("Johnny" has a nice ring to it)." If no one knows what his family may have called him, there is no real reason to speculate on it.

These minor flaws aside, this is a good book. It may not be the best I have ever read, but as I said earlier, I did enjoy reading it. I showed it to a few friends who are authors in their own right, and also to Ted Savas, of Savas-Beatie, LLC. Ted recognized having seen the book when it was being considered for possible publication. Though he declined, he was glad to see that someone finished it, because he agreed that it was a good book.

If an entertaining read about one of the Civil War's lesser-know, but very interesting personalities is something that would appeal to you, then buy this book and read it. You'll not be disappointed. It is well-written, enjoyable, and deserves a place on the bookshelf of everyone interested in the American Civil War.

The Complete Gettysburg Guide...

2009-07-09T22:24:00.009-04:00

...By J. David Petruzzi, with maps and photos by Steven Stanley is a book every Civil War enthusiast or lover of not just the Gettysburg Battlefield, but the entire area of the Gettysburg Campaign, should have. This book is that good!

Let me back up a bit by saying that, even though I am very good friends with the author, I was skeptical at first about anything Gettysburg-related being called "complete." "Define what you mean by complete" I thought. Nothing on this pivotal battle, of which we know so much, but also of which there is still so much to learn, can be called complete.

All doubts were erased when I saw a copy of the book several weeks ago. It may not be "complete", but it is closer than anyone has come thus far!

The layout of the book makes it both interesting and easy to read. There is a wealth of information, with detailed directions to find each point of interest, listed. Additional information on what happened in each of the areas, or what made them special, is also included. Novice or first-time visitors, as well as veteran field stompers can find something new or of interest in this book.

Included are tours of the lesser-known battles in Fairfield, Hunterstown, and the South Cavalry Field, as well as the cemeteries and even the rock carvings. It is mamazing to me that so much information can be presented in the detail it is without a lot of things being over-looked.

While this book will not substitute for a battlefield guided tour, it is a good supplement for finding out of the way areas, or finding your way around on your own.

I'll cut it short here, but not before saying a few more things; Buy this book! If you have it already, read this book! If you've already read it, get your butt out on the field and give a try! (Lori and I look for this book every time we drive the field or walk in town, so we had better start seeing more of it out there and in use!)You'll be amazed at what you can find that you may never have seen before. If you are like me, hours will pass in what seems like mere minutes, and you won't want to go home!

Born again...

2009-04-09T11:42:00.005-04:00

For those of you like me who have come to regard the Gettysburg Gingerbread Man as an integral part of the Gettysburg experience, you will note on your next visit, that the Gingerbread Man is no more! It has been replaced by Gettysburg Eddie's, a place with a bsaeball theme that is named after Eddie Plank. Eddie Plank was a baseball player from the area who played in the early 1900's.

Lori and I checked the 'new place' out awhile ago, and I give it mixed reviews. The same staff has been kept in place. If you sit at the bar, you will receive good service, but if you choose to sit in the dining rooms areas, service, as always, is hit or miss. I ordered a fish sandwich, since we were there on a Lenten Friday, and after awhile, I was starting to fear that they were having trouble catching my fish! Yep, we waited awhile.

The decor is nice, though I for one am disappointed. Being a Gettysburg establishment, I miss the various Civil War prints and pictures that were there. Otherwise, with the exceptions of a few moved tables, it is basically the same.

The menu has kept basically the same items, though I find it odd that the mozzarella stick have been replaced by bleu cheese and monterrey jack sticks.One thing worthy of note is a pronounced increase in menu prices. Though in today's economy it is understandable, over $10 for a small fish sandwich and fries seemed a bit pricey.

I am sure the place will continue to be busy, will continue to be a reenactor hangout, and will be a place where my friends from out of town and I will go when they are here, but it won't be a place where I frequent otherwise.

There is a lot of potential and a lot of room for improvement. Time will tell if it happens. I personally miss the old place, the old menu, and the old decor.

The Gingerbread Man is dead! Long live the G-Man (well, almost!)!

"I was once was lost..."

2009-03-15T21:12:00.003-04:00

..."but now I'm found!"

Camp Letterman, one of Gettysburg's lesser known localities. The largest field hospital of the Civil War, treating over 20,000 casualties from the battle of Gettysburg. A place where only the most-dedicated or knowledgeable of tourists venture (unless it's to Sheetz, on Camp Letterman Drive).

Camp Letterman was a master-piece of organization, a place far ahead of its time. Most of it was lost to development. The Giant complex and the Gettysburg Marketplace, Sheetz, the Peebles Plaza, and so forth. Only a small, 28-acre parcel was thought to be left, and even it was set for development by Target and S&A Homes. Yet, the deal fell through, both places pulled out, and now the 28-acres, the remnants of this technological miracle is being cleared almost daily of trees, and is back on the open market. In today's economy, the $6.1 million pricetag may be a bit steep for most developers, so there is a chance.

If you feel that Camp Letterman is a national shrine, a place that deserves to be somewhat preserved, as several of Gettysburg's lesser-know areas have been, go to Facebook and join the group , "Let's Save Camp Letterman" to make your voice be known. We need members to generate awareness. People need to know that it is still out there and still available. Tell your friends, and let's generate some numbers.

If we can spend $1.7 billion...

2009-02-26T22:36:00.003-05:00

...dollars to study swine odor, in a senseless bailout that will do nothing but pave the road toward socialism, why can't we send more money to all national parks for repairs, upkeep and maintenance? Boggles the mind. Have you looked at all the 'pork' that the bailout money will be spent on?

Trillion dollar debt, high unemployment, schools that are literally falling apart, and yet we can have a $767 bailout package for economic stimulus? Does any else see a problem here?

In the below post about the kids climbing the rocks at Devil's Den, one thing I forgot to mention was that the ranger who arrived on the scene possibly could have came sooner, but the first car he went to had a dead battery. It has been and issue, he said, but they couldn't afford a new battery? Need I say more?

The park service is criticized for 'allowing' vandalism, such as that the the Peace Light, to occur, yet they don't have enough money budgeted to use their vehicles to prevent it. Maybe I am living wrong, or something, because I think our world is going crazy, and nothing makes sense to me anymore.

"Change you can believe in!" Believe you have change in your pocket, because pretty soon, you'll have nothing else!

NPS at its finest...

2009-02-19T12:36:00.002-05:00

...The newspapers, the radio and the local coomunity tv station advertised this past Monday (President's Day) as community day at the GNMP Visitor Center, promising free admission to all Adams County residents until 6pm. Lori and I went around 5pm, after our ill-fated trip to the Wills House (described previously). We got into the building and went to the information desk, where we were rudely told by an EN employee that "The place is closed. It closed at 5pm."

Lori asked about the 6pm that was mentioned in all the advertising, and the woman said, "Oh, yes. That's a mistake. We don't know how that happened. You'll have to talk to the park service."

"We will!" Lori told her. We will talk to Dr. Latschar.

"Oh, yeah, sure. You do that!" the employee said smugly.

Guess what? We will! Lori and I both have come to know Dr. Latschar over the past few months, so we definitely will be asking him what happened?

I do truly hate to sound negative all the time, though when the GNMP, the Gettysburg Foundation or even the town of Gettysburg is concerned these days, it truly seems hard not to. They have so many opportunities to do so much good, and they seem to miss it. Sometimes they don't miss by much, while others they are way off target! I don't get it.

As we were leaving the VC, we passed several other people on their way in who were headed for the same disappointment we had just experienced. Because it wasannounced as being that way, I think something should have been done.

They should have bit the bullet and stayed open until 6pm as advertised. Ok, so the presentations and movies in the VC may be on timers operated by computers and it may have been a major effort to change this. Fine! There are other things that could have been done.

Knowing ahead about the advertising, and thinking about the fact that people may have been expecting the place to stay open until 6pm, they should have had 'free coupons' for Adams County residents who arrived at 6. I don't expect them to have been good forever, and I don't even expect them to have been good on weekends. They could have had a coupon for free weekday admission until the middle or end of March.

That way, community residents would have been happy because we can easily come back, weekend traffic wouldn't have been overburdened, and it would have been done and over with before peak season would have started.

I don't think it would be asking much, and I don't want a 'free lunch'! I did expect more than a simple, "Oh yes,well talk to the Park Service!", however!

Busted!...Well, almost!...

2009-02-17T14:13:00.003-05:00

...The 102nd PA regiment from the western PA area had a male bull terrier they called Union Jack for their regimental mascot. Part of the regiment was at Gettysburg, and there is a monument to this regiment on the field north of the Valley of Death.

Lori and I had some time to kill earleir today, so we went looking for their monument. Now, for those who do not know, Lori has two female bull terriers, Fannie and Maybelline. Besides being pampered pets, they both are show dogs. Lori has great interest in the breed, so we wanted to see if there was any mention of Union Jack on the regimental monument. We, were unsure of its exact location, though. I thought it was along Crawford Ave. It turns out, I wasn't that far off. It is near the Weikert (Alsop) Farm along the lane. As we passed by the Devil's Den, however, we saw something a bit more interesting than any monument.

A group of college age kids had ropes strung across the rocks on the face of Devil's Den and were rock-climbing. We pulled into a parking spot. Lori took a few pictures, and we made a few phone calls,and were told a ranger was on the way. The kids overheard my loud mouth (must've been talking louder than I thought I was! My bad!)on the phone and skedaddled before the ranger got there, but we did show the ranger our pictures and gave him the license numbers of the vehicles of those involved. We were told that the matter would be taken care of.

I might mention that as the group was leaving, they made a few rude comments to me, calling me "A dick!" among other things. I informed them that the battlefield was an historic park, not a jungle gym, but they left in a hurry! Guess they figured that nothing good could come from them sticking around.

Sad part is that this type of ignorance and disrespect occurs all too frequently. I blame it on a total lack of education and a total lack of any common sense. How thrilling is it anyway to climb the Devil's Den? It isn't much of a challenge because it's not really that high! Go figure.

If the people involved read this, or if they tell teir friends what jerks Lori and I are, oh, well! I'd rather be a jerk who cares than to go through life with no respect for the past or with no understanding of what the Gettysburg battlefield really is about!

The Long-Awaited Wills House Opening...

2009-02-16T20:13:00.004-05:00

...We've seen the construction taking place for years now. We've waited 3 months since the first scheduled opening was postponed. Through it all, we've thought, "Well, they're taking their sweet old time about it and spending enough money! Bet it will be awesome when it is done!"

Guess what? It's not! Today was the last of four days of free admission, The place had been jammed full, with lines all the way around the corner all weekend, so Lori and I waited until this afternoon. I'm glad we went, but I will never go again! It is that bad!

Upon entering the foyer at around 4:15pm, we were pushed into a small area with about 20 other people. We were impolitely instructed by a rude employee to move against the walls and not to block the door. They should be thankful there that no one was a fire marshall, because I don't think they were conforming to codes. She was taking groups of ten on the self-guided tour thatbegan upstairs.I know she may have been tired of dealing with crowds all weekend, but let's say tact was not her strong point! Deal with it, Honey! It will be a popular attraction for awhile this year.

We went upstairs to view the exhibits. My question...Hey! Where's the beef? A bed, a nightstand and a dresser were all that was in the 'furnished bedroom'. A few display with some photos and captions, and the saddle that Lincoln used were the bulk of the exhibits. Some propaganda displays telling the story of Lincoln's stay and the Gettysburg Address, and little else.

Downstairs was another 'furnished room' with a chair a table and a light. A few more displays, and some swivel sconces (that were hung too low. Let's take bets on how long it will take til a globe gets broken!) cap off the educational experienceof the lower level. Really sounds like you are there, doesn't it? You can see more in most antique stores.

Oh, and let's not forget the glass-encased diorama (that hopefully is a work in progress...it has the major buildings in the town, but only about 12 of them, with no houses or anything else.)

On a positive note, the restoration of the house was well done. The color scheme of the wallpaper and such was nice, and the hardwood floors were exquisite.Well done, there!

Let's just say that I wasn't favorably impressed. I'm sure some of my friends who are even more in-the-know than me will be very sadly disappointed. The highlight of this particular trip was walking out the door. I'm glad it was a free day, as I would not have wanted to pay even $6 to see this thing (though I gladly would have paid to get out of it!).

$7.2 million and a few years waiting for this? Another Gettysburg project that showed so much potential, and another Gettysburg project that ended in total disaster!

Home-brewing is awesome!...

2009-02-12T13:14:00.005-05:00

I recently took up home beer brewing as a new hobby. It is fun and rewarding. If you are interested, check out my new blog, here to see what I'm up to and how it is going!

Here We Go!

2009-01-20T13:36:00.004-05:00

A new season was starting, and everyone said, "Wow! Your Steelers got screwed over by the schedule makers! Their schedule is tough!" Then, Tom Brady went down in week #1 and was out for the season. Kharma done bit the Patriots in the behind. Then, Kerry Collins revived his career by consistently leading the Titans to several wins ina row. Pressure was on Favre to perform in New York, Chad Pennington took control in Miami, and Donovan McNabb didn't even know a game in the NFL could end in a tie! The football Gods were going crazy!

Through it all, one thing happened. The Pittsburgh Steelers, a team I expected to finish 9-7 at best, started winning games! A defense emerged from the shadows and took over the number one ranking in several categories early on. Guess it's true...Defense does win championships!

