Civil War Battlefields

[BuffJim]

As has been our custom since 2018, BuffCarla and I are planning to visit a Civil War Battlefield Labor Day weekend, and stay in a nearby Country Inn.

We chose Antietam, last year we did Gettysburg.

Anybody have any fond memories of the area? Any other places we should stop on our drive from Buffalo to Antietam that Saturday?

Last year we stopped at the Johnstown Flood memorial which was pretty cool once I found it.

Any other battlefields I should put on the 2020 list?

[BuffJim]

Crickets? It's been almost 3 minutes and nothing. C'mon people.

[Chris...]

I went to some in Virginia. Unless there is some kind of re-enactment going on they are pretty boring. Although, the one in Richmond has a bunch of drug dealers hanging around it

[jsharr ★]

20 minutes ago, BuffJim said:

As has been our custom since 2018, BuffCarla and I are planning to visit a Civil War Battlefield Labor Day weekend, and stay in a nearby Country Inn.

We chose Antietam, last year we did Gettysburg.

Anybody have any fond memories of the area? Any other places we should stop on our drive from Buffalo to Antietam that Saturday?

Last year we stopped at the Johnstown Flood memorial which was pretty cool once I found it.

Any other battlefields I should put on the 2020 list?

My paternal grandparents apparently took my brother and I on a tour of the South when we were very young.  So young in fact that I have absolutely no recollection of it at all, but my mom has pictures of me climbing on cannons and standing in front of plantations, so it must be true.

I would like to visit some of those places and stand in reverence of the young men who gave their lives so long ago.

[petitepedal ★]

Bring a bike..the C & O is there..it is where I had a meltdown 

[BuffJim]

3 minutes ago, Chris... said:

I went to some in Virginia. Unless there is some kind of re-enactment going on they are pretty boring. Although, the one in Richmond has a bunch of drug dealers hanging around it

That's a good start, I can work with that.  I'll learn some drug lingo, so as to build a quick rapport with the drug dealers. Maybe buy an 8 ball or something.

[Kzoo]

Just now, BuffJim said:

Maybe buy an 8 ball or something.

Jsharr has one you should be able to borrow.

 

 

[BuffJim]

3 minutes ago, petitepedal said:

Bring a bike..the C & O is there..it is where I had a meltdown 

BuffCarla don't do bikes...

[Wilbur ★]

Any swing state should do...

[BuffJim]

Just now, Kzoo said:

Jsharr has one you should be able to borrow.

 

 

Maybe do some barter with them. I have a can of dog spray for protection if the don't go down the way they're supposed to.

[Kzoo]

3 minutes ago, BuffJim said:

Maybe do some barter with them. I have a can of dog spray for protection if the don't go down the way they're supposed to.

Good plan.  Show up for the buy with a can of dog spray in your left hand.

I don't see and issue with that. 

[ChrisL]

Harpers Ferry is nearby.  What about skyline drive in VA?  I haven’t been there in decades but it was a beautiful drive.

[Page Turner]

Washington Monument State Park

...is right off I 70, near South Mountain, which is also tied up in history with John Brown and the raid on Harpers Ferry. Most of what I remember is related to camping and hiking around that area with the Boy Scouts, so probably not useful. I always enjoyed eating at this one diner over in Front Royal, but that's a long drive and I'm not even certain it's there any more.

 

There are some pretty obscure Civil War battle locations. Most of them require a little research.

[MickinMD ★]

24 minutes ago, BuffJim said:

As has been our custom since 2018, BuffCarla and I are planning to visit a Civil War Battlefield Labor Day weekend, and stay in a nearby Country Inn.

We chose Antietam, last year we did Gettysburg.

Anybody have any fond memories of the area? Any other places we should stop on our drive from Buffalo to Antietam that Saturday?

Last year we stopped at the Johnstown Flood memorial which was pretty cool once I found it.

Any other battlefields I should put on the 2020 list?

Antietam is not too far away from Harpers Ferry, Virginia, A quick google says a 20 minute drive from one to the other. If it's more it's not much more. My recollections here are a decade old, but it doesn't change much. It has a long street and few side streets of of Civil War oriented places with the firehouse where John Brown was captured by U.S. Army Colonel Robert E. Lee shortly before the Civil War began at the bottom of the hill. There are often Civil War camp, rifle and cavalry exhibitions, especially on weekends, there was a store where a Confederate spy has been "captured" and you can interrogate her, and more.  There's a huge parking lot outside of the town and free shuttle buses frequently running between it and the town, which is free of traffic. There are, of course, also modern restaurants.

