Thursday, June 19, 2014

Gettysburg: Heat, rain and ground-bound bees



          Speedyleeway Research Month continues with yours truly arriving in Gettysburg two days ahead of the 2014 Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College. It is a standard policy to arrive a few days ahead of the conference so as to spend a few days on the battlefield, Nikon in hand.

          This year there is the added goal of grabbing a few images for an old pal and fellow Civil War enthusiast, Buck Weber.

          Upon arrival, Mrs. Leeway and I noted the ambient conditions: 91 degrees and very humid. Mrs. Leeway, observing in some depth the atmospheric idiocy, headed for the air conditioned hotel room while your loyal blogger headed out toward the battlefield.

          Hmmm.

          Generally speaking, it was a successful afternoon. By that, the sharp-minded reader will assume there were no automobile accidents and, in this, the sharp-minded reader would be correct.

          The conditions were very hazy, which is common this time of year here, so no images were collected. Both legs suffered sore muscles from climbing the steps in the Pennsylvania Monument and a steep trail on Culp’s Hill.

          Today’s wanderings included some images collected while dodging raindrops.

          This image shows the spires atop the Codori barn. This barn, with its three spires, is among the most recognizable structures on the entire battlefield and I tried the old back-lit trick against the morning sun. I confess to enhancing the contrast with the Photoshop program.

          The next two shots also come from the Codori location, one showing the Copse of trees the Confederate army aimed at during the third day’s charge and the other to the south of the Codori farm area. These images were collected in the early afternoon.


        
 
  Just to give the reader a frame of distance, there is an image of the Virginia Memorial from across the road from the Codori area, nearly a mile away. The Virginia Memorial is a very tall structure but undulations in the ground make it look short in the distance,



          Next is an image of a Union general, William Wells, who eventually was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. This image is near the base of Round Top, not far from Little Round Top.

       
        Once heavy rain started, the Nikon went under cover and your loyal blogger started driving around, looking for several markers on Culp’s Hill. None of the markers in question were found, but there was a eye-catching sign warning of swarms of ground-bound bees in the immediate area.

          The inside of the car seemed to be the better option.

          Day 1 of the CWI is Friday. I can’t wait.
 
          Thanks for reading and Happy Research Month!

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