Battles, droughts, and wetlands
Oct. 15th, 2007 01:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
innerslytherinThis weekend was a blast.
Mom & Dad & I left early Saturday morning and headed down towards Kentucky. Dad asked me to take over driving sometime north of Louisville, which was a mistake for him. *grin* Because I saw a billboard for the Bass Pro Shop, and he wouldn't have stopped there...but I was driving! So we went there, and I got a new pair of hiking boots and a pair of pants that zip off into shorts, which I have been wanting. (I have a pair, actually, but I can only wear the shorts--the trouser legs are too tight and won't fit over hiking boots.
From there we headed down to Perryville, Kentucky, where we took a nice long walk over the battlefield. It was fascinating.
The Battle of Perryville (or the Battle of Chaplin Hills, for you Yanks) was fought on 8 October 1862, during a drought. So we were there basically a week later in the year than the battle, and during the same basic conditions. I've got to say, hiking that terrain in shorts and a tank top was a bit rough--fighting and charging and dying on those hills while dressed in wool and carrying a rucksack on your back....I can't imagine it. A lot of the creeks we saw at the battlefield and in surrounding countryside were utterly dry (we saw one boy riding his bike along the creekbed). The location of the battle happened basically because both Union and Confederate armies were looking for water, and they'd heard Doctors Creek had water left in it.
I'll have pictures to post later, but as I said, it's hard to imagine fighting a battle in that terrain. The Confederates would charge up a ridge, in the face of Union artillery fire, and push the Yankees back, only to have the Yanks fall back to the next ridge and reform along the top of it. Confederate General Donelson thought he was flanking the Union, but the terrain was so hilly that he just didn't see the Union left forming up behind the ridge. He hit the Union smack in the middle of their line. I think Donelson's boys pushed the Yanks back from three ridgetops before they fell back. Some regiments (both north and south) suffered upwards of 60% casualties. It didn't help that because of the hilly terrain, commanding Confederate General Buell didn't even realize that his soldiers were engaged until a messenger requested aid.
The Confederates pushed the Yankees into retreat, which gave them the tactical victory of the battle; but because Perryville effectively ended the Confederate push to "liberate" Kentucky from the Union, it was a strategic loss for the Rebs.
At the battlefield museum gift store Dad bought me a reproduction writing desk, which is another thing I've been looking for for a while. I can't wait to really play with it. After that we drove up towards Madison, Indiana. I wanted to do a tour of the Wild Turkey Distillery, but unfortunately our timing was off for that. I did get some pictures, though, and we saw some nice scenery along the Kentucky River. Stayed the night in Carollton, Kentucky.
Sunday morning we got up a bit late (I think I got up around 9 and Dad was still in bed) but we headed up through Madison and drove through Clifty Falls State Park, got out and hiked one trail there, just to the observation deck over the Ohio River. Then we drove up to Muskatatuk National Wildlife Preserve, where we did more hiking. I've got to say, this drought is putting a serious cramp in my wetland visits. The water level is so ridiculously low.) We did see some Greater Yellowlegs, though, and lots of Canada Geese. We're definitely going back, because they have river otters and eagles there, as well.
Anyway, from there, we basically headed home. We made a couple of stops on the way, but nothing too exciting.
Mom & Dad & I left early Saturday morning and headed down towards Kentucky. Dad asked me to take over driving sometime north of Louisville, which was a mistake for him. *grin* Because I saw a billboard for the Bass Pro Shop, and he wouldn't have stopped there...but I was driving! So we went there, and I got a new pair of hiking boots and a pair of pants that zip off into shorts, which I have been wanting. (I have a pair, actually, but I can only wear the shorts--the trouser legs are too tight and won't fit over hiking boots.
From there we headed down to Perryville, Kentucky, where we took a nice long walk over the battlefield. It was fascinating.
The Battle of Perryville (or the Battle of Chaplin Hills, for you Yanks) was fought on 8 October 1862, during a drought. So we were there basically a week later in the year than the battle, and during the same basic conditions. I've got to say, hiking that terrain in shorts and a tank top was a bit rough--fighting and charging and dying on those hills while dressed in wool and carrying a rucksack on your back....I can't imagine it. A lot of the creeks we saw at the battlefield and in surrounding countryside were utterly dry (we saw one boy riding his bike along the creekbed). The location of the battle happened basically because both Union and Confederate armies were looking for water, and they'd heard Doctors Creek had water left in it.
I'll have pictures to post later, but as I said, it's hard to imagine fighting a battle in that terrain. The Confederates would charge up a ridge, in the face of Union artillery fire, and push the Yankees back, only to have the Yanks fall back to the next ridge and reform along the top of it. Confederate General Donelson thought he was flanking the Union, but the terrain was so hilly that he just didn't see the Union left forming up behind the ridge. He hit the Union smack in the middle of their line. I think Donelson's boys pushed the Yanks back from three ridgetops before they fell back. Some regiments (both north and south) suffered upwards of 60% casualties. It didn't help that because of the hilly terrain, commanding Confederate General Buell didn't even realize that his soldiers were engaged until a messenger requested aid.
The Confederates pushed the Yankees into retreat, which gave them the tactical victory of the battle; but because Perryville effectively ended the Confederate push to "liberate" Kentucky from the Union, it was a strategic loss for the Rebs.
At the battlefield museum gift store Dad bought me a reproduction writing desk, which is another thing I've been looking for for a while. I can't wait to really play with it. After that we drove up towards Madison, Indiana. I wanted to do a tour of the Wild Turkey Distillery, but unfortunately our timing was off for that. I did get some pictures, though, and we saw some nice scenery along the Kentucky River. Stayed the night in Carollton, Kentucky.
Sunday morning we got up a bit late (I think I got up around 9 and Dad was still in bed) but we headed up through Madison and drove through Clifty Falls State Park, got out and hiked one trail there, just to the observation deck over the Ohio River. Then we drove up to Muskatatuk National Wildlife Preserve, where we did more hiking. I've got to say, this drought is putting a serious cramp in my wetland visits. The water level is so ridiculously low.) We did see some Greater Yellowlegs, though, and lots of Canada Geese. We're definitely going back, because they have river otters and eagles there, as well.
Anyway, from there, we basically headed home. We made a couple of stops on the way, but nothing too exciting.
