Lexington and Concord

In honor of the 4th, a post about where the fight for independence all began...

On Friday morning, Rachel and I split up to see different sites of interest, she headed to Harvard and I went on my way to Lexington and Concord. The Battle Road takes you along the road marched by the British Regulars (and the road of the Midnight Ride) from Lincoln, Mass. to Concord with several key stops along the way. On the night of April 18, 1775, 700 British Regulars made their way to Concord with secret orders to destroy military supplies stockpiled there by the Massachusetts militia. They were unaware that the Patriots were well informed of the British plan thanks to the help of British General Gage's unfaithful wife. The hidden supplies were moved and the men in the countryside prepared to fight.

The first skirmish occurred in Lexington between the Minutemen led by Captain Parker and the Regulars. Knowing the supplies had been hidden in Concord and severely outnumbered, Parker made no attempt to engage the Regulars; they could easily march to Concord, find nothing and return to Boston. There was no need to sacrifice his men for nothing so they stood on the Lexington Green, not blocking the road, showing political and military determination. Parker gave to order to "Stand your ground; don't fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here." The Regulars marched in ordering the Minutemen to lay down their weapons but a shot was fired from an unknown source. The Regulars then opened fire and the majority of the Minutemen retreated. Eight militia men were killed, 10 wounded, and 1 Regular wounded. The Regulars continued to Concord where the militia cautiously awaited their arrival.

Lexington Battle Green with statue of Captain John Parker

Upon reaching Concord, the Regulars where divided up to carry out their orders but had little success. The Minutemen sat atop a ridge overlooking the town and as they watched the search, their numbers swelled to 400 with men from the surrounding countryside answering the call to arms. A small infantry of Regulars (around 90 men) marched toward the North Bridge where the Minutemen were waiting. As the Regulars marched closer to the North Bridge, the Minutemen marched down to meet them but were ordered to not fire unless fired upon. There was much confusion among the Regulars and a shot rang out from a British soldier, "the shot heard 'round the world." Both sides opened fire from either side of the North Bridge.

The North Bridge

Severely outnumbered, the British retreated back into the town and the minutemen moved back into the hills. Their numbers continued to grow to 1000 as they waited for the Regulars to make their next move. As the column of Regulars marched back to Boston, the colonial militia men, now 2,000 in number, waited along the road to ambush the troops who broke into a trot to escape the gunfire. The Regulars were rescued by reinforcements in Lexington but the ambushes continued, some homeowners along the way even joined the fight. The British officers lost control of their troops and the soldiers began entering the buildings searching for their attackers. They eventually reached Boston late in the day despite the 4,000 militia men who had answered the call to arms. The fighting had stopped, however by morning, over 15,000 militia men surrounded the city of Boston... The Revolutionary war had begun.

The Midnight Riders

Two of my favorite stops on the Freedom Trail have to be Paul Revere's house and the Old North Church. If by chance you learned your history from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere," it's wrong on several accounts. So here is what really happened.

For several months, Revere, along with several other men, served as couriers sending messages around the colonies warning of the movements of the British troops. On April 7, 1775, Revere was sent out to Concord to warn the Massachusetts Provincial Congress (set up after they were stripped of their self-governments thanks to the Tea Party) of possible troop moments to Concord with orders to destroy military supplies. The townspeople immediately began to move their hidden stockpile of weapons. A week later, British General Thomas Gage was given the very order that the colonists expected as well as the order to arrest the rebellion's leaders, Samuel Adams (the voice) and John Hancock (the purse). On the night of April 18, the British attempted to carry out the orders in secrecy to avoid an uprising, but thanks to General Gage's unfaithful wife, Patriot Dr. Joseph Warren learned of the order and enlisted Paul Revere and William Dawes to ride to Lexington to warn Adams and Hancock. Dawes made his way out of Boston by the Boston neck (isthmus) and Revere by way of the Charles River.

