One-tank road trips: July 2009 Archives

Pender's Division and to the top of the photo Pickett's left brigade under Garnett are in the midst of Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg on July 3, 1863, in my miniature wargame I ran at Historicon this year. Note the ruins of the Bliss house and barn in the upper right center. They were burned in the morning well before the ill-fated Confederate assault and were still smoldering as the Rebel lines streamed through the farm.

The scenario was hosted by Scott Mingus at the Thursday session of the annual Historicon miniature wargaming convention in Lancaster PA. There were 13 players, and the Rebels reached the Taneytown Road before massive Union reinforcements arrived.

The convention continues through Sunday morning, with most of the gaming action on Friday and Saturday, along with a flea market and separate dealer hall.

For more photos of my game, please click here.

This years marks the 150th anniversary of the celebrated raid on the U.S. Arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia) by abolitionist John Brown and his followers, which included a Pennsylvania free black man named Osborn P. Anderson who had been a Canadian congressman. Anderson was one of five of Brown's group to escape, eventually making his way here to York, Pennsylvania, where wealthy black businessman William C. Goodridge gave him shelter in his Philadelphia Street home (and his Centre Square business as well) and later smuggled him in a rail car across the Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge. Anderson was never captured.

As part of the regional events commemorating the 1859 raid, Wayside Theatre in Middletown, VA will present the production "Robert E. Lee and John Brown; Lighting the Fuse" beginning August 29 through September 26, 2009. The play is written by Warner Crocker and with music Steve Przybylski. The production is one of the events of the Quad State 150th Anniversary of John Brown's Raid at Harpers Ferry in 1859. The play tells the story of John Brown's dramatic raid on Harper's Ferry and paints a picture of that tumultuous time in our nation's history. The play brings these two important historical figures face to face using many of their own words to tell the story that concluded with Lee's refusal to accept command of the Union army in 1861.

Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8:00 Pm and Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:30 PM. Except Sunday, August 30, when the official opening performance is at 6:30 PM. Cost is $25-$30 for adults. Children 17 years and younger are $10.00 for any performance.

Call the box office at (540) 869-1776 to reserve your seats, or reserve them on-line at www.waysidetheatre.org

Cephe F. Place
Sales & Outreach Coordinator
Wayside Theatre
P.O. Box 260
Middletown, VA 22645

cephas@waysidetheatre.org