Newport News

Thursday, May 9th we drove the 103 miles to Newport News, VA. We parked in a city park deep in the woods. This was my least favorite camp site because I felt I was in a cave. Think thick woods!

So far I have four tick bites and Shirley has three. Annie's meds protect her but we are leery. Spiders, rattle snakes, water moccasins abound. There was a Civil War battle here but we declined to follow it, however, there are still dirt embankments visible from that war.

We were delighted to unhitch and have Joan and Al arrive for a visit. We first met them in '07 on our first caravan. They had just gotten married. Al said he had moved up in class, he was a lawyer and Joan was a judge. We have seen them many times since then and they were on our first two Civil War caravans, but due to health reasons were not able to attend this caravan. They live near here in Norfolk and we are happy to learn they are doing just fine after surgery.

Friday, we drove to Hampton Harbor for a cruise so far I have no pictures. We also visited Ft. Wool which was designed by Robt. E. Lee before the Civil war. Next we visited the Hampton History Museum and St. John's Church. I went home after the cruise to take care of Annie, as it was a long day and hot.

Saturday we left for a tour of the Mariners' Museum. On this we did not know what to expect but it was excellent! We spent most of our time in a section labeled "The Monitor." This was mostly information on the Monitor and it's battle against the "Virginia" which we were taught in school was the Merrimack. You could spend a week in here but our time was limited.

Next we visited the Berkeley Plantation which was built during the growth of Virginia before the Revolution. All the important men of our long history up to and including the Civil War visited here. If it could only talk.

Next we visited the Shirley Plantation which has a similar history to the Berkeley Plantation. An interesting note was the family awoke one morning to find wounded Union solders on their lawn. The Union was the enemy but they rendered aid and Gen. McClellan wrote a letter of thanks and stated the home and its inhabitants were to be left alone. We saw that document with his signature on it.

Here Annie saw her first goats and chickens.

Next we visit Ft. Monroe on Monday and on Tuesday disband. I will write more later.

Hand carved ships ornament from the Civil War.

Our guide at Berkeley Plantation.

Shirley at Shirley Plantation.

A canon destroyed during the battle of the Monitor and Virginia. 

The goat was as curious about Annie as she was about the goat.

Shirley was the savior for the goats as Annie wanted to herd them.

See Ya! Barry, Shirley and Annie

Fredericksburg, VA Where it all started for me.

On Monday, May 6th we headed for Fredericksburg. This is where I became interested in the Civil War. Shirley and I had been on a tour in DC and I wanted to see Monticello as I had just read "Undaunted Courage."  We drove from DC and spent the night in Fredericksburg. Next day we visited the battlefield and I was hooked. So here we are on our third Civil War Caravan!

As we drove from Manassas to Fredericksburg we passed the U.S. Marine Corps Museum and stopped for a photo op. There were acres and acres of lawn and Annie got to run, without her leash, back and fourth between us. Her running was pure delight and we must have had everyone laughing at her antics. We certainly had a group of cadets entertained. It was good for all of us to see her pure joy of just being alive.

Our campground was a KOA, not great but not bad. Weather was OK when we arrived but rain came at nightfall. Parking was a bit of a problem, one of our parkers must have had his mind someplace else. He could not find our names on his list of sites. Finally after asking in the office he sent us to our site and someone was in it. He had given them our parking papers, our name was on it. I was losing my cool as the last place we parked we had to circle three times to find our parking site. Long story short, after the second time around I yelled at him and now I am afraid I have made a lifetime enemy. I apologized to him but he refused to accept my apology so there you have it. He couldn't do his job and I blew up. Too bad 'cause I was one of the few who liked him.

Tuesday the 7th we drove to visit Chancellorsville National Battlefield, where we had a museum and a ranger-led guided tour. Other than being the "worst battle and the most people killed" this was the site where Stonewall Jackson was killed. Also, this battle is considered to be Lee's greatest victory. I have my own feelings toward Lee and they may be different from most southerners.

Next day saw us headed for the Fredericksburg battle site. As I have stated, it all started here for me. I recommend reading up on it. The Union had really bad generals. The Union got slaughtered. That afternoon we toured the town.