Several injuries occurred throughout the season...Charlie Batch went out for the year making room for Byron Leftwich, Fast Wille Parker went out for an extended period of time, as did the punter (Daniel Sepulveda), and several others. These were injuries with the potential to ruin a season, but quite the opposite happened. Previously unheard of names began appearing on the backs of players in the lineup. Players such as Mewelde Moore started playing out of this world, and the chemistry of this team remained intact. Even Brett "the Diesel" Keisel missed a few games to injury but returned with a vengeance to help cement the defensive line!

Several last-minute comebacks from big plays and big drives gave the Steelers not only a division win, but a first playoff round bye. The well-rested, and now healthy, Steelers crushed the Chargers on a cold, snowy day in Pittsburgh. A week later, they decisively won a third game against their most-hated rivals, the Baltimore Ravens.

Now, the Steelers are headed to Tampa for their seventh Super Bowl. They could potentially be the first team to win six! The Steeler Nation is loving it! Second-year head coach Mike Tomlin is loving it! The players are loving it, and even Bill Cowher, who laid the foundation for this run at the Lombardi Trophy in so many ways, is loving it! There is no way to count this team out, as so many have done(including myself early on)! I sure am glad I was wrong on this one!

James Harrison, cut three times by the Steelers and once by the Ravens became the defensive player of the year. "Big-play" Deshea Townshend, with a game winning interception against Dallas. Lamaar Woodley with an almost slow-motion like fumble recovery for a TD in the first of three victories against the Ravens. Let's not forget Jared Retkovsky, who was at work moving furniture one one October Monday morning and received a call from the Steeler front office, "We lost our long snapper. Can you come in and sign a contract? We need you!"

What more can be said? Veterans like Ward, Roethlisberger, Holmes, Parker, Farrior, Hampton and company continue to get it done! Previoulsy unheard-of's like some of those mentioned above continue to make their names be recognized.

I don't know if anyone else really cares. (Mike, I know you do! Eric, sorry pard, 'cause I want the cross-state game too. Rick A., if you read this, sorry also. Well, not really because I HATE the Ravens! Basecat, hey! At least you still have the Rangers!) I personally am enjoying and will continue to enjoy all of this! If the trend continues, all will be great! If the unthinkable happens, just remember that this team will have gone farther than 30 others!

"HERE WE GO, STEELERS!!! HERE WE GO!!!"

I don't usually get too excited about movies,...

2008-12-12T10:10:00.004-05:00

...nor do I generally feel the need to blog about any of them. That said, every once in awhile, a movie comes along that I feel everyone should see. I saw such a movie recently. I wore my WWII dress uniform, and Lori wore a 1940's style dress and shoes. We went to the Majestic Theatre to see The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. I'm very glad we did!

For those unfamilair with this title, it is about the Holocaust, but it is done entirely through the eyes of an 8-yr.-old boy, Bruno. Bruno is the son of a German officer. When the movie begins, Bruno and his family appear to live comfortably in Berlin. Bruno's father shortly receives word that he will be earning a promotion, and that his new job will require the family to move into the country.

The move at first doesn't go well with Bruno, who is an adventuresome sort with a strong desire 'to explore'. His new home provides him with limited territory to explore and no friends. His older sister, Gretel, is losing touch with reality. She is quickly becoming infatuated with a young officer on her father's staff, and also is quickly becoming sucked into the anti-Semetic, Nazi culture being taught by their in-home tutor.

Bruno is fast developing an interest in a nearby facility that he calls 'the farm', a place he can see through his bedroom window. He is confused by the farm because all the workers he sees there appear to be wearing what he calls 'striped pajamas'. Bruno's interest grows, and he yields to his desire to explore. He finds a way out of his yard and eventually makes his way to the farm, where he encounters a young Jewish boy named Schmaul. Though they only can talk through the wire at first, the boys quickly become friends.

As the story unfolds, we become aware that Bruno's mother has no idea of the type of place her husband is in charge of. She finds out by accident, through a sarcastic remark made by another German officer, and is truly disgusted by the revelation. This puts a great personal strain on the relationship she now has with her husband.

Bruno slowly begins to realize that all in his new world may not be as it seems. His friendship with Schmaul grows, and he learns that 'the farm' may not be the wonderful place everyone is being told that it is. He also begins to think his father may not be such a nice guy after all.

As tensions in his parents' relationship increase, it is decided that the family should leave their home and move in with an Aunt in Hamburg. This goes well with Bruno's mother and sister, but not so well with Bruno himself, who now fears losing another friend, Schmaul.

On his last day near the farm, Bruno again sneaks out, this time to go to fulfill a promise he had made to Schmaul. His journey to the farm leads to a very tragic and very unexpected ending. The viewer leaves the theater witha sense of sadness and a feeling of dread, much like those who saw Schindler's List felt when it ended.

So, what am I saying? Go see this movie if you can. Buy it on dvd when it comes out if you can't see it on the big screen. You truly will be educated and entertained, but you'll not at all be amused. Personally, I feel this movie should be required viewing for every high school student in the entire USA, and Lori wholeheartedly agrees!

To all of our veterans...

2008-11-11T12:17:00.004-05:00

... Those who have served, those who are serving, and to those who wish to serve in the future, to those who have returned unharmed, and to those who been asked to pay the price, I wholeheartedly thank you all! Even if you've never left the country or been in harm's way, the fact that you answered the call means you would have. You have preserved our rights and freedoms, an enabled us all to live the lives we do, and there is no real way to pay you back other than to thank you and to keep your memories and legacies alive in our thoughts and in our hearts. Knowing we have those in our armed forces who do what they do is just one of many things that makes me proud. God bless our veterans and God bless this great country in which I am fortunate enough to live in!

We all know who they are...

2008-11-10T21:37:00.004-05:00

...and we've heard some of the stories of what they have done. They've put it on the line time and time again to help keep us what we are. While some have paid ultimate price, they and their families have all given something. I won't go into specifics, but we know those who I am referring to. Our veterans! I have been fortunate enough to know many, to meet several others and to have even a few of them tell me some of their stories about their ordeals. I think of them all every day.

Granted, living in a town who's sole exisitence depends on the memories of some of these mean and their struggles to preserve freedom, it is hard not to be reminded of them on an almost-constant basis. I'm glad that's the case. The monuments and graves will hopefully live on forever, just like the memories of those the monuments honor, and the country they've all helped to preserve. Yet there are many others who seem to be forgotten about because their wars and their ordeals don't appear to be popular or patriotic.

It has always amazed me that the very same people our veterans are defending are sometimes the first in line to blame or to try to persecute the troops involved because the war is unpopular. It is not the job of the individual soldier, sailor, airman, or marine to question the war, and given the choice, they wouldn't be there. They go because their country asked them to, and because it is their duty. Hate the war? Fine! Just don't hate the men and women who are there.

It is a bit ironic that this year, Veteran's Day comes just a week after election day. How many of you reading this did not vote? That's your choice, and our veterans have made that choice possible. They also went to war to preserve your right to vote. If you were eligible to vote and for some reason chose not to, shame on you!

That said, no matter what you have or haven't done recently, take a moment or to and remember our veterans of all wars. If you see any veterans out there, don't be afraid or ashamed to walk up to them, thank them and shake their hand. I do it all the time. Most are a bit surprised at first, but all are glad that someone remembers them! You don't have to wait until a holiday comes along to do so, either. Do it all the time.

By the way, the distinguished looking, older gentleman in the photo above is Joe Lesniewski. Joe is an Easy Co. 506th PIR veteran, and was featured in Band of Brothers. Joe trained at Camp Toccoa, jumped into Normandy (til this very day, he is not sure just exactly where he landed, though!), jumped into Holland, defended Bastogne, and made the climb to the Eagle's Nest. Joe saw and lived through more hardship in a few years than anyone should ever have to endure. Yet he survived and went on to live a good life in a thankful country.I had the pleasure of meeting Joe and spending some time talking with him a few years ago. What can I say? It was quite an honor, and I am thankful I had the opportunity. I spent about 2 hours with him, and could have easily spent two months. The man, just like many others of his kind, is truly a national treasure! They all should know how much we respect and admire them, and how thankful we are for what they have done.

The Journey Down the Dark Path...

2008-11-05T23:26:00.004-05:00

...has begun, and we all know that once you journey toward the dark side forever will it dominate your destiny!

Our fellow Americans have chosen to elect Barack Obama as our next President. I respect the right to do so, but I am in disbelief as to how this could have happened! I fear for the safety of our country as a whole, as our aggressive national defense policy is now coming to an end. Instead of making those who wish to harm us pay for their actions, we now have a leader who would rather sit down and talk it over.

Capital gains taxes sharing the wealth and mandated health care also cause me to fear for small business owners.

What will the next 4 years bring us? Increased taxes, higher prices, loss of jobs & recession on a scale heretofore unheard of! Add to that a state of national insecurity and an increased risk of massive terrorist attacks, and the end of America as we know it.

I hope God truly blesses America because come next year we all will need a blessing!

Would you pay to see this?...

2008-10-10T13:33:00.003-04:00

With all the talk of needing to increase Visitor Center-supporting revenues, and $1.78 million shortages, etc., it may someday happen. Sad part is that the 'someday' may be sooner than we all think.

Get your pens ou now, and write (not e-mail, write!) letters to the NPS telling them that this, if it is ever even suggested, is a preposterous idea.

Mr. Latschar, if you ever even mention this happening, I wish you well in whatever endeavors your future may hold. Surely the Department of the Interior would have to force you to resign if so!

As always, my two cents! (Pretty soon, it me be 3 cents! Costs are rising!)

Posting for no other reason...

2008-10-09T14:49:00.002-04:00

...than to celebrate my 100th posting! I hope they are enjoyed, and I'll keep 'em coming!

I was warned...

2008-10-08T16:15:00.005-04:00

...by some who lived here for awhile that it might happen. I said that it never would, but I do think it is starting to happen. Today confirms it!

As I took a break from packing my life into small boxes, I decided to drive around 'the field'. I've been away fom it for awhile for no reason other than too much else was going on. Didn't think I missed it. Didn't think I was starting to 'take it for granted' but I guess I was. I was headed into the mindset "it's there everyday, so I can go out tomorrow."

Kinda scares me a bit! Have I truly become 'one of them', the person who curses the town, curses the tourists, curses the park service, and doesn't appreciate the treasure that is right basically in my own backyard? I hope note!

I don't think it has happened. The first step in solving a problem is to admit you have one (funny, I know I have a problem when it comes to spending money, but I can't kick that addiction!).

Maybe it was discovered soon enough. Maybe I needed some time away to realize what I missed. The brief time I spent with JD last Fri., and my drive today made me remember what is truly important.

You can take away the traffic, take away some of the idiots who live here, take away the King (Latschar) and his ill-conceived ideas, take away the small-town politics, and take away the drama (please!), but what will remain?

A field of honor. A national park that truly is a treasure, one that should be visited by all and respected by all. It's here everyday. Vision just seems to sometimes get clouded by other things, but it remains, and I love it!

Moving, again!...

2008-10-06T15:57:00.007-04:00

...Temporarily...to New Oxford! The landlords are raising the rent, and it's not worth it to spend what they want in a place where you live on the 3rd floor and have to lean your head to the side to take a pee. Don't believe me, ask EJW, MFN or JDP, or the Basecat. They'll confirm it to be true. Too bad, I'll be leaving my view of Culp's Hill not much to see, but that is what it is in the photo above!)

Prior to moving to Gettysburg, I had lived in the same apartment for 14yrs. Then, I moved in with a friend,stayed there for 6 months, and then came here. After 1 & 1/2 yrs., it's time to move on.

Temporarily to Lori's place in N.O, but we want to buy a house in the 'burg (the one without the 'h'!), so I guess I'll be making up for lost time and actually moving twice!

It kinda isn't fun, though, because I now own a lot more 'junk' than I did last year, and that move was tough enough.

Oh, btw, anyone got $150 G they can loan me so I can buy a house? It's kinda tough getting a loan, and I can use all the help I can get! Thanks!

And...anyone wanna help me move? I'll provide drinks, food, and whatever else you want!

I think the descision was already made...

2008-10-04T21:27:00.006-04:00

...before anyone was even aware of the proposed fee. $7.50 every time I want to go see the exhibits? Thought this thing was supposed to be free? Guess I was wrong but once again. Seems a lot of things about this technological terror are not turning out to be in reality what they were first proposed to be in concept!

How many times can we be lied to and swindled by the same group of propagandists before we do something? "We need more space to properly display our artifacts."...Fine..."Hey, we only put out a small fraction of what we have. There may not be much there, but at least it's properly displayed."

"The Rosensteel collection is and always will be free to the public."..."Now, we aren't quite making enough money, even though one of our prime attractions hasn't even opened yet.so we must charge for eveything. We'll give you a chance to tell us what you think. It won't happen until maybe Oct. at the earliest."...

...What happened on Oct. 1st? The fee was announced. That's it. End of story! Wanna see the museum? Prepare to pay the price!

So, if you have a family of four, plan on spending $25 before you even get started, even if all you wanted to do was tour the museum.

I dunno. Maybe I don't live right or something, because I have problems, big problems, not with what was done, but in the way it was done. We being are lied to and made to feel sorry for an organization that overcharges and undersells everything, an organization that suposedly is poor, but that can afford to pay one of its executives $348,000 per year.

How did they think we'd react? Take it standing up like we always do? Not quite! I'll go see the Cyclo a few times, but that will be it. If I wanna pay to see a museum, I'll go to Harrisburg and see a real CW museum, not the Gettysburg museum-wanna-be that Latschar and his friends in the Foundation lied to us about and screwed us all over with.