I live about 1 1/2 hours away from both Antietam and Gettysburg and have spent much time at each one. I have the U.S. Army War College Guides to those battles, as well as Frederickburg and Chancellorsville which are about 2 hours south of me in Virginia.  The guides tell you where to stop, tell you what happened there, and then provide eyewitness accounts by everyone from Generals to Privates that give you a real feel for what happened.  So I sometimes go there, often with my nephews, and we'll take the time to read some of the accounts when we're at those stops.  Surprisingly, those guides were NOT on sale in the national park stores the last time I was at Gettysburg or Chancellorsville, but they're available on Amazon.

I also look at the YouTube videos of the ghosts of the battlefields with the kids, then give them a little scare while we're there!  One video showed ghosts in the woods south of the Lee Memorial on Seminary Ridge, so we walked into those woods and stopped to listen. We could hear twigs snapping and leaves rustling where no one appeared to be - probably squirrels or birds, etc., but the kids were convinced something supernatural was going on!

The Antietam Guide also is a guide to the Battle of South Mountain, which occurred a few days before the Battle of Antietam as a holding action by the South to slow down the Union advance on the disorganized and dispersed Southern units. It is just west of near-to-Antietam Boonesboro, Maryland, but there are only a few very small monuments and signs along residential roadsides - no large, maintained national park - so unless you have the guide and interested in the logistics, etc. it's not worth a stop.  The guide will say things some interesting things like:  "Proceed down the road 1/2 mile and pull over where the power lines pass over the road. The field to the left is the ONLY single location where three future American Presidents fought at the same time: McKinley, Hayes, and Garfield."

But the field isn't even marked and today it's just one of those wide fields that power companies maintain where very tall power lines pass through.  Most of the guide says stuff like: "Drive past the red light until you see the water tower and turn left. When the road ends, turn right and go about 1/4 mile until you see the Reno Monument on the left. Pull over to the right and park.  Enter the woods on the right at the path next to the marker. Proceed 100 yards and take the left fork. Proceed 50 yards to a set of boulders.  This is where the southern cooks had to grab arms to hold off the Union attack."  Again, it's not marked at the boulders - you're just alongside a farmer's field.

 

[Kzoo]

@jsharr...

[jsharr ★]

1 minute ago, Kzoo said:

@jsharr...

[Kzoo]

Just now, jsharr said:

Words are you friends.

Try to remember that.

#toinfinityandbeyond   #whereexactlyisinfinity

[jsharr ★]

1 minute ago, Kzoo said:

Words are you friends.

Try to remember that.

#toinfinityandbeyond   #whereexactlyisinfinity

[Kzoo]

2 minutes ago, jsharr said:

Huh?

 

[Longjohn ★]

1 hour ago, jsharr said:

but my mom has pictures of me climbing on cannons and standing in front of plantations, so it must be true.

I would like to visit some of those places and stand in reverence of the young men who gave their lives so long ago.

I thought you were going to say visit those places and get your picture taken climbing on the cannons.

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

Excellent idea BuffJim. Shepherdstown WV is just across the Potomac river from Sharpsburg MD, where Antietam Battlefield is. Nice places to stay there and Shepherdstown is a nice town for walking around in. Try the Lost Dog Cafe for coffee of Hecho en Mexico for dinner one night. As stated, Harper's Ferry is close to there and is one of my favorite places to visit; I took @Randomguy there when he was visiting. Good hiking there too. The Appalachian Trail runs through Harper's Ferry and the C&O Canal. It is one of the few places that allows bicycles on the AT. Loudoun County VA is home to many first-class brewpubs and wineries, just south of where you'll be.

[Kirby]

No memories that will help you plan your trip.  But when we were little, my parents took us on a tour of a number of historic or battlefield sites.  Most of our vacations were designed to keep the kids happy but this was one of the few trips that mainly were for my Dad's interests.  In retrospect, I wish we had more vacations that were for him (although it probably wasn't so easy to cart three kids around the battlefield).  So enjoy your trip and create memories for the future.

[BuffJim]

2 hours ago, MickinMD said:

Antietam is not too far away from Harpers Ferry, Virginia, A quick google says a 20 minute drive from one to the other. If it's more it's not much more. My recollections here are a decade old, but it doesn't change much. It has a long street and few side streets of of Civil War oriented places with the firehouse where John Brown was captured by U.S. Army Colonel Robert E. Lee shortly before the Civil War began at the bottom of the hill. There are often Civil War camp, rifle and cavalry exhibitions, especially on weekends, there was a store where a Confederate spy has been "captured" and you can interrogate her, and more.  There's a huge parking lot outside of the town and free shuttle buses frequently running between it and the town, which is free of traffic. There are, of course, also modern restaurants.

