Official Muster CivilWarTalk Antietam Muster 2021 (Oct 8-10)

NH Civil War Gal

Captain
* OFFICIAL *
CWT PRESENTER
Forum Host
Regtl. Quartermaster Antietam 2021
Joined
Feb 5, 2017

CivilWarTalk Antietam Muster 2021

Weekend of October 8th, 9th, and 10th - 2021


https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/iadcthx-hampton-suites-charles-town/

Cut-off Date for Room Reservations is September 4th

Note: There is NO shuttle from the Dulles or the Baltimore airport to Charles Town, WV.

With the Delta Variant running around, I cannot repeat this enough BRING MASKS! The NPS requires it on their buses and bookshops. Alfredos and a number of restaurants we went to require them.

If you're interested in going to this event, please RSVP in the module at the top of the thread! Get your RSVP in before September 17th!


itinerary
Thursday, October 7th​: (Early Arrivals Optional) - This is OPTIONAL - THIS IS A SIDE TRIP BEFORE OFFICIAL MUSTER

10:00 am -
We meet at Gapland State Park with Ranger Steve Robinson in Crampton's Gap. He will open two small museums plus describe the action and war correspondent George Alfred Townsend. In addition to James N. itineray, Ranger Robinson will guide us to a farm site north of Turner's Gap that is not yet open or interpreted for visitors where Meade's Division of Hooker's First Corps outflanked the Alabama
Brigade of Robert Rhodes! There will be other stops along the way to point out sites of other incidents.

Noon - Eat at small cafe in Middleton, MD. There are a couple on the main drag, we will decide when we get there.


1:ish - James takes us on more of the South Mountain Tour

5:00 pm - Dinner at the South Mountain Inn. James N. is making reservations for this. This inn is historic because it
was used by both Union and Confederate Generals. However, warning people, it doesn't look terribly historic anymore inside, but still very cool to be there where they were.




3:00 pm – Check in Time - If you are coming very early in the morning to do this side-trip but are staying at the hotel, there will be​
a baggage room available for you at the hotel to park bags and empty your car.​



Friday, October 8th​: (optional)

James N. and probably @bdtex will be seeing Shepherdstown and several sites close together. However, this is NOT the start of the official muster. Others can join them if they want to. This is still a SIDE TRIP.

Friday, October 8th​ (Regular Arrivals)
12:00 pm – Official Kickoff: CWT Fall Muster – Gather in War Room!
Clark (@Stone in the wall), I and maybe someone else will be there at the hotel to meet and greet. We will sign you in and give you a name badge and a goody bag.​
For early arrivals, the hotel has a luggage room available, since the rooms aren’t ready till 3:00 pm.​
We will get everyone together and see if the wanderers from the morning have come back in time for the Official Muster. If they haven't, we sort out cars and people and head over to Harpers Ferry! Harpers Ferry has lots of signage. James N. is going to meet us there and give us a run down on what happened there. I'm trying to get a park ranger to help out but as everywhere, they are very short-handed.​
12:30 pm – Head to Harpers Ferry National Park. The NPS Bus stops running by 4:45 (I was told July 15th) in the afternoons after October 1st. I will reconfirm and update this as we get closer to the date. I was there and that's what they knew at the time. Masks required on NPS buses and at all NPS bookstores!!!!
Here are some audio presentations about Harpers Ferry​
Put on your most comfortable walking shoes! Harpers Ferry is very up and downhill.​
4:00 - Start thinking about getting back to bookstore - it's huge and there are also very good bathrooms there.​
Big time change on bus service - just talked to ranger at Harpers Ferry 9/26/21
6:30 pm – Dinner is on your own. IF.... you decide to stay and eat at Harpers Ferry - they have beer gardens and lots of tiny restaurants - YOU WILL NEED TO BRING YOUR CAR FROM THE NPS LOT BEFORE THE BUS STOPS RUNNING - OTHERWISE YOU HAVE A ****VERY**** LONG WALK TO GET TO IT - I'm trying to warn you, it's over a mile away. NPS bus stops running by 7:00 pm. You can bring your car, very carefully (about one car wide streets) into Harpers Ferry and there is public parking BEHIND the restaurants down by the railroad tracks. Very easy to get to, I've done it myself.​
- there are many good places right next to the hotel in Charles Town. Clark and I checked them out.​
7:00 pm - Ghost Tour with Kevin Breedan in Charles Town. Only $10.00. Kevin's phone number is 304-261-5416. Call him directly and make a reservation. Pay him in cash and again, he would appreciate exact amount. There are at least six of us going on this ghost tour so we can all be scared together!​



