What's So Civil About War Anyways?

Well, it is that time of year when we all start thinking about war. With elections and a new president, war is on a lot of people's mind. A couple of weeks ago I drove up to northern Virginia to take place in a Civil War battlefield preservation march. Not many people realize it but there are some major battlefields that are in danger of becoming commercial property. Many battlefields have already been lost and are now strip malls and parking lots. One of the properties we marched to raise money for was Slaughter Pen Farm. It was a key part of the Battle of Fredericksburg in 1862. Hand to hand combat ensued and over 5000 troops died. It caused Robert E. Lee to utter the famous quote " It is well that war is so terrible, or we would grow too fond of it."

For the preservation march we represented the 7th Indiana Infantry of Hofmann’s Brigade, of Doubleday’s Division, of the First Corps. We were on most all the same roads as the 7th Indiana was on Saturday November 1st and Sunday November 2nd, 1862 – 146 years to the day.

I can tell you it was special to walk 12 miles in their shoes. Luckily I had my pard Brent (in the foreground) to halp share driving duties. He also makes a really good seamster, as I had numerous holes, rips, and missing buttons in my uniform. One of our friends shot some video of us as we marched into town. Louden County March 2008

In preperation for the Preservation March I dried out some beef and deer jerky on my brother's smoker. It was appreciated by everyone that tried it. Brent scored some hardtack from the same company that made hardtack during the civil war.

It was a great time and the fall colors were surreal. It was also very cold and tiring. The drive from Baton Rouge took about 32 hours round trip. I would do it all again in a heartbeat and can't wait to fall in again.