The Battle Comes to Life

It was a little after 6:00 in the morning as we arrived on the battlefield. I had estimated that we would have 350 people come out for the program, but we soon discovered that the true number was over 500. Why did so many people join me out on the battlefield so early in the morning? Because they wanted to experience history in a remarkably tangible way. It was at that moment, exactly 150 years ago, in that very spot that the first shots were heard on what would become the bloodiest day in American history.

What followed was one of the most surreal and significant moments I have ever encountered in my study of history. This was no mere recounting of historical events. This was something much more. The program consisted of nine rangers, not delivering a summary of events, but reading the words of the men who were actually there that morning. That alone would have been powerful, but as they read these words we stood on the very ground that had been contested so hotly in the early morning hours of September 17, 1862 – the infamous Cornfield.

Me in the Cornfield in September 2010

The last time I visited this spot the corn was not there. It usually isn’t because it is a part of a crop rotation, but several years ago the farmer who still plants and tills this land took steps to ensure that, not only would corn grow in the field this year, but that it would be the same height as it was 150 years earlier. So we found ourselves standing on the very edge of this cornfield listening to the words of those who struggled so desperately to control it even as the sun began to rise through the mists of early morning.

The sun begins to rise through the cornfield

My supervisor photographing the sunrise with his I-Phone

Then, suddenly, the voices of the rangers were overwhelmed by another sound. It was the booming of cannon, coming from the Confederate position atop a nearby ridge. Then Union cannon answered from the North Woods, the very positions the respective batteries had occupied during this phase of the battle. An eerie feeling of being caught in the middle of something few people had ever seen quickly spread through the crowd. 

Even as it did so the nearby corn began to rustle and suddenly commands could be heard and the figures of gray and butternut clad figures began to emerge from the cornstalks and take up firing positions against the fence rails. As these men began to fire toward the very location where the Union I Corps had advanced 150 years previously it was as if we had been transported back in time and were actually watching the battle begin to unfold. I have never experienced anything like it. 

Wishing to honor those who had struggled on this field rather than to make a spectacle of their sacrifice the living historians portraying both sides did not fire directly at each other or pretend to take casualties, but they didn’t need to. One needed only the faintest threads of imagination to expand what we saw playing out before us into what it would have looked like that morning as thousands of men played out this dramatic contest in this very spot.

Visitors capture the sun as it rises

Even as the Confederates finished firing the black hats of the Union 6^th Wisconsin regiment of the brigade that would soon be known by the sobriquet of the “iron brigade” came over the horizon. These men rapidly advanced toward the cornfield and soon passed through it as their forbearers had done. As the sun rose over the fields of Antietam the gun-smoke hovered over us and all who were present knew that they had witnessed a profound manifestation of the importance of remembering our history and the actions of those who came before us.

This moment was, without question, not only the highlight of my weekend, but the single most transcendent moment I have ever experienced on a Civil War Battlefield. 

The sun rises over the Cornfield

Confederates file out of the cornfield in the morning sun.

For more pictures of The Cornfield, including some of those I took, follow this link to the album on the  Antietam Facebook Page. 

May it Always Seem like Yesterday

In a few days I will drive north to spend five full days in Harpers Ferry and Antietam to help document and commemorate the 150^th anniversaries of these two Civil War battles.  Exactly one year ago I wrote about the commemoration of the Civil War and observed that “I retain hope that I will get to [work at the 150^th anniversary commemoration] at one of the other battlefields in the next few years.” Now I am working at nearly all of the big anniversaries in a position that I certainly did not foresee when I wrote those words a year ago.   The path of life is often characterized by unexpected turns. Mine most certainly has been in recent years.

Today marks the eleventh anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the  Pentagon. For many people those attacks are little more than a distant memory. For some, they are a chapter in the history books. But for the families of those who lost their lives that day and the soldiers on the front lines in Afghanistan, the 9/11 attacks continue to resound with and reverberate with great force. Much changes depending on the position from whence we view something.  In looking back on what I wrote on 9/11 each of the last four years I have been struck by the differences in tone each year as my perspective has changed. Yet, through each perspective there are windows that reflect larger truths.

Seven Years of Reflections

Four years ago I wrote about the upcoming presidential election.  I wrote that, “This is an important season for our country. We will soon be facing one of the most significant presidential elections in American history. It is a big deal and our future will look very different depending on what happens in that election.”  I think that was a fair assessment four years ago. I also think that the current election climate could be described in a similar fashion.  I am continually disappointed at the divisive and derisive characteristics of each of the primary presidential candidates. Seeking to capitalize on division and fear is precisely what this nation does not need, and I, at least, find myself pushed further away from both candidates as a result.  

