Ami's SOA Touring Virginia - On the trails of ANV and AOTP

My last full day of this trip started once again bright and early. I left Gettysburg by about 7:30 a.m. and almost had the highway to myself. It started to get a bit fuller halfway to Frederick and then really full around Frederick. If you thought it would get less busy after that, think again. It stayed full and in places slowed to a crawl all the way into Washington.

My first stop - after a midway stop to readjust my GPS which didn't want to recognize the address when in Gettysburg, and losing my way once despite GPS - was Fort Stevens where Lincoln watched the battle with Early's Confederates on the parapet.

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After that I headed over to Rock Creek Park where Fort DeRussy is located.

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The second pic is taken from the top of the earthworks, looking down into the ditch. Behind that marker a little away the wood is relatively quickly sloping down to Rock Creek. I didn't hike down to the creek, but it looked like it got steep quite a bit.

Next I fought my way through Washington's traffic toward Arlington National Cemetery. I parked and then walked back across the Potomac to the Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool. Both I had already visited in 2011, but back then the pool was being renovated and I didn't appreciate the Lincoln Memorial. My visit today therefore was to get it right - which I did.

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The afternoon I spent in Arlington. I took the tour and hopped off at almost every stop from where I explored the various sections I wanted to see. I also watched the Changing of the Guard, twice, and was about to leave when I noticed a wreath laying ceremony about to begin so I watched that too.

I almost missed the Confederate section; I had already gotten into the bus but luckily noticed before it headed off toward Arlington House that I had missed that section. So I quickly got out again and saved me quite a walk back. :rolleyes:

Kennedy Grave with Arlington House on the height above
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McClellan Gate, the only leftover of the first entrance gate to the cemetery and the surrounding walls when it was founded.
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Grave of Robert Todd Lincoln and his wife
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Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with the Guard
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Confederate section
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George Washington Parke Custis and his wife - Robert E. Lee's in-laws
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Section 13 with many Union graves. Lee's in-laws' graves are in the grove on the right side of the picture, which is about right in the middle of Section 13.
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Tomb of the Unknown Civil War Soldier in Mrs. Lee's rose garden. Arlington House is right behind the hedge behind the tomb.
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To use @bdtex 's thread title - "The things you find when you're not looking": I discovered a few graves I hadn't counted on.

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This
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turned out to be for
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And that about concludes my trip. I'm already checked in for my flight back home tomorrow evening. :frown: This time tomorrow, I'm sitting on the plane eastward across the pond. :cry: Before that, though, I'm heading to Alexandria in the morning to seek out Lee's boyhood home and to take a cruise on the Potomac to end my trip in a relaxing way. I plan on hitting Chantilly on my way back to the airport since I missed that one on my arrival day because of delays in flight and customs but we'll see how the day goes.

Many heartfelt thanks to all who followed me on this trip with likes and comments. I hope my posts were not only entertaining but a bit instructive as well. :smile:
 
This time tomorrow, I'm sitting on the plane eastward across the pond. :cry: Before that, though, I'm heading to Alexandria in the morning to seek out Lee's boyhood home and to take a cruise on the Potomac to end my trip in a relaxing way. I plan on hitting Chantilly on my way back to the airport since I missed that one on my arrival day because of delays in flight and customs but we'll see how the day goes.
Cool. We have some more pics and commentary coming tomorrow then. Can't wait to meet you in Vicksburg. You're my kind of campaigner...march until the shoes are worn and all the hardtack,bacon and coffee are gone. :biggrin:
 
Cool. We have some more pics and commentary coming tomorrow then. Can't wait to meet you in Vicksburg. You're my kind of campaigner...march until the shoes are worn and all the hardtack,bacon and coffee are gone. :biggrin:
:thumbsup: I paid quite some money for my flight so I figure I better spend the time I'm here usefully.

