We won the Battle of I-270!

To quote the poet Robert Browning: "The best laid schemes of Mice and Men, oft go awry." (And just to head off the cries of "What a big geek!" accompanied by the tossing of over-ripe fruits and vegetables, I will confess right here that I had to look up the author. There, satisfied? But don't ask me why he imagined mice making plans...thank goodness I left poetry analysis behind in High School!) In this case, the agenda in question involved a Family Field Trip to Gettysburg, to visit the Civil War Battlefield. It seemed like a timely patriotic idea, given that we are in the middle of July 4th weekend, and that it is the 150th anniversary of the beginnings of the War Between the States. Besides, Husband and I have toured Gettysburg, (over a decade ago, in the winter, when there was about a foot of snow on the ground) but the sons hadn't been yet. And there were supposed to be all sorts of demonstrations (including a battle re-enactment) going on over the holiday weekend. So, we packed up a cooler with lots of water and snacks, and hit the road.


Spirits were high as we headed west toward Frederick...right up until traffic came to a screeching halt on the highway. And started up again. And stopped. And crawled. Etc. Perhaps other people--many, many other people--had the same clever idea for a blazingly sunny, hot summer Saturday. Awesome. Now, I really wanted to return to Gettysburg...but I really, REALLY have a zero-tolerance personal policy regarding traffic...nonsense. So to avoid a meltdown (mine) we quickly concocted and implemented Plan B: get the heck out of the Evil Traffic Jam and visit an Alternative Civil War Site. I happened to know that a few miles off the Interstate from where we were stuck lies the Monocacy National Battlefield. An impromptu exit (so long, suckers!) succeeded in taking us quickly away from the mayhem and towards a bubbling river (of the same name), serene green fields, and the requisite cannons that are the key to making any historical journey complete for us.


A friendly and knowledgeable Ranger at the Visitor's Center provided brochures and guidance. (Derek even lobbied to buy a book summarizing all of the major skirmishes that occurred in Maryland...yes, he's definitely my little Nerdling...) We puttered about, enjoying the interactive educational displays--like push-button maps that light up specific areas of combat, and explain what happened there; and replica wool uniforms to try on, and 20-pound packs to lift, so one could briefly experience what a soldier would have been forced to endure. What we learned: the battle took place on July 9th, 1864, during the "third and final Confederate invasion of the North." The Rebel General, Jubal Early, was marching through Maryland, with the ultimate goal of capturing the nation's capital. The engagement at Monocacy delayed and weakened his forces, allowing time for Union reinforcements to arrive by steamship and fortify Washington D.C.'s defenses. There was a clash in the city, but the Northern forces held their ground under the watchful eye of President Lincoln.


Having absorbed our lesson for the day, we trotted out to hike in the shady forest along the quiet Monocacy River (much smaller and calmer than its rambunctious cousin, the Potomac). We observed the minnows, we listened to the songbirds...we even spotted the 5-foot long black snake that the Park Service calls its "mascot"! (They named him for one of the generals, but darned if I can remember which one...that definitely merits a deduction on my Quiz Score for today!) To sum up, we survived traffic travails, studied an underappreciated-but-cool Civil War location, and  even managed a walk in the woods. Altogether a satisfying and successful on-the-fly Plan B!