Saturday, October 9, 2021

7:00 am – Breakfast in our CWT War Room. Antietam Movie​
8:00 am – Leave hotel.​
It will take 45 minutes to get from Charles Town to Antietam.
We get to Antietam for 8:45, use the porta potties, pay park fees in the trailer they will have set up, look around a bit in the book store and Stephen will join us for 9:30.​
9:30 am – Antietam NP All Day. We will be doing a number of major tour stops all day.​
Stephen Recker, THE Antietam tour guide is booked for 3 hours and will be leading us.​

12:30 – Box Lunch from Captain Benders.
We will stay on the grounds of Antietam and do member presentations for the afternoon.​
Tina - Will do a very short presentation about the Mumma Cemetery and the Pry House.​
@Ole Miss - Is going to do a wonderful presentation about the National Cemetery and Bloody Lane.​
@Stone in the wall is doing a presentation on the Otto Place and @lelliott19 is doing a presentation 22nd and 24th Bennings Brigade and Burnside Bridge​
@NH Civil War Gal will talk about the Pry House, @Ole Miss will talk about the National Cemetery and one of our newer members AND EMT, @Kathy the history sleuth is going to talk (and demonstrate?:cold::cautious::roflmao:) Civil War Embalming!​
Nutters – Finish off at Nutters for ice cream before we head back to Charles Town for a bit of a rest, freshen up and then the member dinner at Alfredo's.​
As always, we want and look forward to member presentations on any of the subjects here!​
This is a big park – very pristine battlefield - and is spread out so there will be a lot of driving.​
7:00 pm – Member's Dinner - Alfredo's Mediterranean Grille and Steakhouse 735 E. Washington St. Charles Town, West Virginia 25414. Clark and I went in there and we loved it. Hope you do too. Maybe there will be belly dancers in the evening, I don't know, but if that's going to happen, that is certainly the place for it.​
I want everyone to look at Alredo's link and FaceBook - They have the Funkiest signage and entrance I've ever seen. Their sign is small and above a large sign for a business that doesn't exist anymore.​



Sunday, October 10th

7:00 am – Gather in our CWT War Room for breakfast​
Presentation – looking for a quick presentation on the part Boonsborough/Charlestown played during the Civil War.​
9:00 amDouglas G. Bast Boonsborough Museum of History & Preservation, 113 N. Main St. Boonsboro, MD 21713​
We are being given our VERY OWN private tour of this Treasure Box of a museum. Douglas Bast died at an advanced age this past March. The museum was closed all last year due to Covid. The museum is in a house and in another building, on the same side of the street. Because the rooms in the house are VERY small, they will take us in groups of five and then when one group is done in one room, they will take the next group of five.​
This group (three people) are trying to find a way forward with this museum, now that Mr. Bast has died. You will immediately see this was his passion. There are cannons, firearms, pikes,and swords galore. Everything is labeled. They are doing this for FREE for us and are THRILLED to do it for us. Please be generous in your donations to this museum so they can stay afloat.​
1:00pm – Return to hotel, say our goodbyes, checkout and go home. I've arranged for a late check-out. The hotel said "no problem" but the person to give me a time is out this week. I will update as soon as I get it. I said 1:00 pm and the person taking the message didn't seem to think it would be a problem. I'll confirm on Monday. This museum is only 35 minutes away from Charles Town.​




host hotel: hampton inn & suites and home2 suites

Charles Town, WV
(Hampton) 304-725-2200

There are 25 double queen rooms on hold for us that weekend with some set aside for handicap accessible. The rates for people coming in early are: Wednesday and Thursday nights, $109.00 (plus tax) and Friday and Saturday nights, $139.00 (plus tax). Sunday and Monday nights go back to $109.00 (plus tax). These rates are as discounted as they get.

