April 25 & 26 Gettysburg

April 24 Escape from Washington

We followed the route of J.W. Boothe from the Ford's Theater to Garret's farm.  An all day bus ride with a guide talking the entire time..

Lincoln's police guard was next door having a drink. Boothe walked down the back isle of the balcony to Lincoln's box, opened the door, barred it from the inside and shot him.  Boothe slashed the arm of an Army major who was in the box and who tried to defend Lincoln from Boothe.  He jumped from Lincoln's box onto the stage and was off on horseback.


Happy 30th Birthday Matt and Jackie

April 23 Manassas or Bull Run

The Battle of First Manassas (First Bull Run)  was July 19, 1861
Battle of Second Manassas (Second Bull Run)  was in late August of 1862

The most dramatic thing about the Civil War battlefields, is that most were slight rolling "hills" about 6 to 12 feet high about 100 or more yards apart and  no other cover to speak of.  These large open field with soldiers advancing on foot sometimes over 500 yards in the open in frontal assaults.  The picture below shows a statue about 400 yards from the canon and the range of most of their rifles was at best was about 200 yards.  They wouldn't start running until they were about 200 or 300 yards.  It is a wonder that anyone survived these assaults.  Imagine running at this canon position with infantry on either side if it.