Chattanooga visit

No blog on Friday as we traveled 600 miles to Chattanooga to meet the Dorris family. A great family and they provided a great reception as well.  We had plenty of laughs and family stories and a little bit of singing.  We also spent Saturday touring the battlefields around Chattanooga. I did not realize the major battle that took place here. In a residential area along Missionary Ridge, it is common for large historical plaques describing the regiment that fought on / attacked from that point. One house had two cannons in the front yard, one pointing at the front door. How is that for a burglary deterrent system? 

Some are still fighting.

Dorris / Atwell family photo   

Today we are off to Americus, GA and Andersonville. 

Wednesday's events

Fun Day! Ann and I took a 3-hour tour of the Gettysburg battlefields on Segways.

The Conference closed with a banquet in the evening.  It was highlighted with a visit from the 16^th President of the United States who also gave a short address. 

Tuesday 06/25/13

Tuesday afternoon we toured the battlefields at Gettysburg. All aspects of the battle were overwhelming from what happened to the magnitudes of soldiers, injuries, deaths, management and movement, logistics, food, water, feeding and watering horses, ineffective communications by today’s standards but a successful flag system to monitor and communicate movement -- hard to imagine.   The local paper interviewed us about our visit to the area and I found myself paraphrasing Lincoln’s Gettysburg address: we cannot forget what happened here and honor those who served here.

We ran into a fan of Funia who couldn’t contain himself.

NECUSA has a tradition of Karaoke on Tuesday night but we insisted that Funia stay home. She would have stole the limelight and make us look like the amateurs that we are. We didn’t let that getting in the way of a good time.  No, we did not sing. We were on the list to perform a song but we ducked out before our name was called. 

Monday's activities

The Conference started on Monday with Union soldiers presenting the colors and a music student from Gettysburg College singing the National Anthem.  Gettysburg College President Janet Morgan Riggs, PhD., gave a nice overview of the college as it is today and activities at the college on the first day of the battle one hundred fifty years ago. It is interesting how emergency response has changed to a battle going on outside your doors.  

Pennsylvania Hall, Gettysburg College

We spent the afternoon in the 90-degree heat at the pool and the evening was all business with NECUSA activities.