Military & Motorcycles August 1, 2012

Published on August 1, 2012 under Born To Ride

Personal Observation

On a recent motorcycle trip I went to several Civil War Battlefields which included Antietam, MD, Gettysburg, PA, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, VA.

I rode from West Virginia through three states and returned to my starting point. My travels took me 800 miles before I completed my ‘bucket list’ ride.

When at Antietam I was impressed with I saw and learned not from a history book, but actually standing on the hallowed ground where the battles and skirmishes occurred and in my mind’s eye I tried to imagine what it must have been like.

My second stop was Gettysburg Battlefield. As I watched a film and then attended the ‘Battle of Gettysburg’ cyclorama which is a 360 degree 42 foot high by 377 foot in circumference view of the battles with a sound and light show. The painting was amazing and the show was historically accurate in nature and very well produced and narrated.

As I was sitting in the lobby watching a small video display by myself I kept thinking something was missing.

I know enough of Civil War history to remember the Emancipation Proclamation which was written by President Abraham Lincoln and signed on September 22, 1862. This proclamation was written to free all slaves. For the full written text go to; http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured_documents/emancipation_proclamation/transcript.html.

As I sat in the lobby of the visitors center and then while walking around the battlefield displays, etc. it finally dawned on me what was missing. It was those who were freed. During my three days of traveling through the various battlefields where 625,000 died for what they felt was politically right and to free slaves I saw less than a dozen black men, women and children. I did see people of various nationalities, creeds and colors but just a hand full of those who families were freed almost 150 years ago.

I would have thought that coming to such places as Gettysburg or Fredericksburg would be a must for those who were freed. According to history and scholars the reason for the war was to free indentured slaves. I would have thought it would have been of great historical significant value to visit the areas where so many men died for the right for all men and women to be free and learn the history of what actually took place.

Lincoln stated in his written proclamation “And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.”

I certainly hope no one feels I am a racist for bringing what I saw to light. I am just voicing an opinion of what I actually saw for myself.

If you would like to contact me please do so at PGRTerry@gmail.com. God Bless America and those who serve or have served in uniform to protect our way of life.

Terry Longpre