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Buck & Jim's Excellent Transmississippi Adventure 2017!

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  • Buck & Jim's Excellent Transmississippi Adventure 2017!

    So I just returned a few weeks ago from another of my week long adventures of battlefield tours. I linked up with a buddy from Massachusetts and we did a tour of the Civil War in the Transmississippi. It was incredible.

    We flew into Kansas City and used that as our base for the first few days. After getting the rental we loaded up the beer and headed to the hotel…priorities.

    Day 1 we visited Lecompton & Lawrence, KS, as well as Lexington & Lone Jack, MO. In Kansas we visited sites associated with Bleeding Kansas and the Bushwacker – Jayhawk Border War. Lexington, about 50 NE of KC, was an early battle where the MO State Guard (not yet Confederate) attacked Federal forces there in what is known as the battle of Hemp Bales. http://civilwaronthewesternborder.or...tle-hemp-bales We followed that with a stop at Lone Jack, the site of an 1863 battle. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lone_Jack

    Day 2 was all about Price’s 1864 Raid. We started with the Battle of Little Blue River & 2nd Independence. We followed that up with the Battles of Byram’s Ford, Westport, Marmiton & Mine Creek. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price%27s_Raid We finished up with tour of old FT Scott, KS. https://www.nps.gov/fosc/index.htm

    Day 3 was a moving day. As we headed south we covered the Battles of Carthage, saw the Bushwackers Museum I Nevada, MO and covered the Battle of Wilson’s Creek https://www.civilwar.org/learn/civil.../wilsons-creek and Newtonia 1 & 2 https://www.civilwar.org/visit/herit...ia-battlefield
    Tired and weary we made our way to a hotel in Fayetteville, AR and found a brew pub!

    Day 4 we visited the Battle of Pea Ridge https://www.civilwar.org/learn/civil...tles/pea-ridge and Prairie Grove https://www.civilwar.org/learn/civil.../prairie-grove.

    Day 5 was a lot of windshield time. We left Fayetteville and headed south and did the Battle of Cane Hill https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cane_Hill (I am glad we had a Ford Explorer w/ 4WD. I am sure the rental company would be pissed if they knew where I took it!) and toured historic FT Smith, AR. https://www.nps.gov/fosm/index.htm After an excellent brew pub lunch we headed west into Oklahoma where we toured the Battles of Honey Springs & Cabin Creek. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian...ican_Civil_War

    Day 6 saw us back to KC and a visit to the National World War One Museum and Memorial. https://www.theworldwar.org/ I must admit I was incredibly moved and almost broke down several times. I cannot recommend it more highly.

    Stay tuned. Photos and short videos should be forthcoming in the not too distant future.

    So the final
    Last edited by Albany Rifles; 20 Jun 17,, 20:10.
    “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
    Mark Twain

  • #2
    looking forward to it. i like how you guys are traversing the lesser known aspects of the Civil War! speaking of the Trans-Mississippi, have you ever done a tread of the Red River campaign?
    There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "My ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."- Isaac Asimov

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Albany Rifles View Post
      Day 6 saw us back to KC and a visit to the National World War One Museum and Memorial. https://www.theworldwar.org/ I must admit I was incredibly moved and almost broke down several times. I cannot recommend it more highly.
      Hey, you guys were in my neck of the woods!

      Liberty Memorial is seriously cool, did you ride up to the top?

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      • #4
        Originally posted by SteveDaPirate View Post
        Hey, you guys were in my neck of the woods!

        Liberty Memorial is seriously cool, did you ride up to the top?
        Absolutely! And it was breath taking.

        Sorry we didn't look you up. But as you see our OPTEMPO was Beer, Battlefields & BBQ!

        First BBQ we hit was Arthur Bryant's. Amazing. The final was Jack Stack's. Equally amazing.
        “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
        Mark Twain

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        • #5
          Originally posted by astralis View Post
          looking forward to it. i like how you guys are traversing the lesser known aspects of the Civil War! speaking of the Trans-Mississippi, have you ever done a tread of the Red River campaign?

          Eric,

          Back in 1999 - 2000 I was spending a LOT of time at FT Polk. I had several days off so I made a tour of the Red River. My hotel was in Alexandria. And the dam site was right about where the hospital is in town.