We also have a "War Room" set aside BUT at this current time (February - 2021), only 10 people are allowed in it, preferably masked. That may change by Fall as Covid conditions change.

Of course, while things are starting to look good and I had a long talk with the events coordinator about it, things are subject to change at a moments notice because of Covid. Currently West Virginia has the BEST vaccine rollout rate in the nation.

When making the reservations, please state that you are with the CivilWarTalk Antietam Muster code CWG. If there is any problem with that, please refer the booking clerk to Tara Orndorff, Director of Sales, and she will straighten them out at the front desk.

Tara also wanted this link to be included in this notice to CivilWarTalk Members on what the Hilton Company is doing to make the rooms clean and safe for our stay.

https://www.hilton.com/en/corporate/cleanstay/

The safety and security of our guests and team members remain our highest priority, and Home2 Suites and Hampton Inn & Suites Charles Town remain diligent in our commitment to provide a safe, hospitable environment for all who enter our doors.


Some previous discussions about this muster have been archived here:
https://civilwartalk.com/threads/civilwartalk-antietam-muster-2021-archived-discussions.184035/
 
Last edited:
We land at Dulles in the evening and plan on heading South to Manassas for our 1st night, so hopefully the D.C traffic shouldn't affect us too much.
That's what I mean by depending on the time/schedule. I remember it being much better when I flew in the '90's there for a Shenandoah Valley vacation, but last time it seemed much worse. A few years ago I spent two or three days in the D.C. area and at times it wasn't TOO bad, but I got caught once or twice in mid-afternoon on the Beltway in a crawling traffic snarl.
 
Is that better than BWI in Baltimore? Never flown into either or been to Antietam.
Several years ago, I flew into & out of BWI for a trip to Gettysburg. It seemed okay to me.
Another time I flew for businesss to a facility not very far from Dulles Airport but I flew in & out of Regan Airport. Of course, I was flying 1st Class Cargo with FedEx.
 
We land at Dulles in the evening and plan on heading South to Manassas for our 1st night, so hopefully the D.C traffic shouldn't affect us too much.
I landed in Dulles in 2019 in the afternoon (though until I was finally through customs it was already evening) and headed down to Manassas for my 1st night as well. I honestly can't remember how bad or good the traffic was (I just followed my GPS's directions), but it didn't take me overly long from the car rental station to the hotel so I guess it was okay. (And just looking at my travel plan from 2019 I noted down 14 miles from the airport to the hotel.) And there's a shuttle to the car rental station from the airport which was relatively easy to find too.
 
Anyone flying, if you can get a deal to PIT that may be an option as well. It’s about 2.5-3 hrs drive but the drive is along the old national road.
The Old National Road is worth driving. I try to do part of it each time I down there. It certainly makes me feel historical to think I’m on the road where the covered wagons were.
 
For the moment - Let’s not turn this into the airport thread please - I‘m trying to edit the schedule but I need Mike’s help with it.

The two main airports for coming into the area are BWI and Dulles. I HIGHLY recommend, for most people, flying into BWI and heading west. You will find your trip much quicker than leaving Dulles in the afternoon. I, personally, use BWI - ALL THE TIME. BWI is a hub for Southwest Airlines.

If you can get a deal to fly into PIT and use the Old National Road to head South, that is a fun thing to do. I believe Delta uses PIT, but don’t hold me to it.

