A.P. Hill: return engagement

"September Storm" is the name of the big reenacting event being held outside of Boonsboro this weekend. In observance of the 145th anniversary of the 1862 Maryland campaign and the battle of Antietam.

A couple thousand reenactors have descended upon the valley as well as their attendant posses, entourages, families, camp followers etc. all making for much hoopla and increased weekend visitation at the National Park.

One large group of Confederate reenactors recreated A.P. Hill's 17-mile, seven hour march from Harper's Ferry to Sharpsburg. They took a little longer than Hill's men though, with an overnight in Sheperdstown, arriving at the outskirts of the battlefiled by about eleven o'clock in the morning.

Ranger Keith was there to greet them and provide a weapons inspection (a requirement of all groups bringing replica firearms on park property).

It was a fatigued but good looking group with some mighty fine impressions.

Reenactors taking a breather upon reaching Sharpsburg, good thing they don't have to do battle with the Ninth Corps this time around.

Low-tech loafer, still smoking from a long march. Anybody packing some extra odor eaters?

Pretty nice impression, this group had some very convincing rebels in it.

Ranger Keith makes his way through the ranks insuring that all rifles are unloaded and that all cartridge and cap boxes are empty...M-T! no exceptions.

Fierce young reb doesn't scare me. That big, fat, stinky seegar in his hatband will probably do him more harm than a million reenacted bullets.

And this activity is just the beginning of a very busy week. For a full slate of all the park's battle anniversary events go to:

http://www.nps.gov/anti/planyourvisit/2007-battle-anniversary-schedule.htm

or simply click on the title of this post.

Hope to see you at the park next weekend!

Ranger Mannie

Harvest of Barns: the Park barn (off the beaten path)

Here's a place that few visitors have ever been, the Park farm.

I really enjoy exploring the nooks and crannies of Antietam National Battlefield. Often, folks who read my blog comment that they really appreciate the inside views of these less accessible places. They'll certainly like this entry.

Over the last dozen years the park has grown by nearly 50%. In the overall history of the park this represents an explosion of growth. As area farmers retire the park makes every effort to purchase and restore the land and historic buildings. This decade of growth has brought some pretty interesting buildings back into the context of the battlefield. At the time of the battle, the Park family farmed just north of the Boonsboro Pike on the banks of Antietam creek.

Here's a glimpse.

An example of "the road less travelled", this lane comes up from the Antietam flood plain, the Park farm's back forty.



Situated not quite a half mile east of the observation tower, the Park barn is in pretty good condition.

The barn has the typical attached corncrib and pull-thru to the barnyard beyond. Although the barn is original to the time of the battle the corncrib and wagon shelter were probably added in the years following the war.



No surprises in the floorplan, Hay and machinery storage on top...

(nicely ventilated)



...and cows below,

though, I think its been quite some time since the last cow went down this chute.

This plant,
"stinging nettle" has replaced the cows in that barnyard.

Stinging nettle is the bane of hikers who brush up against it. The pain is intense and instantaneous. This closer look shows why.


Thousands of tiny, glass-like, hollow barbs cover the plant. Some of the barbs are filled with a chemical that causes pain, other barbs contain a chemical that acts as an intensifier for that first chemical. This is one spiteful plant!

Effects last between twelve and 24 hours (by the way, for me, it was about twelve).

This old mule barn is a real 'fixer-upper".

But that fixing happens.

As time, and funds, become avbailable, historically significant buildings, like this summer kitchen in the yard of the Park House, get the restoration work that will save them from further deterioration and preserve them for generations of visitors.

I'll check back from time to time to watch the progress.

Best wishes from the barnyard,

Ranger Mannie

How I spend my time off

My weekends are Tuesdays and Wednesdays. With this little house on South Mountain that we purchased last December Iv'e been quite busy.

Here are projects that have occupied me since the springtime.

May saw the screening-in of our front porch. It's like having a whole new living room. This project wasn't even on my list until one evening Virginia and I (and an open bottle of wine) were enjoying the spring evening on the porch and we both remarked how swell it would be to have the porch screened in. Thirty-two hours later it was so. Many more pleasant evenings have been spent out in that bug-free environment.

But I get ahead of myself. Before any projects could go forward this new homeowner had to arm himself with the basic tool of home improvement...the tablesaw



Just prior to leaving Midhigan we had an enormous yardsale at which our entire lives were for sale. I watched a little ruefully as two good ol' boys loaded up my dad's 1941 CRAFTSMAN tablesaw. With that saw I'd remodeled two of my homes. As they drove off the accumulation of sixty-some years of sawdust blowing off of it made it appear that their truck was on fire as it drove out of sight.

Then came the next big projects:

The library,
At least half of the books in this case are on the American Civil War.

A few years ago, to mark my 50th birthday I resolved to "grow my collection of CW books in a grand and dramatic fashion". Owing to the fact that where we lived at that time had an incredible clearance book warehouse, and, that I was bequeathed the entire ACW library of a friend who'd since gone to his celestial reward, I was able to bring that resolution to fruition.

Many a pleasant evening will be spent this winter, sitting in this room learning more about the war while raising glasses of red wine in tribute to my thoughtful, departed friend...







Bill Corder, traveller, scholar, all-around good guy. This is Bill participating on one of the annual Civil War travel/study trips that I used to host for the museum I worked at.















As the library is where we read the books, this matching office area is where Virginia "does the books".
Both cases are built-in with arched niches that match the simple design of the entryway from the kitchen (which ain't shown).

Finally, after all of the common areas were finished, I moved down to my studio, and made myself a workstation/editing suite,



And book/display case, still in progress.
(Dear Michael Chertof, the projectiles are all inert, thank you very much). Actually, four of the eight shells are made of wood. I turned them out of maple on a 1911 woodlathe.

This project provided ample opportunities for a variety of joining methods.


Waiting for next year's herb planting...
are these raised beds. Constructed from the junk left behind by the previous owner. Bricks, boards, tarpaper, and rocks, the project demonstrates that one man's trash is another man's treasure.

Total expenses have been low but included a box of band-aids and this neat finger splint.

So it's been a busy spring and summer up here on the mountain, and I've loved every minute of it.

Staying busy, just north of Boonsboro,

Ranger Mannie

A Harvest of Antietam Barns

Throughout this harvest season I'll be posting views of the historic barns of the battlefield, from the pristine and majestic Piper barn, to the tragedy of the lost Sherrick barn, to the gathering potential of the restoration of the Joseph Poffenberger barn.

Stay tuned,

Ranger Mannie

Getting off the dime, part one

Okay, so today is September first. It's finally here. Drat!

This is the day that I told myself I'd start looking for another part-time job which would enable me to keep my part-time Ranger job.

Let's see...

- Home Depot...worth a look
- Walmart...I don't speak Chinese
- Medical Doctor...I understand the pay is great (though I might not be able to fake my way through this one)
- Car Salesman...I don't look good in plaid
- Historian...My books have all been coloring and activity books (I'd welcome any blurbs).
- Substitute teacher...On the table, although Idon't like rude kids (sorry if that one's yours).
- Bra fitter...hmmm
- Pipe fitter...Too damp
- Museum professional...Been there (with blood pressure to prove it)
- Mountie...Dont speak Canadian eh.
- Ghost Tour Operator...Sorry, don't want to move to Gettysburg
- Tee Shirt Designer...See above
- Fashion Model...Army surplus is too small a niche market
- Stock Broker...I'm not easily frightened


At any rate, I must find something by October 1.


Any suggestions?


Will work for food (or carbon credits), just north of Boonsboro.

Ranger Mannie