The Football Playing Grandsons!

Well.  This happens when one travels as much as we do.  I saved our photos from the trip home from North Carolina onto thumb drives.  I seem to have left those back in Texas!  So, I will have to revisit our stops at Shiloh and Chickamauga Civil War battlefields when I find those pictures.

In reviewing the photos for our short contract in Benton, Arkansas I realize that we didn't do any sightseeing while we were there.  Praise the Lord, we were close enough to home that we were able to go to our grandson's football games every Friday night!  We have LOTS of photos of them!

There.  Now they are permanently ensconced in our blog and will be published in our books!

But let's not forget our OTHER grandson who played in Plano, Texas and, I'm sad to say, we were never able to get to his games.

Civil War Battlefield Hospitals (Warning: Graphic images)

The Civil War was the beginning of what is now known as Field Hospitals.  World War II brought MASH units (Military and Surgical Hospitals)  The Vietnam War produced Care Flights that have saved so many civilians since the 1960's.  Good things can come out of horrendous things.  I don't suppose we can prevent war any more than we can prevent car accidents, but "thanks" to war, Care Flights now save many, many lives!

During the Civil War, if surgeons were lucky, they would work out of homes that were confiscated for the war effort.  Some occupations lasted for a few days - some for quite a long while.  (See my post http://thetravelerstwo.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-graffiti-house-at-brandy-station.html )

At the Battle of Bentonville they were lucky. This home belonging to one Mr. Harper was used as a Union hospital, and the Park Service has returned the downstairs rooms to what they might have looked like during those "hospital" days.

Surgeries would generally take place downstairs, recuperation upstairs.

But there were no homes anywhere that would hold all of the wounded - whether the battle was large or small.

There were Texans in this battle at Bentonville. One was the only son of a Confederate Lt. General William J. Hardee.  Willie was sixteen years old.  He never got any older ...

Hardee's father directed that his wounded son be taken to Hillsborough as Willie's mother and sister were staying there with the General's niece.  He died there and rests even today in the cemetery at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church.  Heartbreakingly, the Union Right Wing Commander at Bentonville, O.O. Howard, had been Willie's tutor before the war.  Such are the miseries of a civil war.

The Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina

Here I go again - getting things out of order!  But this is a book of memories for Granpa and I, and I suppose that it is more important than ever that I get it down in writing, because I'm obviously losing my mind!

It's July of the year 2014, as we come across this Civil War battlefield from March of 1865.  Over a hundred and fifty years ago men of conviction came together on this spot.  It was the last time the South was able to launch an offensive campaign.  This was the largest battle ever fought in North Carolina during the Civil War.  It resulted in four Congressional medals of Honor for heroism, but from here on out it would be a quick trip to surrender for the Rebels.

It sometimes seems that the remnants of war is all that is left to us - that and the legislative re-uniting of the North and the South.  A hundred years later there would still be "Yankees" and "Rebels" and the hard feelings that go with those terms.  No legislation can change that. Robert E. Lee once said, "It is well that war is so terrible, otherwise we should grow too fond of it."


This was the only significant attempt to defeat the large army of Sherman during its march through South and then North Carolina in 1865, and it was led by General Joseph E. Johnston, much to the dismay of the South's President Jefferson Davis.

General P. G. T. Beauregard had split the only cohesive unit of Rebels in the Carolina's and Georgia in order to attempt some protection for Augusta, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina. This division of troops effectively allowed Sherman to practically dance his way toward Bentonville. Robert E. Lee, therefore, had to pull a rabbit out of the hat and magically create an offensive force from a myriad of scattered pockets of fighting Rebels across the area.  He chose formerly disgraced (in the eyes of Jeff Davis) General Johnston.

On February 22, 1865, Robert E. Lee sent an urgent dispatch to his old friend Johnston, who had retired to Lincolnton, North Carolina:

Johnston

Assume command of the Army of Tennessee and all troops in Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.  Assign General Beauregard to duty under you, as you may select.  Concentrate all available forces and drive back Sherman.

What Johnston would accomplish in one short month, though he personally believed the stand against Sherman had come too late, would rescue his military reputation - but he had been correct in the timing.  How he must have agonized as he read newspaper accounts of what was taking place in the war.  What I find remarkable is that, knowing the probable hopelessness of the situation, especially if Davis was desperate enough to bring him back to duty, what I find remarkable is that Johnston, for love of the South, agreed to take on the task at all.