Again the words I wrote in 2008 seem appropriate: “as we think about who to vote for and listen to the rhetoric of both candidates, let’s think beyond simply our own personal needs and think about what we should do as citizens of God's kingdom.”  The words of the prayer with which Jena Lee Nardella closed the opening night of the 2012 Democratic Convention last week express a similar sentiment.  “Give us gratitude for our right to dissent and disagree. For we know that we are bound up in one another and have been given the tremendous opportunity to extend humanity and grace when others voice their deeply held convictions even when they differ from our own.”

It is so easy to get caught up in what makes us different. But 9/11 reminds us that we would do far better in these next eight weeks to focus on our common bond as Americans and, as I wrote four years ago, “be who God told us to be. Let’s live out of love and fill each day with the kind of selfless loving sacrifice that we saw exhibited on 9/11.” 

9/11 redefined what it looks like to be a hero. The heroes of 9/1 were Police officers, firemen, and ordinary citizens, who saw a need, took decisive and selfless action, and in far too many cases lost their lives.

Though our response to 9/11 is usually focused on the war on terror, in 2009 I attempted to remind us  “perhaps we would do better to rethink the meaning behind those actions, to recognize what we are doing wrong, and to let it be the progenitor of a new way of living.  If we are willing to take that journey we may well find, like John Muir did when he viewed the natural beauty that surrounded him that, “new beauty meets us at every step in all our wonderings.” And there is nothing more valuable than the pursuit of truth and beauty.”

It is difficult to look at pictures such as these and not see truth and beauty. It doesn’t matter if these men are Democrats or Republicans, white or black, straight or gay. Such images reflect the higher ideals that this nation represents.

It was such ideals and ideas that I wrote of in 2010. “Ideas are what this nation is founded upon. Ideas centered upon the unalienable axiomatic rights shared by all citizens of humanity… “There is nothing more important than the unity of the common bond of humanity, uniting us together as a free and independent state firmly relying upon God and his values as we seek to live them out in support of one another. That, like our fathers before us, “’with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.’”

Tragedies like 9/11 have a way of showing our true colors, of reflecting what we believe in vibrant color. Last year in reflecting upon some of the anniversaries that were commemorated in 2011 I wrote that, “each of these anniversaries marks something significant that has helped to shape the character of America and determine what we, as Americans, believe in.” There is more to the United States of America than political discord. This nation remains unique in world history as a shining example of the value of the common man, and we cannot let our light be overshadowed by the darker side of our national character. As President Bush put it: “we are the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world and no one will keep that light from shining.”

We do not always agree. We need not look far for proof of that. If there is one thing that my work with the sesquicentennial of the Civil War has consistently reminded me of, it is the importance of love and common purpose and the danger of divisiveness. We are defined by what we believe. Last year I wrote that: “Our beliefs shape us and determine the way we live. Let us believe in something worth the believing, in the loving compassion of a God that desires that all of his creation be reconciled unto Him so that each element might both bring glory to His name and live as it was intended to live, in an existence characterized by freedom, hope, community, and love. “  

Symbols are powerful agents for change. Let us use 9/11 as a continued symbol to unite this nation together and better reflect not only our national values, but the values of out Heavenly Father.

Last year on 9/11 I had to work at the Visitor Center in Shenandoah but Alison went to the Newseum in

Washington, DC. In a city known (and rightly so) for the Smithsonian museums, this newer arrival is often overshadowed. But it bears powerful reminder of the importance of perspective and the impact of the unexpected turns in life. I got to visit it myself earlier this year. These are some of the symbols on display to help tell the story of America. 

   The radio antenna from atop one of the towers. 

 Display of the front pages of newspapers around the word proclaiming the attack.

May it always seem like yesterday.

Commemorating the Patriots of Second Manassas

I knew that the end of August and first three weeks of September were going to be busy, and they have not disappointed thus far! The fun began on Saturday, August 25 when I photographed an all day bus tour following the path of "Stonewall" Jackson's advance to capture the Manassas railroad junction, which resulted in the Second Battle of Manassas.


The tour began with a stop at a country club where the ranger addressed the audience while standing on a golf course (for reasons unknown to me the ranger leading the tour was wearing a blue polo shirt and khakis rather than his actual uniform).

