We are back from our jolly American holiday. Just over two weeks touring mainly through Virginia, Delaware & Pennsylvania. One week with my wife and the second on my own, we covered a lot of stuff nearly all of it of interest to those of you following this blog. I thought I would just share the highlights of the holiday for now otherwise I won’t get round to it. I do of course have a lot more photos. I would welcome questions if anybody is thinking of heading to any of these spots….
Manassas /Bull Run
Quantico Marine Corps Museum
Famous flags from the Pacific
Jamestown Settlement
Jamestown reconstructed fort/settlement
Williamsburg colonial Town
Re-enactors at Williamsburg
Yorktown Revolutionary War Museum
Yorktown seafront
Virginia War museum
Virginia Air and Space museum
Fort Monroe Hampton
Fort Monroe
Cape Henry
Cape Henry
USS Wisconsin
US Navy Base Norfolk
Delaware crossing
Princeton battlefield
Chew House Germantown
Valley Forge
Washington’s HQ
Artillery Park
Chads Ford Brandywine
Seminary Cupola Gettysburg
The Angle at Gettysburg as the sun goes down on Pickets charge
Monocacy Battlefield
Ball’s Bluff Battlefield Park
Brandy Station Battlefield
Trevilians Station Battlefield (driving tour)
Mechanicsville (or what’s left of it)
Glendale
Malvern Hill
Last stop Great Bridge in Chesapeake
A splendid whistle stop tour to some lesser known spots and two wonderful days at Gettysburg. It really only rained once during the trip.
Thanks for your patience, I have a battle to post now, but tomorrow I’m back down to London for a few days. Visiting my son but also planning to visit SALUTE which I haven’t been to for ages. If anybody is going and fancies a coffee let me know
Matt
Looks like a fantastic trip and plenty to see and enjoy
ReplyDeleteThanks Neil a fun trip where I learnt a lot 👍
DeleteLooks awesome, ww11 battleships are absolutely massive aren't they. Welcome back. See you soon
ReplyDeleteFun time 👍
DeleteSeems like you had a very busy and full-on trip Matt - lots of battlefields and other historic sites visited! Enjoy your trip to London - I would love to join you for a coffee (or a pint), but......
ReplyDeleteThanks Keith a good holiday 👍
DeleteWhat a great trip!
ReplyDeleteThanks Michal
DeleteA most splendid trip you have had you certainly crammed a lot in. Very fine photos too!
ReplyDeleteThanks Phil splendid indeed 👍
DeleteNice set of pictures and descriptions. Is the fence at Brandy Station no longer there?
ReplyDeleteThanks for checking in. I haven’t been to Brandy Station previously. Certainly as of now there are three separate sections of the battlefield open to the public. The notices indicate that the site has expanded and is still under development with more access planned in the future. Fleetwood Hill is particularly interesting and worth a visit 👍
DeleteI always enjoy your take on the various hobby related/military history trips! You fitted a good deal in too. Despite myself, I feel like another sortie would be fun, but then reality kicks in sadly...👴🏻
ReplyDeleteThanks David it was a fun holiday and hopefully not my last trip to the US although I guess the flights gradually become more of a pain.
DeleteExcellent trip by the look of it. No doubt lots of inspiration fir new games
ReplyDeleteThanks Dave certainly a few ideas for the future
DeleteGreat looking trip, you packed a lot in! Enjoy Salute, I'm going to miss it this year, probably for the best!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Thanks Iain partly the benefit of being an independent traveller free to wander at my own pace 🙂
DeleteSuperb trip by the look of it Matt, so many iconic places visited and documented, look forward to seeing a report from Salute.
ReplyDeleteThanks Donnie , Gettysburg certainly at the top of the pile although I really enjoyed Valley Forge as well
DeleteWhat a whirlwind trip! You have a good sense of what to see as well, I assume you got all the photos you wanted to on each stop. I'd agree that two days in Gettysburg is a must, especially given how far you must travel.
ReplyDeleteThanks Joe, I had done quite a bit of planning before Gettysburg so I was able to make the most of my 2 days, helped by good weather. I have loads of photos but I try not to take too many as it is more about the experience of being at the place for me.
DeleteWow - you got to see so much! Rather envious mate (One day I'll make it out East to see these places). Am sure seeing all those sites in person will only help make your AWI tabletops even better looking and accurate.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dai the benefit of being a free agent. Obviously high recommended for anybody interested in AWI or ACW…or military history in general ?
DeleteThat looks like a great trip Matt. I'd love to get back to the US some day and do the battlefield tours as you have.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lawrence, I guess partly luck and partly good planning. Obviously highly recommended my second trip to Virginia and Pennsylvania so I do feel I have given the ACW battlefields a good go
DeleteYou really get around, Matt! Has having boots on the ground changed you opinion of the fighting at Brandywine?
ReplyDeleteThanks Jon, Brandywine was a bit of a quick visit and due to the size of the battlefield and modern development hard to really walk the ground. One thing I would say is my Hessians should have had more cover trying to cross at Chads Ford 🙂 I suppose my main take away is not trying too hard to recreate the actual geography as the real world is so complex. One interesting example at Gettysburg is the shallow dip in front of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge, you wouldn’t be aware of it unless you walked the ground. Apparently some of Pickets men used this slight depression to try and dress their line before hitting the stone wall, it would have been very tempting to stay in the dip !
DeleteWhat a fabulous trip!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ray a highly recommended trip 👍 are you heading to salute this year Ray ?
DeleteWonderful stuff Matt you must be shattered, hopefully catch you on your return North.
ReplyDelete