Revere had previously contacted the sexton at the North Church and set up a signaling system of hang lanterns in the steeple to warn the people of Charlestown of the movements of the troops if Revere were for some reason unable to complete his ride. The signal would be "one if by land (following Dawes), two if by sea (following Revere)." After telling the sexton to give the signal, Revere was rowed across the Charles River by 2 friends then rode toward Lexington. Revere would NOT have shouted "The British are coming" for two reasons. 1) They were all still British, so he would have said Regulars and 2) he wouldn't have shouted at all because the success of their journey relied on secrecy. He did however, go from house to house warning fellow Patriots that the Regulars were on the move. Many of the colonists sent out riders of their own throughout the countryside. As a result, there were probably around 40 Midnight Riders that night, not just Revere.

Just after midnight, Dawes caught up with Revere in Lexington where they warned Adams and Hancock. More riders were dispatched from Lexington to warn surrounding towns while Revere and Dawes were joined by a third rider, Dr. Samuel Prescott and rode on to Concord. The three men were stopped by a British road block on the way. Revere was captured, Dawes evaded capture but was later bucked off his horse and did not make it to Concord. Prescott however, also evaded capture and did reach Concord to deliver the warning. Revere was questioned by the British soldiers at gunpoint. He told the soldiers everything he knew of the British movements and that there was a group of hostile militia men in Lexington waiting for their arrival. As they marched toward Lexington, the warning signals began to ring out - gun shots, church bells ringing - and Revere told the soldiers they were all dead men. The soldiers decided warning their commanders was more important than turning in Revere so they confiscated his horse and released him. Revere walked back to Lexington where he helped Adams and Hancock escape. He did not deliver the warning message to Concord.

Statue of Paul Revere (wearing a Bruins jersey) and the Old North Church Steeple

All of the statues around Boston showed their support for the Bruins in the Stanley Cup Final.



Why is that Revere is the only rider Longfellow wrote about, or why didn't he write about Prescott, the only person to actually finish the ride? ... more words rhyme with Revere. Funny how history works.

One more post to come on Lexington and Concord.

Boston and the American Revolution

Oh Boston, it was wicked awesome! Ha! I am not a city girl but I have to admit that I do love Boston... The history of the city might have something to do with that. Although Philadelphia is the birthplace of the United States, Boston is the "cradle of liberty," the center of resistance that led to the American Revolution and the United States making it the perfect place to end our trip, at least in my opinion.

Wednesday night's visit to Fenway Park was an absolute blast! I wish I lived closer to a MBL team (the SA Missions don't count). Although the Sox were not victorious, the game was well worth it and so was however many dollars I paid for that Fenway Frank... yum!



We spent parts of Thursday and Friday visiting the sites on the Freedom trail. Thursday started off with a tour of some of the sites on the Trail. Our guide was one of the best, if not the best tour guide we've had on our entire trip (Jane was not a tour guide - he can't be her). He shared several interesting, mostly comical, facts about various Patriots. (Samuel Adams crowd surfing; an almost juvenile competition between John Hancock and George Washington) Although these stories did not, by any means, knock these men down off the pedestal I have placed them on for being extraordinary men, they did make the men a little more human.

After our tour, we headed to one of the more interactive stops on the Freedom Trail, the harbor, where we participated in a reenactment of the Boston Tea Party, Mohawk Indian feathers and all. The "destruction of the tea" was the culmination of the resistance to the acts imposed on the colonists by the British Crown and Parliament. In late 1773, three ships arrived in Boston harbor carrying 342 crates of King George's tea. After the Boston officials refused to let tea be shipped back to England, a group of colonists disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded the ship and dumped the tea into the harbor to avoid having to pay the tax on the tea. Other port cities protested the Tea Act, but it was Parliament's reaction to the Boston Tea Party and the subsequent actions taken against the city of Boston and all of Massachusetts that established Boston's place in the history books. Those actions came in the form of a series of acts known as the Intolerable or Coercive Acts and contained several provisions including closing the port of Boston, stripping Massachusetts of its self-government, and the forced quartering of soldiers within Boston. The colonists reacted with more protests and a petition from the First Continental Congress to the King requesting a repeal of the acts. The request was ignored and tensions rose to the breaking point in April of 1775 just outside of Boston at Lexington and Concord.