Johnston was setting a trap for Sherman, and Sherman fell into it.  At the end of the first days fighting, there was a tactical draw.  The next day, reinforcements arrived for Sherman.  He now had 60,000 against Johnston's 20,000.  No longer having the "surprise" advantage, Johnston continued to skirmish with Sherman for two days - totally aggravating Sherman's desire to get on to Goldsboro.

Sherman looks kinda ghostly

On the third day, Johnston almost lost the bridge that would be his army's only means of retreat.  That night, he pulled his men across the bridge and the next day was chased by Sherman's men all the way to Hannah's Creek.  This allowed Sherman to get on to Goldsboro and rejoin Union General's Schofield and Terry.  Here he rested his army for over two weeks, planning to meet up with Johnston again soon.

Johnston knew the end when he saw it.  On April 26th, he surrendered - on Sherman's terms - at the Bennett Place near Durham, North Carolina.  It was the largest troop surrender of the American Civil War.


Sherman said, "War is cruelty.  There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over."  His Georgia and Carolina's marches can still be seen on the landscape to this day.  He was right, and it is still evident!

The Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Just a few more miles south and we are at the entrance of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. We've come up here from the south before and tent camped on the side of a mountain.  How steep was the mountain?  The Park had built platforms off the side and it was like camping on a deck, but the view was spectacular!  Now we're coming down from the north and into the foothills.  This time we got to camp on good ol' Mother Earth!

We bought a new tent.  It goes up like an umbrella!  Took about two minutes to set up - giving us plenty of time before sunset to do a little exploring.  There were very few people in the campground. (I think I like everyone buying RV's - 'cause it gives me lots of tent sites to choose from!)

We have a place at home that I've wanted to build a bridge across for a long time.  This may be the perfect solution.

"King of the Wild Frontier"

When I was a kid there was a movie about "Davy" Crockett called "King of the Wild Frontier."  Walt Disney chose an actor by the name of Fess Parker to play Crockett in the movie, I suppose because Parker was a really tall, good-lookin' guy (as we imagine kings to be.)  In reality, David Crockett was a smallish kinda fella, but because I grew up on Walt Disney stuff Crockett will always be Fess Parker-looking.  It was before my time, but the very first motion picture about David Crockett was a silent movie produced in 1909 - actually one of six silent movies about him.  Then, after "talkies" came out, there were ten produced between 1937 and 1960.

So, if Crockett was King of the Wild Frontier, how does one define the frontier.  I mean, how do you know when you get there?  In steps the government, of course.  Seems that beginning with the census of 1790 it was possible to draw a line on a map and say, "It starts here," because the government's line was based on census numbers.  Counties with more than two but less than six people per square mile were considered "frontier." Of course, that line moved every ten years - and with it men like David Crockett picked up and moved farther west, too.

Today we know of people who are really, really good at starting companies, but they have no desire to do the day-to-day challenge of keeping that company afloat.  So it was with men like Daniel Boone and David Crockett.  They pushed the boundaries of America westward using their talents and nature's resources, but once too much civilization accumulated, they were ready to move forward into new frontier land.


One could literally go nowhere in search of new land without an ax because the forests had never been penetrated by anyone but native Americans on foot.  (They didn't start riding horses until Europeans pushed them westward and onto the plains.)  Men like Boone and Crockett most likely headed out with just a rifle and a skinning knife to hunt and explore this fascinating new land.  Once they decided to move family, lock, stock and barrel, they probably packed the ax.

In 1784, two years before Crockett was born, one Nicholas Gentry passed away in Tennessee, and a summary of his estate was recorded:

1 cow
1 heifer
1 horse (subsequently lost by the administrator of the will) (Yeah, right)
6 sheep
1 sow
1 pot
1 pound and 3 quarts of pewter
2 small hoes and an old mattock (combines features of an adz and a pick or ax)
1 ax and 2 plane bits
1 drawing knife
1 pair of snippers and a razor
2 bridle bits
1 pair of bullet molds
1 weaving loom
1 flax wheel
2 smal piggins (small wooden pails with one stave extended up as a handle)
7 table spoons
1 bedstead and bedding
1 Bible
1 spelling book
1 fat tub

I'm thinking that Mr Gentry would have been considered a very wealthy man by frontier standards. It's interesting that it lists "7 table spoons" but no bowls, plates, forks, tankards, etc.  I also like the fact that he had a spelling book!  And I'm not at all surprised that he had a Bible - especially since it was religious persecution that brought the Europeans to America in the 1600's.

