Last Friday, September 11, we woke up early and made our way toward Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. It was a rather gloomy, rainy day, but that didn’t dampen our excitement! (Although my roommate and I both forgot coats. Lesson learned!)
After meeting Dennis Frye at the Vistor’s Center, we went to the Lower Town area, most famous for John Brown’s “raid” in October of 1859. Before we went through the town itself, however, Dennis Frye introduced us to the reasons for which Harpers Ferry developed as it did. Of particular importance is the Shenandoah River, which made the town an excellent location for the establishment of mills. We saw one in particular that served as a hospital during the Civil War.
We then walked through the town, most of which was destroyed due to the Civil War and continual flooding. Dennis Frye walked us through the layout of Harpers Ferry as it would have looked when John Brown arrived there. Most interesting was his emphasis on John Brown’s original intentions for the “launch” of his war against slavery. We moved through the areas of particular importance to John Brown, such as the armory and the arsenal, and ended our walk at the old firehouse. Dennis Frye’s animated demonstration of the last moments before John Brown was apprehended there were both entertaining and powerful.
After a much needed lunch-break huddled in the van, we set out for Bolivar Heights to discuss the Battle at Harpers Ferry in September of 1862 during the Maryland Campaign. Dennis Frye thoroughly covered the issues of topography and terrain at Harpers Ferry, explaining the strategic importance of Maryland Heights, Loudon Heights, and Bolivar Heights. He then took us to the Confederate position at Schoolhouse Ridge, where we simulated marching in line – much more difficult than I had imagined! Finally, we went to the area where A.P. Hill’s flanking maneuver forced the Union to surrender and got a gorgeous view of the Potomac River. Exhausted, wet, but completely content, we made our way back to the bus. I, for one, spent the ride back home humming “Take Me Home Country Roads” and looking forward to our trip to Manassas!
After joining our leader and guide Jim Burgess, we toured a variety of sites related to the First and Second Battles of Bull Run (Manassas), including Blackburn’s Ford, Signal Hill, the so-called “Liberia House” used as headquarters by Beauregard, and the Ben Lomond House (where were learned about everything from a French-hating presidential pet to forensic blood analysis technique). 
After lunch, Jim Burgess took us through the phases of the 1st Battle of Bull Run, beginning with the Stone Bridge. We then walked up to the area demarcated as Farm Ford, and Jim Burgess explained that its real location is likely a couple hundred yards farther up. (I thought his presentation of this was a really interesting example of historical detective work. Really fun!) After looping around the trail back to the Stone Bridge, we hopped on the bus to Sudley Church, which Hunter’s division passed on the way to its attempted flank attack on the left of McDowell’s line. We then drove to Matthews Hill, where Burnside’s and Porter’s brigades engaged with the outnumbered Col. Evans. (And where the 2nd Rhode Island fought alone for the better part of a half hour and was able to push back the Confederates!) After that, we stopped (and posed) at the Stone House, used as a field hospital during the battle.
Our final stop was Henry House Hill, where we were all greatly distracted by the overwhelmingly disproportionate monument to Stonewall Jackson. (The muscles of his wildly inaccurate horse seem to blend with those of his wildly inaccurate legs and torso. Something is clearly very strange here.) In any case, we heard from Jim Burgess about the action and ultimate Confederate victory at Henry House Hill – and the physical and psychological aftermath of the First Battle of Bull Run for both sides. As the clouds began to break, we departed Manassas in high spirits – and began to look forward to Antietam in two weeks! 
