New York City without my boys

I took the train from Washington DC to New York City this afternoon. The boys dropped me off at Union Station and then went to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. It was fun to be in the car with Ben as he saw the Lincoln Memorial for the first time, then the Washington Memorial, the Federal Reserve, the Capital Building and so on as we made our way to the train station. We will be visiting all of these places next week, when we are staying with a friend in Arlington, closer to the city than the campsite we are in right now.

Now we are over 30 miles outside the city, in Manassas. Yes, a significant Civil War site, in case you are wondering.

To be accurate, the *boys* are 30 miles outside the city. I am in the heart of Manhattan, at Le Parker Meridien. "Just steps away from Central Park, MOMA,Carnegie Hall, Broadway theaters and Fifth Avenue's famous shops." Not that I'll get to see any of that, because this is a working weekend.

I'm in a room bigger than the entire RV, with a huge bed and plasma TV and mini-bar and a big desk to spread my work out on (luxury!). But the best thing is...a big bathtub!

It has been way too long since I had a chance to soak. Since we left Mom and Dad's farm over a month ago, actually. Hydrotherapy! No need for counseling or drugs or meditation or yoga if I can just have a long, hot soak in a tub or hot tub on a regular basis. Really.

When I got in, I picked up Thai take-away next door, then unpacked and checked in with Abi (who is a bit sick) and the boys in their Man Cave. Hopefully they will write about their experiences in the Man Cave, as they are calling the RV in my absence, at a later time.

Screen-grab from my Skype conversation with the boys in the Man Cave

After I ate, I had a verrrry long bath and now I am sprawled out on the bed - so much for the terrific desk - doing some last minute reading for my meetings tomorrow and Sunday.

It is very luxurious and spacious and clean. I can't see a dog hair ANYWHERE. Although I probably could if I looked at my clothes carefully.

But I miss my dirty, loud boys and dogs. And I have been missing Abi so ferociously that it is a physical sensation. I guess I'll grab some whiskey from the mini-bar and drown my sorrows. Here's looking at you, kid.

Battle of Chickamauga

Monument in someone's yard near the gas station.

Ben approaching a stream where Bedford Forrest almost captured a Union general.

Yesterday Will and I went and saw the battle of Chickamauga. On the way there, after we had stopped at Arbys and gotten some drinks, we were stopping at a gas station to get some gas when we noticed a few signs and memorials in somebody’s front lawn. We spent a while of viewing some of the actions on one of the flanks, in which General Forrest (Forrest Gump was named after), was going to capture a union general, but one of his aides warned him just in time. This was a very interesting part of the battle. Also, Forrest took it from the enemy with force.

Vinyard field, site of bloody fighting on the first day of battle, with Confederates attacking through the trees on the left toward Union positions on the right.

We continued along to the museum, viewed multiple different exhibits that were all very interesting, including one which had a very informative, light-up map of the entire battle, which I believe that all battlefields should have. The museum also had one of the largest collections of civil-war period guns. Will and me happily viewed this before watching a very interesting, fun and informative movie about this specific battlefield, which will and I were about to explore.
The way that this battle went is that the union was defeating the confederates in the campaign for Chattanooga, and was advancing in three separate columns due to the terrain in the local area. Bragg saw this and took advantage of it, deciding to ambush one of the supply trains that was moving through the area. But he did not react to this advantageous position fast enough and by the time that he reached them, the union army had already regrouped and was in battle positions. He attacked on the morning of September 19th, with the intention to make a sweeping attack from the union left to right, but the attack on the left failed, so he instead elected to attack piecemeal.

Ben where General Helm, Lincoln's brother-in-law was mortally wounded, leading an assault on the second day on the Union left.

On the second day, his orders arrived late to a portion of the army, so the entire army attacked late due to that portion of the army. While they were supposed to attack at seven, they had only attacked by ten o’clock that morning! The confederacy had been attacking for about two hours before the union general made a critical mistake with his army and told one of his generals to move in to fill a gap which actually did not exist, and when he came in, he actually created his own hole in the line!

The post-war Brotherton house, where the Confederates stormed through a gap in the Union line.

The confederacy charged in there, and it all got worse for the union from there, with their whole army making a slow retreat back to Chattanooga. One of the most famous defense actions in this battle was called Snodgrass hill, and it was an obvious strongpoint that the retreating union took advantage of to cover their retreating friends. Another one was a unit of mounted infantry, which guarded the whole armies headquarters, taking advantage of the extra firepower afforded to them due to their new repeating carbines. This battle overall was a very interesting full of bravery and good sport.

The left side of Snodgrass Hill, where the Union rearguard under General "Pap" Thomas shielded the fleeing federal army.

When the Levee Breaks

Been having fun learning about just how much the blues and rock are intermingled. Not something I was aware of as a teenager.

This is the original version of the song, with some great vintage photography in the video.




And of course...