Antietam

The bloodiest single day in American military history took place near Sharpsburg, MD and Antietam Creek on September 17, 1862.  For both sides, 22,717 soldiers were killed, wounded, captured, or declared missing.  The battle was considered tactically inconclusive but was declared a Union victory as Confederate troops withdrew first from the battlefield.  President Lincoln gave his Emancipation Proclamation following the Union "win."

It has been years since I studied US history, so our trips to historical sites have been (and will continue to be) fascinating and educational. Yesterday we drive about an hour through back roads of PA and MD to see the site of the battle of Antietam.  It was a gorgeous, warm day with blue skies and puffy white clouds.  We walked around and read informational signs describing the events of so long ago.  I could almost hear the musket fire and cannons roar,  the shouts of the soldiers and the screams of the wounded.  We pondered the effects of this battle on local farmers who had spent all summer storing up bounty for the winter, only to lose it to the armies who passed through and took it from them.

Here is Dunkers Church, where the armies battled it out.

We had brought Auggie with us, not wanting to leave him home alone for hours.  At the Visitors Center I popped him in a large tote bag and he sat there under my arm, with just his little head sticking out.  Not wanting to be stopped and possibly incur a fine, I walked up to the ranger at the desk and asked if we were ok to come in like this.  He smiled and said that if I had not said anything he would have never noticed Auggie, but now that he had seen him we could not bring him in.  He was a very nice man and we had a little chat before heading back outside. But it gave me an idea, that if I were to attach some black mesh to the top of a tote bag no one would see Auggie's head and we could bring him almost anywhere. As long as they didn't search my bag, which has happened at a few museums.

I'll have to work on that.

Last night we watched the first two episodes of the old TV show Northern Exposure.  I got the complete set for Christmas last year, and have been looking forward to watching them all this time.