          I also launched from there to do day trips to Vicksburg as well as the Natchez Trace!

          One of tours I want to combine Red River, Grand Gulf & the New Orleans ACW & War of 1812 into a single tour. He's retired and I'm about 5 years out.

          We have a lot of these little trips we want to do.

          That reminds me....I believe I still owe you a tour!

          Buck
          “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
          Mark Twain

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          • #6
            You were in my neck of the woods. I know the ACW is your passion, but if you make it back to Arkansas, go to the Petite Jean grave site. it overlooks the Arkasnas River and the Trail of Tears. Given the way the Cherokee sided with the Confederacy it is relevant.

            Wish you could visit Napoleon AR. Sadly, no place was more destroyed by the Union than Napoleon, AR. It was on an ithmus at the junction of the Arkansas and Mississippi rivers. Confederates would shoot at Union shipping from one side, as the boats made the turn to head up the Arkansas or vice verse they would run to the other side and reopen fire. This could not stand of course so Union troops occupied the town and to reduce shipping times cut a canal across the backside of the the town cutting 10 miles off the shipping route, turning it into an island. Erosion took over and by 1874 it was all gone. Part of the small island that remains is actually claimed by Mississippi (as well as Arkansas) now since that state claims to the far bank.

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            • #7
              Z,

              Thanks for the heads up. I hope to do a Red River-Port Republic Tour and later an Island #10 and Arkansas Post Tour.

              As for digging canals....the Union was famous for that. Grant had his forces dig Dutch Gap on the James River to bypass the Confederate fort at Drewry's Bluff. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Gap


              You're right. There is a ton to see!

              I am so looking forward to retirement!!!
              “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
              Mark Twain

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              • #8
                The important question is " What kind of beer do you drink on a Staff Ride/Battlefield tour?"

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Gun Grape View Post
                  The important question is " What kind of beer do you drink on a Staff Ride/Battlefield tour?"
                  Good point, Gunny.

                  We drank a LOT of KC Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat, Fayetteville, AR, Hog Haus Roaring Lion Marzen, & KC Granite City Prairie Vixen Weizen.

                  Dabbled in a few other lagers along the way.
                  “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
                  Mark Twain

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                  • #10
                    Boulevard does make some delicious beers. I've picked up it up from time to time at my alma mater's local liquor store, which buys up overstock craft beer from local distributor's and slings it to college kids for ~$6 for a 12-pack and ~$12 for a case. I've had the Unfiltered Wheat, by my favorite by far is the Zon Belgian-Style Witbier.
                    "Every man has his weakness. Mine was always just cigarettes."

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                    • #11
                      So our Hell In Carolina tour was a great success. 3 Forts, 21 battlefields, 1936 miles, 3 Irish pubs and 2 brew pubs! Fantastic time.

                      Our itinerary was

                      4 APR arrive in Savannah ( I drove and my buddy flew from Boston) Hit Kevin Barry's on River Street

                      5 APR 1st & 2nd Battles of Savannah, Stono Ferry and arrive Charleston

                      6 APR FT Sumter, Sullivan's Island/FT Moultrie & Patriots Point with the USS Yorktown finishing off at a great Irish pub in downtown Charleston

                      Click image for larger version

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                      I'll tell the story on this picture later (and don't yell at me for the folding job...it was the Park Service who did it!!!)

                      7 APR Monck's Corner, several Francis Marion sites, his grave & Eutaw Springs. Finished up with a micro brewery with an awesome Low Country Boil.

                      8 APR was the big move upcountry (41 degrees when we left the hotel!!!) Hobkirk's Hill, Camden, Hanging Rock, Waxhaws & Fishing Creek. In Columbia and hit a another microbrewery for dinner.

                      9 APR was cold and rainy but hit Ninety Six, Blackstone Plantation, Musgrove Mill & Cowpens. Hit Charlotte and another Irish pub.

                      10 APR was King's Mountain, Guilford Courthouse & Pyle's Massacre.

                      11 APR Averesboro & Bentonville (yeah I know, we jumped wars) and headed home. My buddy flew out the next day.

                      More photos tomorrow.
                      “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
                      Mark Twain

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