What Not to Wear to the Renaissance Faire"...

2008-10-03T16:45:00.005-04:00

So, it turns out that Im now a "Ren Faire" person! Lori and I went a couple of times, and I do enjoy it (I even bought a pirate outfit that I plan to wear as soon as we can go again!). The Ren Faire is fun. It's something different than other of the other reenacting I've done. And, you get to see some real, full-contact jousting to boot! How fun is that?

That said, there are people in the faire who try to dress period and would be better off staying home, or coming in modern attire. If you want to 'dress in garb', you should try to 'do it right'. Black Converse All-Stars are not proper Ren Faire attire! The photos above show only a small fraction of what I've seen the two times I've been there! Yikes! Some people are really scary.

By the way, if a tree falls in the wods and there is no one there to hear it, does it still make a sound?...I dunno...Knock the broad with the tattooed tree over, run away fast, and maybe we'll be lucky enough to find out!

"Heinz Field, Here We Come!"

2008-10-02T20:47:00.004-04:00

So, Lori and I went to the Monday night football game in Pgh. vs. the Ravens, and oh, what fun it was! She had never been there, so we made the day of it. A quick stop in good, ole GC for the tickets, then south to the city of bridges, and the home of the black and gold.

We pulled into the parking lot around 4:45, set up our rolling tailgate party, and took it all in. There was some serious tailgating being done, and we enjoyed seeing it all. For some of these people, a tailgate party is more like a religion or way life.

Black and Gold campers and vans, 15 ft high flagpoles, grills, coolers, cornhole games, and, of course, beer! It was fun. I even got to see my good friend, Bill and his wife Carrie.

The game started out boring and even a bit scary, but Santonio Holmes' magic TD reception and Lamaar Woodley's slow-motion fumble recovery for td electrified the place like I'd never seen it before. It was like a playoff game. Heimz Field was a'rockin', and the Steeler nation was loving every minute of it!

It was another throwback jersey night as you can see, and some retired veteran Steelers were there to be recognized. It was good seeing the old guys come out for the game (Kevin Greene still looks scary, by the way!)

We took a trip up to the top of Mt. Washington to take in the view of the city from above after the game, and finally went to bed around 3am. The next morning, I took Lori around the South Side, my old stomping grounds, the place of my birth, and where my cousins and I got into a lil' bit of trouble more than a few times.

Lori got to see her team and their fans in action, and I did some flashing back to the good ole days! Truly an awesome two days! Can hardly wait to go again!

Dogs, and dog owners...

2008-09-17T11:30:00.004-04:00

...On a skit during one of his shows, Jerry Seinfeld hit it right on the head when he described aliens looking at people walking their dogs, and said, by the look of things, they would think the dog was the superior being. If you doubt this, go to a dog show, and watch not only the show itself but what is involved in getting a dog ready to show. These dogs have it made.

I recently went to a show in Kutztown. Lori was showing both Maybelline and Fannie, and there was a good chance one of them would win something. Well, after leaving at 5am and getting there at around 7, I of course was ready for a nap. The only creatures though who could catch some z's on this particular morning were the dogs. They slept while we "set up camp!" The canopy, the chairs, the grooming table, etc. Amazing!

The thing that most surprised me however was that, even though we had a lot of 'stuff', we didn't have anything compared to what some of the other people had. Winnebagos that I could live in, fences, generators, grills, etc. If you could think of it, it was most likely there!

We won't get into the intricate grooming set ups for some of these pooches (They could make high-priced hair salon owners green with envy!). Let's leave it by saying that there are some people who spent so much time, and probably so much money, grooming their precious canine wanna-be champions that I'm sure they had little time for anything else! Mind-boggling, to say the least!

I saw dogs in carts being pulled around the parking lot (What the...?), dogs being carried (Again, what the...?), dogs being driven around in golf carts while other people walked behind them. Poopers-scoopers aplenty. A lot of dogs had 'professional groomers' and 'professional handlers' in their quest for a blue ribbon! Big money in some of these pampered pooches, for sure! Like I say, you name it, and it was there!

For me, it was a learning experience if nothing else. I've seen the shows on tv, but I never knew what they were about. Never knew how much money went into a 'show dog'. Never understood how politics could be so prevalent in what should be harmless competition (but it is there in abundance...you want the ribbon?...play the game!). Mostly, I never understood how seriously some of these people took this, and how much money they were willing to spend to get their dog's picture on the winner's platform! This is serious competition!

A Contest..

2008-08-13T20:35:00.005-04:00

...The first person who can identify both the monument and the battlefield it's on will get a prize sent to them. Give it a shot! Who knows? It may be a nice prize!

Use the e-mail address in my profile, and send it to me there. Good luck!

Thanks for looking!

So, Lori hands me a lead,...

2008-08-11T18:56:00.005-04:00

...and Maybell's on the other end. A judge says, "Once around.", and Maybelline and I follow Lori and Fannie (Actually, I follow Maybell, who's been here before and knows what's going on, even though I'm lost!). We go once around the ring together, a guy hands me a purple ribbon, and everyone says, "Good job! You got your first point!"

I felt a bit clueless (still do!), but Lori, her parents, and both dogs were happy, so Maybelline helped me do something right.

Truthfully, it was a fun experience. Fannie, Maybelline, and even Lori are dog-show veterans, and together, they'll get me through this. I actually had fun. It's not necessarily something I'd like to do all the time, but for a few times each year, I'll show.

...Now, all I have to do is learn what to do, and all will be good in our worlds!

The Bully Girls!

2008-08-05T10:25:00.005-04:00

Check out this website when you get a chance. It's the homepage of "The Bully Girls", Lori's two bull terriers, Fannie and Maybelline. I put it up yesterday, and though it's got a way to go, I think I made a pretty good start. Let me know what you think, and enjoy it.

Bull terriers, as I'm finding out, are quite a trip. High-strung at times and very stubborn, yet very sweet and loving also.

Bully Girls

"This thing is going to be spectacular!"

2008-07-30T14:48:00.005-04:00

What thing? The soon-to-be-completed, totally-restored Gettysburg Cyclorama!

I had the honor last week of going to the sneak preview. I got an invitation since I had donated some items at the end of last year to be used in the diorama, so Lori and I decided to go (Lori, by the way, gets credit for the photos. She was quite the photographer! There are almsot 40 in all!).

I am so glad we went. Sue Boardman of the Foundation gave a 20 minute slide presentation on the restoration process and the flaws that are now corrected. Then, we got to go upstairs and see it! It is quite the spectacle! It hasn't looked this good in many years, if ever! The pieces are in the proper places, the damage is repaired, the yellowing from coats of so-called preservative has been removed, and the end result is an incredible piece of art!

As you can see from the few photos above, the diorama is not finished. There is still a lot of work to be done, but it appears to be coming along nicely. Only 2 more months, and we can all go see it!

Also, as you can see, the diorama will almost seemlessly fade into the painting. Look at the well in the 2nd photo, and you will see exactly what it will be like.

We waited several years for a Visitor Center, and a lot of us were disappointed! We waited also for a Cyclorama restoration. I think we all should be excited! It will be that good!

Gettysburg Bike Week...Re-visited!

2008-07-11T09:19:00.004-04:00

Is this history? Maybe, but is it the kind of history people come to Gettysburg to see? Let's hope not. It happens every year. The peaceful streets of sleepy Gettysburg become host to Bike Week, and things really go down-hill fast.

I blogged last year about what happens and what it's like, so we won't go there other than to say it is not the thing most people would want their family to be witness to. Lots of drunken-ness and debuachery. Not quite the way to remember the heroes who fought on these very same fields to preserve freedom and our way of life!

It's sad, though, that we let them win...What do I mean?...I have friends who leave town for Bike Week because they don't want to deal with it! They're tired of the noise, tired of the traffic, they resent the fact that these out-of-town bikers come in and take over the bars and restaurants as if they are there own, and then leave as if they've done nothing wrong.

Leave if you like, but that's not the way to beat them. If we all leave, they would win. My plans for Bike Week? Go about my business as if nothing has changed (ok, so I may have to leave a bit earlier to get where I'm going...so what?). Gettysburg is where I live. Come Monday, these a-holes will be gone and we'll be left to clean up the mess. Guess what? Life goes on!

Hunterstown...How not to dedicate a monument!

2008-07-07T09:49:00.004-04:00

I had the pleasure last Weds. of going with my good friend Karl to Hunterstown for the dedication of the new monument there. For those not familiar, Hunterstown is about 4 miles north of Gettysburg, and was the scene of a major cavalry fight on July 2, 1863. It is a significant fight for at least two reasons. It kept JEB Stuart's cavalry away from Gettysburg yet once again. Stuart didn't arrive on the field until later that evening, and was no help in supporting any of the July 2nd attacks.

Also, Hunterstown was a significant fight in that was the first action involving newly-promoted George A. Custer as a brigadier general. Custer had received this promotion, as did Wesley Merrit and Elon Farnsworth, a few days prior. During the fighting of Hunterstown, Custer's horse went down, and he was trapped and appeared to be destined to death, or at least capture by the Confederate cavalry. A young trooper named Norvell Churchill, however, intervened, deflecting a saber blow intended for Custer and extricating the boy-general from the field. This is an event worthy of note, and should be memorialized with a monument.

The problems that Karl and I had were that Laurie Harding, the so-called emcee of the event, was long winded and boring. It also is shameful that she had no notes and couldn't remember the name of the fourth author that she was so glad was in attendance. Basically this says, "Hi. I'm glad you're here even though I can't remember your name and wasn't smart enough to write note cards."

Why, after the intros, the speeches and the pontificating did they then feel it was necessary to take a group picture? Children and even some adults (Karl and I among others) were getting restless. Couldn't the picture-taking have waited until the monument dedication was done?

We won't even get too harsh on the reenactors portraying Custer and Churchill other than to say have you ever seen a photo of Custer in a kepi and frock coat? I haven't! With all the Churchill descendants in attendance, couldn't they have found someone who looked a bit more like the actual person?

So, after the photo, it was up to the monument for more speechifying (of course!), and then they finally pulled the cover and unveiled the monument. I must say, it was nice. I think it served the event well. It would have been a bit better had the ya-hoo portraying Custer stepped back a bit and let the people look at and photograph the monument (Dude! You're not Custer, and it isn't your monument. Get over it!).

All in all, it was an ok event celebrating something that needed to be done. I'm glad I went. Even knowing ahead of time how things would have been, I still would have gone. I do think the event itself could have been a bit shorter and a lot better, though!

So, what's up with Harpers Ferry, anyway?...

2008-07-02T08:46:00.003-04:00

...Harpers Ferry, WV, is a jewel of the Shenandoah Valley. Located at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers, it was the home of the US Arsenal and John Brown's uprising, which ironically was put down by Robert E. Lee. Stonewall Jackson captured the garrison there during the '62 Maryland Campaign, so it is a town, and an area rich with history. Even without the historical significance, it is an area worth visiting.

Like many areas worth visiting, Harpers Ferry is a tourist town, and should thrive during the season in the evenings, esp. on the weekends, but it does not. Why, you may ask?

Because at 5pm everyday, the town, and all the tourist-related businesses close. Lori and I went there a couple of weeks ago on a Fri. evening. We arrived in the town at around 6:30, and were shocked that everything was shut down. On a serious note, if there were 20 people in town it was a lot.

Want ice cream?...Closed!...How about a coffee? ... Nope ... Closed! ... Souvenir?...Closed!...Get the picture? The only places that were open were the Town's Pub and the Secret Six Tavern. Up the hill a bit in Bolivar, the Hilltop House was closed, but we did get a great dinner in the Anvil.

I asked a friend who does some work why everything closed? He said that the business owners just don't get it! They close because they say no one's in town. No one comes to town though because everything's closed. It's a double-edged sword.

And to think, I sometimes think it's bad in Gettysburg when places are closed or close early. I guess in Harpers Ferry it's worse. It's a sad situation, and it's shameful. What the town is and what it could be are two different universes. You would think someone there would realize this.

As a small sign that things are changing, though, we did see a ghost-walk tour. Let's hope that's a trend that does not spread!

Reenactment Overload...!

2008-06-27T12:37:00.004-04:00

How many reenactments can one town take, and in how short of time can they happen? I guess we are about to find out.

This weekend just outside of Gettysburg, on the site of the former Yingling farm and major reenactments of the past, they are having 'the March to Destiny" reenactment. Mid-week, on the Sheppard Farm south of town, they are reenacting the Cavalry Battle of Hanover. Also, throughout the week, Black Horse Tavern is having living history on site, the Confederates are taking and occupying the Shriver House in town, and various living histories such as the farbfest at the Wax Museum will be happening. The weekend of the 4th-6th of July will have the 145th anniversary reenactment, and the following weekend, near Frederick, MD, there will also be a reenactment.

Can you say, "Phew! That's a bunch!"?

Just who exactly are the event promoters counting on actually being there to both participate and also to watch? The cavalary fight will be good, the in-town living histories will get there share, and of course the 145th will get major turnouts. What about all the rest.

I don't know. It may just be my opinion, but I think that too much is being done, that the farbs will be out in full-force, and that this will be just another death-nail in an already dying hobby. Anyone else agree?

RIP to a dear friend...