Make sure to check back... I'll post again with more on the Freedom Trail!

Dump the tea into the sea!!!

  



The Assembly Room - Birthplace of the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution

The history teacher in me had to do this...

On April 19, 1775, the first shots of the American Revolution rang out at the Battles of Lexington and Concord. A few months later on May 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress of 56 delegates convened in Philadelphia to take charge of the war effort. One of their first acts was the creation of the Continental Army and appointment of George Washington as the commanding general. Although the Congress acted much like a central government, it still derived its power from the individual states. So when it came to talks of separating from the British Crown, several delegates had to petition their states for the authority to declare independence. One of the most influential reasons for declaring independence from Britain was to establish foreign alliances with other countries in the Old World. The Declaration of Independence was drafted to announce the United States' entry into the international system as an individual entity, a Model Treaty established commerce with other states, and the Articles of Confederation established "a firm league of friendship" among the newly independent states. Once these three documents were approved, Congress convened in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House and drafted the formal announcement of the United States Declaration of Independence which was approved on July 4, 1776 and announced in the following days. (Little known fact, the final draft wasn't completed and signed until August 2) The Continental Congress governed the United States until the Articles of Confederation were finally ratified in March of 1781.

By 1787, the states accepted that the government set up by the Articles of Confederation was not effective and therefore 55 men were elected or appointed to attend the Constitutional Congress in Philadelphia to revise the document. These delegates from every state except Rhode Island, most of whom where delegates to the Continental Congress, soon agreed an entirely new system of government was needed and began setting up a new framework. The majority of the debate surrounded the issues of representation in Congress, the power of the executive, and slave trade, and of course, a bill of rights. Through a series of compromises, the United States Constitution was completed and signed on September 17, 1787. By July of 1788, nine states ratified the Constitution and it went into effect. Soon after the first Congress convened under the new Constitution, it approved the first ten amendments and the Bill of Rights became a part of the Constitution. The Constitution as endured for over 200 years and adapted to the various changes our nation has withstood.

We owe a great deal to these men for their continued devotion to the protection of individual freedoms and perseveration of the American Democratic Experiment. I was honored and humbled to stand in the room where those brilliant men once stood and formed our nation. Although the nation they created might not be perfect, I wouldn't want to call any other home. It is our obligation now to perpetuate the very ideals they so painstakingly established in that Philadelphia Assembly Room.

Philadelphia to Boston!

We've arrived.

2600+ miles and 64 hours in the car (and counting), and the Cruisin' Cousins have landed at their final destination: Boston, Massachusetts.

Before we embark on our Boston adventures, let me recount our time in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After arriving in Philly late Monday night, we woke up early Tuesday morning to begin touring. First, we went to the National Constitution Center. The center unpacked meanings of our U.S. Constitution and how those meanings are questioned, debated and argued throughout presidencies, social movements and policy issues throughout history. The opening 360-performance gave Lucy and me chills!

After spending time with our new friends at the NCC, we even got to put our John Hancock on a U.S. Constitution!

Next, we went to the Liberty Bell Museum. The Liberty Bell is a symbol of United States independence. The bell used to hang in the Pennsylvania State House (Independence Hall). John Pass and John Stow recast the bell after it cracked when being rung after its arrival to Philadelphia. According to our exceptional National Park Ranger, Jane, the bell was more of an "American backyard special" made out of recycled material. Jane says it's a miracle the bell didn't crack the same year it was commissioned in 1752.

Despite the amateur bell casters, who added pewter instead of pure copper/tin when recasting the bell, the original Liberty Bell still stands (or hangs).

Liberty Bell

After grabbing some coffee and souvenirs, we headed towards the City Tavern for dinner. Along the way, we passed the First Bank of the United States and the Second Bank of the U.S. Thanks to Alexander Hamilton, who insisted the U.S. acquire a central bank for economic stability, the First Bank of the U.S. began in 1791. But it was only chartered for 20 years. Claiming the bank as unconstitutional, Jefferson and Madison led others in arguing that the bank didn't benefit the U.S. majority. Today, the First Bank of the U.S. is simply a historic site and after making changes to the First Bank's charter, the Second Bank was chartered in 1816 to 1836.

