Patriot Paradox

Deep in the woods along the ridge of Maryland’s South Mountain rests this monument to the men of North Carolina who gave their lives during the Confederate’s first campaign into the north. Dedicated only 3 years ago, it highlights the darker sides of war often painted over by a preferred romanticism. The inscription reads:
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The Confederate Memorial on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, former home of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The Arlington National Cemetery web site explains its presence by stating:
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The above images provide a small glimpse into the chaos of the battlefield and what soldiers endured as they fought for our nation’s identity. The first offers an idea of just how the bullets swarmed during some of these colossal conflicts. These malformed pieces of lead are minnie balls found on the Petersburg battlefield that collided mid-air.
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The Bloody Angle in Spotsylvania where soldiers unleashed so ferocious a fire that the bullets themselves sawed down an oak tree 22 inches in diameter during the Battle of Spotsylvania.

Sincerely,

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St. Peter’s Catholic Church
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
St. Peter’s Church, erected in 1833, still stands on a ridge in beautiful Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. The townspoeple carved the steps leading up to the church directly out of the hillside, composed almost entirely of shale. Despite Harpers Ferry changing hands nearly 14 times during the Civil War, the church survived the bombardments that damaged many of the structures throughout the rest of the town and served as a hospital for the casualties of both sides.
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During a recent visit to Sharpsburg, I discovered a heavy, thick fog which lent an eerie feeling to the battlefield, as if the smoke of battle lingered still.
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The grave site of Judith Henry in front of her newly reconstructed home on Henry House Hill on the Manassas Battlefield. Judith was in her mid eighties when, during the battle of first Manassas, a Union shell tore off most of her foot. She died shortly there after.
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As we head towards the Thanksgiving weekend, and the biggest shopping day of the year on Black Friday, would you like to skip all the craziness of the mall, and get some special military-themed gifts from the comfort of your easy chair?

I’ve gone through Amazon.com and created a shopping list of specially-selected military-themed gifts that would be perfect for that military member or family on your shopping list. There are a number of categories, Read the rest of this entry »