Road to Antietam: Arlington, VA to Rockville, MD

Wow! What a day! I haven't walked 21 miles in a day since 1986; and then I wasn't carrying a pack. Sure, I have run marathons, but I trained more systematically for the marathons (and I wasn't carrying a pack.) This long hike I took helped me channel the experiences that Ward Benton and the 14th Connecticut Volunteers had but not because my hike was so accurate, but maybe because it wasn't. Let me explain.

The first issue is that I hiked in one day a hike that took the regiment about ten days to perform. The men marched from Washington, DC to Arlington Heights, VA. Then they marched to Chain Bridge, VA and stayed there for a while. Both Ward Benton's letter dated 31 Aug 1862 and Dunne Brown's (pen name of Samuel Fiske of Madison) talk about how dusty and dirty the trip was. Imagine coming from the beautiful coastal towns on Southern Connecticut and ending up in Maryland during the late summer. Ward Benton said that the men were "dripping with sweat, covered with dust less than an inch thick." If this sounds like an exaggeration, in Samuel Fiske's letter dated 1 SEP 1862, he states that the men "marched through dust so thick and fine, that, mixed in proper proportion with the perspiration caused by the intense heat, it formed a good plaster cast of everyman's face in form."

I am lucky with perfect weather with days in the 70s and low humidity. I did make a tactical error though. As I completed the first part of my hike from Washington (Foggy Bottom) across the 14th Street Bridge to the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial, I asked a runner if there was a good trail from the Key Bridge to the Chain Bridge. Her immediate advice was to cross the bridge and to take the B & O Canal trail. It is flat, well dressed and no hills. I of course said "Is there anything on the Virginia side of the river?" She said "Sure, there is this great trail along the Potomac with signage and everything." Well four miles and about two hours later, I climbed out of the Potomac trail holding onto branches and fallen trees with shoes so wet, water was leaking out the seams. I guess that is what I get for not running Bimbler's 10K on Sunday. But it was beautiful with waterfalls, cliffs, beaches (with very soft sand), wood ducks, jumping fish, rocks covered with guano, and possible snakes slithering in the underbrush. I loved it; but maybe a little less in the middle of a 21 mile day.

So by noon I am beginning to feel the fatigue felt by our soldiers. And then I realized another mistake I made. I should have filled my Camelback water system in my backpack before I left. My two water bottles were empty and I had not filled the Camelback because I sure that I would pass by many markets, and I worried about the extra weight. But here I am without water, walking through (and getting lost in) beautiful suburban Northwest D.C. and I begin to get shy. I don't want to knock on anyone's door to ask for water so I keep trudging (mostly uphill) until I see a little Episcopal Church and rectory snuggled in between houses. I knock on the rectory door and the priest answered, gave me water and directions and wished me luck.

Finally, I make my way out of the neighborhood and end up in the middle of American University's campus. What a wonderful place with nice people, cold drinks, and a Subway. As much as I like eating local food, there is nothing like a 12" chicken teriyaki when you are starving. I even drank a Coke! I haven't had a real Coke since I finished the Marine Corps Marathon (in Arlington, VA) five years ago. Most days I won't touch it, but today, ambrosia.

The soldiers did not have Coke, but they did eat a varied diet as described by Ward Benton. When I was in the Marines, I know that we used to sing songs as we marched. Singing together songs like "Yellow Ribbon" help a soldier get their mind off the pain and drudgery of the march. But today, I had two songs stuck in my head that I could not change. I found myself singing "Nothin' On You" by B.O.B. when I was going slow and uphill. I found myself singing "Tick Tock" by Kesha when I was walking fast or downhill. No kids, I was not singing them out loud, but it is amazing what pops into your head when you are walking or running a certain pace. I guess that listening to 101.3 and 95.7 paid off!

I did have a couple of disappointments today although it was otherwise successful. My feet started forming blisters at about mile 15 and I did not figure out that the Vaseline in my med kit could help keep them from getting worse until mile 18; about three miles too late. Another disappointment was that I have not seen a historic Civil War marker since I re-crossed the Potomac. And finally I have not seen a Dunkin Donuts! Did you ever just want a large iced coffee at about 4 p.m.? Well I did. I had to stop at that other place whose name we won't mention. I did see more malls, fine stores, Cheesecake Factories and places to shop once I got into Bethesda. I am sure that it was a little more rural in 1862.

The hat is becoming popular down here two. I have had three groups of students ask me why I was dressed and whether I was reenacting. When I told them what I was doing, they responded very positively. The only other people to ask are older people of retirement age. I think the reason students and seniors are willing to ask is because neither groups are shy, and often both are inquisitive. Yesterday's quiz was so popular, I would like the students to go to the photos posted yesterday by Nicole Ball and tell me who is memorialized by the statue of a soldier on the horse. Yes for points. For fun, please give the proper title of the woman that is with me at the train station.

Semper Fidelis

Dennis Culliton

P.S. The best thing about blogging is that I can take my family, friends, and students with me. I want to welcome and thank you all, especially my sister Alice's students in Danielson and my students in Guilford. You all make me smile!