I live about 1 1/2 hours away from both Antietam and Gettysburg and have spent much time at each one. I have the U.S. Army War College Guides to those battles, as well as Frederickburg and Chancellorsville which are about 2 hours south of me in Virginia.  The guides tell you where to stop, tell you what happened there, and then provide eyewitness accounts by everyone from Generals to Privates that give you a real feel for what happened.  So I sometimes go there, often with my nephews, and we'll take the time to read some of the accounts when we're at those stops.  Surprisingly, those guides were NOT on sale in the national park stores the last time I was at Gettysburg or Chancellorsville, but they're available on Amazon.

I also look at the YouTube videos of the ghosts of the battlefields with the kids, then give them a little scare while we're there!  One video showed ghosts in the woods south of the Lee Memorial on Seminary Ridge, so we walked into those woods and stopped to listen. We could hear twigs snapping and leaves rustling where no one appeared to be - probably squirrels or birds, etc., but the kids were convinced something supernatural was going on!

The Antietam Guide also is a guide to the Battle of South Mountain, which occurred a few days before the Battle of Antietam as a holding action by the South to slow down the Union advance on the disorganized and dispersed Southern units. It is just west of near-to-Antietam Boonesboro, Maryland, but there are only a few very small monuments and signs along residential roadsides - no large, maintained national park - so unless you have the guide and interested in the logistics, etc. it's not worth a stop.  The guide will say things some interesting things like:  "Proceed down the road 1/2 mile and pull over where the power lines pass over the road. The field to the left is the ONLY single location where three future American Presidents fought at the same time: McKinley, Hayes, and Garfield."

But the field isn't even marked and today it's just one of those wide fields that power companies maintain where very tall power lines pass through.  Most of the guide says stuff like: "Drive past the red light until you see the water tower and turn left. When the road ends, turn right and go about 1/4 mile until you see the Reno Monument on the left. Pull over to the right and park.  Enter the woods on the right at the path next to the marker. Proceed 100 yards and take the left fork. Proceed 50 yards to a set of boulders.  This is where the southern cooks had to grab arms to hold off the Union attack."  Again, it's not marked at the boulders - you're just alongside a farmer's field.

 

Thanks Mick!!!

[petitepedal ★]

For next year...Try Fredericksburg VA....The town is charming...and the battlefield interesting...I was there on All Hallows Eve about 25 years ago...started at the battlefield at about 4 pm..not much time before sunset...then did a haunted tour of the town which was cool....

[BuffJim]

50 minutes ago, Old#7 said:

Excellent idea BuffJim. Shepherdstown WV is just across the Potomac river from Sharpsburg MD, where Antietam Battlefield is. Nice places to stay there and Shepherdstown is a nice town for walking around in. Try the Lost Dog Cafe for coffee of Hecho en Mexico for dinner one night. As stated, Harper's Ferry is close to there and is one of my favorite places to visit; I took @Randomguy there when he was visiting. Good hiking there too. The Appalachian Trail runs through Harper's Ferry and the C&O Canal. It is one of the few places that allows bicycles on the AT. Loudoun County VA is home to many first-class brewpubs and wineries, just south of where you'll be.

Thanks #7. We’re staying in Shepherdstown at a country inn. Lost Dog sounds great. 

[Airehead]

Where are you staying?  I have a lot to add to this discussion.  McClellan was an interesting dude.

[Airehead]

Depending on where you are saying Shepherdstown is a very, very cool place.  Battle of Boteler's Ford was a bloody mess.  It was soon after that Lincoln relieved McClellan of his command.  

I lived in that area when I taught school in WVA.

 

[Airehead]

On Saturday the 31st, at 7PM, there should be a mystery walk around Shep-town.  Meet in front of the little white library.  Better make a reservation because Shep-town was named one of the coolest little towns in America so things are probably more popular.

[Airehead]

Shep-town is older than America so it also has some revolutionary history which means cool buildings.  Go to O'Hurley's general store.

[Airehead]

oh wait-- you might actually be in Sharpsburg which is where Antietam is  in that case go to Captain Bender's for food and music.  Don't mention my name there--but maybe it is safe after all these years.  Nutter's for ice cream after dinner.

[BuffJim]

10 hours ago, Airehead said:

Depending on where you are saying Shepherdstown is a very, very cool place.  Battle of Boteler's Ford was a bloody mess.  It was soon after that Lincoln relieved McClellan of his command.  

I lived in that area when I taught school in WVA.

