do your best

I love cub scouts.

I had a lot to learn and let me tell you, there is a lot to learn.

But I know it now.

Maybe not all of it, but a lot of it.

And it is fun.

fun. fun. fun. fun.

I tried to teach my wolf/bear group some hilarious skits to do for pack meeting and I totally got shot down by one boy. He said it wasn't that funny.

I stopped mid-giggle, totally shocked.

"Huh? What? You kidding?!!! It's hilarious!"

"What are our other options?" was his response.

Total downer, but I came up with something funny for him to do, too.

All is well.

Then we played Tiger Tag. I'm so fast. I kicked some serious cub scout behind.

+

(also I ran a 9 minute mile today! I almost keeled over dead, but that was the time. Shazaam!)

acts of gallantry

The Charge of the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry

This was the only regiment from the state of Minnesota.

They were being held in reserve left of the center of the Union line.

Remember from before when Major General Sickles (the one who pled temporary insanity) didn't follow orders and moved his troops forward of the line he was supposed to hold? Well, when he did that he caused gaps to open up in the Union line to his right as parts of brigades shifted to close the holes.

As Sickles was defeated and began to fall back one of the Confederate brigades (from Alabama nonetheless) rushed toward one of these gaps right in front of them. If they could breach the gap they could split the Union line and that would be bad. If they got through that gap a victory for the Confederates would most likely be the outcome.

Major General Hancock of the Union side saw the imminent danger and called for reserves to plug the gap. He needed five minutes for the reserves to get there.

-

He looked around desperately and saw the 262 men of the 1st Minnesota and pointed to the oncoming Confederate battle flags and told him to advance and take the colors.

He sent them out against a brigade four times it's size. (1600 men!)

Listen to this. This is a quote from Alfred Carpenter who survived the charge.

"We advanced down the slope till we neared the ravine, and 'Charge' rung along the line, and with a rush and a yell we went. Bullets whistled past us, shells screeched over us, canister and grape fell about us. Comrade after comrade dropped from the ranks, but the line went on. No one took a second look at his fallen companion. We had no time to weep."

-

They got the five minutes needed for the reserves to get there.

Out of the 262 men who rushed out only 47 men returned fit for duty.

They suffered 70 percent casualties.

-

Hancock had to send them. He would have done it had he known they would all be lost. It was their only hope and the 1st Minnesota knew it and they charged, willing to make that terrible sacrifice.

-

The Confederates almost made it through the lines on I think 5 or six separate occasions that afternoon. That is why General Lee thought the middle was weak. And that is one of the contributing factors for his decision to order Pickett's Charge the next day.

Yet another sad sad tale.

Heartbreaking.

i'm invisible

I'm totally following your blogs, I'm just doing it anonymously.

You know me.

I'm kind of shy. And super private.

But don't worry!

I'm still there watching for posts and reading with gusto.

love always,

your number one secret fan

*

let me tell you a story

The small hill on the left:

This is my favorite place on the Gettysburg battlefield.

The man below (I know now) is Gouverneur K. Warren, an engineer for the brand new (3 days!) major general of the Union Army George Meade.

*

General Meade had sent a certain General Sickles to set up his corp to defend a line that would end at this hill. General Sickles is from New York and some years before the Civil War began he had succeeded in becoming the first person to use the "temporary insanity" plea successfully in his trial for killing his wife's lover who happened to be the son of Sir Francis Scott Key. And so OF COURSE put him in charge of 10,000 union soldiers. Why not?

*

So - General Meade sent Sickles to secure this hill which is key to the Unions success. It is the extreme left flank of their battle line and if the Confederates took the hill Mead said they would have no choice but to retreat.

Sickles didn't like the ground he was charged to maintain so he moved his army forward without permission. Leaving Little Round Top empty. Duh!

*

The rebels engaged Sickles army and Meade heard the shooting of guns - NOT where he had expected any of his men to be. He sent Warren to investigate and when Warren got to the top of the hill he found it empty and saw below and way far forward, Sickles men being seriously overwhelmed.

*

Scroll back up to Warrens picture. Do you see how he is looking off to his left? Well, he was observing Sickles folly and saw a glint in the trees a bit off. He sent a shot in that direction and saw a whole lot of glints. Sun reflecting off Confederate guns. He knew they were on their way to the hill.

