Everybody went camping this week-end. Must be the weather (73F/23C)
and bright sunshine.
We wanted to move from New Jersey to around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Everything was sold out. Then we decided to stay where we were for a couple of days more.
Not possible. Mary called at least 15 campgrounds and finally found one that had a spot during the week-end. We ended up with the shortest move so far (70 miles/110 km) to Abingdon, Maryland.
A nice campsite, right on the Delaware River (that runs into Chesapeake Bay, that runs into the Atlantic Ocean).
We wanted to move from New Jersey to around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Everything was sold out. Then we decided to stay where we were for a couple of days more.
Not possible. Mary called at least 15 campgrounds and finally found one that had a spot during the week-end. We ended up with the shortest move so far (70 miles/110 km) to Abingdon, Maryland.
A nice campsite, right on the Delaware River (that runs into Chesapeake Bay, that runs into the Atlantic Ocean).
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| View from our campsite |
When the founding fathers wrote the constitution in 1787 in
Boston, there was one issue that divided the colonies so much that it could have
stopped the process. The issue of slavery. The northern states wanted to
abolish (afskaffe) it in the entire union. The southern states wanted to keep
it.
Rather than having the whole idea of a union fall on that issue, the founding fathers decided to leave the issue for future generations to solve, and in the meantime, leave the question for the individual states to decide upon.
Around 1850-60 the issue became highly actual. The dispute was not so much about the right to have slaves in the south, as it was about whether slavery should be legal in the new states that entered union.
In 1860 Abraham Lincoln was elected president, and the short story is, that because of that, South Carolina seceded (løsrev sig) from the union. Soon to be followed by more slavestates in the south.
(Contrary to the EU there is no possibility to leave the United States after a state has joined).
Rather than having the whole idea of a union fall on that issue, the founding fathers decided to leave the issue for future generations to solve, and in the meantime, leave the question for the individual states to decide upon.
Around 1850-60 the issue became highly actual. The dispute was not so much about the right to have slaves in the south, as it was about whether slavery should be legal in the new states that entered union.
In 1860 Abraham Lincoln was elected president, and the short story is, that because of that, South Carolina seceded (løsrev sig) from the union. Soon to be followed by more slavestates in the south.
(Contrary to the EU there is no possibility to leave the United States after a state has joined).
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| South Carolina secedes |
Seven states announced their secession (grew later to 11 states) and formed the
Confederate States of America.
The ground for a civil war was laid.
The war broke out in 1861 and lasted until 1865, when the south surrendered.
Almost 1 million people died in the war.
There are a number of famous and decisive battles in the civil war. One of them was the battle at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. We went there on Sunday.
There is an almost new museum there, and according to one of the guidebooks, possibly the best civil war museum in the country. We believe that. It was really impressive. So many movies about the war, and what lead up to it. So many artifacts from the war.
The war broke out in 1861 and lasted until 1865, when the south surrendered.
Almost 1 million people died in the war.
There are a number of famous and decisive battles in the civil war. One of them was the battle at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. We went there on Sunday.
There is an almost new museum there, and according to one of the guidebooks, possibly the best civil war museum in the country. We believe that. It was really impressive. So many movies about the war, and what lead up to it. So many artifacts from the war.
The most impressive is a 360-degree theater, based on a
painting from 1883 about the Battle of Gettysburg. Painted by a French painter
- Paul Philippoteaux.
The painting is 42 feet (13 m) high and 377 feet (115 m) in circumference (omkreds). It really is !!
With real artifacts naturally leading up to, and into the painting, it gives an impressive 3D sensation, and combined with sound and light effects it is a very strong experience and it is hard to imagine another way to sense the battle, without actually being there. Mind-blowing is probably the best way to describe it (der er ikke et ord for mind-blowing i den nordjyske ordbog, men det var utroligt at se).
The painting is 42 feet (13 m) high and 377 feet (115 m) in circumference (omkreds). It really is !!
With real artifacts naturally leading up to, and into the painting, it gives an impressive 3D sensation, and combined with sound and light effects it is a very strong experience and it is hard to imagine another way to sense the battle, without actually being there. Mind-blowing is probably the best way to describe it (der er ikke et ord for mind-blowing i den nordjyske ordbog, men det var utroligt at se).
After the museum we drove around to the sites where the battles took place.
The battle lasted for 4 days (Juli 1-3, 1863). 50.000 dead soldiers (almost the same number on both sides) and the confederate troops withdrew to Virginia.
I am crazy about monuments. I cannot walk past a monument without checking it out.
Well, this time I had to!! I have never seen that many monuments in my life.
There must be over a 1000 !!!
The prettiest of them all (in my view) is a monument for the the Virginia soldiers that died at Gettysburg.
With Robert E. Lee (sydstatsgeneral) on top, sitting on his horse. The monument is exactly a 100 years old (I guess they were not as touchy back then!😊) I am glad I got to see it, as I assume it will have to come down, so nobody is offended by it !!!😊
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| General Robert E. Lee and his men |
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| This one is special for Mary,since it hits close to home. Read story below. |
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It was also here that Lincoln delivered his most famous
speech (known by heart by most Americans – at least the start of it 😊):
The Gettysburg Address. At the dedication (indvielse) of a cemetery for union
soldiers later in 1863 the main speaker talked for 2 hours. Lincoln for two
minutes! His speech is the one remembered. This is what he said:
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| There were MANY graves, of unknown soldiers marked simply by a number. |
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| This one caught Mary's eye too. |
After Gettysburg we went 50 miles(80km) west to visit another battleground.
The Battle of Antietam (Maryland) (September 17, 1862).
Another important battle. The bloodiest single day during the civil war, with over 20.000 dead, wounded or missing (also here about the same on both sides).
A long 12 our day with more impressions than we could really handle.
Written by JJ
Another 'like' from me (would have been so much easier on facebook, you stubborn old fart ;-)
ReplyDeleteNo one promised that things should be easy:)
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