Tuesday, October 22, on the bus at 7:45, we leave Washington, DC, to drive to Frederick, Maryland, to the Museum of Civil War Medicine. Frederick is a charming town, the center of which has not changed much since the Civil War, although it is the second largest city in Maryland...surprising as it has only about 65,000 people. We learn many things...they did not do amputations without anesthestics...they had chloroform and ether....they did not say, "bite the bullet"...if they had, on the first insertion of the knife, the patient would have swallowed the bullet!
Dr. Jonathan Leaderman set the path for modern military medical methods. He devised a set way of handling the tools, medicines, bandages, etc. They had to learn how to treat hundreds of wounded arriving at once.
On to Antietam...why did General Lee come north? Maryland was a border state, had not seceded, but did have slaves. Lee thought that if he won in Maryland, it would secede and European countries would side with the South. The Union could probably not defeat both the South AND a European country or countries.
Next stop, lunch in Gettysburg, after driving through the Catoctin Mountains with their beautidul yellow leaves and occasional red leaves. Tall thin trees with rustling red and yellow leaves, some look like tall bushes with fluttering yellow leaves which may be dogwood, other trees may be yellow poplars! 
General Meade led the Union army.
From Little Round Top, you can see Devil's Den to the left by today's parking lot.
This was a three day battle in July 1, 2, and 3. On the last day, Confederate forces under Picket charged but the Union was successful.
These battles were fought in the town of Gettysburg and throughout the countryside from farm to farm.
Lee went back and told Jefferson Davis that he was resigning, because he said that the loss at Gettysburg was his fault. Davis says, "no way".
Meade resigned, but although Lincoln was unhappy that Meade did not follow Lee as he retreated and end the war at that time, he did not accept Meade's resignation. It was later that U.S.Grant became the chief General of the North.
After dinner we were fortunate to hear author of over forty books and noted authority of the Civil War and Lincoln, Harold Holzer. He was terrific. Bob had bought one of his books at Ford's Theater and Harold signed it.
We were at a Wyndham Hotel. And the decor of the hotel is very patriotic, blue carpet with white stars, everything red, white, blue and gold. Liz matches the decor! It was a very full day, but so rewarding...and beautiful fall weather!
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