Manassas

All systems are operating within normal parameters, in other words, we're fine and happy and becoming professional camper/tourists.  Jeremy is the navigator, washerupper and art historian.  I'm the driver, toast and porridge-maker and blogger.

Washington was a challenge.  My plan was to camp outside the city and then drive to a Metro stop and take the train.  We found a campground very close to Manassas Battlefield, drove to Vienna and took the creaky old Metro to the Smithsonian stop. But before we get to Washington, we have to visit Manassas.  It's confusing because many Civil War battles have two names, one Union and another Confederate. The Confedrates name battles for a nearby village (Manassas) and the Union names battles for a geographical feature (Bull Run Creek).  The battle happened in July 1861 and everyone expected that this approaching battle would determine the winner of the war and then everyone could go home. Spectators from Washington came out to watch and brought picnic lunches.  The battle was a decisive Confedrate victory and everyone realized that more than one battle would be necessary to settle the issues.

A year later, the same two armies come back to Manassas to slug it out again and the Confederates win again.  Now there is genuine concern that the Union might actually lose the war.