{Battlefield babies}

We wandered around rural NC this morning looking for the Bentonville Battlefield and FINALLY found it around noon.  What was supposed to take 45 minutes, took just about 2 hours.  Lets just say the road signs here are less than pristine. 

When we got there it was much like you'd expect.  The museum/visitors center were situated about a half mile from the battlefield.  The battlefield spans miles.  Most of it now farmland, much as it was then, is kind of trippy.  To be in a place where so many fought and died is heavy. 

Fancy and I took the guided tour of the home and the grounds.  The house was used as a hospital for over 500 men.  The soldiers were graded based on injury.  The mortally wounded (a miniball to the head, chest or stomach) were left on the front lawn to die.  They just didn't have the resources to heal them or even to make them comfortable.  They also did amputations and miniball extractions.  The rooms where the amputations took place had a couple windows.  The windows served two purposes.  One, to ventilate the room.  The fumes from the anesthesia were apprently heavy.  Two, as soon as the limbs were removed, they just tossed them out the window.  Convenient, no?

The house was restored to its Civil War appearance sometime in the early 1960's.  It contains about 60% original materials (flooring, windows, etc).  The furniture isn't original, but its of the period.  The original Harper family furnishings were distributed to the children when Mr & Mrs Harper passed away.  The slave hut and the kitchen also are not original, but they are authentic.  Just not to this property. 

It was hot, sticky and buggy.  Coach got too hot and The Daddy took him to sit in the car while Fancy and I finished looking around.  We drove the route that Sherman took to meet Johnston's lines.  Kind of crazy to know that so many of history's great men fought here.  I think so anyway :)

Fancy showing us Harper House (built in 1855)

They loved running around the grounds.  Creepy to remember what happened here 150+ years ago. 

Have you ever seen a cuter history buff?

Our big beautiful boy enjoying the sunshine!

Up close and personal with Fancy.

Want some water momma?

It was hot as hades, but fun.  After that we attempted a trip to the nearby outlet malls, but it was pure chaos.  We decided to just eat lunch there and forgo shopping.  On the weekends popular places get flooded.  Its best to plan these trips for week days when everyone else is at work.