The Gettysburg post is here, everyone.

The way things have been going lately, I might have to start doing a credits column every post; I've been blessed to be allowed to use several different people's photos recently. Most of the photos are mine this time, though quite a number are Emma's. Thanks again, Emma.

I could take the time to tell you that our "Mr. Raine Tour" of Gettysburg was fun. Only problem is, that would be an understatement, and I think you'll gather how much fun we had from the post. I did tuck in a few things before the Gettysburg photos. It's a long post - better get started.

In Tribute to a Man...

...and that man's my brother. His birthday was Monday.

Happy Birthday, Conrad.

A Mission to Find Red Bridge

Here's a girl with a mission, with her family, who share the mission, right behind.

A bridge it is; a red bridge it is not. Which way do we go next?

Mission Accomplished

You know how, if there's an edge to the sidewalk, children walk on it not the sidewalk, or, if there's a wall beside the path, they walk on the wall? It's the same way with old covered bridges: they walk the side beams instead of the floor.

"I smile because you're my sister; I laugh because there is nothing you can do about it."

Charity waits patiently for me to finish using her camera. Patience has it's limits. She hunts up her emissary.

A boy with a mission this time. I have a bad feeling about this...

Conrad stares into the watery depths while I take "two last pictures."

First last picture.

Second last picture.

I stare into the watery depths and wonder why in the world I didn't bring "my" camera.

A Mr. Raine Tour of Gettysburg

...a place of dead leaves and dead men.

General ORDERS, No. 1 (from Mr. Raine) to "those interested in a Gettysburg Tour":

I. The army will assemble to the position of the IFRC headquarters at 7:00 in the evening on October 9. The Chief Engineer will demonstrate the proceedings of the States, the Army of the Potomac, and the Army of Northern Virginia leading up to the Gettysburg Campaign.

Those interested.

He's interested but it's not going to get him very far. Girls only!

I'm still puzzled what Mr. Raine's wingspan had to do with the battle.

II. The squadrons will withdraw after the above proceedings to their own encampments around 9:00 and will reassemble en masse at 7:00 a.m. on October 10 at the IFRC headquarters.

All roads lead to Gettysburg?

This one sure does.

You've heard that Gettysburg was all about shoes? On the way in, Mr. Raine made sure that we wouldn't mistake this for the shoe factory.

Mr. Raines calls the first halt. He had the authority to. See part IV of General Orders:

IV. The Chief Engineer will direct the army, as he may think proper, to proceed to Gettysburg, and occupy that ground until 6:00 p.m.

This wasn't an official father and daughter trip, but here's a father and daughter... (Believe me, the dads always make it fun. :)

Mr. Raine puts a non-existent bird into a non-existent nest in a non-existent tree; but, it wasn't a fictional bird, a fictional nest, or a fictional tree. There really was such a bird and such a nest and such a tree at the battle of Gettysburg.

Grace

See this guy in the sunglasses? Well, remember him. He's going to be popping up a lot this post.

The train must have just gone.

How do I know? It's tracks are still here of course.

(That one was passed down from Pappy to Mom and then to me.)

Mr. Raine uses me as a prop to illustrate firing from the second rank.

Searching for the definition of "enfilade fire" in the eleven pages of information we were given.

Emma takes a well-earned rest from photography.

With his back to the plaque
(He knows what is on it),
All the info it lacks,
He'll supply every bit.

Kara's latest method of rolling her eyes over the gory details of... sorry to let you hanging -- just too gory for the blog. ;-)

Every once in a while, we'd get close to one of the "real" tours (no offense to you, Mr. Raine).

A "real tour" gets close to us -- a bit too close for Mr. Phero's liking.

I told you he'd be popping up; in this case, popping up to pop a sticker on his unsuspecting sister-in-law's back.

We break out the provisions.

V. Each of the troops must be supplied by the chiefs of household to one meal of rations and an adequate supply of water.

Mr. Clayton, not too sure about eating his lunch at the spot where thousands of dead horses were buried.

How 'bout that for a lunch?

HannahGrace prefers more delicate portions.

The reenactor who offered us cornbread, and in return wanted to know all about Amish.

Kara fills up on cornbread, while I fill him in on Amish.

Nope, we're not Amish. :-)

The guy who haunts this post brushes off lunch crumbs, and we're ready to march again.

Our Tour Guide

"The man who knows 99% of all things"...

...consults his notes.

And if he got disoriented, Mr. Botsford condescended to let him take a peek at his map.

You don't think I really know that much? Just make me a hundred question quiz then and see how many I get right!

(Which his children did one time. He got ten right. But you know what he said? Those 90 questions that he didn't get right just happened to be part of that 1% that he doesn't know.)

One of the highlights of the days for me was that the Einwechter girls let me use their camera (an SR I think?). It feels so much more professional to squint through a viewfinder.

My sentiments about going back to the little point-and-shoot are obvious.

If they would have had these back in 1863, Lee may not have lost track of Stuart and his cavalry.

The only thing I saw all day that reminded me of cavalry.

Persecution of the Paparazzi *sigh*