2008-06-21T20:08:00.005-04:00

...Deb Mattern. For those not in the know, Deb was a waitress and bartender at the Gingerbread man in Gettysburg for the past 15 years. If you'd ever have seen Deb, you'd remember her. "Pittsburgh Deb', or just plain "Pittsburgh" (as some of my friends and I often called her) was a tried and true fan of the Pgh. Steelers. Also, if she was tending the bar or waiting your table, you knew you were in good hands. She truly was one of the best!

Deb had been absent from the Gman for the past several months. Upon inquiring as to why, I was told she was 'very sick'. She had a myriad of illnesses that I can't even go into.

Let's suffice it to say that she succombed to these illnesses on Thur. June 19th after putting up a valiant fight. Deb, those of us who knew you will truly miss you. Those of us who never had the opportunity to know you have no idea what they missed out on. In her bar or in her section, you were one of the guys! She'd always take the time to inquire as to how you were doing, bring about some idle chatter when she was not busy, and make you feel like you were important, because in her world, you were!

RIP, Deb. You are in a better place. The Earth as we know it has suffered a great loss, but Heaven has gained another worthy soul! You truly will be missed!

My favorite monument of the entire Gettysburg Campaign...

2008-06-20T15:55:00.005-04:00

...is that honoring the 1st Pa. Cavalry. Located on Hancock Ave., not far from the Angle and the Copse of Trees, it shows a kneeling Cavalry trooper, with a Sharp's carbine at the ready and a look of determination on his face. A man, Pvt. Joseph Lindemuth from Co. L of the unit was used as a model for the monument. Sculpted by H.J. Ellicott, it initially cost $1500 and was dedicated in 1890.

Ok, so there are hundreds of monuments, hundreds of different sculptures on the field and in the surrounding area, so why this one?

Why this one, indeed? I don't know really. It has something to do with 'his look'. The sculptor got it right. He looks so real that sometimes, I almost expect him to step of the base, to walk around, and to talk to those of us nearby.

Several emotions are captured in his facial features (the photos don't do it the justice it deserves. It must be seen to be truly appreciated!).

He has a look of concern. He's obviously worried about the coming onslaught and possibly in a bit of fear about what the future may bring. If the Confederate assault breaks through, life as he knows it will change drastically.

He also has a look of fierce determination, a look that says that no matter what happens, he will hold his ground and do his duty. What more can one expect? He may be moved from his position, but not without putting up a heck of a fight first!

I was explaining this to Lori a few weeks back. I think that this sculpture summarizes life in general. Be aware of the present while at the same time, look toward the future. Look with a bit of concern, though, because we never can be truly certain of what's coming. Let's be ready for it! At the same time, have the determination that no matter what happens, be prepared to deal with it. Take it all, good or bad, but take it nonetheless, and win.

That is what this monument means to me. In the area while I now live, there was a lot of concern, a lot of changing fortunes, and a lot of dealing with a future the men involved had no control over. The boys did it then and prevailed. How can we be expected to do any less?

My True Gettysburg Dream...

2008-06-18T17:27:00.003-04:00

...and the first major purchase I'd have made (after the celebratory party, of course) if I had ever won Powerball would have been the George Spangler Farm. Located 'behind the Roundtops', and between the Baltimore Pike and Taneytown Rd., the Spangler Farm was a major Union field hopsital, and the site where Confederate Brig. Gen. Lewis Armistead died a few days after the battle.

Because of the historic significance of the place, and because it was for sale on the open-market, the farm was recently purchased by the Gettysburg Foundation with the ultimate goal of interpreting the property and eventually turning it over to the NPS.

This is a major stroke of good news. Many areas that are currently private property in the Gettysburg area have major significance, yet are totally unprotected and may possibly be lost forever. It is wonderful that such organizations as the Foundation are able to see that these properties are protected, lest we have another fiasco like the area that was once Camp Letterman.

It is stated that $1.9 million dollars was paid for the 80 acres of the Spangler Farm. Remember, the Foundation needs money to continue to do this type of work, so donate if you can. This entire area will benefit if you do!

Remember also that we should give three cheers to the Gettysburg Foundation for all of their efforts. In spite of what we think of the new Visitor Center (and it totally wasn't the fault of the Foundation itself) the Gettysburg Foundation continues to fulfill their ultimate mission of preserving what once was the area of the Gettysburg Campaign.

So, here's a question I've been asked before,...

2008-06-17T14:36:00.005-04:00

...but never gave much thought until recently! How can someone born and raised in the mostly-liberal, mostly-democrat area of the state be such a conservatve?

Let's explain. I was born in Pittsburgh, and spent the greatest majority if my life within about 50 miles of the Pittsburgh area. My father is a retired teamster, and both of my parents are extremely liberal in their political leanings. I also have a brother who is just as anti-republican, anti-Gorge W. Bush as anyone on the planet! I have several cousins in the Pittsburgh area, and a few re-located to the Ft. Lauderdale, FL area who compliment my family of Bush-haters quite well! In general, my family pretty much blames George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and the entire republican party for every evil in the world.

"Get out of Iraq!"..."Bush and Cheney are war profiteers and should be tried (and hung!) as war crimals (Innocent until proven guilty? Fair trial? Not on my family's watch!)..."They're all in it together (the oil industry) so they are responsible for the high gas prices!...Blah, blah, blah...blah blah blah blah If I had a dollar for every time I heard it, I wouldn't care how much gasoline cost because I could buy all I ever could possibly want...Yep!...It's that bad!

So how does someone born into that atmosphere hold such extremely right-wing conservative views (as the scale goes, go as far right as you possibly can. When you get there, go a bit farther! Now, you're close to my way of thinking!)?...Why is this all important?

My girlfriend Lori is about as republican as a person can get (Love you, Lori!), and she asked me this very same question. Knowing that I come from such a liberal area of the country, she expected me to be a liberal democrat, and was surprisingly shocked when she learned how I truly feel!

To answer the question...I really don't know! I teasingly say I refused to give into the dark-side, etc. I did a lot of reading (away from the mainstream), did a lot of political correspondence, helped support the the rights of gun owners, and so forth, and I guess it all helped me to come to the realization that I now have.

Am I saying that the Republican Party is 100% correct, that I 100% support G. W., and that I feel he can do no wrong?...Not hardly! Every person and every party has faults and makes mstakes. It's the nature of us all. I just ask myself a few questions...

...When a significant world event, terrorist attack, or global crisis occurs (aka Sept. 11th), who would I feel more comfortable with?...Who do I feel would be the best defender of the American Constitution and would do the best job of upholding our freedom and values?...Who do I really want to count on to help give me the opportnity to help live life to the fullest and to help better my way of life...?

...In all cases, the answer is a conservative!!! We have the instruction maual (the Constitution) given to us by the Founding Fathers. It is our job to put the best person in office to see that the rules are obeyed and the values put forth are upheld!

So, they're in the news again...

2008-06-15T12:59:00.005-04:00

...the ghost tours that descend upon the streets of Gettysburg like a plague of locusts. Enough, already!

So, what's going on this time? A lot of the tours aren't following the rules!

What rules? A series of guidelines put into place by the boro to help regulate an out-of-control industry!

The include limits on the sizes of the tours, group leaders being required to wear identification badges, and so forth.

It's kinda sad to me that an entire industry is springing forth based on something that cannot even be proven to exist. It's also sad that many of those in said industry don't want to follow some simple rules to help make things better for all.

If you've ever been through Gettysburg on a weekend night during peak tourist season, you'll understand why regulation is necessary.

Large groups of people with no respect for private property walking up and down the streets. People who think it's ok to stop traffic so that they're groups can cross the street. Groups of people who won't even move aside to let you pass by as you move down the sidewalk. "I paid good money for this. If I move aside, I might miss something!"

Don't get me wrong, there are legitimate tours and tour owners who do respect the rules. I may not agree with what they're doing, but as long as they legally do it, it's their right.

So, what's the solution? Crack down on the idiots who don't follow the rules. Fine them out of business, run them out of business, or at least boycott their tours. Legality is not an option! If you want to play the game, follow the rules!

So, John Laschar's going on a trip to Utah...

2008-06-13T15:31:00.003-04:00

...to have a meeting with supervisors and NPS directors, and some people aren't happy about it. They're going to a resort, and it will cost $1 million.

Boo-hoo! Cry me a river!

Sorry if I'm rocking the boat here, but I think it's a good thing, something they should do at least once every five or so years.

Why?

I'm a store manager for a company that has just over 100 stores nationwide. I've never gone to one of the major manager's meeting as I wasn't a store manager the last time they had one. Complaints were made that it was a waste of time and money because it cost $250,000.

Guess what happened at the last one. Store managers from around the country got to know each other a little better, ideas were shared and suggestions were made. Corporate people heard complaints on a personal level, and everyone benefitted.

I don't think the million dollar price tag is too high. If nothing else, it will foster friendship and comraderie among park officials. Also, some true good might come out of it that never would have happened otherwise.

Go to Utah, John, and have fun! Just be sure to bring us back some good ideas!

More pictures of the trip to DC...

2008-06-10T13:35:00.006-04:00

...taken by my girlfriend Lori on my birthday. It was a special day spent with a very special person!

Washington, D.C.,...

2008-06-10T12:10:00.009-04:00

...the headquarters of freedom. I had been here once before quickly. About 10 years ago on my way to Virginia Beach, I made a quick stop, took a short work, and saw the sights from afar. I did spend a bit of time by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which actually was the main reaon I stopped.

So this year, now that I'm all settled in and looking for new adventures, and now that I have an awesome tour guide (my girlfriend, Lori) to go along, I'll be going to more such places.

This particular DC trip was on May 27th (my birthday) It was a rainy, gloomy looking day in the Gettysburg area, so we decided to go to the Holocaust Museum (described in detail below). After a few hours there, we were treated to sunny skies and warmer weather, so we went walking. We walked past the Washington Monument (someday, I'll actually get to go up it), to the WWII Veteran's Memorial, around the reflecting pool and past the Lincoln Memorial, to the Korean War Veteran's Memorial, and finally to the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial. A lot of walking was done, but it was a great way to spend the day after Memorial Day!

I had seen pictures of the WWII Memorial, but I wasn't prepared for what I saw. It was incredible! I truly was blown away, not just by the sheer size (this thing's huge), but by the amount of effort and detail that went into it. It is just too bad such a thing couldn't have been done a lot sooner so that more of the dogfaces, fly-boys, leathernecks, squids, donut-dollies, and candy-stripers could have actually got to see it! They truly deserve it!

The Korean War Memorial, while not so awesome in scope, impressed me more than I thought it would. I had seen pictures of it as well, and didn't think I would like it. I thought there should have been more. I'm glad I waited to pass judgment, though. This things is powerful in it's own way, without being over-whelming!

Then, it was on to Vietnam. The names of the 58,000 on the granite wall. Mind-boggling, to say the least. We won't dig up any old wounds here, but let's just say that we should all wonder how our country let this happen and be sure it never happens again.

An interesting sub-story to all of this happened by the portion of the Vietnam Memrorial dedicated to the women who served. If you are not familiar with it, it is a statue of three women tending to a casualty. One of the women is looking skyward, hoping to see the dustoff chopper that should be en route. The second is consoling the wounded soldier as they wait. The third has turned her head away from the whole scene, as if she knows that the person they are tending to won't suvive. As Lori and I stood taking this all in, a helicopter passed by, and we were awed by the reality. This is the sound the women were waiting to hear, and it truly was eerie!

Because this was the day after Memorial Day, there were wreaths, pictures, letters and other such items left all along all of the Memorials, even moreso than normally occurs, and it truly saddened me. So many personal stories of sacrifice. So many men and women who did not make it home (I read a story about a Red-Cross volunteer that was more sad than most of the others. She was killed by an American serviceman in Vietnam), but rather who died in service of their country. How can we ever repay their sacrifices or console their families' on their extreme loss? We can't!

As we were walking along 'the Wall', I noticed a letter from home addressed to a soldier who's first name was Duane. Kind of strange, as there were hundreds of such letters, but the only one I really noticed was his. Kind of personal as well, as he was most likely someone just like me, but someone who's life was cut short, even as mine goes on.

After the DC adventure, I als had the pleasure of being treated to dinner at the Outback in Frederick. Lori trly made sure that my birthday was a very special day!

It was a day of many emotions, and a day that made me proud to be an American! In spite of all of our gripes about politics and gas prices and so forth, we must all remember that we are blessed on a daily basis to live in the greatest country in the world! We also are blessed that many of our countrymen and women constantly are willing to fight to the death so that our way of life can continue!

If you haven't done so recently, please do two things for me - thank a veteran for their service, and say a prayer for all of our troops in harm's way. They and their families truly deserve the Lord's blessing!

The National Holocaust Memorial Museum...

2008-06-10T11:04:00.007-04:00

.....in Washington, D.C. is an incredible place. On the morning of my birthday a few weeks ago, my girlfriend Lori and I decided to go on a trip to DC. We originally planned on going to the zoo, but it was raining and cloudy in Getysburg. She came up with the idea of the Holocaust Museum, and am I ever glad she did!

We took the drive to Shady Grove and got on the Metro (all of this of course being a new experience for me), and made it into DC in the late morning. We got off by the Dept. of Agriculture, which was only a very short distance from the museum.

How can one truly describe this place? I really don't think you can. You have to physically go there to not only see, but to feel the aura and to smell it. The designers captured the feeling well. A feeling of sadness, misery, and a deep aura of foreboding were with me throughout. Straight up, anyone who has the audacity to doubt that the Holocaust really happened should be forced to go here.

