Day 12

 Wednesday, May 14

We got two big surprises on Wednesday morning.  First of all it wasn't raining so we were able to make coffee on the campsite's picnic table, and two, our "check engine" warning light went off.  The light stayed off all day, so I think our problem is solved.

This was probably our most spacious, private, and well maintained campsite of this trip.

Leaving Shenandoah River State Park we headed for the town of Middleton, Virginia, which is the location of the Cedar Creek Civil War battle in 1864. Our first stop at most battlegrounds is usually the visitors' center, but we couldn't find this one.

We've been to a lot of National Park Service visitors' centers, but never one that was in a strip mall.  No wonder we couldn't find it.  However, the ranger's was a great source of information about the battle, and the 3d animated model of the battlefield was a great way to present troop positions and movements.  I wish more visitors' centers had a similar exhibit.

The total war policy certainly explains the animosity that many in the South still maintain.  

Leaving the visitors' center we then took the 19 mile auto tour which was accompanied by an online narration.  It's certainly a beautiful area today, but in October 1864, it was Hell.

By the time we finished the auto tour, it was lunch time.  We deviated from our seafood diet  and went for local barbecue!

Chipped pork sandwich with a view of the battlefield.

From Cedar Creek our next stop was Gettysburg, about 100 miles to the northeast.  We arrived at the Gettysburg visitors' center around 2 pm.  We've never seen it so crowded; there must have been thousands of high school students on field trips.  I was certainly glad to be not supervising them.  Joni and both wondered how interested the students could be in what they were seeing. I don't think we would have appreciated what we were seeing.

Anyway we watched the film and the sound and light cyclorama display of Picket's Charge and then went for an abbreviated audio driving tour.  Fortunately the 3 CD set that we bought in 2016 can still be played in our van.  Many newer vehicles no longer have CD players.  

Picket's Charge, just a small section of the 42' x 370' 360° painting which was first displayed to the public in Boston in 1884

Maine college professor Joshau Chamberain overlooking the battlefields below Little Round Top

During the defense of Little Round Top, the 20th Maine came under heavy attack from the Confederate 15th Alabama regiment, part of the division led by Maj. Gen. John Bell Hood, and after about 3–4 hours of fighting the 20th Maine completely ran out of ammunition. Chamberlain's brother Joshua recognized the dire circumstances and ordered his left wing to respond to the rebels by charging downhill with fixed bayonets, thus ending the Confederate attack on the hill. The 20th Maine and the 83rd Pennsylvania together captured over 400 soldiers from the attacking Confederate forces. Joshua was slightly wounded in the foot by a spent bullet. Thomas was unhurt, except for "several scratches". As a result of their valiant defense of the hill, the Chamberlain brothers, Joshua Chamberlain especially, and the 20th Maine gained a great reputation and they were the subject of many publications and stories.

Looking down from Little Round Top

Leaving the battlefield, we drove to our dinner destination in Gettysburg, the Dobbin House Tavern, which was built in 1776.

 Porridge of the Day:  Crab Soup

We both ordered prime rib; can't remember when we ate it last.  Maybe 2014 in North Yorkshire with my relatives.  It was delicious.

Leaving the Dobbin House, we headed for our campground in the Pine Grove Furnace State Park, a 30 minute drive to the north.  We've stayed there many times; it's one of our favorites!