 

Thomas Shepherd Inn. Mystery walk sounds cool.  

[petitepedal ★]

@Zealot lives nearby...maybe you can do a meet-up....FYI Captain Benders may have been where the guy with the truck and wet dog...left me..when 2 ladies jumped in and put my bike in the back of his truck...Me..I was just waiting for Mrs. Z...  That reminds me lousy verizon coverage in that area.

[Rattlecan ★]

I just wrapped up watching the Civil War series by Ken Burns on Netflix. Very entertaining and educational series.

[Razors Edge ★]

16 hours ago, BuffJim said:

Anybody have any fond memories of the area?

A stones throw from the C&O Canal bike trail! And pretty close to Harpers Ferry   Two good side trips right there.

[Razors Edge ★]

12 hours ago, Airehead said:

Depending on where you are saying Shepherdstown is a very, very cool place. 

Good idea!  Definitely always fun to go to Shepherdstown and they have some tasty places to eat and some fun stores.  Semi-college town vibe, and not overwhelming to visitors.

[Zealot]

On 4/4/2019 at 7:57 AM, petitepedal said:

@Zealot lives nearby...maybe you can do a meet-up....FYI Captain Benders may have been where the guy with the truck and wet dog...left me..when 2 ladies jumped in and put my bike in the back of his truck...Me..I was just waiting for Mrs. Z...  That reminds me lousy verizon coverage in that area.

Yep, beautiful area, rich in history and views. 

 

 

[Chris...]

Fort Gaines in Alabama is pretty interesting. It's on Dauphin Island. 

[Chris...]

My Son found this in a sand dune on Dauphin Island with a metal detector.

 

[BuffJim]

That's this weekend. Can't wait. Weather is supposed to be partly sunny low 80's.

 

[Zealot]

7 hours ago, BuffJim said:

That's this weekend. Can't wait. Weather is supposed to be partly sunny low 80's.

 

Welcome to my back yard.  Yes, it is going to be an awesome weekend.

[Airehead]

Pry house medical field hospital is cool and gross at the same time. It is in Keedysville

[Airehead]

O’Hurley’s General Store in Shep-town is an interesting place to browse. 

I cannot remember what I to,d you last year or if you went there. 

[Airehead]

If you go to Harpers Ferry, you will go by Charles Town Race Track and Casino.  You will also go through Ransom, WVA.  Wave at Manana Motors. Their sign says we are slow but expensive. I think they still have my Ford Escort. 

[Prophet Zacharia]

On 4/3/2019 at 4:35 PM, BuffJim said:

As has been our custom since 2018, BuffCarla and I are planning to visit a Civil War Battlefield Labor Day weekend, and stay in a nearby Country Inn.

We chose Antietam, last year we did Gettysburg.

Anybody have any fond memories of the area? Any other places we should stop on our drive from Buffalo to Antietam that Saturday?

Last year we stopped at the Johnstown Flood memorial which was pretty cool once I found it.

Any other battlefields I should put on the 2020 list?

How about South Mountain, on this year’s trip?

http://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/western/southmountainbattlefield.aspx

I once did the Civil War Century ride, that went from South Mountain to Antietam to Gettyburg. Some good climbing!

 

edit: whoops, it looks like Mick downgraded the South Mountain experience.

[Zealot]

1 hour ago, Airehead said:

O’Hurley’s General Store in Shep-town is an interesting place to browse. 

I cannot remember what I to,d you last year or if you went there. 

I’ve bought all kinds of things there. Including a couple of my hats!  ?

 

[Zealot]

59 minutes ago, Airehead said:

If you go to Harpers Ferry, you will go by Charles Town Race Track and Casino.  You will also go through Ransom, WVA.  Wave at Manana Motors. Their sign says we are slow but expensive. I think they still have my Ford Escort. 

It’s Ranson.   ?

 

[Airehead]

7 minutes ago, Zealot said:

It’s Ranson.   ?

 

yes, it is--- my mistake.  Do you know Middleway?  That is where I bought my first house.  On 51

[Randomguy]

On 4/3/2019 at 4:38 PM, BuffJim said:

Crickets? It's been almost 3 minutes and nothing. C'mon people.

I got lots of crickets for my fine bag of dicks packaging in the other thread. 

[Zealot]

13 minutes ago, Airehead said:

yes, it is--- my mistake.  Do you know Middleway?  That is where I bought my first house.  On 51

Yes I do.  We have relatives that live there.  How long ago did you live down here?

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

Reminder: Harper’s Ferry brewing isn’t far from you. You will get thirsty. In VA right off of Rt 340.