Chambersburg Civil War Seminar comes to Antietam

Park Historian and general big wheel in the Civil War scene, Ted Alexander, is bringing the Chambersburg seminar to Antietam in observance of the 145th anniversary of the battle.

I am pleased to be included in the proceedings.

Although I'll be in the company of some of the most recognized names in the field of Civil War history I can't get get too big a head. Here's how it went down.

The phone rang at the visitor's center and I answered. It was Ted asking if I'd be willing to participate in the seminar and provide a themed hike.

I replied I'd be happy to, in fact, I'd been preparing a program specifically for the seminar, Ted seemed excited:

"Great!" he said. "Whatcha' got in mind"

"Well, now that Paul is retired..." Paul is Paul Chiles the legendary ranger who was the go-to guy regarding CW artillery

"...now that Paul is retired..." I continued

...I'd like to stake out artillery at Antietam as my niche. I've got a pretty good grasp on the subject and have given many presentations over the years, so now that Paul is retir..."

I didn't get a chance to finish the sentence

"Paul's doing artillery. So what else can you do?"




Following in the footsteps of a legend is a sure way to shed your hubris in a hurry.

Come join Paul Chiles, Ted Alexander, and other legends at the 2007 Chambersburg Civil War Seminar

http://www.chambersburgcivilwarseminars.org/


Ranger Mannie

Go, man, go: this year of living rangerously

On May 28th 2006 I started as a seasonal ranger at Antietam. Although I was in a ranger uniform I noted that I hadn't worn that many hand-me-downs since fifth grade. I don't think I've ever been welcomed so warmly into an organization as I was by the other rangers.

As an educator, this has been the most satisfying year of my career, and frankly, I'm simply having the time of my life.

I'm here because my wife and I took a big risk, a leap of faith. We had enough faith in our abilities to sell our home and come to a place that we were pretty certain we wanted to live. Friends thought we were crazy, but here we are, living a dream.

Like the tattoo says - "who dares, wins"

You follow your dream, mine is just north of Sharpsburg.

Ranger Mannie

Memorial Day at Antietam National Cemetery

Tomorrow is Memorial Day.

Come participate in this Civil War holiday at the place where, tradition holds, it all started, Sharpsburg Maryland.




The observance at the National Cemetery will get underway just following the parade.

See you just up the hill from Sharpsburg.

Ranger Mannie

More joys of living in Civil War country

So My wife gets home from the bookstore the other day and says:


"Hey didja' see the guy up at the corner has a cannon?"


We walked down the road and took a gander.




Not quite authentic, but certainly better than not having a cannon at all.


I reminded her that my birthday is the end of this month.

'nuff said.

Ranger Mannie

Rolf's wall: Part two and conclusion

Today was a red-letter day at Antietam. Rolf, the master wall builder, set his form and level for the final time on the magnificent Hagerstown Pike wall.

(cross-section...no mortar of any sort)


One year ago I posted a piece on the long, dry-laid, stone wall that Rolf from the Cultural Resources Division of Antietam National Battlefield has been working on for years (http://volunteersinparks.blogspot.com/2006/05/robert-frost-on-rolfs-wall.html). You can click on the title of this post to go back there.

Knowing that he's been coming down the home stretch for the past month I reckoned today would be a good day to drop in on him and his assistant, Andy, to see how things were progressing. It was the ideal moment.

The morning was perfect, crisp and clear with the scent of new-mown hay in the air. I approached Rolf just as he was setting his "a-frame" wall form for the final time on this project. He was happy to see me with camera in hand as all three of us knew that this was a special day.

Rolf has been working on this project seasonally (March through October) for seven years. How many people do you know who can account for every day of their labor for the last week let alone the last seven years? Rolf needs only to look back at the half mile or so as his wall rolls on toward Sharpsburg.

As Rolf leveled and squared his form I looked toward the near horizon, his perfectly uniform work of art marches up the hill and beyond. What an elegant accomplishment; simple and sublime. There's no reason that this beautiful wall won't still be there to greet the 250th anniversary of the battle.

Throughout April and May I've been having my lunch every Friday with the folks at Cultural Resources, and they are a fine bunch of banannas. I've really enjoyed getting beyond just a nodding acquaintance with Rolf and Andy. They are emblematic of everyone in that division, hard-working, incredibly talented, and very funny. Recently Rolf told us over the lunch table that "a stone setter is nothing but a carpenter who's had his brains knocked out" or at least that's what a carpenter told him. That got quite a laugh from all hands, especially because of the irony of the statement. This particular stone-setter, the powerfully built and affable Navy veteran, has created an enduring piece of functional art and all with his bare hands, an intuitive knowledge of each stone, and a very keen eye.


Traditional skills live on...


just north of Sharpsburg

Ranger Mannie