Vicksburg continued 12/28/11

I cannot figure how to get photos below the first part of the blog, so I'm writing a second one for today. Vicksburg has been awarded money for working the land to make it more historically accurate. (See photo of huge tracts of land deforested and dug up) We walked up to the Illinois memorial

(See photo of huge tracts of land

deforested and dug up)

We walked up to the Illinois memorial which was an ornate white marble structure with 60 stairs leading up to it. The ceiling is a cone made of marble. The acoustics are amazing. I'll send you the movie/sound track of what the acoustics did to my scales.

We left in mid afternoon and went to the Coca Cola museum in downtown Vicksburg. It cost $3.00 and was a complete ripoff. Lots of glass cases with Coca Cola paraphernalia like lapel pins, Coca Cola hats, Coca Cola openers, glasses, t-shirts, etc.

I bought two books that look to be excellent reading for right now. UNRULY WOMEN (The Politics of Social and Sexual Control in the Old South by V. Bynum. The other is KATE CUMMING (The Journal of a Confederate Nurse)

H. and I spent time discussing WHY these young boys volunteered to be in the Civil War. Were they simply altruistic and wanted to stop slavery? I read that these boys volunteered for many reasons: ashamed to be left home/ Felt loyal to the UNITED States and didn't want to see a country split/ Needed the pay of $19.00 per month/ Were against slavery.

A guide asked us to think today about how different we might be if: 1. The Civil War had not been fought at all OR 2. The Confederates had won.

At 5:00 we crossed the Mississippi to enter Louisiana. Miles and miles of flat road ahead with timber farms to either side of the road. As far as you can see.....

Exhausted, we came to our hotel, and Herb had Hester's delicious wine, and we went out to Scotty's Catfish House (All you can eat Cajun). Herb had Gumbo with little twisty crawfish claws and big filmy pieces of okra. I had catfish and "dirty rice"

If anyone knows how to load photos so that everyone HAS to be at the top, please let me know.

Also, I am trying to make sure that everyone who wants it is receiving our blog. Let me know.

Cheers,

EK and HK