The tour continued to this beautiful old Baptist church and numerous other sites along the path to Manassas including the ruins of an old mill in Thoroughfare Gap. 

The rain had threatened throughout the day and finally caught up with us at Bristoe Station. The ranger continued to lead the tour all the same, though many of the visitors were ready to get under cover!

It was a fun way to begin the commemoration of the Second Battle of Manassas. If you are interested in seeing more pictures of the Bus Tour  simply follow that link to the album we posted on facebook.


As I mentioned in an earlier post, we ended up not having any funding available for overtime for Second Manassas, and thus had to work some unusual schedules in order to cover everything. This meant that I hardly saw my coworkers throughout the week since I worked the early shift and they worked later to cover the evening tours.

Tuesday, August 28 marked both my first day back at school and the beginning of the actual 150th anniversary of the Second Battle of Manassas. I started class at 7:20 pm, less than an hour after the first shots were fired at Brawner Farm in the opening action of the battle. I found it rather funny that the two coincided so closely! Unfortunately that meant that I could not be go to both, and since I had to miss the first day of both of my classes last semester when Alison and I were traversing the country after our honeymoon, I decided that I really ought to go this time!

So I ended up working fairly normal hours during the actual anniversary so that I could make it to class as well. It was a pretty tiring week, but I did enjoy both of my new classes and am looking forward to what I will be learning. My first class is on the Gilded Age and is taught by a funny Irish professor who definitely brings life and interest to the topic. I was not originally going to take this class, but when the one I was planning on taking on westward expansion got canceled, I had to find an alternative. I have never really studied the period of the Gilded Age so I am looking forward to the opportunity to learn more about it.

My second class is on the American Revolution. Not only did I have to do the reading for this class during this past week, but I actually already had to write a paper. So my Labor Day holiday was spent writing a book review, which I did mange to finish and will turn in when I go to class today.  So after today's class I will have already read 3 books and completed a paper for this semester!

I spent most of my time at work either out photographing tours and commemorative activities or sorting through pictures, editing them, creating albums, and posting them on facebook. Though I didn't take all of the pictures, I ended up putting together all of the albums throughout the week which you can find on the Manassas Facebook Page.

Here are some of the highlights of the pictures that I took of the commemoration of the Second Battle of  Manassas during this past week...



To give you some idea of the size of the crowds on the walking tours: This particular one took place at 10:00 on Wednesday morning.  



There was at least one baby on most of the tours. This particular one was on three 90 minute walking tours in a single day.

                           This one of the spider is one of my favorites. :)

Okay, so I didn't actually take these two (since I had to be in class at the time), but I did crop and edit both pictures to get the color to come out the way you see it and I wanted to include some of the sunset pictures! The guy on the right is the Superintendent (boss) of Manassas National Battlefield. Click on this link to see more pictures from August 29

This is the Chief of  Interpretation at Manassas 

The real time commemorative tours culminated in a hike following the Union advance to attack the Confederate position along the Unfinished Railroad at Deepcut on August 30. The six surrounding pictures are all ones I took on that tour. I especially enjoyed the boys wearing the Union kepis!

To see more pictures from August 30 follow these links...

August 30 Volume I

August 30 Volume II

I went back out for the continued commemorative activities on Saturday.

Ranger Sarah is actually filming video with this camera and is capturing the same moment that I photographed of these three children playing in the dirt.

I got another good capture of a cannon firing during the Artillery Demonstrations.

I also particularly enjoyed taking pictures of the cavalry demonstrations.





These kids were completely startled when a dismounted cavalryman fired his carbine. 

                  Another one of my personal favorites. :)

For more pictures of the living history follow this link...
September 1 Volume I

After leaving the horses I photographed some of the special lectures, one of which was being given by the Chief Historian of Fredericksburg. You can find those pictures here...  September 1 Volume II

I had the chance to introduce myself and when I did he told me they were looking forward to us coming to Fredericksburg in December.  That led to further clarification that I will, indeed, be going to Fredericksburg in December, followed by Chancellorsville and Vicksburg next May and Gettysburg in July. So there is much more to come!

The adventure continues September 13-17 at Harpers Ferry and Antietam!

 

All's Well That Ends Well

Sometimes life hands you unexpected opportunities that can dramatically alter your direction of travel. Other times just when what appears to be such a chance is emerging, it suddenly flits away. We have had a few experiences that fall in the latter category in the last couple of weeks.

