Spent a beautiful day in the historic town of Jefferson County, West Virginia this past week end at Harpers Ferry.
When we arrived (coming up from Sheperdstown) we came to the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers that meet at the three states of West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland.
The town is so unique with huge hills, that have wooden stairs that take you from one street up to the next.
The town is so unique with huge hills, that have wooden stairs that take you from one street up to the next.
The town is built on a low lying flood plain that was created by the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, and all around surrounding this plain is the high ground.
By 1761 the owner of the 125 acres of land, Robert Harper, had introduced a ferry that would take travellers across the Potomac River, and this developed into a starting stage for settlers coming to the Shenandoah Valley.
When you hear about Harpers Ferry, the first thought is John Brown. In 1859 he led a group of 21 men in a raid of the arsenal.
As a radical abolitionist, he planned to capture the weapons in the arsenal and with his group of 21 (five of the men were black slaves, some of who were free men), planned to bring about a slave uprising throughout the South.
He was ultimately defeated by Col. Robert E. Lee who led a detachment of U.S. Marines, and soon there after hung.
During the Civil War, the Confederates under Gen. Robert E. Lee planned to invade Pennsylvania, but would need to capture the town's garrison of Federal troops in Harpers Ferry first.
In September 1862 General Lee needed this area for his supply line and most important, as a route of retreat if bringing the war north, did not bode well. The invasion into Maryland would result in the battle of Antietam, the bloodiest single day of fighting in the history of the Civil War, with 22,000 casualties by days end.
Harpers Ferry on this day had the feel of the past to it. Walking up sheer hills and going over to the train depot was like stepping back over a hundred years.
The town is dramatic with its buildings and rivers and natural beauty. It is the only town that the Appalachian trail directly crosses over and one that is chock full of history.
From Thomas Jefferson to Louis and Clark, this little spot of Virginia has taken away the breath of many people for its sheer beauty.
No comments:
Post a Comment