David Crockett

I've already told Granpa that I don't want to go home through Atlanta again.  I don't know how to go around it, but I don't want to go through downtown Atlanta again.  And, as a matter of fact, the drive from Atlanta to Tyler on Interstate 20 is about as boring as it can get.  It is solid pine trees on both sides of the road - no fields, no pastures, no barns or houses, not even shopping centers.  Just trees.

So Granpa decides on a totally different route.  First we go west from the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina, and then north before heading down the Blue Ridge Parkway.  So that's what we do: We go west through Greensboro and turn north at Winston-Salem.  From there it's only about 60 miles to the Blue Ridge.  We rise up and head south.

Absolutely beautiful.  I love it!

I've done blog posts on the Blue Ridge Parkway before - about fifteen of them!  Open any post and you should find a search feature.  Type in "Blue Ridge," and a list of every post that mentions that phrase will pop up for you to choose from.




We scurry on down the Parkway and into Tennessee.  It's always nice to be welcomed!

Skirting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to the west, we somehow ended up at the birthplace of David Crockett!  I'm likin' it!! We're born and bred Texans - and we have David Crockett and men like him in the Alamo to thank for that.  This is a gotta stop location!

Near Limestone, Tennessee on the Nolichucky River ol' David (he absolutely HATED being called "Davy,") was born the fifth of nine children to Rebecca and John Crockett on August 17, 1786.  Here's a fun fact - Daniel Boone was 52 years old when David was born!  They were contemporaries! And Boone lived until 1820, so I would bet that, during that thirty-four contemporaneous years, they crossed paths. Ooowee!  I would have liked to have been there when THAT happened - if it ever did.

When David was ten, his dad opened a tavern.  One meets a lot of folks living and hanging around a tavern - which may explain David's people-skills.  At one point his dad enrolled him in school - which lasted a whoppin' four days.  Seems David got into a lil' school-ground fight and, believing he'd be in a ton of trouble at home, he sets out on his own - for three years - working as a wagoner and a day-laborer.  When he did return home at the ripe old age of sixteen, his family didn't recognize him as he had grown so much!  Just like the prodigal son of the Bible, all was forgiven, and in appreciation for that, David dedicated himself to working for a year to help pay off all of his father's debts (a total of $76), and he went back to school for six months. Good man!



He married, had children, his wife died, he remarried and had more children.  He served in the military during the Creek Indian War under Andrew Jackson (whom he grew to despise).  Looking for a homestead down in Alabama he nearly died of malaria, and a few years later nearly died when his company boats carrying barrel-staves wrecked in the Mississippi River.  He served as a Justice of the Peace and as a town commissioner, was elected a General in the militia, became a state representative, and finally won a seat in Congress.  (Granpa and I have actually SAT in his desk on the floor of the House of Representatives!)

Plays were written about his bear killing and sharp-shooting expertise, books were written, stories embellished for political purposes, until he became a living legend. Things were getting out of hand so, ultimately, David did write one book himself just to set the record straight.  (I've read it; 'tis a pretty good read!)


Upon losing his bid for a third term in Congress, Crockett along with friends William Patton, Abner Burgin and Lindsey Tinkle headed southwest for Texas planning "to explore the Texes well" before returning to Tennessee.  It wasn't his intention to go fight for Texas independence from Mexico, but Texas changed his mind.  (Texas can do that to a fella!)

It was in Memphis, Tennessee that they had a goodbye drinking party at the Union Hotel and Crockett uttered his wonderful, unforgettable, ""Since you have chosen to elect a man with a timber toe to succeed me, you may all go to hell and I will go to Texas."

The rest of the story most of you know - or at least the movie version of it.

Now we think we'll mosey on down to Gatlinburg!

Civil War Saddles and Sidesaddles

It would probably take an encyclopedia to talk about and show pictures of the different kinds of saddles that have evolved over the eons.  But look at these two common Civil War saddles:



This one's not lookin' too bad, but I wouldn't want to spend day in and day out, week in and week out for four YEARS straddlin' that puppy! I think I like the idea of a lady's sidesaddle better!

On the other hand, the idea of sittin' on THIS one makes me shudder.  I suppose it might have been cooler in the summertime - but really!!  No wonder women preferred sidesaddle or carriages!

Women have been riding sidesaddle since Celtic times - like 400 B.C.  The earliest "functional" sidesaddle came in the 1300's thanks to Anne of Bohemia.  But it wasn't until the 1500's when a practical one was designed by Catherine de'Medici, Queen of France.  