*

He frantically searched for men to defend the hill and ran into Colonel Strong Vincent who didn't wait for orders from his superior and took responsibility for getting his brigade up to defend Little Round Top. He got his men there five minutes before the Confederates attacked. Had he followed protocol and waited for a proper order the hill would have been taken and the Confederates would have won yet another battle.

*

As the Alabama soldiers began to push back Vincent's men he ran back and forth encouraging them to hold strong. He jumped onto a boulder, yelled to his men "Don't yield an inch!" and was hit by a Confederate shot. He died four days later.

*

This marker marks the farthest left of the line. These markers and most of the monuments were placed on the battle field later on by those who fought here.

They were placed where they truly fought.

*

This is where Colonel Joshua Chamberlain's 20th Maine fought. He was the farthest left of Vincent's brigade on Little Round Top. The end of the line. He could not let anyone around his men. By the final charge of the rebels Chamberlain's men were out of ammunition and he ordered a bayonet charge. Their last chance. It worked and his remaining 200 men captured 300 exhausted Confederate soldiers.





Oh man, there is so much more about just this fight.
And this was just a part of the second day of the three day battle. Seriously folks. I am dying to tell you more. But I am also figuring that I am way more excited about and interested in this than you probably are.
So I will spare you.
You would love it though. It is soul stirring.

Maybe I'll tell you about the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry later. That is a sad sad tale.

our country's common ground

My trip to Gettysburg was so amazing! I loved every minute of it. I didn't even realize how sick I was until I got back to the hotel that night. I started sneezing half way through my personal tour guide tour (he was so impressed with my knowledge and the caliber of questions I asked!) By 9:30 that night I had a full blown nasty cold. Must have been some sicko on the plane breathed on me or something. I DO NOT like that recirculated airplane air. Ick.

My tour guide was a little taken a back when I told him "Yup! It's just me!" I told him I had some questions to ask and whipped out my notebook and started right in. When he realized my excitement and understanding of the battle he got excited too. He said it was like visiting another country and finally meeting up with someone who knows English as well.
We had some great discussions and he taught me so much! I loved it. It felt so fabulous to be "smart" at something other than Mom and homemaker stuff. You know?

I really learned a lot. I bought four more books. Who knew I liked History?

It is so beautiful there. And peaceful given the tumult, bloodshed, horrors and heartbreak that took place there almost 150 years ago. I can't wait to go back.

I can't wait.

Gettysburg, PA
Indeed a favorite place for me.


*

another something out there

I am a sucker for medleys.

I am in awe of talented people.

Artists.

I love MJ.

I think You'll love this too.



p.s. I cut a whole 1 minute and 2 seconds off my 5K time and came in first in my age bracket today! It was quite a small race - not a lot of people, but I think I liked it that way. Just call me speedy. zoom zoom zoom.

so excited

Do you know why?

Here's a hint.

l

l

l

l

V

Do you see? Look closely.

*

*

*

*

Gettysburg!!!

I have to admit. Ever since we went to Gettysburg at the beginning of the summer I have been, shall we say, a little enthusiastic about learning, hearing, and seeing as much as I could about this battle. It has been at the forefront of my thoughts all summer long. I love it. I think about it all the time.

So the other day I sighed to my muscle man that I wish I could go back now that I understand and know so much more about this battle and take it all in again.

Much to my surprise he reminded me he was going to some conference thing for work in DC in a few weeks. So I immediately called my great fabulous marvelous sister friend Heidi and asked her for a super huge favor. And she said YES!!!

So lucky lucky me - I am off to Gettysburg on my very own solo visit. Brian will be in meetings all day and I will be able to wander, ponder and cry as much as I want to all over that battlefield!

After my personal guided tour with Licensed Battlefield Guide Gary Kross, of course.

He is one of the most popular tour guides. I don't want to cry too much in front of him.

I am so excited.

You have no idea.

Well, if you have talked to me much the last couple weeks, maybe you do have some idea.

I am so ready to suck in any more explanations and information I can possibly get.

AND I'm gonna get a t-shirt. Probably.

Love that Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain.

edit: that is Gouverneur Warren in the picture above. oops.