A recent Revolutionary War reenactment down in Hampton, VA, gave us an opportunity to do more exploring down in the Tidewater/coastal region of Virginia.
Our own members of the 1st VA Musket Company
We were transported back to 1775, and the 1st Virginia Regiment of the Continental Line was joining several other revolutionary war reenactment groups to take part in the first ever reenactment of the Battle of Hampton.
This battle was noteworthy in that it was the first battle of the revolutionary war on Virginia soil. Reenacting what was generally a sea battle was also an ambitious undertaking!
Watching for the British Royal Navy
Young Patriot ready for action!
British Royal Navy ships sailed up the Hampton river, intent on burning Hampton to the ground in retaliation for the looting and burning of a British ship that ran aground in the river a couple of months prior.
The Patriots fought from the shore as the British ships lobbed artillery rounds from the deck of the ship.
The battle then moved on shore, where the Patriots engaged in close combat on the city streets. (Technically, this is historically inaccurate because the British never really landed on shore, but the event organizers included the land battle for more exciting spectating and because they wanted to provide a view of what might have happened if the British did make a landing.) You will notice that much of downtown Hampton is comprised of modern buildings, but there are a few historic structures around town and the encampment Mill Point Park was on an actual historic campsite of the Patriot militia.
Marching off to continue the battle on land
The battle was fierce (and loud!). The video clips below don't do it justice but will give you the flavor of the battle.
Patriot line (rifles, muskets and artillery)
Artillery fire
Musket fire through artillery smoke
Ultimately, the colonists prevailed and turned the lobster-backs away in defeat, saving the city and solidifying Virginia's resolve to join the list of states taking part in the rebellion.
Mustering for inspection after the battle
Two generations of Patriots, fighting for freedom
Musicians playing period instruments in the encampment
We also took in a few other nearby historic sights while we were down in the Hampton area.
The St. John's Episcopal Church, established in 1610, is the oldest English-speaking parish in America. The church pictured below was built in 1728 and is the 4th home for this parish. It suffered damage in three different wars and has endured many restorations over the years. We enjoyed wandering around the vast churchyard looking at the many gravestones dating back several centuries.
St. John's Episcopal Church
We also visited "Freedom's Fortress" (a/k/a Fort Monroe), which is the largest stone fort ever built in the United States.
View down one side of the fort
It's strategically located on Old Point Comfort in the Chesapeake Bay, which has long been recognized as an important location for defense of our nation's coastline. The first fort was built on this location in 1609, back in the days of John Smith and the Virginia Company.
View of Chesapeake Bay from the ramparts at the top of the fort
Entrance gate to Fort Monroe
Casemate No. 2, where Jefferson Davis was imprisoned after the Civil War
The stone fortress that stands today was completed in 1831 and earned it's name as "Freedom's Fortress" because of the contraband camps that were set up by Union forces stationed at the fort to shelter slaves seeking freedom during the Civil War. Despite being in Virginia, the fort never fell out of Union control during the Civil War. The fort remained a key location in our national defense and an operational fort until it was BRAC'd (closed) in 2011.
With Colonial Williamsburg and the Historic Triangle only about 20 minutes away (both among our favorite places in VA), we will definitely be making an effort to see more of this beautiful and historic coastal Virginia area in the year to come.
Shenandoah Nat'l Park--looking west toward West Virginia
The fall colors we saw in Upstate New York two weekends ago (blog post forthcoming--having to rewrite this one after losing it during a computer crash!) and the sense of impending winter got us out the door on a cool, crisp day this past weekend in search of some more fall beauty and harvest-time treats.
We had been keeping a close eye on the "fall color update" blog on the NPS website for Shenandoah National Park because we knew the display along Skyline Drive, which meanders its way through the park along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, would be spectacular.