Upon entry, you can select an ID card of an actual Holocaust victim, telling you who they were, where they were sent, and what happened to them (adding a personal level of realism to an already surreal experience). You are then jammed into a very creepy elevator for a ride to the 4th floor. A short video presentation in the elevator sets the stage for things to come.

Starting on the 4th floor, you proceed through a series of videos, exhibits and descriptions of such things as the Nazi rise to power, segregation and persecution by race, the formation of the camps, and so forth, all the way to the end which shows the Allies uncovering the camps, and the public reaction.

Very powerful exhibits and displays of not only the final solution, but of the systematic robbery and de-humanization of the victims, do a very strong job of telling the story while not being overly graphic (this is not a place for the young, the squeamish, or the faint of heart). There is even a small exhibit that details the medical experiments (torture?) that were done on some of the victims.

Two exhibits that struck me the hardest were the railroad car that was actually used to bring people to the camps, and bunks from Auschwitz. Why? Because the true smell of death was actually present. Maybe it wasn't death per se, but it was an odor in the wood unlike any I have ever experienced, and it was not pleasant.

Again, this is a very powerful, extremely awesome, and extemely sad museum. If you are ever in Washington, D.C. with some time to spare, go check it out! You'll be forever changed, but you definitely won't be disappointed!

"Boy, I bet you're really disappointed!"...

2008-06-09T10:26:00.005-04:00

..."Too bad for you. I guess your team wasn't as good as you thought."..."Can we say 'Choke!', boys and girls?"...and lots of other things that I've been hearing as of late.

Guess what?

Let's roll back about a year-and-a-half or so. What was happening? The future of hockey in the city of Pittsburgh looked bleak. The arena deal had fallen through, and they already were celebrating in Kansas City, because it looked like the Penguins were leaving. Then, some late-game magic, and a deal was made. The Pens were staying! How did the team respond?

They made it to the playoffs last year. Though they lost in the first round, these kids got some experience. They learned that in order to succeed in the quest for the cup, they would have to up their game.

How did the fans respond? Can we say 60+ straight sellouts? Two years ago, you could have your choice of sections in a game. Now, it's the hottest ticket in town!

The Pens brought their experience gained last year and their youthful enthusiam to the ice this year, finished second in the conference, and made a serious run at the cup. Unfortunately for them they ran into the best, most experienced team in the league. After a slow start, they did manage to at least make a series out of it. They gained some more experience and learned how to win in the biggest series of the quest for the hardest trophy in sports.

If losing in game six of the finals makes a disappointing season, I look forward to lots more such disappointments! This team is good, and they will drink from the cup of Lord Stanley in the next few years!

Memorial Day in Gettysburg...

2008-05-29T12:22:00.002-04:00

...and we dressed for the occasion! Memorial Day to me is the most important non-religious holiday. Without the veterans who we are remembering and honoring, we wouldn't be celebrating anything. We owe them all our thanks and respect for our very existence. They've laid it on the line, and many never made it home to see the result of their sacrifice. Many more have come home battered and torn, both physically and mentally, and for all of them, their lives have never been or will never be the same! Truly, where would we be without them?

That said, the Gettysburg Memorial Day parade has always been my favorite. It's short enough and laid back enough that as a participant, one can interact with the crowd. The people are appreciative, and it is also a true honor to be able to shake the hands of the many veterans who come out to see the parade. Many of them thank us for coming out, which is very ironic, since by coming out, we are trying to thank them. It is a great parade for all, and I'm proud to be able to be a part of it.

Pictured with me above is my good friend Karl. Karl has a Civil War uniform, but a short time ago, I asked him, if I helped suit him up for it, would he like to go as a WWII participant? Obviously he agreed, so we did it. (Karl, it was good to know you had my back. Thanks!) We got Bobbie out to see the parade, along with Karl's girlfriend Donna, our good friends Frank and Regina from NYC, another friend Ed, and the most important (at least to me), my new girlfriend Lori. It was great to see them all in a group waiting for us near the end of the route. We had a lot of moral support!

Aferward it was to lunch at TGI Friday's, and then a bit of R&R time. It truly was a great day!

A person with more courage and dedication...

2008-05-15T12:11:00.006-04:00

...than I'll ever have is my friend, Matt. Before we get too far, let's rewind little bit.

About 15 yrs. ago, when I began Civil War reenacting, I remember meeting an annoying, 14-yr-old kid from home who also thought he was a reenactor. I kept seeing him at events, and got to know him a little better. I basically watched him make the transition from annoying kid to responsible adult, and I'm glad I was there for it. He became quite the reenactor.

Every year, at the Gettysburg reenactment, it seemd like no matter the scenario, Matt's unit and mine met across the lines, and we found ourselves engaged. As the fight ended we always got to talking, and we got to know each other a little better.

A few years ago, I got Matt into a grey uniform, and he had fun. Since then, we've made the trips to Cedar Creek, Fredericksburg, and a few other major reenactments, and we've gone on more than our share of adventures. I even got Matt into a WWII uniform, and he and I 'hit the beaches of Normandy' during the annual D-Day reenactment on Lake Erie in Ohio. Through it all Matt and I became good friends. I love him like a brother.

Last year, Matt and his girlfriend Crystal (in the photos above, a girl who's also pretty awesome herself) spent an incredible weekend in Gettysburg. Matt has an ancestor who fought here, in the 62nd Pa in the Wheatfield, so we paid our respect at their monument, and at the PA Monument as well.

Matt is a kid who's been dealt a pretty tough blow. He lost his mom to an illness some 7 or 8 years ago. Rather than sulk and cry, Matt used this as a life experience and became stronger as a result. He's been trying to fulfill his life's dreams. He got his teaching certificate, and became a full-time teacher in a school district in a small town in NW PA.

But, there was always one dream he had, and one he was determined to accomplish. Matt wanted to be a US Marine. So, what did he do about it? He enlisted. At age 28, Mr. G, as his students call him, is headed for Parris Island on May 19th. "Crazy!" you say? "What the heck is he thinking?" You know what? This guy's stubborn enough, and detemined enough that he will actually do it, and prevail!

Mr. G, we're all gonna miss you the next three months or so. You'll be thought of often! Just remember, at the end of 'the Crucible', and when you're eating the warrior breakfast, your life will never be the same. You'll have done something amazing, and all of us who know you will have an even higher level of respect for you! Good luck!

The Retreat of the Confederate Army...

2008-05-09T20:19:00.006-04:00

...from Gettysburg is something that has always interested me. I had heard a lot of the white-washed, mainstream hype about how Meade and the Army of the Potomac had Lee's army in their grasp and didn't pursue, how the war could have ended right then and there, and about how little or no fighting happened during the retreat. When was younger, I thought it was true.

Then, about 13 years ago in the case of one, about 9 years ago in the case of a second, and about 7 years ago in the case of the third, I met some guys who about five years ago decided they were going to do something to change this myth. These guys felt that though they were in many cases minor, a series of fights occurred during the retreat, and that any tarnish to the reputation of JEB Stuart for being late coming to Gettysburg would be polished away by his conduct of protecting both the Confederate wagon trains, and the retreating Confederate army during the retreat.

I had heard of places such as Funkstown, Falling Waters, Williamsport and a few others, but had never been there. I was in Gettysburg on a few occasions when this group of soon-to-be-retreat experts made treks with others to Williamsport, but I had never gone along. Then, talk of a book on the retreat turned into action, and I was told (more than once) "Wait til the book comes out! You'll see just how much actually did happen in the ten days following the battle and during the retreat!"

In a previous post, I have mentioned this book, some smaller expeditions through the mountains near Fairfield, and my trip along the retreat of the Confederate wagon train of wounded. I had never done the entire retreat of the army, though I often wanted to (Seriously, little or no documentation of where to go or what to see was one of the reason that prevented such an excursion!).

Well, this past week, I got to make the trip. It was awesome! It was only two days ago, and I want to do it again! My good friend, Karl, and I left Gettysburg at around 1pm, and we got back around 8pm. Seven hours, you say? Seven hours well and truly spent, I say!

The book is called One Continuous Fight , and is due out in about 3 weeks. It has very detailed driving tours of both the retreat of the wounded wagon train and the retreat of the army. GPS coordinates are provided, as are distances between stops, directions, and places of interest. There are descriptions of what happened where along the way.

Two bits of advice: Don't try this trip alone. Without someone to navigate, you'll at least get frustrated, but you probably won't make it! Also, be prepared to go to some very isolated and off-the-beaten-path areas. You truly will at times feel like you are in the middle of nowhere! Why? Because you are!

Some of the jewels of this trip are the numerous period homes and barns along the way. Many areas have to look now almost as they did to the soldiers as they passed by. Also, something I never realized was the proximity of this retreat route to the town of Sharpsburg and the Antietam battlefield. You come within about six miles as you cross the Sharpsburg Pike at Jones' Crossroads.

To the authors, continued kudos to a job extremely well done! Yinz guys rock! To anyone considering trying either of the tours out, take a day and do it! You'll not be disappointed. Finally, to anyone who's already done it, spread the word! The tours alone are worth the price of the book!

Something positive out of all of this...

2008-05-02T22:35:00.004-04:00

...for a change is the movie A New Birth of Freedom being shown in the new Gettysburg Visitor's Center. It's narrated by Morgan Freeman, has Sam Waterston doing the Gettysburg Address and it's worth seeing.

In typical new-VC fashion, it is a bit on the side of being politically correct. You start out with the issue of slavery, the causes of the war, etc. When the armies get to Gettysburg, the movie gets good. I do have a question about it, though; it ends with a segment on Martin Luther King. Why? I understand the tie-in to the new birth of freedom, reconstruction, and the civil rights movement, but MLK in a Gettysburg museum? I don't know. It's still worth a look-see, though.

The only two complaints I have about it are that at 22 minutes, it's not quite long enough (I understand for the average visitor, too much longer would have turned them away, though), and the $8 price of admission. That also is undestandable. You do have to help pay for the 'free museum' somehow!

If you go to the center, take the time, spend the money, and enjoy it. You'll not be disappointed!

The Bookstore in the new VC...

2008-04-28T20:22:00.003-04:00

...if that's what you'd like to call it. I call it another "Gettysburg Gift Shop". Less than 300 titles? Newt Gingrich's alternate Gettysburg history?

And, the books aren't even together. They're strewn throughout the shop in no orderly fashion amongst the Lincolns-on-a-stick (?), the felt kepis and cartridge candy, and all the other junk you can already find in town.

Want to do some serious book-shopping on a busy weekday? Be prepared for dozens of kids playin shoot-'em-up with the toy muskets and such as you try to look at the books! I got so frustrated I left. Maybe I'll try to shop in December when no one's in town!

The potential is there for so much more. They have the space. Put the tourist-trap gift shop on one side, and the books on the other. I guess the idea of 'screw the seriously-interested', let's sell junk and milk the tourists has carried over fom Old Gettysburg Village and Steinwehr Ave. to the new Gettysburg Visitor Center.

And to think, like a lot of the rest of us, I waited anxiously for this thing! :-(

Out with the old...

2008-04-20T18:24:00.007-04:00

...and in with the new! I went last Weds., and my thoughts are mixed. It is a very nice, very well-done Civil War Museum. The layout makes sense, the displays are presented in a logical and concise way, and it looks good.

That said, it is not what you think of when you hear the words, "Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor's Center". That is not even close to what this new creation comes off as being.

Why?

Very little of it is actually devoted to Gettysburg! If I wanted to go to a Civil War Museum, I would have gone an hour north to Harrisburg. It has one of the best in the country!

But, I did not. I wanted to see Gettysburg!

This museum starts of with an intro. to the causes of the war, a big presentation on slavery, the early battles, then Gettysburg, and then the remaining campaigns (with very little mention of the Western or Trans-Miss Theatres). Then, there is a brief bit on the aftermath, and the creation of the park. My favorite exhibit was the EXIT sign, which meant that I no longer had to take in the forced-doses (by the shovels-ful) of political correctness that I was being made to digest!!

The potential was there They could have done so much more. How about the events leading up to Gettysburg? How about an exhibit on "Why Gettysburg?", etc. More on the battle itself, and more on the effects of the battle, both during and afterward, on the town itself? How many wounded? How did they treat them? Where did they send them? How about the pre-battle fighting in Westminster, Hanover, York, Carlisle, and Hunterstown? Why no mention of Lee's retreat with his 17-mile-long wagon train of wounded and even some of the fighting along the way? Also, (and this will be the last one) if you are showing the general Civil War, what happened at almost the same time in Vicksburg?

I think this thing was given to us under false pretenses! When first proposed, we were told that it was necessary to have larger exhibit space, because the park owned significantly more relics and artifacts than it could display. This from the Gettysburg NMP website itself on the initial plan,

"The requirement of a new building dates back any years when the growth of the museum collection, based on the famous George D. Rosensteel Collection, was beyond the scope of the current visitor's center. The need for an updated building to house the park's extensive archival and museum collections was not the only predicament. Outdated visitor facilities, exhibit space..."

Yet, the new museum presents significantly fewer pieces of the collection. Why?

Anyone besides me see something wrong here?... We won't get into the disgraces of the so-called 'bookstore'. That will come later.

I don't know, for the average 'Joe or Jane public' tourist, this thing might be ok, but if you know more than who fought, what the battle meant, when it was, and how it ended, you will be more than a bit disappointed!

