(no subject)
After going to bed early last night (we went to the Folger Consort's Christmas concert, which is like, I don't know, the 20th year in a row for me or something close to that - fabulous as always, this year it was music from the court of Henry VIII. They even played three of my very favorite songs, including La Doune Celle. After that, we went to dinner, where my ears were assaulted by various horrible popular renditions of popular Christmas songs. From instruments that haven't been in widespread use for four hundred years & a countertenor to ... a horrible "remix" of a 1950s version of Jingle Bells. I was ready to shoot someone), I got up early this morning (7 am).
My dog thought I was crazy:
But I decided to go for a drive, since I love Virginia late autumn/winter light - everything takes on a wonderful cast.
This is what my car looked like when I got in (that's ice, people. Like, "Need to scrape it off" ice)
So, it being a toasty 35 degrees and 8 am, I decided to do what any normal person in my position would: go tromping through battlefields!
I only managed to get to Wilderness, I may do Chancellorsville tomorrow.
Wilderness is less famous than Chancellorsville for a number of reasons, but the two are quite close together in terms of land (and do in fact overlap a tiny tiny bit). Chancellorsville was fought in May of 1863, while Wilderness was fought in May of 1864. It was a draw of sorts, though Lee suffered heavy losses that he - unlike Grant & the Army of the Potomac - couldn't replenish. Certainly not much like Chancellorsville, which really does showcase some brilliant, brilliant tactics (and which was a victory for Lee, though one wonders if the loss of Jackson was worth it ...). Longstreet was wounded by friendly fire after Wilderness, but he didn't die, unlike Jackson.
The Battle of Spotsy Courthouse took place a few days later (I may trek out there, too, if only to get pictures of the so-called 'Bloody Angle', where there was extended bayonet fighting in the trenches). Also inconclusive.
Anyways, it was fairly deserted today save for a few cars with excited-looking Civil War buff husbands and their exceedingly bored looking wives, so I pretty much had the place to myself. I tromped over hill and dale and had a delightful time - and enjoyed a nice long drive in Orange & Spotsy Cos.
Virginia scenery is very subdued, probably because it's so old. There are some spectacular views once you get into the Blue Ridge, but most of my stomping grounds are amid the rolling hills that were excellent for raising horses and statesmen. I miss it frequently; it's a little depressing to think that I won't really be coming home to this next year (unless I wind up at UVa, which is a possibility).