The most significant is that Alison got a call to interview her for a position with the State Department. As this was the first such call that she has received, we were both rather excited that she was being considered! She went on to go in for a personal interview as one of the ten final candidates for a single position. Our hopes were high that this could very well be the first step in Alison's quest to work for the government rather than for Starbucks. Sadly this was not to be. Though she made it to the final ten, she was not chosen for the position. So that takes us right back to no immediate prospects for furthering this quest.

At nearly the same time I was made aware of a position working for Fairfax County as an interpretive and volunteer coordinator for one of the large parks in the area. It isn't a Park Service Position, but it is a permanent government position with full benefits doing very similar things to what I have done with the Park Service, and it is in the immediate area. I applied for it thinking that they were unlikely to get anywhere near the response that is normal for federal NPS jobs and that I had a pretty good chance at getting it. I had already begun to think about what it might be like to do this job.  I learned two important things as a result of sending in this application.  

First: the county government moves about 3,000 times faster than the federal government. Four days after the application period closed I knew whether my attempt was being forwarded on to the selecting official or not. This same stage of the application process takes an average of three months for Park Service positions!
Second: apparently either far more people applied for the position than I expected, or I am not nearly as qualified as I think I am, because what I found out is that I had been summarily rejected in the first stage, and that my application was not forwarded, which means that those making the hiring decisions will not even see it.

Both of these outcomes carry with them the potential for depression, hopelessness, and even despair, and it would be easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. The reality is that we have little cause for such emotions. Though it is disappointing that things did not work out as we hoped, particularly as it relates to the potential of Alison getting the State Department position, we have been abundantly blessed in the seven months of our marriage.

I not only have a job, but it is one that is reasonably stable for the next two and a half years, so long as I retain my status as an active student. This is in some question as Obama's administration has cut off the STEP program, through which I am employed, and replaced it with the new Pathways program. At this point it is still unclear how I will function in this new program, or what the transition (which is supposed to occur before the end of this year) will look like, but the one thing I do know is that there will be a way for me to transfer from one to the other and that I should (fingers crossed!) not lose my position as a result of the change. Far more importantly (in my mind) than simply having a job, I have one that I love doing, which is also giving me some very unique and marketable experience for future endeavors. I mean, I get paid to take pictures like this. :)

Alison too is employed, and though it is neither a dependable 40 hours per week position, nor what she wants to be doing, it does provide us with much needed additional income, and is remarkably convenient in terms of location. While I have to drive 25 miles through DC metro area traffic each way to get to work, Alison's commute is just a hair over one mile from our home. Her schedule is less than ideal, both in that it is variable (making it hard to make plans) and in that it often requires her to work very early in the morning, but even that has its positive side. The early schedule has allowed us to do things like getting away to go camping and going to baseball games, and the unusual time requirements have made it easier for me to focus on making significant progress on schoolwork while she is away.

We truly have been blessed and God has consistently demonstrated his faithfulness to us. Yesterday in church I was reminded of the great truth in Hebrews 10:23 which exhorts:

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 

He who promised is indeed faithful.

Even when the shower starts to back up as it did last week, providing us with the fun task of discovering why. I made a trip to home depot to acquire a drain auger (better known as a "snake") and with the use of this handy tool I pulled out an absurd plug of who knows what rotting material that had made its home in the drain. Most of it had been there long before we ever moved in, but it was at that moment that the addition of soap scum and Alison's hair that we had contributed caused it to reach critical mass. Thankfully I was able to get it out and the drain has functioned properly ever sense. So all's well that ends well.

That too is a recent blessing that we have enjoyed. Each year the Shakespeare Theater in DC has what they call a "free for all" in which they distribute free tickets for a particular show. You may recall that last year we went to go see "Julius Caesar" in this manner. They have a lottery for each day and you have to apply for each separately the day before.  Alison was ready when the lottery opened for the first day this year and to our surprise we were selected for that very first show. So we headed into DC to enjoy a splendid performance of "All's Well That Ends Well."

Now I must admit that prior to going to this show I didn't even know that this was one of Shakespeare's plays. It is actually part of the famous First Folio, originally published in 1623, and is believed to have been written between 1604 and 1605. Who knew?

It turned out to be a splendid show and a wonderful random diversion that was well worth the effort to make happen. And so I end now with the closing words of the show and the recognition that, indeed, all's well that ends well.

All is well ended, if this suit be won. That you express content; which we will pay, With strife to please you, day exceeding day:Ours be your patience then, and yours our parts;Your gentle hands lend us, and take our hearts.