"Goodbye to an old friend"

2008-04-19T09:29:00.002-04:00

This is a little late, but lots of things have been going on in Gettysburg. I didn't get to make it on the very last day, but on the Fri. before it closed for good, my friends Donna and Karl, and I went to see it one last time. It's kind of sad to see it go. It's one of those things that we all thought would be there forever. A "Gettysburg Institution".

Yet, at the same time, it is definitely time to move on. 50 yr-old technology to show a three-day battle with blinking lights? Surely, we can do better! I think the electric map was one of those things we all remember from our first Gettysburg school trip, something from our youth that helped us understand the battle (though on my particular first trip to Gettysburg, most of the kids were just glad to have two days away from school!).

I've only really seen this thing about 6 times, mostly when people who had never been here before came, so that we help them understand where things happen and why they did. So rather then lament on its demise, lets look to the future, and the new Gettysburg Visitor's Center. I've been there, and there will be more, much more, to follow on that subject.

One Continuous Fight

2008-04-09T16:54:00.007-04:00

I remember this thing when it was a crazy idea put out there by some friends of mine. My, has time passed, and wow, is it awesome actually holding a copy in my hand! Now, the copy I have isn't quite the finished work, but it's close enough!

I was there for the final check of the tour of the wagon train of wounded (even made a dumb mistake that uncovered gold!), was sent on a last-minute mission to Chambersburg, and even a year and a half ago, was drug through Fairfield, across the mountains and into Carroll Valley (Sorry, JD! Steve and I did have fun!) hearing about what happened along the way. Through it all, I was told, "You just wait 'til the book comes out!"

Well, ok! I just got it a few days ago, and I'm only about 50 pages into it! Guess what?! It was worth the wait! I hope Eric, JD, and Mike are proud of it, because IT IS THAT GOOD!

I have my share of books, but I don't read as much as I should. Rarely do I get excited about the release of a book. I was given a copy of Plenty of Blame To Go Around in November of '06, and finally got around to reading it in June of '07, a few days before the authors showed up at my place for what turned out to be a good weekend. Shame on me! I won't wait that long again!

If you've read a lot about the Gettysburg Campaign, or even just the battle here, and/or if you've ever wondered about what happened after the battle, buy and read this book when it becomes available! You will not be sorry! Instead, you will feel like you were there!

A Lot Has Been Going On...

2008-04-09T09:02:00.005-04:00

...Between trying to get a good start on reading the book that a lot of us have so anxiously been waiting for (though I'm not far into it, I am loving it!), and getting ready for the new Visitor's Center to open, things have been a bit crazy!

I missed being able to go this past Sunday, but I will be there tomorrow evening and will post about what I see and hear. There have been very mixed reviews so far about the Visitor's Center. I've heard either ,"Really Good!', or "Really Bad!", and not much in between. We shall see.

Anyway, 2008 is going to bea good year in Gettysburg. Things we've been waiting for are finally happening. First will be the VC, then the Cyclorama, and finally the Will's House in Nov. Now that I'm back to being an active blogger, I will post my thoughts on what I see and hear on a more regular basis.

I forgot to mention that the Peach Orchard has been replanted, and a lot of the cannons will soon be back on the field. Let's hope!

So, Latschar's baby is nearing completion....

2008-02-27T10:19:00.002-05:00

...what does that mean? Is anyone afraid of what this thing might really be like?
The thing I fear most about this technological monster is that it will be so huge, so vast in scope, that people coming to Gettysburg for a weekend will spend too much time there, and not enough on the actual fields of battle. I can see it like this:

A family arrives late Fri. afternoon, they eat at Gen. Pickett's buffet (sure, it's where the charge happened, and it's named after a historical figure, so it can't be all that bad, can it?), and then take an evening stroll up and down Steinwehr, leaving behind a bit of money in some of the tourist-trap gifts shops. Of course, now it's time for a ghost-walk tour. This might be the night! Then, they stay in one of the many hotels (Hey, if we stay at the Quality on Steinwehr or the America's Best, or if we go west on Rte. 30 to the other Quality Inn, we can actually sleep on the battlefield? Awesome!)

Saturday comes, and it's a quick breakfast at McDonald's (we can't waste too much time. There's the new visitor's center to see!) So, then it's off to the new VC. Hours spent looking at the exhibits, more time spent watching the movie presentations. You can eat lunch there without having to leave, etc. (Hey, they even have gift shops here! If we'd have known that we would have waited!) Then, it's back to town. Maybe dinner in the Farnsworth House or some such. Then, it's time for some actual ghost hunting. Let's go to the Triangular Field/Devil's den area. People see ghost there all the time! Maybe we will, too.

Before you know it, it's Sun. morning. Breakfast at Friendly's. We got a lot done yesterday, so we can relax a bit. Can't believe we didn't see a ghost last night, but we sure took lots of photos of orbs! Well, we have some time to go on the battlefield now, so let's go to Little Round Top!...Cool, nice view!... Now the Devil's Den, then a ride by the Angle and the Copse of Trees for a photo op...lunch somewhere in town...a ride out to the the Peace Light, and maybe across Seminary Ridge...back into town to buy the t-shirt we saw, then home. We'll eat dinner along the way.

"Gee, dad! That was fun! I can't believe we saw the whole Gettysburg battlefield in like two days or so!" Maybe we can come back again sometime."

"Maybe so, son, but why? Like you said, we saw it all!"

"I know, but I really liked the ghost walks, and would love to go ghost hunting again!"

Wow, what a change!

2008-02-07T16:18:00.002-05:00

Well, I know I've blogged about it in the past, and I know it's been discussed, most likely in too much depth, but I saw the picture on the top earlier today. It made me realize just how much this area changed last year, in a relatively short time. We've all seen it, and maybe too those who don't see it every week, it's one of those "Duh!" moments, but I saw it develop slowly. It's amazing how quickly we forget, and I actually did forget just how wooded this area was. To me, it's incredible, and I just wanted to share the almost-side-by-side views of this area.

William A. Frassanito's Problems with John Richter's "Lincoln" at Gettysburg Photo-Identification.

2008-01-07T14:46:00.001-05:00

One of the most obvious problems with John Richter's identification of Lincoln in the two Gardner photos is that the beard simply does not match the style of beard that Lincoln was wearing in November 1863. As is apparent from studying the several portraits of Lincoln recorded in Washington just eleven days before the ceremonies at Gettysburg, Lincoln's beard was essentially disconnected at that time (as it frequently was), with an unmistakable gap between his goatee and his sideburns -- completely unlike the solid mass of facial growth visible on the man identified by John as Lincoln. (See also the detail of Lincoln on the speakers' stand at Gettysburg; the most revealing version is reproduced in James Mellon, The Face of Lincoln, pg. 141.)

Equally troublesome is the fact that John's scenario has the two photos depicting Lincoln leading the civil portion of the procession into the National Cemetery, heading from left to right toward the speakers' stand. This scenario seems incongruous to me because the same images likewise depict the speakers' stand already packed with people. Since the vast majority of the occupants of the speakers' stand would have been the same government officials, dignitaries, and sundry participants who followed Lincoln into the National Cemetery via the procession, it doesn't make any sense that the speakers' stand would already be packed just moments before the arrival of most of its intended occupants.

Furthermore, the mounted individual identified by John as Lincoln is clearly facing northwestward, and in a direction away from the already crowded speakers' stand -- with this same individual remaining in a static position throughout the recording of both negatives, indicating that he was not heading anywhere in particular at the time the two negatives were recorded.

Moreover, Lincoln did not ride alone in the procession to the National Cemetery. Indeed, it is well documented that Lincoln was accompanied and flanked by several mounted civilians, including the chief marshal and three members of Lincoln's cabinet (one of whom was six-feet-tall and undoubtedly wearing a hat). The individual identified by John as Lincoln appears to be completely unaccompanied by any mounted escorts.

According to the official program, the military contingent, which immediately preceded the civil portion of the procession into the National Cemetery, was supposed to move into a line formation and salute the President as he passed by en route to the nearby speakers' stand. If there were any members of the military contingent whom one would expect to be part of this solemn "salute", it would be the soldiers who so dominate the foreground of both Gardner photos. Instead, we see these soldiers relaxing in an "at rest" posture, with at least one of them seated on the ground and casually facing the camera. Could it be that literally moments before the two photos were recorded, these same soldiers were standing at attention and saluting their Commander in Chief? According to John's scenario, the President is still passing by as these soldiers are seen lounging in the foreground.

My next problem with John's Lincoln identification deals with the format in which both images were recorded, i.e., stereo. It is inconceivable to me that a photographer as experienced as Gardner would have considered it even remotely possible to actually document a specific individual from that distance, and especially while employing his stereo camera. Had Gardner truly been obsessed with recording multiple plates of Lincoln (as John's subjective scenario suggests), he almost certainly would have selected his larger 8X10-plate camera rather than his stereo camera. The substantially longer focal-length lens used with the former camera was literally telescopic in nature when compared to the decidedly more wide-angled twin lenses used with the latter. And the finished print would have been more than four times larger, thereby increasing dramatically the chance that an obscure individual in the distant background might be recognizable (albeit only under magnification).

Not surprisingly, the individual identified by John as Lincoln appears as little more than an off-centered and completely unrecognizable black speck in the distant background of contact prints made from the original stereo negatives. It is my opinion that Gardner was simply taking two successive negatives while in the process of recording general overviews of the ceremonies that day; and that the off-centered, little black speck identified by John as Lincoln (using technology never envisioned by Gardner) was hardly the focus of Gardner's attention.

Given all of the above, it seems evident to me that the two Gardner stereos were recorded subsequent to the occupation of the speakers' stand by both Lincoln and the numerous dignitaries who followed him into the National Cemetery; that the military had already dispersed to accommodate the lengthy arrival of the remainder of the civil groups in the procession (with a cavalry contingent facing northeastward to maintain a corridor for the latter -- and with the soldiers in the foreground having already formed a cordon along the edge of the crowd); and that the lone, generically top-hatted and bearded man identified by John as Lincoln, was almost certainly not Lincoln -- who, by that time, would already have been seated on the speakers' stand, patiently waiting for the next phase of the ceremonies to begin, i.e. the speeches, etc.

If not Lincoln, who then was this unidentified bearded man seen wearing a top hat in the two stereo views? He was undoubtedly nothing more than an anonymous, historically insignificant civilian official, most likely associated with one of the numerous civil organizations that followed the dignitaries into the National Cemetery that historic day.

Christmas in the ole' Reliance Mine!

2007-12-16T11:24:00.000-05:00

So, Bobbie had her Christmas party last night, and it was a great time. Live music was done by Perry Kamp (who actually is pretty good!), lots of food was put out for all to enjoy, and it was just an all-around awesome night of fun and friendship. Bobbie actually did well, and though she was busy at times and needed a little bit of help, she proved to all that she can still take care of "her bar!"

All fears aside, the weather held up. It didn't get icy until after the party ended. I spent the night in the hotel (no, I didn't get the room next to the saloon, but I was only two doors away).

I took Bobbie home this morning (she had the room next to the saloon), and after a small detour to Gardner's for some salt, I got her home and in the house okay (Hey, it's a lot of responsibility when you control the fate of a Gettysburg legend. I couldn't let anything happen to her. 'Not on my watch!'). Anyway, fun was had by all. If you went and didn't have fun or get enough to eat, you have no one but yourself to blame for that one!

I'm thriving in my new town, and I'm lovin' every minute of it!

Camp Letterman but once again...

2007-12-05T19:24:00.000-05:00

...

SA Homes and Target are planning on developing pretty much the little parcel of Camp Letterman that remains. This is quite sad. I know, it's not part of the battle, most of it's been lost already, etc., etc. A friend of mine on his blog says basically the same. I disagree, but that's what makes this the good, ole' USA! We can do such things and still be friends.

Anyway, Target is an intrinsically evil company. I haven't been to one in almost two years, nor will I ever go into one again. Why? Not because they want to build on the site of Camp Letterman. Because the are owned by the French, and, since the French don't support the U.S. military (Hey! That's their right! Just remember that the next time some power-hungry dictator with plans of world domination takes their country and they need help getting it back! History repeats itself, and it's happened twice already! What country is the first they expect to help them get it back?). Since they don't support the U.S. military, they will not allow the US Marine Corps to collect "Toys for Tots" at any of their locations.

This is where my problem begins! By doing this, they are not hurting the Marines. They are hurting the children who the Marines collect toys for. The Marines can fight for themselves. These poor children cannot!

So, if for no other reason, please hit this link and sign the petition. Hey, it may not do any good, but it can't hurt, either!

Camp Letterman Petition

Time to say "Thanks" for something more!

2007-12-03T13:06:00.001-05:00

I got this from a friend, and was asked to keep it going. I take no credit for writing it, but I agree with it 100%!

John Glenn said...

This should make you think a little:

There were 39 combat related killings in Iraq in January.
In the fair city of Detroit there were 35 murders in the month of January.
That's just one American city,
about as deadly as the entire war-torn country of Iraq.