Today's sidesaddle came about in the 1830's.  All of the others allowed women to ride a horse, but not necessarily guide the horse.  They usually required a servant or man to lead the women. Today's sidesaddle is so good equestrian women have actually jumped fences over six feet high sittin' pretty!  That saddle is a work of art!!  It's an antique, and would be really expensive to buy.  However, to buy a new one would be really, really expensive because they have to be built to custom fit the horse and the rider.

Men with certain back problems have started riding sidesaddle, so I'm wondering if it would be a good idea for me to try someday!

  

Plank Roads

It seems that every Civil War anything that Granpa and I have gone to over the past five years makes reference to a "plank road."  So I finally decided to research them.  Much to my surprise, but, come to think of it, not to my surprise, I find out that they were mostly instituted for economic development. From being an observant citizen, there is some truth in that saying, "Build it and they will come." The question is, how quickly?

The soft surfaces some roads had (sand, marshes, swampy or thawing permafrost) made travel nearly impossible at times.  Something had to be done to, literally, move things along.  The Canadians copied the Russian engineers, and the Americans copied the Canadians.  The first plank roads in America were often turnpike roads built by companies that had been granted State congressional charters.  (You know us Americans, anything for a buck!)

The very first "plank" road in America was built in North Syracuse, New York in 1846 in order to get salt to markets.  To get that accomplished, legislation had to be passed.  (Nothing changes, huh?)  A State legislator, Thomas Alvord, managed to steer legislation through Albany (the state capital) to get the plank/toll concept approved.  Charters were then awarded to construction companies which would get a return on their investment by charging users a fee or toll. The technology for building plank roads was cutting edge, kinda the Apple of the mid-19th century. Investors jumped on the bandwagon (pun intended.)

The 16 1/2 mile plank road in New York cost a whopping $23,000 back then, and included four tollgates about four miles apart.  It seems that it was what today we call a two-lane road, a dirt side and a plank side. The plank side (3" thick and 8 feet long) was intended for heavy loads; the dirt side was for bicycles, horses, and empty wagons.  It was also used as the passing lane!  Oh, and on Sunday, the plank side was the scene of outlandish bicycle races!  The toll?  1 cent per cow, 5 cents per horse, and 25 cents for a horse and wagon or stage coach.  It was profitable for several years even though horse's shoes and iron-hooped stage and wagon wheels constantly did significant damage demanding permanent road crews for repair.  Routine maintenance would include digging ditches on either side of the lanes to help drain water from the surfaces.

This road was built a bit differently - but Alaska is a bit different most of the year anyway, eh.

"Plank road on St. George Island, Alaska, 1938" by National Marine Fisheries Service, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - NOAA Catalog number F&WS 10,067; digital image ID line1699. In the America's Coastlines Collection. Original image information page. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plank_road_on_St._George_Island,_Alaska,_1938.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Plank_road_on_St._George_Island,_Alaska,_1938.jpg

The technology missed the mark, however and investors lost millions of dollars.

At any rate, by the time of the Civil War in 1862, the plank road technology had spread all up and down the East coast of the United States and that's why references kept turning up in our travels in the 21st century!

Ooo! I Almost Forgot - Averasboro Battlefield

The Saturday before leaving Granpa wanted to go to the Averasboro, North Carolina battlefield.  This was part of the Shiloh Campaign and happened at the climax of the Civil War.

We are talking a LOT of troops gathered here, but notice how many are Union blue and how many are not Confederate red !!  The details of this battle were really cool.  It may have been the easiest one for me to follow, especially after we started driving around following the signs, etc.  The video at the Visitor's Center helped immensely, too.

One might think that it all started a few miles south of Averasboro by accident, like a lot of Civil War battles, on both sides of the old Plank Road (like the one pictured here).  Actually, the Confederates had a plan - a very "deliberate, well-planned" tactical military maneuver.  And with the super-able leadership of General William J. Hardee, a former commandant of West Point, they pulled it off with typical Confederate resolve and resilience!  Even so, it has become one of the war's historically underestimated and under recognized Confederate military actions.  Maybe it was because there weren't thousands and thousands of casualties.  (Union casualties totaled 682 and Confederate losses at about 500.)

It all started on the Smith plantation four miles south of the town. The plan's sole purpose was to delay, and to do as much damage as possible to, Union General Sherman's outfit, per Confederate General Johnston's orders.  And it worked even though the Union outnumbered the Rebels 10-to-1.

(Read more about plank roads in my next post.)

