Battlefields

When I visit Washington, I usually go with a friend to one of the civil war battlefields in the area (we travel some distances - we spend a fascinating day in Gettysburg a few years ago). I recorded some videos of these visits

Manassas [Bull Run)] (VA)
Balls Bluff (VA)
Antietam [Sharpsburg] (MD)

But Britain has its interesting battlefields too. I have always lived in Central England - and so have been a frequent visitor to the sites of two of the most important battles in British History

Bosworth

The Battle that ended the War of the Roses, saw the death of Richard III and the start of the Tudor dynasty. The exact site of the battle was in doubt for many years - as the documentary evidence was open to a number of different interpretations. However a major archeological investigation has shown the actual site. Work was due to finish last week on the new outdoor interpretation and trail.

You can link to the website of the Bosworth Battlefield here.

The photograph on today's post is taken from the 1955 Laurence Olivier film of Shakespeare's Richard III. However Bosworth looks NOTHING like this. The film was shot in Spain. There are no mountains in the background of this green, rolling countryside in Leicestershire. As the Richard III Society would point out, that is probably one of the least of the inaccuracies of the play and film.

Naseby


The decisive battle of the English Civil War - in which the Parliamentary forces destroyed the main field army of King Charles I. It was fought on 14th June 1645.

Details of the project to enhance the visitors' facilities can be found here.

Commemorating Battles

2011 is the 150th anniversary of the start of the American Civil War - and there will be a succession of commemorations of the great battles, and more localised ones.

Further details can be found via the following links
Fort Sumter
Manassas (Bull Run)
Balls Bluff

Today a House Resolution is to be considered under the "Suspensions" procedure in the House of Representatives - but the subject isn't a battle a mere century and a half ago. Instead H.Res. 1704 seeks to commemorate the Battle of Marathon - 2500 years ago! (490 BC).

An earlier Washminster post deal with one of the great English Civil War battles - Naseby.

Two Years Ago?

As the mid terms approach, I am reminded how different the mood was only two years ago. I attended the rally on election-eve in Manassas (you can see me behind the gentleman in an orange jacket (wearing a green jumper - it was very cold!)



One of the videos I took at the rally captures the mood

Confederate Cemetery on Manassas Battlefield

Further information about the Groveton Cemetery can be found here.

A visit to Manassas

At the weekend my good friend John Dickert and I made our latest visit to a major Civil War Battlefield. Over the years I have had the privilege of taking these trips with John during my visits to the USA.

This visit took us north to the battlefield of Balls Bluff - and then southwards to Manassas - the site of two battles - both lost by the"North". There is a lot of information about the battles - the first (which was the first major battle of the civil war) was fought in July 1861; and the second in August 1862 - on the internet. I particularly recommend

The National Park Service
Civil War Album
Civil War Preservation Trust

During the day I made a few video recordings showing key places on the site

Modern Political Oratory

Yesterday's post was on the JFK Inauguration Speech. One of the key contributors to that speech was Ted Sorensen (whose book 'Counselor' was one of my favourite reads last year) has commented upon modern political oratory -



As we prepare for tomorrow's inauguration - a few words from Obama. This was taken by a fellow attender at the Manassas Rally (viewing the speech from a different position to me - http://washminster.blogspot.com/2008/11/manassas-rally.html)