First Bank of the U.S.

Our delicious City Tavern meal gave us enough energy to face the rain (again) and snap a picture at the JFK Plaza with the famous LOVE letters.

Unable to get Independence Hall tickets Tuesday, we were praying that an early Visitor Center arrival would assure us two tickets Wednesday morning. And thankfully, it did! We stood in the room where the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were signed! In fact, Lucy and I stood in Independence Hall for so long that we were asked by a National Park Ranger to leave. Whoops!

Independence Hall

(Inside Independence Hall - Signing of the Declaration of Independence & U.S. Constitution)

Later, we toured Congress Hall, the place Congress occupied when Philadelphia was the U.S. capital from 1790 to 1800. The House of Representatives functioned downstairs, reserving the upper floor for the Senate.

Congress Hall (House Floor)

 Congress Hall (Senate Floor) 

After Congress Hall, we visited Christ's Church - the first Episcopalian church of the U.S, founded in 1695. George Washington and Benjamin Franklin both attended Christ's Church. The architecture was beautiful! The church still holds services today, and after talking to one of the tour guides, most of the members are surprisingly young - between their 20s and 30s. After Christ's Church, we visited Benjamin Franklin's graveside.

Christ's Church

Franklin's Pew at Christ's Church:

To conclude our tour of Philadelphia, we chowed down on our first Philly cheesesteaks at Pat's King of Steaks. There's an art to ordering a Philly Cheesesteak: "One, whiz, wit." Translation: One Philly cheesesteak with cheese and onions. We butchered our order pronouncing the "with" is a grammatical error in Philly. Nevertheless, this experience exposed us to true Philadelphian culture.

After lunch, we headed to Boston to catch the Red Sox at Fenway! Bucket list: singing Sweet Caroline at a Red Sox game. Check. One game at Fenway might've turned me into a Sox fan. My brother, a Yankees fan, is a little disappointed... Go Sox!

Fenway Park!

We're ecstatic to be in Boston! Our plan is to fit in as much as possible before Saturday's departure. Let's go!!

Gettysburg

Out of all of the Civil War sites we have planned to visit, I've been looking forward to Gettysburg the most. A town, by a twist of fate, became the site of the most brutal battle ever fought on American soil, claiming more casualties than any other battle of the war (51,000) and marking a turning point in the war. Union Maj. General George Meade successfully defeated Confederate General Robert E. Lee and ended Lee's second invasion of the North. The Union forces of nearly 94,000 collided with the Confederate forces of 71,600+ men in a battle that lasted 3 days, leaving a 25 sq. mile stretch of land littered with bodies and a town almost completely destroyed.

The museum exhibit at Gettysburg is one of the best we have visited. It began with an incredible film, "A New Birth of Freedom," narrated by Morgan Freeman and the Gettysburg Cyclorama which depicts the final day of the battle - Pickett's Charge. The museum exhibit that followed was full of relics, films, and photographs; both Rachel and I were overwhelmed by the impressive amount of artifacts and wealth of knowledge that was on display. We also lucked out in having the opportunity to see a special exhibit of additional artifacts on display for the 150th anniversary of the battle.

After lunch, we set out on a self-guided auto tour of the park. Monuments and cannons line the roadway and acted as a constant reminder to me of the sacrifices that were made on that ground. On the first day of the battle, July 1, 1863, the Confederate army successfully pushed back the Union troops, and on the 2nd, the Union troops held their position, leading to the 3rd and final day of the battle. On July 3, a cannonade raged for about 2 hours after which Lee ordered his men to launch a frontal attack, now known as Pickett's Charge. More than 14,000 troops marched out of the tree line across the field toward the Union line. Federal guns fell silent in awe of the vast number of men steadily marching toward them. The Union opened fire on the advancing rebels but the Confederates bravely marched on. They finally reached the Union lines where the fighting turned to hand-to-hand combat. They successfully broke through the Union lines at "the Angle" or "the high- water mark of the Confederacy," (the closest point they came to winning the war) but were quickly pushed back. The rebels were forced to retreat, Pickett's Charge had failed. Lee reportedly watched the assault from the tree line and exclaimed that "this has all been my fault." Over 50% of the Confederates who charged the Union lines didn't make it back to the tree line, including several generals. This ended the fighting at Gettysburg, but the battle was not yet over. 

