My Trip to Maryland (Part 1)

So, I have a few minutes so I figured I'd tell you all about my trip to Maryland last week.

It started on Friday the 16th. We were planning on a big backyard project for the weekend so I had requested some leave to go home early. We were going to rent a tractor and do some serious remodeling. Well, at 2:30 PM, I get back to my office and my supervisor tells me that someone was needed to volunteer to go to Maryland for an audit and that the volunteer was me. My boss couldn't go because he was in training and my supervisor couldn't go because he was doing my boss' job in his absence. I called Michelle to see if we had anything that it would conflict with and she said there wasn't. So, I told my supervisor that I could go but that I would prefer not to if there was anyone else. Well, in about five minutes, he sent an email that I had proudly accepted the invitation and would love to go to MD. I figured I would still leave early, but I had to go through the process of getting approval for the trip. My supervisor and I had to walk the paperwork through the front office and then to Fiscal. About five minutes before we started this, the sky opened up into a torrential downpour. That made it so much fun (sarcasm).

So, we cancelled the plans for the weekend and the trip was set.

My trip was scheduled for Sunday the 18th through Saturday the 24th. I got to the airport with plenty of time to spare only to find out that my tickets had never been ordered. They had been reserved and my name was in the system, but they just weren't paid for. I called the travel company and they remedied it and the trip was back on.

I got to Baltimore at about 6 PM, got my rental car and went to the hotel in Frederick, MD. The next day I reported for duty. Monday was spent explaining the basics of what we were there for (even though it still didn't make much sense) and then we got out early. I knew that I wanted to go to Gettysburg, but I hadn't planned on going on Monday. With the extra time we had, I decided it would be the best day for my trip so off I went.

I got to Gettysburg at about 1:30 PM (about an hour drive) and went to the Visitors Center first. I started with the video and and the cyclorama (which was awesome) and then went to find the Walter Van Rensselaer display. I found it in short order and realized that it was pretty dark in the corner where it was located. I wasn't sure how I'd get a picture, but I found a willing photographer. I told him that Walter was my ancestor and he said he'd take my picture if I told him Walter's story. He had no idea what he was getting into.

When I got back outside, it had started raining, but it didn't last long. I tried to decipher the maps to find where the monuments to the Twentieth New York State Militia (Walter's Civil War regiment) were located. The closer of the two was the monument that was put in place along Cemetery Ridge on July 3rd, 1981. This was the location where the 20th NYSM helped to fend off the attack known as Pickett's Charge. For those who are not historians, many believe that if the Union had not held during this one charge, the war might have been lost.

The other monument was placed on the location of the fighting that took place two days before Pickett's Charge on July 1st, 1863. It was dedicated by the veterans of the 20th NYSM on October 4th, 1888.

After checking out each site a couple of times, I had dinner at General Pickett's Buffet and headed back to Frederick. I had homework to do before midnight so that just about ended that day.

It was absolutely incredible to be there. To be on the spot where those men had fought and bled and died for their country. To see where the men of the 20th stood up the immense numbers of Confederate soldiers who came rushing across that field made me feel pride beyond words.

Someday, I'll go back and spend more time in the Visitor's Center and really gain a broader understanding of the whole battle, but for now, this was more than I had hoped for.

Part 2 coming soon...For now, here is the link to Snapfish for the rest of my photos from Gettysburg. http://www5.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=4511605008/a=44950176_44950176/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/