Here's an enticing passage from the latest park ranger blog entry describing the display going on in the park:
"Sumacs throughout the Park are in different stages. These shrubs don’t ever seem to play by the rules: in places where the rest of the woods are mostly green, sumacs might explode in unnatural-looking neon palettes; where the woods are every shade you can think of, the cagey shrubs might still be as green as Ireland. Sassafras trees are festive – turmeric gold in some spots, a candy bowl of tones – all on one tree – somewhere else. Along Skyline Drive scarlet Virginia creeper slithers over rock walls, as if trying to escape the lowlands and sneak across the road to safety. You might suddenly look up and catch a golden-orange hickory rising like a Jack-o’-Lantern into a turquoise sky – a scene so instantly lovely your next breath fails you and you gasp with glee."
Endless views from one of the many overlooks
We entered the park just north of Charlottesville, and drove about 65 miles north on Skyline Drive, exiting the park several hours later at its northern border in Front Royal. The pictures (although they don't do justice to the colors), will show you some of the sights we saw along the way.
On the ridgeline on scenic Skyline Drive
Literally ablaze with color
Incredible views on a gorgeous, sunny day
Enjoying unexpected splashes of color
Deep reds into browns
Some trees were a palette of color, all on their own
Glimpses of nature's mosaic around every turn
This tree was about halfway through its transformation
Gorgeous reds
Happy adventurers
If we look a little blue-lipped and cold in the pictures, we definitely were! An Arctic front had blown in for the weekend, and most parts of Skyline Drive seem to be around the 3000' elevation. The winds were gusty, and temps never got out of the high 30s. At one stop, we noticed there was something blowing around in the air, and we realized it was snowflakes that had formed due to some slight moisture in the air.
On top of the world, Mom!
Not surprisingly, we weren't the only ones who had the idea to head to the Shenandoah. Thankfully, we trusted our hunch that there would be less traffic driving north through the park rather than southbound. At times, it was a little like driving through parts of Yellowstone, where people abandon their cars in the middle of the road to get pictures of bears, only here people were hurrying to capture pics of the fleetingly beautiful fall colors.
Navigating the impromptu parking lot of cars
Constant stream of cars coming southbound on Skyline Drive
Corridor of color through the windshield
On the way home, we stopped by The Apple House in Front Royal for fresh apple cider and their legendary hot apple cider donuts (yum!).
Hope magical fall colors and tasty harvest treats are delighting your days, wherever you are, dear family and friends!
It's hard to miss the unusual structure on the east side of the freeway as you're headed north on I-95 near Quantico, VA (about 40 miles south of DC). We've driven by it many times on our way to/from other carpe diem adventures, always in too big a hurry to stop.
The National Museum of the Marine Corps opened in 2006 and serves as a tribute to Marines, past, present and future. Its design is meant to bring to mind the brave Marines who raised the flag on Iwo Jima.
Replica of Iwo Jima near the museum
Even though our colors fly blue and gold now, the hubs still bleeds scarlet and gold ("Once a Marine, Always a Marine"), so it was especially meaningful for him to get to spend time there.
These pictures don't do the place justice, but if you get a chance to go, be prepared to be blown away from the moment you walk through the doors.
Soaring atrium in the entrance to the museum
Planes from all eras on display
We have seen a lot of aviation and military museums, but I was overwhelmed by the quality of the exhibitry and the sheer volume of information conveyed. It starts with the birth of the Marine Corps at Tun Tavern in 1775 and takes visitors through Vietnam.
Early battle flag of the Marines
Ironclad in the Civil War era
Drum major for the President's Own (the Marine Corps Band)
World War I Marine aviation
Young Marine aviator
Young Marine in the War of 1812
Very lifelike!
Marine anti-tank gun with crew
Vietnam-era M50 Ontos ("Thing") Tank Destroyer
The motto of the US Marine Corps is "Semper Fidelis" or "Semper Fi" (always faithful). When the nation has called, the Marines have gone, to every clime and place (such as China during the Boxer Rebellion, or the Barbary Coast or, more recently, Iraq and Afghanistan).
The museum will begin construction of its final phase starting early next year, teaching visitors about the Marines' role in present day conflicts. Go and see this museum if you get the opportunity, and God bless the Marines!