We were first here in about '92. Things have changed a lot. Even historic towns grow and twenty years have hidden some of what we remembered. Heck, Lincoln, CA where we live is not the same town just 10 years later.

Things are winding down. We only have one more stop after this one.

Shirley and Annie at the US Marine Corps Museum.

This old house was next to the Stone Wall during the battle of Fredericksburg.

This is an example of compassion shown often by both sides.

These must be Confederates, their uniforms don't match. 

Had to take this picture. There seems to be a lot of liberals here in VA, lots of public housing etc. This car stole my heart.

Beautiful old Apothecary in Fredericksburg circa 1647.

Neat stuff.

Doctors office. Remember Geo. Washington was bled to death.

See Ya! Barry, Shirley and Annie

Ford's Theatre and Manassas

Wednesday, May 1st we drove to Centerville which is in the middle of the Manassas/Bull Run battlefield.

We are parked in a very precarious position but well chocked so should be OK. It seems whoever planned this place had no idea about RV's. The sewer and water in our site is OK, but the power is on the wrong side and about 30 feet away. After unhitching and chalking we had a chili cookout then retired to our respective trailers.

There is a shooting range here and the constant shooting puts us in the mood for the Civil War except there is no artillery.

Next morning we departed on a bus to Washington DC. Poor Annie was farmed out at a kennel with lowly D O G S! We were to visit where Lincoln died but the bus was late. We did make it to Ford's Theatre and saw a play. This was a treat for us because the play was very good and every time we have been here the playhouse was under renovation. Abe's box has been preserved and we got to see that too. We did not get to see where he died because the kids being unable to visit the White House, thanks to Obama, were filling all the other attractions.

Lunch was at the Basilica followed by a tour of this huge facility. A few pictures are enclosed. My first trip to DC was in the 80's traffic was OK then, next visit was in the 90's and driving was a nightmare. Now in the 2000's I would not attempt it at all.

After the Basilica we toured Lincoln's cottage. I did not know it existed, but it was that eras Camp David. It is only 12 miles out of DC but has a breeze so was cooler and smelled better. Lincoln said he hated, "that damned place." Meaning the White House. In those days it was the "peoples" house and anyone could come in and sewage was awful. Drinking water came directly from the Potomac.

We could tell Annie did not like the kennel, she did not eat and it seems did not go to the toilet either. She made up for all that after we picked her up.

Friday saw us driving to the Brawner Farm, which was roughly the site of both battles of Bull Run. The Union named battles after water sites and the Confederates named them after cities in the area. Therefore Bull Run is named after a creek and Manassas is named after the closest town.

We also visited the Stone House which served as a hospital to both armies not once, but twice. This structure still stands and was build around 1830.

Friday, May 3 was our anniversary and we went to dinner with the Luthers. It was very good, crowded but good food and service. Yesterday the 4th we went alone to a Greek restaurant, Katernas, and had lunch just the two of us, but the Yates were eating there too. Wonderful place for an anniversary lunch!

Prior to lunch we visited the Liberia House Plantation, a plantation of the era and visited the museum too.

Today is a day off and we are going to visit Henry Hill museum and see the movie. Then we will go to the air museum of the Smithsonian, not to be confused with the Smithsonian itself where we have been previously.

Next off to Fredericksburg!

Remodeled Ford's Theatre shows where Lincoln was shot.

Tour of the Battles at Manassas.

Old Stone House.

Inside the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

The bridge at Bull Run.

The Basilica. 

See Ya! Barry, Shirley and Annie

Gettysburg, VA

Saturday the 27th we headed for Gettysburg an easy 50 mile drive. We have been here before but not on this caravan. At 5:30 or so we had a turkey dinner prepared by our group. Tired and well fed Shirley and I retired to our trailer. Some of the folks stayed for a showing of Lincoln, but we had already seen it.

Sunday, April 28th we had the morning off, but at 12:30 we boarded a bus for a tour of the battlefield. The guide was excellent and the overview was very helpful in understanding the intricacies of the three days of battle. Rain started toward the end of the tour and we were glad to be on a bus.

