Day 3 – US Appalachia ’24

With the internal clock starting to settle, we were done breakfast at 6:15 AM and feeling confident about the day. One might ask, why Fredericksburg? The rolling hills of this region are the sites of multiple American Civil War battlefields and monuments commemorating four major battles in the American Civil War: Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, The Wilderness, and Spotsylvania. We saw it most aptly described as “the bloodiest landscape in North America” and “No place more vividly reflects the Civil War’s tragedy in all its forms”. Our plan was to get our eyes on at least a couple of these Battlefields.

We started our morning peacefully, completing the Spotsylvania Courthouse Battlefield Tour of the area. The audio tour was most helpful, providing important background information, and guiding us through the park. The Bloody Angle site, and trail, was my favorite stop. Gorgeous countryside, with an incredibly tragic history. Of note, the entrenching here is one of precursors to Petersburg, and the eventual earthworks of WWI. Throughout the park walkers, history buffs, and park staff were on patrol! So beautiful, but horrific at the same time… with the expendability of human life without premium.

With a 9:00 AM opening, our second stop was the Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitors Centre. We began by walking the very manageable Sunken Road and Marye’s Heights trails to get a handle on the geography… indeed quite a hillside leading down to the Rappahannock River. Once in the VC, we were treated to artefact, story and video which further pulled together the significance of this 1862 battle. Focuses including the terrible toll on civilians, property, and the fleeing of slaves. Indeed, it was a huge Union defeat as officers led countless charges up the hill into a stone wall!

Our last visit, at 10:30 AM, was to Chancellorsville Battlefield Visitor Centre. We began with the video, then museum displays and audio guided tour of battlefield. Chancellorsville was another glorious Southern victory, but came at a very high cost with the death of General Stonewall Jackson. The VC touched on Chancellorsville, Wilderness and Spotsylvania campaigns and once again pressed home the terrible loss of life and property in the battles. The numbers of casualties, with all four battles included, is absolutely staggering, with more the 85,000 men wounded, and 15,000 killed. I’m quite sure there is not a more condensed area of American Civil War battlefields. As is often the case… the African American experience is loosely included (even a name would be nice).

At noon gun we turned south once again, on a busy I-95, to tackle a relatively short 4 hr drive from Fredericksburg, VA to Greensboro, NC for our accommodations at Haynes B&B. Traffic eased on our march south, and by the time we crossed to the I-85 it was pretty much trouble free highway beyond a couple of construction delays. We plopped into Greensboro at around 4:30… how’s that for sticking the rush hour landing (being the Olympics and all)! Ms Lumsden drove all the way 👍.

It was a speedy check-in at the B&B, with a short tour, dragging in of bags, and a quick Google search for supper! And it ain’t a road trip, without an Irish Pub. We stopped at M’Coul’s Public House just a few minutes stroll from our digs. Relaxing ale, good food (I finally found something green) and some reprieve just prior to a nasty rain squall. Post bar… We bounced around Elm St… noting the hipster flavour of the neighborhood on a busy Friday night. We tumbled back to enjoy the sights / sounds from the grand second floor balcony that overlooks the street below. Cheers all!

… Day 4 – US Appalachia ’24