Some motels have waffle makers in the breakfast room. Pour the mix in the iron, turn it over, wait two minutes and a big fresh waffle is born. Coat with maple syrup. Yum
Finally under way we set out on the Natchez Trace for a little while. The Trace is an ancient pathway from the lower Mississippi to near Nashville Tennessee. It was used by farmers who would float their produce down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, then walk back home along the Trace. Before that it was used by Indian tribes as a natural roadway. We even visited an ancient Indian Mound made before history. It covers 8 acres raised with ceremonial mounds on top of that.
We only did a small amount of the Trace before it turned away from the big river and we headed north to Vicksburg to visit a Civil War battlefield. It seems the Confederates took control of the Mississippi River and stopped the north from using it for trade. The North needed it back and the final battles were at Vicksburg, where the Confederates had the high ground. Under the command of General U S Grant, several assaults were made and repelled with the loss of thousands of men. Finally Grant besieged the town for 47 days with continual bombardment until the opposing General surrendered.
The battlefield is well preserved with hundreds of monuments placed where troops were stationed or fought. There were more than 70,000 combatants in a suprisingly small area. Apparently between skirmishes they would call out to each other. The monuments range from small stone plaques to giant cathedral-sized marble memorials. The road winds across two ridgetops held by each side. There is also a large museum containing a river gunboat that was sunk by torpedo and raised in the 1960s. Steam powered and heavily armoured, it weighed over 500 tons.
Included in the area is a National Cemetery with 17,000 Union troops as well as soldiers from every war up to Korea, after which the cemetery was closed for burials. The Confederate soldiers from the battlefield were buried in another place within the town. Also of note is that the surrender was on 4th July and subsequently the town did not participate in Independence Day celebrations for over 80 years after the Siege.
After spending several hours here, we parted company with Jack and Linda again for a couple of days. Jack wants to see some machinery in Dallas and we want to travel through Arkensas, so we will meet up again in Witcheta Falls, Texas for the final run home.
Should be a few pics for today:
The mound apparently made by Indians in the distant past
The only remaining lodging house on the Trace, preserved by Nat Parks
At the Battlefield Park, Vicksburg, a range of cannons used in the Civil War
Mortar cannon. Short barrel, 10" ball.
One of many spires in the park
Cannons still in place
Large monument for the Illinois regiments
Inside the monument with list of casualties. Found some Lovells
Tribute to African American Union soldiers. It was mildly amusing to me that both sides were surprised that they made excellent fighting men. To me, they were fighting for far more than the average white enlisted man.
General U S Grant
Remains of the gunship Cairo which was sunk by torpedo. The metal armour was about 2" thick.
Graveyard Road. Along this ridge many hundreds of soldiers died in attempted assaults on positions.
Confederate emplacements were signposted in red.
Today, we turned up 20,000 miles for the trip so far
It is corn harvest time and these guys are on the road everywhere.
No comments:
Post a Comment