Happy Birth day General Lee

[bill_torrens]

Larry,

Can't find Somerset? Okay, imagine you are heading towards London from the direction of France, turn sharp left at London and keep going until you bump into Wales, then look downwards and you should see Somerset. Nice county...I was at school there (although I lived in another part of the country), and I can tell you they produce terrific hard cider.

Here is a link to a website on Westbury: http://www.westbury-sub-mendip.org.uk/

There's no particular reason to think there is any connection between people named Hardwick and the place with the same name.

Gary,

I think they should open a U.S. consulate in Stratford-on-Avon, since 90% of its visitors appear to be American. I've never been there. Mind you, I've never been to Cornwall, or Stonehenge, or the Cotswolds, or the Lake District, or the Scottish Highlands, or Hadrian's Wall either.

Bill

[larry_cockerham]

Bill, thanks very much for the link to Westbury, that was all I had in mind. No reason to tangle the Hardwicks. Curious that the hard cider concept was obviously well developed in England before it made it's way to Maryland and the apple growing country in the Appalachians. Could have come in mighty handy both before and after battle in this brutal civil war. Having touched on that subject, I wonder what the soldiers of 1861-65 did for access to strong drink? Certainly not a beverage store on every corner and 'bootleggers' would have had very short life spans. Did the US Army supply whiskey? General Forrest doubtless borrowed a little now and then in his travels. Might have helped chill the night air?