Tina
 
That's what I mean by depending on the time/schedule. I remember it being much better when I flew in the '90's there for a Shenandoah Valley vacation, but last time it seemed much worse. A few years ago I spent two or three days in the D.C. area and at times it wasn't TOO bad, but I got caught once or twice in mid-afternoon on the Beltway in a crawling traffic snarl.
I hate and avoid that Suicide Circle.
 
We land at Dulles in the evening and plan on heading South to Manassas for our 1st night, so hopefully the D.C traffic shouldn't affect us too much.
It's just a straight shot South when you Exit Dulles Airport onto Route 28 to Manassas, unless your hotel is close to Interstate I-66.

In any event, I predict that the majority of Federal Employees and Contractors will continue to be teleworking from home come October. The traffic will be heavy but nothing like it was prior to the COVID outbreak.
 
I'm planning to join you all for some of the adventure, but since I live just an hour I probably will skip staying at the hotel as I bark too much after sundown.

Mosby.jpg
 
This thread has been updated, older discussions have been archived, and the thread shall reopen for discussion now...
Do you have cost information for the muster besides the cost of the hotel, such as for programs? I realize the museums and National Parks would be pay as you go. Thank you.
 
Do you have cost information for the muster besides the cost of the hotel, such as for programs? I realize the museums and National Parks would be pay as you go. Thank you.
The guide for the morning, other than the park entrance fee which I believe is $20.00 per person, is being covered by another member as a present to everyone going on the muster.

At this time, there are other things in the works that will be revealed as we go along.

Side trips, are up to each person because different people will want to go to different places - some are free and some are not. Those are for people coming in early, before the actual Muster (Friday at noon to Sunday at noon) and staying a day or two later.
 
The guide for the morning, other than the park entrance fee which I believe is $20.00 per person, is being covered by another member as a present to everyone going on the muster.
FYI: Park Entrance Fee is $10.00 per individual or $20.00 per carload. I recommend the annual and lifetime park passes, if you don't have one already. But I wouldn't mind if you gave the Park more rather than less :smile:

Admission free for Veterans and Gold Star family members. See the Park Service announcement.
 
The guide for the morning, other than the park entrance fee which I believe is $20.00 per person, is being covered by another member as a present to everyone going on the muster.

At this time, there are other things in the works that will be revealed as we go along.

Side trips, are up to each person because different people will want to go to different places - some are free and some are not. Those are for people coming in early, before the actual Muster (Friday at noon to Sunday at noon) and staying a day or two later.
Thank you that is helpful. I have never been to one before. If we rsvp can we change later if needed?
 
I plan on making the trip, not only to visit with my CWT friends, and tour the battlefield, but to also attend the Dept. of Interior's Fish and Wildlife museum just across the Potomac River in W. Virginia outside of Shepherdstown. Who knew they had a museum(?), but it's also a training center for their conservation officer candidates.

My grandfather was Chief of Law Enforcement for the Fish and Wildlife Service in the late 1940's/early 1950's. Since I am the family historian, (and the only one in my family who care about things like this), I have a couple of large boxes of newspaper clippings, arrest records, letters & more etc. of my grandfathers papers (and his uniform) from his time working for the Fish and Wildlife service. I want to donate all of this to the museum. Perhaps someone will one day write a history of the Fish and Wildlife service and some of these records might be of use. I also have his gold badge but they ain't getten it.

I'll also bring a couple of boxes of Civil War magazines from the late 80's/early 90's to give away. I'd rather give them away than through them away. I'll be driving from Missouri in my rv and may head up to Southeast Pennsylvania to do a little family genealogy after our meet and greet is over.

I'm looking forward to the trip.

Alrighty then, seeing as you and rebel brit plan to travel halfway around the world (LOL), it would be a shame to miss the opportunity to get the Games and Miniatures 'band' together! On faith that current rather touch and go circumstances must improve with time, I will circle Oct 9 on the calendar and plan to make a mere four-hour drive (which doesn't involve getting near DC to boot). As with the Gettysburg meeting years ago, I would likely meet the group on the battlefield for the Saturday.
 
Back
Top