2014-10-05 Petersburg

Thursday, the 2nd, we drove the Jeep back to Jamestown so that we could walk through the ruins of New Town, take the excellent Ranger tour of the original settlement, and stop at the Glass House for a demonstration of blowing glass in the 1600s. , 

We left Williamstown on Friday, the 3rd for Petersburg, VA. We are now parked at Picture Lake Campground, which means we are really getting south since it is at the beginning of I-85. To get here, we followed I-64 west to Richmond, south on I-295 to I-95, and then south on I-85 a couple of exits. After setting up, I paid the bills, Marilyn ordered a replacement for our lost Lifetime Good Sam Card, and then it was time to relax. For my friends from Oswego, this campground is within a half mile of a racetrack. The Saturday night races we3re just as loud as those at home growing up.

Saturday, it was time to start our tour of the Civil War Siege of Petersburg. We started at the Petersburg National Battlefield Visitor’s Center near Fort Lee. .   We drove to City Point on the James River to see General US Grant’s Headquarters during the Siege. Grant’s first headquarters was in a tent, but during the winter he had a two-room cabin built. He never occupied the Plantation home of the Epes Family, which owned the 2,300 acre plantation from 1635 to the 1970s. .   Then we went back to the Visitors Center to drive part of the Driving Tour to various battle sites and fortifications.

Today, we finished the driving tour. The siege lasted 9 and a half months (292 Days), and there were 108 separate battles.

Hugs, travel safe, and type at you later, because tomorrow we leave Petersburg for points further south.