When some claim that President Bush shouldn't
have started this war, state the following:

a. FDR led us into World War II.

b. Germany never attacked us ; Japan did.
>From 1941-1945, 450,000 lives were lost .
an average of 112,500 per year.

c. Truman finished that war and started one in Korea
North Korea never attacked us .
>From 1950-1953, 55,000 lives were lost .
an average of 18,334 per year.

d. John F. Kennedy started the Vietnam conflict in 1962.
Vietnam never attacked us.

e. Johnson turned Vietnam into a quagmire.
>From 1965-1975, 58,000 lives were lost ..
an average of 5,800 per year.

f. Clinton went to war in Bosnia without UN or French consent.
Bosnia never attacked us .
He was offered Osama bin Laden's head on a platter three
times by Sudan and did nothing.
Osama has attacked us on multiple occasions.

g.. In the years since terrorists attacked us ,
President Bush has liberated two countries,
crushed the Taliban, crippled al-Qaida,
put nuclear inspectors in Libya , Iran , and, North Korea
without firing a shot, and captured a terrorist who
slaughtered 300,000 of his own people.

The Democrats are complaining
about how long the war is taking.

But Wait

It took less time to take Iraq than it took Janet Reno
to take the Branch Davidian compound.
That was a 51-day operation..

We've been looking for evidence for chemical weapons
in Iraq for less time than it took Hillary Clinton to find
the Rose Law Firm billing records.

It took less time for the 3rd Infantry Division and the
Marines to destroy the Medina Republican Guard
than it took Ted Kennedy to call the police after his
Oldsmobile sank at Chappaquiddick.

It took less time to take Iraq than it took
to count the votes in Florida!!!

Our Commander-In-Chief is doing a GREAT JOB !
The Military morale is high!

The biased media hopes we are too ignorant
to realize the facts

But wait!

There's more!

JOHN GLENN (on the Senate floor - January 26, 2004)

Some people still don't understand why military personnel
do what they do for a living. This exchange between
Senators John Glenn and Senator Howard Metzenbaum
is worth reading. Not only is it a pretty impressive
impromptu speech, but it's also a good example of one
man's explanation of why men and women in the armed
services do what they do for a living.

This IS a typical, though sad, example of what
some who have never served think of the military.

Senator Metzenbaum (speaking to Senator Glenn):
'How can you run for Senate when you've never held a real job?'

Senator Gl enn (D-Ohio):
'I served 23 years in the United States Marine Corps.
I served through two wars. I flew 149 missions.
My plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on 12 different
occasions. I was in the space program. It wasn't my
checkbook, Howard; it was my life on the line. It was
not a nine-to-five job, where I took time off to take the
daily cash receipts to the bank.'

'I ask you to go with me . . as I went the other day...
to a veteran's hospital and look those men ..
with their mangled bodies . in the eye, and tell THEM
they didn't hold a job!

You go with me to the Space Program at NASA
and go, as I have gone, to the widows and Orphans
of Ed White, Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee...
and you look those kids in the eye and tell them
that their DADS didn't hold a job.

You go with me on Memorial Day and you stand in
Arlington National Cemetery, where I have more friends
buried than I'd like to remember, and you watch
those waving flags.

You stand there, and you think about this nation,
and you tell ME that those people didn't have a job?

What about you?'
For those who don't remember
During W.W.II, Howard Metzenbaum was an attorney
representing the Communist Party in the USA

Now he's a Senator!

If you can read this, thank a teacher.
If you are reading it in English thank a Veteran.

It might not be a bad idea to keep this circulating.
I AM!!! ..

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T13:50:00.000-05:00

Nov. 22nd, 2007, a tough day if you're a turkey, but a great day if you're an American. Looking back, I have lots to be thankful for.

2007 brought me to Gettysburg, and I love it here. I've made many new friends, and I love them all as well. I've spent quality time on the field and in the taverns with both old and new friends, and have truly enjoyed it.

Back on the home front, my Mom continues to fight the good fight. She'll tell you that she's in pretty good shape for the shape she's in! Nothin's gonna get her til she's ready!

I keep in touch with the old friends as best as I can. Hey! There are lots of them, and that's a good thing! I love them all!

Things are going well. I have a new life, but I haven't forgotten the old one. I don't forget where I came from. It's good to be happy, good to be healthy, good to love, and good to be loved.

So, what am I most happy for? That I am who I am and that I know everyone I know! Thank you, Lord! I don't know what it is, but I must be doing something right, because life is good!

So, tourist season has come and gone...

2007-11-21T00:35:00.000-05:00

...and Remembrance day has gone along with it. Too bad, because I was having fun! A big thanks goes out to Steve, JD, and most importantly, Mike. Thanks, ya Irish SOB for sharing the same sense of humor as I have! The parade wouldn't have been the same without you!

The luminaries were awesome and moving. The service we got in the local establishments was 'incredible!' (How can one be over 500 miles from home and be treated like a local? Hang with the ole JR!)

The impressions, on the other hand...left a lot to be desired, shall we say? I saw the Timberland boots. I saw the havelocks (Really? In 1863?). And I saw the Galtroops. Can you spot her in the photo above? By the way, we all had special assignments. Mine was to count the Galtroops! The final tally? - 53 Union + two of who were 'inconclusive'...and...'33 Confederate', all of which would be confirmed. ( Hey I saw the 'lumps' in the proper places!'. It's a sad state of affairs - what this hobby used to be and what it's become!

And, I both saw and heard about 'the photo!' I'll be hearing about it all Winter, I suppose!

On to Thanksgiving. Peace and good wishes to all who may read this! God bless you all!

Is it?...

2007-11-20T11:33:00.000-05:00

...or is it not? John Richter thinks so. Bob Zeller thinks so. Harold Holzer has no reason to believe it's not him. So, why all the fuss?

Because there's no definite proof that it is either. I had a conversation, along with a few other people, last night with one of the country's leading experts in Civil War photography. He is 'skeptical', at best. More details will be shared on Weds., and I'll post more as it becomes available.

"Just because there's no reason to believe it's not him doesn't by default mean that it definitely is, either."

As a local here, going into my first, post-tourist season adventure, I feel this couldn't have come at a more opportune time. Hey, we need something to ponder and discuss all Winter, fer cryin' aht lahd!

You be the judge. More to follow.

If this doesn't move you...

2007-11-20T11:05:00.001-05:00

...then nothing will!

I had the honor of attending the illumination service in the National Cemetery in Gettysburg this past Sat. There was a luminary by each grave marker, as well as hundreds more lining the trails and walkways. It was an intense experience. There is no real way to describe the feeling. You must experience it yourself. There was an honor guard around the Soldier's monument, and wreaths near some of the graves. The flags and the luminaries combined to create a very intense atmosphere.

I had three good friends along to share the experience, and I know they all felt the same as I did. If for no other reason, come to Gettysburg for this! I know Remembrance Weekend is tough, with booked hotels, traffic, the parade, and long waits in restaurants, but trust me - it's definitely worth it!

The U.S. Model 1861 Springfield Rifle-Musket...

2007-11-19T10:44:00.000-05:00

...was not only heavily used by the Union Army throughout the entire American Civil War, it was the third most widely-used weapon by the Confederacy. The standard make was a 58 calibre, with a 40" barrel. The total weight was right around 9lbs. The most notable difference between it and the Model 1855 was the elimination of the Maynard priming system. Also, the M1861 was never produced in the the shorter, two-band configuration.

The M1861 cost $20. Unable to keep up with massive production demands, Springfield opened its pattern to 20 private contractors, most notably Colt. Colt redesigned the barrel bands, hammer and bolster in its 'special' model, leading to the changes that would later be incorporated into the Model 1863.

The M1861 was scarce relatively early in the war, as many troops on both sides were using M 1816/22 conversion muskets and M1842 percussion muskets. It is doubtful that any M1861's were available for the First Battle of Manassass. Over time, the smoothbores were phased out and replaced with M1861's. Of course, this happened more rapidly in the Eastern Theatre than in the West or Trans-Miss. Theatres. It is estimated that a combined total of around 1 million Model 1861's were made by the war's end.

So, I'm going to jail, and I need help...

2007-11-09T11:33:00.001-05:00

...On Tues., Nov. 27th, the MDA "Police" will be coming to my store, handcuffing me, taking my mugshot, and escorting me to jail (a mock jail in the lobby of the Gettysburg Hotel), so I need help. In order to be let out, I need to raise a combined total of $3,000. Anyone out there who reads this, whether you know me or not, but who would like to help out in this most worthy of causes, should click my e-mail link in my profile and shoot me a message. I can give you the details then.

Thanks in advance!

the Model 1855 U. S. Springfield

2007-11-08T12:32:00.000-05:00

The origianl design of this rifle-musket had a feature known as the Maynard Tape priming system. This resulted in the high hump under the hammer and the distinctive opening trapdoor on the side of the lockplate.

Dr. Edward Maynard was a dentist and former west Point cadet, though he had to drop out because of medical reasons. His original idea for the locking mechanism was for the conversion of flintlocks to percussion, and the first such models had the primer magazine outside the stock. The drawback was that this configuration did not allow the use of ordinary percussion caps.

In 1851, the Ordnance Dept. suggested an improved lock, in which the primer was imbedded in the lockplate. This was the design accepted for the Model 1855, and production began soon after.

Maynard's priming system was very similar to a modern cap gun. Fulminated Mercury caps were put on a long metal roll. As the hammer was cocked, a lever pushed the roll forward, placing the next cap over the cone and making the musket ready to fire.

It was a good theory, but in actual use, things didn't quite always line up as expected. This system also was at the mercy of the elements. Even though the cap rolls were somewhat weather-treated, they didn't always hold up or function properly in adverse weather conditions. The cone used was the same as that on the early 1841 and 1842 muskets and rifles, so the firer could use standard issue percussion caps in place of the tape system.

A re-design in 1860 eliminated this overly-complex and unreliable priming system, and this resulted in the Model 1861 Springfield.

During production, the Springfield Armory produced 47,115 model 1855 rifle-muskets with the 40 inch barrel, while the Harpers Ferry Arsenal produced 12,158 shorter rifles in the same configuration, but with 35 inch barrels.

This rifle-musket was used early in the U.S. Civil War, but not in the numbers of some of the more famous firearms. As the war progressed, it was slowly done away with, especially in union regiments.

Nothing says hokiness...

2007-11-01T13:38:00.000-04:00

...like a mounted civil war cavalry reenactment! Look at the pictures (and I've seen worse). Does this look like 'a train wreck'? The opposing lines 'thundered into one another with a loud clash!'? 'A mounted cavalcade of men and horses drawn toward one another with lightning speed and thunderous brutality!'?

Or, few guys on horseback playing army and rattling their sabers? Don't get me wrong. I have great respect for the mounted cavalry. It takes a lot of effort and a lot of expense to buy a trained horse, full gear and tack and a trailer, and then to travel cross country to a reenactment. But, the cavalry should use appropriate tactics, scouting the flanks, dismounting to form skirmish lines, quickly re-forming and moving to another threatened area, etc. Don't let them degrade to couriers and such, but use them appropriately.

Are we really honoring the struggles and sacrifices made by brave men in violent episodes of brutality when two guys ride up to one another, tap their sabers together a few times, smile, and say, "Good job, Johnny Reb/Billy Yank!", and then ride off into the sunset?

There is no safe way to portray the ferocity, the sheer brutality of a mounted Civil war cavalry charge! They generally tend to degrade to a state of hokiness, so we should really stop trying. Come to the reenactments, show your tactics, demonstrate your weapons and gear and find a proper place. Otherwise, the integrity of the whole event suffers. People are not being educated. They are being entertained in a comedic sort of way, and there was nothing funny about a mounted cavalry charge!

The Mississippi Rifle

2007-11-01T12:38:00.000-04:00

The U.S. Model 1841 Rifle was one of the first percussion firing longarms made. This made it capable of firing in most any weather condition, a great improvement over flintlock longarms that often misfired in any wet or damp weather conditions. Originally, it was a 54 cal., longarm. At the start of the Civil War, many were rebored to 58 cal., enabling them to use the same ammunition as the 1861 U.S. Springfield. This helped cut down on the problems of logistics in shipping different ammunition to different units.

This rifle gets its nickname from the Mexican War. Jefferson Davis' company of Mississipians were issued this weapon.

When Eli Whitney took over management of the armory in 1842, one of his first major tasks was to retool the machinery to make the lock and barrel of the new musket, as the armory currently still produced the 1822 contract flintlock musket. This led to the long-desired goal of achieving total parts-interchangeability in military longarms in the late 1840's.

The M1841 was smaller and lighter than most military longarms of the time. Being only 50 inches long and weighing 8lbs. the rifle was a good 7 inches shorter and 2lbs. lighter than the M1842 musket.

Widely used by the Confederate Army of Tennessee, the Mississippi rifle was a favorite of Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest. He preferred the accuracy of the Mississippi rifle over the many types of shotguns and carbines in use at the time.

U.S. Model 1842 musket

2007-10-30T16:07:00.000-04:00

The original U.S. Springfield model 1842 was a 69 cal. smoothbore musket. It has the dubious distinction of being the last of the smoothbore muskets produced, while at the same time being both the first persussion musket adopted by the U.S. military, and being the first fully parts interchangeable longarm produced in the U.S. The evolution of machine tooling permitted this. Prior to this, parts were individually hand made and fitted to the particular firearm they were made for.

The Model 1842 was produced in relatively low numbers compared to other U.S. military firearms. Combined, the Springfield Armory and Harpers Ferry arsenal produced 272,565 over 12 years. This sounds like a lot, but at its peak, the Springfield Armory alone produced that many model 1861's in only 18 months. The Model 1842 was actually not even the most common smoothbore, as over 700,000 model 1816/22 muskets, both in flintlock and percussion conversions were made prior to the Civil War.