Thousands of bodies lay in the fields and in the buildings of Gettysburg. Four months later, President Lincoln traveled to the battle site to dedicate the Soldiers' National Cemetery. He delivered one of his most famous speeches, the Gettysburg Address, in which he so eloquently honored the fallen and redefined the purpose for fighting the war - preservation of the Union and true equality for all. There are over 3,500 solders buried in the cemetery, over half of them are unknown, several of them are simply marked by a number. I cannot find words to adequately describe the emotions that came over me as I sat on a bench and looked upon the resting place of these brave men. It was a shocking realization that these men were less than 10% of the casualties of the Battle of Gettysburg. It is a site I believe every American should see to remind them of the sacrifices that were made on our behalf and to serve as an example of what it means to truly fight for your freedom and rights. 

The Virginia Memorial with a statue of General Robert E. Lee at the top. Lee watched Pickett's Charge from this location.

View of the field where Pickett's Charge occurred. The Virginia Memorial can be seen in the background on the tree line.

The gravestones which mark the resting places of the unknown soldiers who fell at Gettysburg.

I'll leave you with the words of one of the greatest men who has ever led our nation, a man who carried a burden most would crumble under:

"It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from earth." 

Abraham Lincoln

Gettysburg Address

Antietam

Although this won't be posted until early Monday morning, it is our Sunday post so... Happy Father's Day to two incredible men, my dad, Carper, and Rachel's dad, Patrick! We love you and can't thank you enough for all that you have done for us and helping shape us into the women we are today.

Before I talk about our visit to Antietam, I wanted to comment on Appomattox. As Rachel said, it was a very moving experience to walk through the gravel streets where General Lee rode up to the McLean House on horseback, stepped into the parlor, and forever changed our nation's history. The simplicity of the town of Appomattox Court House reflects the ease of surrender; a war that had been fought so ferociously between friends, brothers, ended with a harmonious "Gentlemen's Agreement." I have no doubt that Appomattox Court House will remain in one of the top slots of my favorites of this trip.

In the spirit of Sunday, we got some much needed rest and didn't head out to Antietam until noon. The Battle of Antietam might not be one that comes to mind when most think of the Civil War, but it is definitely one for the history books. September 17, 1862 marks the bloodiest single-day battle in American history; 23,000 men were killed, wounded, or missing. The battle was the culmination of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's first invasion of the North. His Maryland Campaign had many objectives: secure Southern independence through a victory in the North and gain recognition from Britain and France, move the war out of Virginia, obtain supplies, influence the mid-term elections (get anti-war Northern Democrats in office), and liberate Maryland, a Southern state in the Union. 

The fighting broke out at dawn near the small town of Sharpsburg, MD where the men fought through the Cornfield, the East Woods, West Woods, the Sunken Road and around Dunkard Church as the Confederate Army tried to stop the three major attacks made by the Union Army. After 12 hours of combat, the battle ended in a draw and both sides gathered their wounded and buried their dead. The Confederate Army retreated back across the Potomac, ending Lee's invasion of the North. This provided President Lincoln with the opportunity to announce his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation which freed all of the slaves in the rebellious states. Therefore, Antietam is in the history books for a second reason: the war was not only being fought to preserve the Union, ending slavery had become a second purpose. 

Antietam Battlefield with Dunkard Church in the background 

The memorial honors the men who fought in Hood's Texas brigade during the Civil War. They quickly developed a reputation for fierce tenacity but also suffered the greatest losses of any infantry regiment, both North and South, in the Civil War.