Early in the Civil War, North Carolina's action was up and down the Outer Banks and in coastal rivers. It's the stuff novels and movies were made from:  naval battles, blockade running, spies and counter-spying.  Later, as battles boiled up in the western mountains of North Carolina, along the Blue Ridge, the Yankees and Rebels were completely focused on destroying just each other - the rest of the war could wage on without them.  However, once Sherman caused Johnston to surrender to him in April, 1865, Sherman and his men sprinted toward the seacoast while leaving as much civilian destruction as possible behind.  Good things and bad things are said about Sherman, but his focus was reuniting the North and the South, and he was willing to do all things and allow all things in order to accomplish that.

Now, don't let me confuse you.  Sherman had already accomplished his infamous "March to the Sea" that was so feared in "Gone With the Wind."



This North Carolina campaign was different. Sherman could smell Confederate defeat and Union victory and wanted to mop things up and be done with war.  North Carolina was the rebel's logistical lifeline - and that had to be severed once and for all.





Possibly a lot of the wounded that ended up in the infirmary were the result of canister fire.  Don't let me confuse you here, either.  Though this may bring to mind the word, "grapeshot," it's not.  Grapeshot came first and was used in cannons for naval warfare.  Canisters were like grapeshot but adapted to be shot from field pieces and were more effective on a battlefield than grapeshot.  The shots were surrounded by sawdust and encased in cans.  When the canister was fired the shell exploded sending the balls flying like pellets fired from a shotgun - only they were huge.

Once past Averasboro it was a straight shot north through Bentonville into Virginia and up to the Confederate capital of Richmond.  That is where Sherman would (and did) hook up with Grant and truly end the Confederacy once and for all.

The Film Crew - A Surreal Experience

It's our last day at the Bed & Breakfast.  A film crew has taken over the house, and I'm not quite sure what will be taking place.  By now, however, you should know me - I'm game for just about anything.  I've been told that they will be shooting scenes for an album cover, artist unknown - but he's famous.

A young lady shows up at the door much earlier than expected.  She's one of the models.  Of course I welcome her, show her to the parlor, offer refreshments.  It's lunchtime, and I ask if she's had lunch.  "No," she says, "and I really am hungry."  I offer her several things - including our left over's from last night, hamburger and cabbage.  Surprisingly she wanted our leftovers.  Thus began a very odd day.




Within the hour the rest of the models and film crew arrived.  There was hair-styling to do and makeup.

 

Racks of clothing came in with the wardrobe lady.  Lots of variety - but most of them pretty risque!  (This Christian lady is gettin' a wee bit nervous.)






The photographer/director has now arrived.  After showing him the fabulous rooms of the Bed & Breakfast he seems most intrigued with the antique footed tub.  With the surrounding shower curtain, it is beautiful!

I retreat to our parlor for awhile, but soon decide to venture out with our camera for behind-the-scene shots.  The crew has indeed moved up to the bathroom.  As luck would have it (and unbeknownst to the crew) there is an auspiciously placed mirror ...

Is that a bottle of Jack Daniels?!  And the reflection lady is holding a bottle of wine? and a cigar? Mercy me! 

 And trust me, you don't want to see a full shot of that model!

However, they soon move outside for something a bit more tame.  (Thank you, dear Jesus!)

After one more serving of our hamburger and cabbage, the crew begins to leave.  Whew!  I don't know about them, but I'm exhausted! 

Our time at the most magnificent Oxford Bed and Breakfast is done.  We shall be moving on in the morning with not just a pocket full of experiences but an entire basket full!

Handel's "Messiah"

Ever heard of Handel's "Messiah"?  George Frideric Handel's Messiah was originally an Easter offering.  It was first played publicly on the stage of Musick Hall in Dublin, Ireland on April 13, 1742.  The record attendance of 700 was accomplished because ladies had heeded pleas by management to wear dresses "without hoops" in order to make "room for more company."  Or so says the Smithsonian Magazine.  Now Messiah is a "must play" during the Christmas season.

What has that got to do with colonial Williamsburg?  Well, the above harpsichord was played by none other than Handel himself!  Right here in Williamsburg in the British Governor's Palace!  When did Handel's Messiah make it to America?  It was performed here in 1770, two years before it was first performed in Handel's home country of Germany!  But it is very doubtful that it was played during Christmas.

Of those who kept diaries or journals from that time, many don't even mention Christmas on, before, or after December 25th.  You see, the church back then frowned on Christmas carols because they just might lead to (horror!) dancing!  (Sounds Baptist to me.  Baptist's frown on dancing because John the Baptist was beheaded for a King to please a woman during a raucous dance party.  Baptist's came into being in Amsterdam in 1609 and made it to North America in 1638.)  