A few Model 1842's were made by private contractors. A.H. Waters and B. Flagg & Co., both of Milbury, Mass. produced Model 1842's, but they had brass furniture (barrel bands, nosecap, and butt plate), unlike those produced by Springfield and Harper's Ferry, which were all steel.

Flagg partnered with William Glaze of South Carolina and relocated to the SC Palmetto Armory to produce Model 1842's. Instead of the stamped V over P over the Eagle's head on the lockplate, those produced by the Palmetto Armory had a P over V over a Palmetto tree. Called 'the Palmetto musket', these were mostly given to SC militia units. Only 6,020 muskets were made on that contract, and none were made after 1853. This makes remaining specimens of Palmetto muskets very rare today.

The musket weighed 10 lbs., was 57&1/2 inches long, and fired either a 69 cal. ball, or a buck and ball round, consisting of a 69 cal. round ball and 3 32 cal. pieces of buckshot, a very deadly and effective close range round. In the early stages of the Civil War, some smoothbore muskets had rifling cut into the barrel, and rear sights affixed, but these were also few in number. Many early-war units were equipped with '42's, but most were replaced as the war went on. Some units, however, preferred the close-range devastation of the buck and ball round and kept their '42's until after the battle of Gettysburg.

The end is near!

2007-10-29T10:37:00.000-04:00

Soon, tourist season will be over, and Gettysburg will become quiet and boring. I think I'm one of the few who will miss it. I'll miss the fun and miss the people. A large amount of my spare time has been people watching, either along Steinwehr and Baltimore, or on the square by the Gettysburg Hotel.

It's fun to watch the people come and go, fun to talk to people from other areas, or even those from back home. After November, it will be gone.

Then, what will I do to entertain myself? Oh, wait! It's Christmas season, and I work in retail. Black Friday's coming. That might keep my busy enough for awhile, I guess.

Galtroops!

2007-10-29T01:16:00.000-04:00

Love 'em or hate 'em, they seem to be everywhere and in numbers greater than ever before! Very little in the reenacting hobby bugs me more than seeing women trying to be men and fighting in the ranks! I know, it has been upheld in a court of law that you can't discriminate by not allowing women in the ranks. That doesn't make it right!

True, there were women who disguised their identities and went off to war to fight as men. How many? No one knows, but most likely less than 1000. So, in a reenactment of even 5000, how many women should be present as soldiers. 1000/3,000,000ths, or .33%. So for every 5000 reenactors, we could have one or two women in the ranks.

These days, it seems that we have one or two in every unit! It's worse in the artillery. Some cannon crews alone have 2 or 3 women. This is BS! Plain and simple.

Civil War women soldiers had to hide their identities, and if they were discovered, out of the army they went! Some female reenactors don't even try to hide their identities.

The biggest gripe I have is the women who fight dressed as men by day, and go to the ball dressed in their ball gowns by night! The best of both worlds!? Doubtful! Pure hypocrisy? Yep! It should stop. The women who are doing it should have enough care and respect to make it stop. If we can't ban them, they should ban themselves. End of story!

Are Civil War reenactors changing history?

2007-10-28T23:27:00.000-04:00

"Well, what exactly do you mean by that?", you may ask. Let me explain. No one knows exactly how many Civil War reenactors there are in this country. Some give estimates up to 100,000. Every year, these reenactors and living historians travel the country on the weekends to set up their encampments and fight their battles. Sometimes, on fields such as Cedar Creek (part of which is shown above) and New Market, the camps and battles are on the actual field where the real battles were fought.

Now, I won't weigh this posting down with issues of farbism or authenticity. I've previously expressed those views elsewhere. I will say that there is a growing group of reenactors who are trying to 'do it right', should I say? Better uniforms, more authentic gear, etc. They are portraying the war as they think it actually looked. Documentation to support their claims exists in photos, and in surving uniforms and equipment in museums and so forth.

But, how do we know what the uniforms looked like 145 years ago? What color is butternut? How did the soldiers wear their gear? We see posed pictures, but very few photos exist of the men in the field. Are reenactors showing history, or merely what we think history looks like? There is no way to know for sure. I don't think this is the major problem, though.

Where I do have issues is with reenactors using original gear and portraying units that weren't involved in the battles they are showing. The trend by many these days is to use original buttons, and it is just such trends that are possibly changing how history will be perceived in the future.

I recently met a person who portrays a member of a Kentucky unit. He had an awesomely made, very authentic looking shell jacket. It had original Kentucky buttons on it. I noticed he was missing a button and inquired about it.

"Yeah, I lost on the field at Cedar Creek a few weekends ago. I haven't been able to find a replacement yet. Sucks, too, 'cause they're expensive."

Anyone besides me see a problem here? What happens 10-15 years down the road when someone finds that button, weathered and worn by the elements on the field at Cedar Creek? We know that no Kentucky units were involved there, yet someone less educated could make a legitmate claim that there was someone in a Kentucky uniform engaged at Cedar Creek. They have his button to prove it.

Sadly, just such a thing happens more and more these days, and it is a trend that should not continue. No harm is meant, but history is potentially, and unintentionally, I might add, being steered in a different direction from how it may have exactly happened.

Then again, why wait?

2007-10-23T15:58:00.000-04:00

Well, patience is not a virtue I possess. Why wait? Notice the stack? It has grown by 1!

A deal was struck, a debit card was swiped, and now I must subtract a 5 and two 0's from my checking account. That said, it's still like money in the bank!

God bless the poor SOB's who had to lug a '42 into battle. They're massive, but I guess in early war tactics, the buck and ball would be devastating!

No Wonder I never Seem to Have Any Extra Money!

2007-10-23T14:29:00.000-04:00

I never would have guessed in a million years why it might be a bad idea for someone with my addiction to live in a place like Gettysburg! (By the way, is it natural for someone to have a stack of Civil War rifle muskets next to their dining room table?)Let me explain...

...I love the battlefield. I spend as much time on it as I can. I also love the town. I go to the sutlers and the other shops 'looking for deals'. Good idea or bad? You decide.

I recently purchased another repro musket It was "a deal I couldn't pass up!" So, that makes three, plus a Mississippi Rifle. Three's enough, right? You could always sell it later and make money, if need be! I've sold and traded many guns over the years, and I regret selling every one I've ever gotten rid of!

My latest issue: there's a repro '42 Springfield musket hanging on a wall not far from here that I could get for an awesome price. What do you think? I think it will be mine in a day or two!

Historical Accuracy and Free Speech

2007-10-20T11:32:00.000-04:00

So, there's a relatively new statue of Robert E. Lee on the Antietam Battlefield, and I guess it's caused a great deal of controversy. The NPS lost out in a bid for the purchase of the Newcomer Farm, and William Chaney put up the statue to honor Lee near the farmhouse.

It's a beautiful statue. It rivals the statue of Lee on top of the VA monument at Gettysburg. It will probably end up coming down, though, if the fight continues and the opposition wins.

The NPS itself is not totally opposed to the statue, and removing it would not be in their limited budget anyway. Tom Clemens, president of the Save Historic Antietam Foundation is strictly opposed to this statue, because it puts Lee behind the Union line, though he would have passed there on Sept. 16th. Clemens cites claims that it sets a bad precedent, that anyone could put up a statue to whoever they wanted on private property inside the park, even Osama Bin Laden, if someone should choose to do so.

My opinion on this is that the statue is privately funded and on private property. We have a Constitution which promises the right of free speech. We have such things as private property and freedom of choice on such issues. Why should the government, the same one I might add that allows burning of the US flag, be allowed to tell someone what kind of art they can or cannot put on their property?

I may not agree with the location, but I do like the statue. What I don't like is government intervention, especially when this country is facing thousands of more serious issues at the moment!

So, what's been going on lately?

2007-10-11T11:21:00.000-04:00

Not much, actually. I did spend an interesting day last Sat. I was asked by a good friend to make a trip to the Franklin County Historical Society in Chambersburg for some reference material he needed on a Confederate soldier who died near there after the battle of Gettysburg. What a trip it was! This place is a gem. It's located at 175 E. King street, about 3 blocks from the square. It has a museum, the Old Jail, and a reference library upstairs.

I didn't have time to do a museum tour, though it looks very interesting, and I will go back. I did spend almost an hour and a half in the museum. The guy there, Larry, was most friendly and very helpful. He seemed to take pride in showing me what they had, and what he had personally put together. He has a book containing profiles, some rather detailed, on all 5000 Union soldiers from Franklin County.

If you've never been there, and you have time to kill on the way to or from Gettysburg, I highly advise going. You'll not be disappointed! If you have been there, you'll know what I mean. Remember, as I've said before, there's more to this campaign than Gettysburg itself! Lotsa jewels exist throughout this entire area, and quite often, they are sadly overlooked.

Check out this website for more details: http:/pafch.tripod.com

It hit me yesterday...

2007-10-01T11:14:00.001-04:00

...that there are a lot of places and things in Gettysburg that I talk about in this blog, and that people have no idea where or what they are. I guess you could call them "The Forgotten Gettysburg", as they are well off the beaten path, and not even a lot of residents know, or care, about them. So, every once in awhile, I'll try to bring one of these 'special areas' to light. Maybe it'll cause people to learn about them or to want to see them the next time they are here. Or, maybe I'll just get more e-mails asking me 'who really cares?' Whatever!

The Coster Ave. mural, in what was the brickyard on the northeast side of town, is one of these places. A brutal, close-up fight occurred here on the first day, and it was one of the last major stands that Union troops made in this area as their lines broke. Ewell's Corps, coming from the north, broke the lines, and pushed Union forces across York St. and in the direction of Culp's Hill, a place that gets much more attention than the brickyard does.

Today, the fighting in the brickyard is remembered by a few monuments and a mural, shown above, that is actually rather impressive when seen in real life. Years ago, it was in a state of extreme deterioration, and everytime friends and I saw it, we always said that we'd like to see it restored. We doubted it would ever happen, though, because of the total lack of visitation that this area gets.

A few years back, however, the mural was restored, and it is beautiful! A job well done, and kudos to everyone involved! So, if you are ever in Gettysburg with some time to killl, and you'd like to go somewhere that not everyone goes and see a piece of history that gets little attention, check out the mural. Coster Ave. is located off of Stratton St., or can be reached from an alley that exits on Water St. Living where I do on 4th St., it is only a few blocks away, and I go there when I get the chance, usually during one of the walks I often take.

Hey! Guess what?

2007-09-27T16:17:00.000-04:00

Don't tell me what I should or should not put in my blog! The key words are the last two in the previous sentence, "my blog." You put what you want to in your blog, and I'll do the same in mine.

I got two e-mails today telling me that there is no place for the Steelers, tailgating, or even the city of Pittsburgh in blog. To their credit, both were respectfully written and signed, but give me a break! "On a blog that is supposed to be about Gettysburg, why do you find it ok to post insignificant things about meaningless sporting events in a city that no one really cares about? Boring!" John, sorry you feel that way, buddy, but let's correct a few things here.

First, it's not a blog about Gettysburg. It's about my everyday life and the things I do. Guess what? On a recent day of my life, one of the things I did was go to the game. I enjoy it!

Two, not everyone is a Steeler fan, not even maybe a football fan, and maybe not everyone cares. Good for you if that is true! It's your right. I care. As to being insignificant, I don't think the NFL qualifies under that title. How much advertising revenue is generated from the Super Bowl alone, and how many people actually watch it? How much tax is collected, how many jobs are created,and how much money is spent at the games? Look at the photo of everyone leaving the game. That's about 1/10th of those who were there (of course, the game was a sell-out. In the 'Burgh, they always are). Think of 68,000 people each spending at least $150 in a single day. That's a lot of $!

You do what you do, and I'll do what I do. Sally, as to a blog promoting drinking, like you say mine does, walking around the Gettysburg square, down Baltimore Street, and across Steinwehr Ave. promotes more drinking than my blog does.

GETTYSBURG <~~~~~~~~Lots of bars!

More than just a tradition...

2007-09-27T12:11:00.000-04:00

...but a way of life. The T-shirt in the above photo says it all! Tailgating, Steelers-style! Where the fun starts before most people are even awake, and sometimes doesn't end until well after dark.

So, what are the essential elements for a good tailgate party?

First, the hardware...a cooler with lots of ice, a grill, barbeque tools, a few comfortable chairs, and a large vehicle to get everything there and back!

Second, the software...beverage of choice (usually, a local beer, in this case, Iron City, or IC Light), grillable meat of some kind (hot dogs and hamburgers usually work best, but wings, ribs, chickens, even steaks, work quite well), potato chips and so forth, and anything else you can bring along.

Not required, but often used,...a tent or umbrella, a stereo system of some sort, a beer-pong table (yep, they play beer pong in the parking lots!), and some cash to buy goodies from the street vendors (you can get good deals from some of these guys!), and maybe a tv or radio.

Put it all together, and you're almost there! "What's the missing ingredient now?" you might ask. "Sounds like you've got it all covered!"...the love of a team, the love of a city, and the carrying on of tradition. All teams have fans, lots of these fans like to party, and tailgating is big in many cities, but in no place is it done like it is in the 'Burgh! (or in many of the away games, because the Steeler Nation is everywhere, and they travel well!)

Guess you have to be there, to see it, feel it, hear it, and smell it, in order to really appreciate it! Pictures and words don't do it justice. It's an atmosphere like no other, and I love it! It's even better when the team is good, but the parties go on, whether it's a win or a loss, a good season or a bad one!