The Cornfield

Antietam National Cemetery

Photographer, Mathew Brady, (father of photojournalism) sent photographer Alexander Gardner and his assistant James Gibson to photograph the carnage of Antietam. The photographs were displayed in Brady's New York gallery in an exhibit titled "The Dead of Antietam." This was the first time many Americans were exposed to the realities of war through the graphic photographs of corpses laying on the battlefield. Although the bodies have long been removed from the fields, I stared at the fields with tears silently rolling down my cheeks. I can't escape the thoughts about the many lives that were changed because of the events that occurred on this hallowed ground. Although I am not personally connected to the site, my life has been changed by the sacrifices of these men, and for that, I am eternally grateful.

Appomattox Court House, Rotunda at the University of Virginia &Monticello

Lucy's right - my favorite historical site continues to change... I think I found a new favorite: Appomattox Court House. Lucy's in agreement - we both loved it! However, I'll boycott the word "favorite" until the end of our trip. Deal?

Appomattox Court House in Virginia was where General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at the McLean House on April 9, 1865. Walking around the Appomattox Court House town opened my eyes to the simplicity of the 1800s. Lucy and I both felt the weight of Lee's surrender and how one decision changed the course of history. We got chills! 

McLean House (where Lee surrendered to Grant): 

After Appomattox, we headed to Charlottesville to tour the Rotunda at the University of Virginia. It was definitely a flashback to last year when I visited UVA with friends while interning in D.C. I'm beginning to fall in love with Charlottesville! 

Thomas Jefferson completed his "Academical Village" in 1826. Different from most colleges, UVA was built around the Rotunda which housed a collection of books (the library). The norm for other colleges of that time period was to construct their school around a church as the focal point. Jefferson based the university on "the illimitable freedom of the human mind", so the library at the center was fitting. 

The Rotunda at the University of Virginia: 

Continuing our day of learning about all things Jefferson, we left UVA for a tour of the founding father's architectural wonder that is Monticello. An "amateur architect", as Jefferson is often referred, is definitely an understatement. Every detail of Monticello was designed for a specific purpose. Why have to use two hands to close two doors when you can use one? The doors were designed in such a way that one hand would suffice. The other hand could carry Jefferson's books (most likely in a different language - he was fluent in 7!). A man of many trades, I'm amazed how Jefferson placed time with family as a priority. When did the man sleep? 

Monticello: 

A special gift of Saturday was getting to witness a Monticello tour guide thank his tour trainer on her last day of work. Hester, about 66, has worked at Monticello for 14 years. She trained Patrick five years ago. I overheard Patrick thanking Hester for mentoring him throughout his job at Monticello. Before tearing up too much, I chatted with them and asked if they wanted a picture to commemorate Hester's last day. They agreed!

Patrick & Hester (tour guides of Monticello): 

Yes, I already emailed them the pic!

Thomas Jefferson wanted to be remembered for 3 things: 1) the author of the Declaration of Independence, 2) the author of Virginia's statute for religious freedom and 3) the father of the University of Virginia. 

Thomas Jefferson's Grave:

Sadly, we said our goodbyes to Charlottesville this morning. We've loved every minute of our Virginia visit! 

Off to Maryland! 

The Birthplace of America

We decided that sleeping in just a little on Friday morning would be a good idea. After getting some much needed rest, we jetted off to the Jamestown Settlement in Virginia. While driving through the beautiful countryside, I have new found respect for the men and women who settled this land. I had always known their lives weren't easy but seeing the site first hand gave me a new perspective on what they endured.

We rode a ferry across the James River to get to the Jamestown Settlement (I'll just say it was a bad day for Rachel to wear a skirt and I'm lucky to still have my sunglasses since they were blown right off my face). The Jamestown Settlement is a re-creation of the first permanent English colony in the New World. The first settlers arrived in 1607 aboard 3 ships, the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery. Only the Captain, officers and crew were allowed on deck; the passengers had to stay below deck unless they had permission from the Captain to go up top. We explored the re-creations of the ships moored at the pier and I'm absolutely certain I would not have survived the trip. Looking past the fact that I wouldn't have been on the ship in the first place considering I'm a woman, I would not have been able to spend 4 and a half months in that cramped up space... sea sick. No thank you! I would have stayed in England.

