See You In The Field

Author Rick Walton following the footsteps of the 6th North Carolina State Troops in Gettysburg on July 2, 2015. Copyright (C) 2015 Frederick Walton Photography By Rick Walton Copyright (C) 2015 continued from previous blog... In "Walking in their Footsteps: Hoke's Brigade Attack on East Cemetery Hill (Part 1) "  I started my Photo journey at the head of East Confederate Avenue, visited the ravine where Hoke's brigade sheltered, paused to read the memorial tablet and concluded at the southern branch of the Winebrenner/Culp run. Now let's complete the journey... Stop 3-Crossing Culp's Meadow  Photo 8 is the vicinity where Hoke's NC Brigade would have begun it's right wheel , which would face it toward the Federal battle line entrenched on East Cemetery Hill. Canons on the hillside above them, safely tucked behind earthen lunettes waited for the Confederates to come into range. The 6th North Carolina State troops, on the right of the brigade, would have

  By Rick Walton, Historian of the 6th  North Carolina State Troops  Copyright (C) 2015 Author Rick Walton following the footsteps of the 6th North Carolina State Troops in Gettysburg on July 2, 2015. Copyright (C) 2015 Frederick Walton Photography (Source:  2015-07-02 ECH Hokes Attack-IMG_9815.JPG)

(C) 2015 Frederick Walton, N. C. Capitol Docent  Philip Brown portraying a Confederate Soldier Walking home while stopping at the N. C. Capitol to talk to visiting School Children Wednesday, May 20, 2015- "How far have you ever walked?" asked Philip Brown while answering questions from school children visiting the historic 1840 North Carolina State Capitol. Philip had spent the last 9 days walking.  He has walked through rain and steamy heat. He told me that one of the most difficult walks was along a road side trench where he felt like one leg grew longer to compensate for the slope. My back hurts just thinking about it!  He has slept under the stars, in churches and hotels. His meals are from the kindness of strangers. People have read about him in the newspapers and pulled their cars over to chat. He walks all day long taking only a 30-45 minute break for lunch and a rest. He started in New Berne, N. C. and has clocked about 130 miles. He showed me the blisters on his feet

 (C) 2015 Rick Walton, Historian of the 6th North Carolina State Troops I am sitting in my office today, in Wendell, N. C.,  reflecting on why I'm not with my comrades at Appomattox and lamenting a bad back that kept me out of the field on this sesquicentennial anniversary. Outside my window, dark clouds drift overhead making the day as somber as this occasion calls for. Of the more than 2,000 boys and men that served with the 6th North Carolina State Troops over the course of the war, Only 181 received paroles at Appomattox on this day. Only 72 still carried arms! Two questions arise: Why so few men and why so few arms? As part of Lewis' Brigade, The 6th North Carolina participated in a desperate attack on Fort Steadman in Petersburg on March 25, 1865. Although successfully getting into the Fort as the Yankee defenders fled, a counter attack made their position untenable and their retreat deadly. William J. Walker, of company K, 6th NCST, wrote, "... it looked almost impo