Ranger Mannie receives Medal of Honor...

from park superintendent John Howard, for safe keeping in a display case.

The final act of battle anniversary occurred this evening as the Medal of Honor awarded to 1st Lt. George W Hooker, 4th Vermont Infantry, was donated to Antietam National Battlefield by Lt. Hooker's descendant, Mr. Henry Willard.

Hooker's valor at the battle of Crampton's Gap during the 1862 Maryland Campaign resulted in his being awarded our nation's highest military decoration.



The evening's program included remarks by local luminaries including park historian Ted Alexander.

It was a wonderful close to an indredibly satisfying four days.

I'll post more tomorrow, but now a cold barley based beverage and a good foot soak are the priority after a very long day.

nite all,

Ranger Mannie

Living Rangerously

Reminding myself of the original purpose of this blog - to provide information to those seeking employment as National Park Service Rangers.

I'm a seasonal ranger .

90% of the NPS ranger force are seasonal rangers.

We are GS 5's, that's $14.00 an hour with vacation and sick days.

When I took this job my wife asked: "are there any benefits?"

and I replied:

The badge, the big hat, and working at the best place on the planet...

with the best colleagues one could hope for:

(l to r, Ranger Mike, Ranger Brian, Me, Ranger John, Ranger Alann. Not pictured are Ranger Keith -the cameraman, Ranger Christie, and Ranger Gordie).

Hey young person...join the NPS. It's the greatest job in the world.

Ranger Mannie

Battle Anniversary!

Today began my favorite time at Antietam National Battlefield - Battle Anniversary weekend. This is the 145th anniversary of the battle of Antietam. It was a wonderful day, beautiful blue skies, huge enthusiastic crowds, and a full slate of programming. My feet and vocal chords are shot! It was an incredible experience...and it's only Saturday.

You know you live in Civil War Country when you follow a cannon to work in the morning. As I turned on to the Sharpsburg Pike from Boonsboro I found myself behind that beautiful 12 pound Napoleon that belongs to the South Mountain Battlefield. Maryland State Parks Ranger Al Preston and his crew preceded me into the park this a.m. setting up their gun with ours to provide some very loud interpretation for our visitors on this battle anniversary weekend. I'll soon have a Youtube up of Al and his outstanding gun detatchment in action.

The Visitor Center marquee shows a very full slate of programming...

and a very full overflow parking area to go along with it!

The U.S. Army arrives for a staff ride in the very cool early hours.

Ranger Brian is already leading a very large in-depth hike of the Union final attack trail.

Meanwhile, in downtown Sharpsburg, Sharpsburg Heritage Day is in full swing with a Civil War era "battle of the bands". Click on the title of this post to go directly to the Youtube of this event or go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwjWgGMVPJ8

Fellow bloggers Harry Smeltzer and Brian Downey posed for the obligatory blogger shot at the gun in front of the Visitor's Center...

While Ranger Mike holds forth at Burnside Bridge.

The traditional "apres hike" gathering of rangers at the McKinley monument, with the usual wisecracks, sore feet, and great stories.

As I left the park, large groups of reenactors were converging on the battlefield to soak up the ambience of this special day.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow...and Monday. I'll keep you posted.

Best wishes from Boonsboro,

Ranger Mannie

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