The Susan Constant

We also walked around the re-creation of the Jamestown fort which reflects the life the colonists would have lived between 1610-1614. The fort is complete with an Anglican church, a court of guard, a storehouse, a cape merchant's office, a governor's house, and a blacksmith. Historical interpreters throughout the site re-enact the various roles the colonists played, including our friend Charles who showed us how matchlock muskets are fired. Rachel said this was her favorite historical site of the places we've visited so far... but she said that about Fort Sumter yesterday, so I think there might be a trend developing here.

We then walked through a replica of a Powhatan Indian village. A storm passed through the night before and caused a lot of damage to the park. Unfortunately the village wasn't entirely cleaned up but we at least got an idea of how they lived.

The entrance to the Jamestown fort

Matchlock Musket Demonstration

We left Jamestown and drove to the lovely little town of Williamsburg, VA. On our way to downtown, we passed by the College of William & Mary and Rachel and I immediately fell in love. Walking around downtown only made us want to move to Virginia even more. We grabbed a bite to eat at the Cheese Shop then walked around Merchants' Square and did a little shopping. I wish we could spend more time in this area but we're off to Appomattox tomorrow. I guess that means we'll just have to come back some other time - I don't think that will be a problem!

Ghost Tour (Savannah). Fort Sumter (Charleston). Folly Beach(Charleston).

I survived Wednesday's ghost tour in one piece! Of course, our tour guide put me in charge before locking us in the Sons Ship Chandlery. Of all the people! Lucy got a kick out of that. Thankfully, I didn't have to protect anyone. Considering I was hiding behind Lucy throughout the performance, putting me in charge was not the smartest decision. But, we came out alive!

After enjoying some candy from Savannah's Candy Kitchen, we headed to another hotel and hit the hay! 

On Thursday, we got off to another early start. My early morning hotel workouts are becoming harder and harder to wake up for...

We managed to get to Charleston for our noon boat tour of Fort Sumter. Fort Sumter has been one of my favorite historical sites so far. Located in the Charleston Harbor, Fort Sumter was where the first shots of the Civil War were fired on April 12, 1861 at 4:30a.m. The fort was named after South Carolina Revolutionary War patriot Thomas Sumter. 

Union Maj. Robert Anderson saw Fort Sumter as a stronghold of the Confederacy due to its economic stability. 

Since Fort Moultrie, where the Union army was camped, remained defenseless, Anderson moved to Fort Sumter. Confederate Brig. Gen. Beauregard gave Anderson an ultimatum to evacuate Fort Sumter but he refused. Ironically, Beauregard was a previous student of Anderson's at West Point. Although saddened by firing at a friend, Beauregard ordered the Confederacy to attack Fort Sumter. After 34 hours of gun fire, and miraculously no fatalities on either side, Anderson knew victory of Fort Sumter was a lost cause, so he surrendered and agreed to evacuate with his only request being to salute the 33-star American flag. When he saluted the flag, the gun fired prematurely, killing Union Private Hough, the first casualty of the Civil War. The Confederate Army had taken over and the Civil War had begun. 

                        Fort Sumter 

After returning from our boat tour, we ate the most delicious lunch at the Glass Onion. Thanks, Byron Capt, for the suggestion! 

My trout with succotash and potato salad: 

Lucy's fried quail, roasted corn on the cob and watermelon: 

Our blueberry/peach cobbler:

After lunch, we headed to Folly Beach. That meal didn't stop us from putting on our bathing suits (yikes!). 

We left Charleston around 7pm, drove through the rain, missed the North Carolina sign, drove back to get our picture in the midst of the storm and finally landed in Wilson, North Carolina. What a night! 

Off to the first English settlement in Jamestowne, Virginia! 

Cruisin' Cousins over and out. 

