Patriot Paradox

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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One of the earliest monuments erected to the men who sacrificed during the American Civil War. Union veterans placed this monument on the fields of Manassas / Bull Run in 1865. The inscription reads simply, “In Memory of the Patriots who fell at Bull Run July 21 1861”. This view shows a portion on the monument as seen through one of the windows of the Judith Henry house.
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A rarely visited marker on the Gettysburg Battlefield noting the location where Colonel George Willard lost his life leading his brigade into the maelstrom wrought by General William Barksdale’s Mississippians. The marker 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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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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