GDG- 145 Years Ago Today

[George F]

Today, as I stand on the hill overlooking Falling
Waters Road, tending the garden and cutting acres
of grass, I will be thinking about what happened
on this land 145 years ago today.

I will be thinking about the exhausted soldiers
in gray and butternut who were resting on hill
behind empty lunettes, just waiting to cross into
(West) Virginia.

I will be thinking about Generals Heth, Pettigrew
and their staffs, confused and then frantic,
seeing horsemen approach their position on the
hill as they too waited to cover the final two
miles before crossing the Potomac River.

And I will be thinking of the mud coated horsemen
in blue who galloped out of the woods, across a
field, down a road and up a hill to encounter the
entire rear guard of the Army of Northern
Virginia.

A fateful day for all. Especially J J Pettigrew
who was mortally wounded and the Federal horsemen
 - many of who never returned to their fellow
troopers at the tree line. 

I am truly fortunate to own a piece of Civil War
history. But in reality, it belongs to all of
those who fought there 145 years ago today - and
I am just keeping an eye on it for now.

Respectfully,

George F Franks III
Battle of Falling Waters Maryland 1863 Foundation


       
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