In 1647, the English Parliament abolished celebrating Christmas, and they followed up with a resolution in 1652 stating:  "No observation shall be had on the five and twentieth day of December commonly called Christmas-Day; nor any solemnity used or exercised in churches upon the day in respect thereof."

WOW!  Who knew?  

Now, this wasn't enforced during colonial times in Virginia - but it's probably the reason folks weren't writing about celebrations in their diaries and journals.  So when did things ease up a bit?  It might surprise you to know that Christmas celebrations were pretty much ignored well into the 19th Century!  Boston Public schools, as late as the 1870's, were open on Christmas Day, and (Old Scrooge would be glad to know) missing work on December 25th would get you fired!

On To The British Governor's House

It's grown to be quite a hot afternoon.  I wish we could take a carriage to the Governor's House (arrive in style as it were), but that's not to be.  We simply hoof it like the general public would have done back then.

Now, remember, presentation is everything and, you only get one chance to make a good first impression.  That's what the ol' Gov was needing to do with first the Native American chiefs that came to call, and finally with the Colonists as they became rebellious.  So he built his palace way back from the road and gave visitors plenty of room to be impressed.

To me, the palace was large, but I wasn't greatly impressed - until we stepped into the foyer!

My mercy!!  The rifles to the left, a "fan" of pistols to the right, all flanked by well-displayed swords, and a hallway lined with more weapons that all visitors would pass through on their way to see the British Governor.  I believe they said there is some 5,400 guns alone in these displays!  What Indian chief wouldn't think twice about attacking after seeing all of that stuff - and more in the Magazine!

The plaque above the door was solid gold, the room off to the left was lined with cases of silver serving pieces ... the wealth was evident, and great wealth generally means great power.

The guns are double stacked - in a variety of ways!

Swords and pistols at the ready!

The colonists are receiving their instructions in preparation of an attack!

This is an amazing collection!  Some are reproductions and some are real period antiques.  Your average 21st century person will have no clue how to know if one of these weapons is safe to use and/or how to load it even if there was gunpowder available.  But you can bet the folks living back then knew what to do and how to do it.  Their lives depended on it.  The lives of their wives and children depended on it.  I daresay the women would be just as handy at it as the men!

All of this display says, "Don't mess with me."  Peace through strength was definitely preferred. Every person was needed if the colonies were to survive.

The Magazine (But I Would Have Called It the Armory!)

Now, I was not set to be impressed by this place.  With a name like "The Magazine" I imagined (fake) barrels full of gunpowder stacked floor to ceiling.  But nooooooo!

Inside the nine foot brick walls is a courtyard.  Inside the building were a set of very steep, winding stairs. At the tip top of the stairs were a whole bunch of folks absolutely enthralled by a portly speaker.

This man knew everything about every one of these armaments and gunpowder and our early wars!

He said that during the American Revolution, we started out with about 80,000 pounds of gunpowder (if I'm reading my notes right.)  That sounds like a bunch, but consider the fact that, in the first two years of the war, we imported 1.7 MILLION pounds from France.  By wars end we acquired almost 3 million pounds!

He said that saltpeter is hard to make and takes a FULL YEAR to process.

Now, I know that you have desired to know this recipe most of your life, so here it is.

You take an enormous pile of excrement - cow, horse, human, whatever.
Mix in a whole passel of lime to maintain the bacteria.
Once a week for a year you have to soak that pile with urine - cow, horse, human, whatever.
Once a week for a year you have to stir it up.
After the year has passed, (are you ready?) you have to taste it.  If it's salty, you have saltpeter; if it's not salty, you have a huge pile of fertilizer and have to start the whole recipe over again!

If you have saltpeter, put it all in a pot and boil and stir and remove all solids.
Boil until all of the water (?) evaporates.

Then take the saltpeter and in the following proportions create gunpowder:
75% saltpeter
25% sulphur
25% charcoal

(Guess that's why there were no stacks and stacks of barrels of gunpowder, huh?)

Interesting modern fact:  70% of today's saltpeter supply comes from India and is controlled by England!

This guy explained the differences between each of the weapons that encircled the room, it's advantages and disadvantages, and was just a walking encyclopedia of information.  We must have sat there an hour, and he never slowed down.  Granpa finally said, "Let's go and give some other folks room."

Sigh.  Well, if I must ... I'm a sucker for implements of defense, though!