Some photos from a walk around the State Capitol Building in Richmond VA. ​The Capitol ​Bell tower built in 1825 ​View of downtown Richmond ​The Governor’s Mansion ​Civil Rights Monument ​Memorials to famous Virginians….  George Washington ​Stonewall Jackson ​Edgar Allen Poe ​The Old City Hall

Upon assuming command of the Army of Virginia after the Battle of Seven Pines, General Robert E Lee knew that he was in trouble. The huge Union army under General George McClelland was only days away from besieging the Confederate capitol at Richmond, and was already preparing to move up their cannons to pound the … More Malvern Hill Battlefield

By April 1862, a year after Bull Run, General George McClellan finally decided that his Army of the Potomac was once again ready for combat, and laid out a plan to advance towards Richmond, hoping to end the war. But the “Peninsula Campaign” did not go as planned: McClellan now outnumbered the Confederates under General … More Seven Pines Battlefield

In the spring of 1864, the Confederates had taken a considerable pounding during the fighting at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania, and were now, General Grant thought, on the verge of collapse. “Lee’s army,” he confidently told President Lincoln, “is really whipped.” The battle at Cold Harbor would prove him wrong. After Spotsylvania, Grant’s army resumed … More Cold Harbor Battlefield

Found this in the mud on one of the battlefields a couple days ago: I didn’t think there were Armadillos this far north. But that footprint is unmistakable–it’s definitely an Armadillo.    

By the time Atlanta surrendered to the Federals, the armies of General Ulysses S Grant and Robert E Lee had been locked in a bloody stalemate at Petersburg for over a month. Grant knew that it was just a matter of time before the Confederate army, worn out from lack of supplies and reinforcements, would … More The Crater

The heavy loss at Cold Harbor had tarnished Grant’s reputation, reduced Union morale, and given a much-needed boost of hope to the Confederates, but in the end its military effect was minimal. The Federals, with their far larger army and virtually unlimited ability to supply and reinforce them, simply pulled away from Lee’s army and … More Petersburg Battlefield

[NOTE: I’ve blogged all these “how-to” posts before, but am gonna re-run them on occasion, since folks may have missed them, and many of them have been updated or expanded since they were first posted.] Most people can’t live without their TV or DVD. I don’t have a TV set or DVD player in the … More Entertainment in the Van

After a week of rain and a couple days of battlefields, I wanted a nice relaxing day outside, so I went to the Three Lakes Nature Center, a city park in Richmond VA. There are walking paths around the lakes, and a display of native reptiles and fishes. Nice place for a picnic lunch.  🙂 … More Three Lakes Nature Center

After the inconclusive slaughter at the Battle of the Wilderness, any of the previous Union Generals would have retreated to laboriously rebuild the army back to full strength, and most of the Federal soldiers assumed that General Ulysses S Grant would do the same. But when the Union vanguard reached the crossroads, with one road … More Spotsylvania Battlefield