Also, this evening we went to dinner with friends, we ate at the Dobbin House. This was a tavern built in 1776. We ate here last time we were here. Prices are a bit steeper now. During slave days it was part of the underground railroad. A false floor in the attic shows where slaves were hidden.

Next day we left for the visitors center, it was still raining but we were inside mostly. The visitors center is new and much nicer and complete than our visit in around '93. The Cyclorama has been renewed also and was a delight.

This battle was won by the Union, and was coupled with the siege of Vicksburg. The Union seemed to be on a roll.

The afternoon was a car tour and picnic but was still raining so we all ate in our cars and then had a tour and lecture on Little Round Top. Great views and we further understood the dilemma of the Southern army here.

Sunday was a free day and Shirley took a horse ride, I stayed home with Annie and both of us enjoyed our day. Unfortunately, there are no pictures of our cowgirl. That evening we went to dinner at the Herr Tavern to say good bye to new friends who had to leave. This too was pricy, but very good food. It serves as a B and B along with a small restaurant.

See ya! Barry, Shirley and Annie

Yes, Annie is still with us.

A picture of the Cyclorama.

Our turkeys being cooked for the cookout.

Annie is getting bigger but is still our baby.

Our lecture on Little Roundtop.

Very interesting story and statue of Elizabeth Thorn.

Antietam National Battlefield

Friday, April 26th saw us at Antietam Battlefield. On September 16, 1862 Gen. McClellan and his Union army fought Gen. Lee's army. This was "the single bloodiest day in American military history."
The quotes are because they all seem to be the "bloodiest."

The battle of Antietam is considered a draw, Lincoln and the Union claimed victory and would give Lincoln the "victory" needed before delivering the Emancipation Proclamation which forever changed the geopolitical course of the the Civil War.

Next in our travels...Gettysburg!

Shirley putting the Maryland sticker on our map.

Bob and Carol standing next to the Antietam plaque. Bob's great uncle was wounded at Balls Bluff near here.

Shirley standing on the "Sunken Road."

Burns Bridge.

The land is swampy here too.

Another view of Burns bridge at ground level.

See Ya! Barry, Shirley and Annie

Harpers Ferry

Thursday, April, 25th. we visited Harper's Ferry. This was a great little town and we enjoyed it very much. The town has historical significance because of John Brown's raid that in my opinion had a great deal to do with the start of the Civil War. Up until then all antislavery discussion was "peaceful discussion." He was good friends with Frederick Douglas and other abolitionists of the era. In fact we had lunch in a place called the "Secret Six" named after the people who supported Brown in his efforts.

Evening found us back at Beans in the Belfry for some bluegrass music. Not too good and either was the food, but we enjoyed our selves and visited with friends. Bob Luther is remotely related to Clara Barton and Shirley and I presented him with a children's book on Clara Barton.

More later,
Barry, Shirley and Annie

Beautiful Downtown Harpers Ferry

What is left of the Armory blown up in 1859 in John Browns failed attempt to free slaves.

More of the town.

Friends meeting to discuss lunch.

The old Presbyterian Church.

What is left of an old church on the way up to see where Thomas Jefferson stood.

View of the railroad and valley.

Brunswick, MD

On Wednesday, April, 24th. we drove from VA to MD. Rain is always a threat now, but we arrived in dry weather. The roads are more mountainous and much more narrow now. The park is really something. Right on the Potomac River. This is a good thing, but it is really rustic. Bathrooms are about a mile away and they are rustic too. Beautiful as this all is it's still rustic. The road in is dirt and dusty and bumpy. After crossing about 10 railroad tracks we hit the road in. Very slow going. Anyway after unhitching we drove back to the Beans in the Belfry restaurant for tea and sandwiches. This was a relaxing time and a nice way to get into the mood for tomorrow.

Here we are camped right on the Potomac River.

Dinner was at on old church now called Beans in the Belfry.

Tomorrow we drive to Harpers Ferry, which is just across the river and through some trees.


See Ya! Barry, Shirley and Annie