Civil War Tour - Day 4

We started off back in Richmond at the Museum of the Confederacy and the Confederate White House. At the Museum they had a lot of really neat artifacts from the Civil War. Next we went to Hollywood Cemetery, where many important military & political leaders are buried. We then went to Cedar Mountain Battlefield, where Jackson defeated Banks. We finished up with a dinner from Mrs. Sides.
Museum of the Confederacy
Artifacts from Lee's Tent
A field notebook through which an officer was shot
Grave of Douglas Southall Freeman
Historian of the Civil War
My father at James Madison's Grave
My father at Jefferson Davis's Grave
Me at Cedar Mountain
Cedar Mountain Battlefield

Civil War Tour - Day 3

Yesterday we started off at the Marinier's Museum, specifically focusing on the first ironclad vs. ironclad battle, the Monitor and the Merrimack. We next went to the Richmond battlefield visitor's center, and Malvern Hill battlefield, the last combat of the Seven Days Battles.
Taking Notes at the Mariner's Museum

Full size replica of the Monitor
Me speaking at Malvern Hill

The Confederate forces attempted to charge up the hill on cannon like these

Civil War Tour - Day 2

Today we started at Harper's Ferry, an strategically important location in the Civil War. There we talked about John Brown's raid to free to free the slaves. We next went to Manassas battlefield, the first battle of the Civil War where the Confederates routed the Union and Jackson earned the name Stonewall. 
Street at Harper's Ferry
My father speaking at Manassas
Audio Recording
Me at the Jackson statue
Exploring the Henry House at Manassas


Civil War Tour - Day 1

Today we began our tour of the Civil War. We started by talking about the war of 1812, so we visited Fort McHenry, where the Star Spangled Banner was written. Then we visited the USS Constellation, a Civil War era sailing ship. We finished up with Arlington, home of Robert E. Lee and now a national cemetery.

Fort McHenry
Cannon Looking out into Baltimore Harbor
Demonstrating a gun crew
USS Constellation
Fellowshipping in Baltimore

Arlington, Home of Robert E. Lee
Arlington surrounded by the cemetery

Sunset Over the Ohio

Last week while traveling to Ohio for a filming trip (check back soon for a post on that) we were able to see a great sunset over the Ohio river.

New England Filming Trip

Last month, we went up to New England to film part of our Civil War DVD series, which will be on the antebellum period leading up to the Civil War. Stephen Breagy, one of our friends, came with us to help, and also Erik Woodard, a video producer who is staying with us. On July 7, we drove up to New England, and spent the night at Princeton. The next morning we filmed at Princeton University:
Nassau Hall at Princeton University

The Cathedral at Princeton
The shoot took longer than we were planning, and also there was traffic, so we did not get to one of the places we were planning on going to. We drove to one of our friends' houses, and spent the next three nights there. On Saturday morning, we drove to Plymouth, MA and filmed in the Church of the Pilgrimage and at Burial Hill, the cemetery on the hill next to it:
The Church of the Pilgrimage

The Church of the Pilgrimage from Burial Hill
On Sunday Daddy preached at our friend's church, and we spent the day fellowshiping with them. On Monday we drove to Boston, and filmed at the First Church of Boston and Park Street Church:
Park Street Church

We then filmed in Cambridge at two of the graves of the Secret Six, men that were influential in the abolitionist movement, and the funders of John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry. We also filmed at Harvard University:
The grave of Samuel Gridley Howe, one of the Secret Six, and the husband of Julia Ward Howe, who wrote the Battle Hymn of the Republic
Harvard University
On Tuesday morning, a couple of the guys got up early and filmed at Faneuil Hall in Boston. We then drove 5 hours to John Brown's Farm in North Elba, New York:
John Brown's Farmhouse

On Wednesday we went to the Old South Church in Newburyport, MA and interviewed the pastor.
The Old South Church

Interior of Old South Church
George Whitefield's Crypt in the Old South Church
Then we went to the replica of the Friendship of Salem. We don't have any pictures because it was raining and we were busy. On Thursday we went to Concord, MA and filmed at the North Bridge, and the Wayside, a house on the underground railroad that Louisa May Alcott lived in at one point:
North Bridge (from when we went a few years ago)

We went to the grave of another of the Secret Six:
Sanborn, one of the Secret Six
We also went to Walden Pond, were Henry David Thoreau lived for a period of time:
Thoreau's Cabin
On Friday we drove to Philadelphia and filmed at Independence Hall, Congress Hall, The 1st and 2nd National Banks, the President's House, and the Declaration House:

Second National Bank
President's House
On Saturday we drove back to NC.

Panorama from the Bell Tower of the Old South church. (Click on image for larger version.)

150th Manassas Battle Reenactment



Last Saturday we traveled to Virginia to attend the 150th anniversary reenactment of the Battle of Manassas/Bull Run. With over 8,000 reenactors, it was the biggest reenactment I have ever been to, and one of the largest there is. Although it was very hot, it was amazing to be able to get an idea of what a battle of that size would have looked like. Above is a short video of some of the footage we shot there. Here are some pictures as well. The complete album is here.

The Confederates Prepare for Battle
A Regiment Advances
The Federal line through the smoke of battle
The Confederate line advances
Part of the Confederate Battery