The Alexandria report won't be up till Friday when I'm back home, have grocery shopped and gotten the first round of laundry done. :wink:
 
Do you know which one or even have a picture? I crawled/climbed all around the rocks around Warren's statue the other day but didn't notice anything else other than the plaque on Warren's rock (and take this picture from down there).

In reference to your question as to the location of the Vincent wounding carving, it is so easy to spot that you will wonder how you missed it. It's no where near the Warren stature, but it's on the north side of the monument to the 44th NY.
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Thanks for sharing this your incredible journey of the Civil War at Gettysburg an also the war in Virginia. It was a most interesting story with awesome photos which the written description of where you went and the places you visited.. but now it’s time to leave but your quite moments of the day will last forever. Have safe travels across the pond! Hope to meet you at Vicksburg this October.. Safe journeys..
 
...After that I headed over to Rock Creek Park where Fort DeRussy is located.

… And that about concludes my trip. I'm already checked in for my flight back home tomorrow evening. :frown: This time tomorrow, I'm sitting on the plane eastward across the pond. :cry:Before that, though, I'm heading to Alexandria in the morning to seek out Lee's boyhood home and to take a cruise on the Potomac to end my trip in a relaxing way. I plan on hitting Chantilly on my way back to the airport since I missed that one on my arrival day because of delays in flight and customs but we'll see how the day goes.

Many heartfelt thanks to all who followed me on this trip with likes and comments. I hope my posts were not only entertaining but a bit instructive as well. :smile:

Unfortunately during my D.C. visit a few years back, I missed Ft. DeRussy, though I did see Forts Washington, Foote, Marcy, Stevens, and Ward; it's probably too late to mention or suggest this, but in Alexandria you should forget Lee's House (not open to the public anyway) and go instead to Ft. Ward: https://civilwartalk.com/threads/fort-ward-alexandria-virginia.103860/#post-946218

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Unfortunately during my D.C. visit a few years back, I missed Ft. DeRussy, though I did see Forts Washington, Foote, Marcy, Stevens, and Ward; it's probably too late to mention or suggest this, but in Alexandria you should forget Lee's House (not open to the public anyway) and go instead to Ft. Ward: https://civilwartalk.com/threads/fort-ward-alexandria-virginia.103860/#post-946218

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Any idea why the first tube is so far back on the carriage ? I've seen something like that on Napoleonic pieces for travel . Maybe too muzzle heavy if positioned forward ?
 
Any idea why the first tube is so far back on the carriage ? I've seen something like that on Napoleonic pieces for travel . Maybe too muzzle heavy if positioned forward ?
Yes - glad you asked! The tube (gun barrel) is so long on these that despite the larger carriage, when the trail is elevated into traveling position the tube might actually touch the ground unless it was raised somehow. The carriage has TWO sets of openings for the trunions: when it's time to move the gun, the tube is worked backward using a gun gin (block & tackle) into the second set of openings so to avoid this drag. This setup shows the 4.5" ordnance rifles with the tubes in both traveling position (the front gun) and firing position (the gun next in line).
 
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Personally, the attendance here has been remarkable, and our Hostess'es especially; @luinrina and @ami for awarding this SOA.
I did not mean straggle, but was left behind at the Reenactment when @captaindrew and @luinrina wandered off. She was not the only one wishing for more time to spend, for I picked back up the dusty trail on Page 7 and just now, wonder right at midnight (literally) where Friday went?
I had to remark concerning the Arlington Cemetery, that I was led to believe Longstreet lost his children in 1863. Can someone please clarify?? Also without reading much on Gettysburg, though it fascinates me, I had fooled myself into believing the second day was spent with the Union in the fishhook, and continue to get mixed up when farmsteads are mentioned, such as Trostle's. I will sort that one out independently in my own time, but just wished to acknowledge that yes, the tour was instructive as well as hugely entertaining. Otherwise silence gets so loud you can hear me nod. Take it as a deserved compliment, thanks.
So is Friday to come or have I misunderstood the verbal tense?
Lubliner.
 
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