Driving, driving, and more driving

Today we drove over 640 miles from Clinton, Mississippi to Savannah, Georgia (we're still driving actually). I, personally, was sad to say goodbye to the magnolia trees of Mississippi but I know Rachel is probably glad she doesn't have to listen to me obsess over them anymore. Ha! As suggested by Mr. Drew Thornley, we stopped in Birmingham at Full Moon for some delicious bar-b-que! The food was great but the University of Alabama decorations were a bit overwhelming, especially for this Aggie. There was just one too many pictures of Nick Saban staring at me. Luckily we were distracted by two lovely "transplants" (residents not originally from Alabama - their term, not mine) who asked to sit at our table. We had a wonderful conversation with Sherry and Christina about finding the sister you never had, traveling across the U.S., and Alabama the Beautiful. They had traveled to several states, including Texas, and shared some quite comical stories about culture shock and learning the nuances of restaurant etiquette in various cuisines. They suggested we keep a blog of our road trip... Our response: we actually have one and were wondering if you wouldn't mind being in it! Check out the People We've Met page for the picture with our Alabama friends. 

We searched the walls and found some Texas representation!

Crossing the Alabama - Georgia state line was a bit hairy, I'd rather not explain why to spare our parents of a heart attack. Rachel, Henry, and I are safe and now about 50 miles outside of Savannah, excited about taking a ghost tour of one of the most haunted cities in America. Rachel has never been on a ghost tour before so well see if she ever wants to go on another one. Especially after going on one with me... Well post some pictures tomorrow if we make it out alive! 

Vicksburg, Jackson & Mr. Charles Evers

Another educational day!

This morning, we headed back to Vicksburg National Military Park to tour the monuments. We arrived just in time to witness the Union army set off the cannon.

Union Soldiers

Vicksburg National Military Park is northeast of Vicksburg, Mississippi. A less vulnerable post to an attack from Federal and military forces, Vicksburg (as well as Port Hudson) was a stronger post, preventing the Union army from taking control of the Mississippi. Therefore, as said by President Lincoln, Vicksburg was “the key” to the Union’s success.

Protected by the river, Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant strategized by ordering the Union to rid the Mississippi of Confederate opposition. After several failed attempts to take over Pemberton’s army completely, Grant began a formal siege. Through artillery batteries coming from landside and Adm. David D. Porter’s gunboats from the river, Pemberton knew a Confederate surrender was on the horizon. On July 4, 1863 after 46 days of relentless battle, the Confederate army surrendered.

Texas Memorial 

Read more details of the Battle of Vicksburg here. 

By touring the 16-mile park (by car, thankfully - we’re no boy scouts like the younger Jack Neal who walked the park. twice.), we saw many states’ memorials, the Vicksburg National Cemetery, Shirley House (the Union army’s “white house”, serving as the HQ for the 45^th Illinois infantry) and the USS Cairo Gunboat (an instrumental boat used in the Battle of Vicksburg to destroy Confederate batteries from the Yazoo River to regain the Mississippi and the first ship in history to be sunk by an electrically detonated torpedo).  

Vicksburg National Cemetery

Shirley House

USS Cairo Gunboat

After yesterday’s post, I’m sure our readers are waiting with bated breath. So, we are pleased to share that we had the privilege of meeting Mr. Charles Evers, brother of the widely acclaimed Medgar Evers!

Charles Evers

Medgar Evers, an African American civil rights activist who was field secretary of the NAACP was extremely influential in the civil rights movement. But at 37, Medgar was assassinated by member of the White Citizens’ Council, Byron De La Beckwith. His brother, ninety-year-old Charles Evers resembles a dapper 65-year-old man! Friends of Mr. Evers, my godparents set up an appointment with Mr. Evers in his office for Lucy and me to meet him. We were honored to hear from Mr. Evers about Medgar, his family, other life experiences and advice on how to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”.  

Our meeting with Mr. Evers came to an end, and Jack and Gloria took us to downtown Jackson – the old capitol, MS Museum of Art (Impressionist exhibit) and Eudora Welty’s house (writer of one of my favorite short stories, ‘Why I Live At the P.O’).

Eudora Welty's House

We’ve had a great time in Mississippi! We’re sad to say bye to our expert tourguides/history buffs, Jack and Gloria.

Tomorrow, we hit it for Savannah, our rest stop before Charleston. Henry Ford gets some more quality time with the cousins. Lucky him.