A Year Of Haiku (XIV): Moonset

Pre-dawn's trailing clouds

diffuse the moon as my breath

parts the morning cold.

2022 PA DE MD: A Retrospective

 

Thanks for coming along with me (and The Ravishing Mrs. TB) on our vacation to Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland.  I hope you enjoyed it (virtually) as much as we did.

I have to confess that overall, my knowledge of the East Coast/New England is rather vague.  As some may have divined from my writings over the years, I am not from that part of the country and thus it is many ways remains terra incognito to me - for example, the concept that one can drive through multiple states in a scant series of hours is a novelty I cannot get over.  As such, this really represents the first time in my 50 + years that I have actually explored this region at all.

One thing that caught my attention was that this part of the country simply reeks of history.  All kinds of history.  In the course of five days we touched on colonial, Revolutionary, 1812, and the Civil War.  in some cases, you cannot help but stumbling over it.  I wonder if one understands what that means, except if one is from a region where that is not nearly as true.

History, for me at least, is always alive.  To walk the Brandywine battlefield or to see the paintings last touched by Andrew Wyeth or the forts defended by US Soldiers or even the gardens built by industrialists that enabled beauty to survive where only industrialism or development otherwise would have - ghosts walk there, ghosts of those I can hear.  History in these places - and by extension, the life that I now life - is real to me in a way that books can never make it, that movies with stars and special effects can never truly portray.  

The ground Washington and Von Steuben walked, I walked,  The scenery that Andrew Wyeth saw and painted, I saw.  Where the founding liberties of this country were codified and executed and defended, I saw and in some ephemeral way, participated in.  And where those liberties and rights were defended, I looked from their ramparts.

This, to me, is amazing.  And leaves me with nothing but gratitude to all who undertook such things so that we, now, could enjoy what we enjoy in every sphere of life - be it political or civil liberties or arts or simply the ability to take it all in.

2022 PA DE MD: Fort McHenry

Fort McHenry is located at the mouth of Baltimore Harbor in Baltimore, MD.  A pentagonal coastal defense fort, it is known for its defense of Baltimore on 13-14 September 1814 during the War of 1812, when the fortress sustained a 25 hour attack by a British fleet under Vice-Admiral Cochrane with rockets and mortars.  The fleet was trying to get into Baltimore harbor, the only port in the then-US which had not (to date) been occupied or attacked by the British in the Revolutionary War or the War of 1812. 

At the end of 25 hours, the British fleet retreated, having been unsuccessful at breaking the fort.  To celebrate the event, the commander of Fort McHenry, Major George Armistead, broke out the garrison flag, 30' by 42', with the then-current 17 stars and 17 stripes, to indicate the American victory.  A young lawyer detained by the British after a prisoner negotiation, Francis Scott Key, was onboard during the entire bombardment.  After the battle, he composed a poem - and the rest, as they say, is history.

By national decree, the fort is a National Shrine (the only national shrine in the United States) and as such, the flag has been decreed to fly above the fort every day of the year, 24 hours a day.

2022 PA DE MD: Nemours Estate

Nemours, located in Wilmington, DE, was the estate of Alfred I. Du Pont (another of the Du Pont Family - reading up a bit on them, living proof that money creates as many problems in families as it solves).  It is 400 acres and includes what are billed as the largest French Gardens in the United States.  On the estate is also the 77 room mansion, furnished just as it was back in the day (some amazing pieces of artwork).  Pictures without words here; again, another place we got to with not quite enough time to truly enjoy everything.  Also highly recommended.

2022 PA DE MD: Fort Delaware

 After our time in Philadelphia, we headed out the next day to Delaware, a state I had never been to (if you have never read up on it, it has a fascinating colonial era history:  at one time there was Swedish settlement there that preceded the Dutch, and there was even a war about it).  Our first stop was Fort Delaware.

Fort Delaware (accessed via ferry from Delaware City) is a fort built on Pea Patch Island in the middle of the Delaware River - that shore you see on the other side is New Jersey.  It was built following the War of 1812 to provide a more outwardly defense to Philadelphia.

The island itself was naturally occurring, but was built up over the years.

The fort's most significant use came during the American Civil War, where it both guarded to route to Philadelphia as well as be used as a prisoner of war camp for Confederate prisoners.

We were fortunate in that it was Living History Day.  A number of young people (young to me, anyway) were in period costume and acts.  Here, they fire one of the larger guns:

The tan building is a recreation of a prisoner of war barracks:

The interior of the fort is in pretty good shape, considering age and use:

Blacksmith's shop:

What you got as a Union soldier to eat:

A place to spend quality time:

If one finds one's self in the area, highly recommended for an hour or three.

2022 PA DE MD: Philadelphia

Traveling on from Valley Forge, we headed to the place where the writing all happened.  It is now collected under the heading of Independence National Historical Park.

Independence Hall:

This was the old State Court.  Note how the set up:  judge seats, lawyers tables - are similar to our modern courts:

If you know your American paintings, you will recognize following room:  it is the room that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed in.  

Scene at Signing of the Constitution - Howard Chandler Christy, 1940 (Source)

All but one piece of the furniture is period correct but not original.  The one piece that is original is the chair you see at the front, where Washington sat.

This is the Syng inkstand, used to sign the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.  Along with the George Washington Chair, Independence Hall itself, and the Constitution, it is one of the few original surviving items.

Just across the courtyard from Independence Hall is the original Congressional Chamber:

And Senate:

Just off the Senate chambers are pictures of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette:

Government offices in the building.  I believe the second one was the Library of Congress. It has expanded a bit...

The Liberty Bell:

Just down the street was Benjamin Franklin's grave:

And Betsy Ross' house and grave.

 I have to admit, I surprisingly enjoyed this visit.  It was good to be at the place where it all happened.  Inspiring, one might say.