While Debby was busy doing curriculum mapping for her boss, I visited a couple of National Battlefields nearby. Although there are several places around here where there were civil war battles, Antietam and Gettysburg are two of the most famous. The big one, of course, was Gettysburg. Although I didn't spend much time on location, the visitors center offers a lot of photos, paintings, videos, books and tours that you can get a feel of what this area was all about. Besides, it's in the history books. If you can't find it here, go to the information highway. Thanks to Al Gore, everything is within arms reach now.
Antietam National Monument is only about 15 miles from Harpers Ferry. Debby and I were invited to come to a private tour of Antietam a few years ago, where a reenactor told the story of this amazing battle, the bloodiest of the Civil War. He dressed in the uniforms of the times for each of the three characters he portrayed, and read excerpts from their diaries as he told the stories. It was a moving experience; one I will never forget.
Someday I would like to do the same thing for Gettysburg. Those guides really know their history; you are immersed in the war. The whole place is huge! The tour route is 24 miles long. I didn't have that much time today. Also today the place was crawling with grade schoolers! It was like an infestation.
In the gift shop I overheard one lady clerk quietly say to another, "Keep an eye on those boys. I told them that they can't bring a drink in here. I don't think they listened to me." Ha Ha! I leaned over and said, "I can't believe they didn't listen to you!" Ha Ha!
Sounds like you are having a grand time. Too bad Deb had to work. Mona
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