Travels and Talks

I just got back home yesterday from what was a whirlwind week. Last Wednesday, I spoke on the Emancipation Proclamation for the James A. Garfield NHS at the Mentor Public Library (thanks to all those who came out, it was a good turnout). After that, I hopped in the car, drove to Pennsylvania to stay with family Wednesday night, and then on through West Virginia, Maryland, and finally into Virginia on Thursday to speak on the Battle of Stones River for the Bull Run Civil War Roundtable Thursday night (a packed house, with some very nice folks).

As if that wasn't enough, I then went to Alexandria, stayed with a fraternity brother from Hillsdale, and went into D.C. for two days of research at the National Archives. I managed to find a few new things for my Antietam research, and looked over corps and division returns for my new project (which I really hope I can announce on here sometime soon). After that, I made a stop in State College to see my scientist girlfriend (Alison is a grad student in Chemistry at Penn State; she calls me Park Ranger boyfriend, so I guess she gets a career themed moniker as well), and then, at the end of hours of driving over hundreds of miles, I am back in Ohio... for now. More trips are fast approaching! I will be heading back to Georgia at the end of the month for research, battlefield hiking, and visiting family.


A big thank you to my Uncle Chris and Aunt Kathy for hosting me on Wednesday and my Hillsdale College buddy Craig Kreinbihl for hosting me on Thursday and Friday.

Also, a big thank you to the Bull Run Civil War Roundtable group as well for the invitiation to speak. What a tremendous turnout! I greatly enjoyed my evening speaking to the group, and couldn't have been happier with how things went.


Of course, before leaving D.C., I had to make a side trip to see my favorite person in Washington...

Anyways, it is good to be busy. Even if I'm not working every day for the Park Service, I am still very blessed.