Happy Mother's Day to all Momma's out there! I received my present a little early this year, a little one on one time with my eldest daughter (Missy) and my eldest son (Bubby). I was blessed to escort them both on a field trip to Wilson's Creek National Battlefield in Battlefield, Missouri.
I will be honest at the first thought of this trip I was thinking logistics. Do I have the time to do this? What is the weather to be like? What should I pack for the picnic lunch? Once I got all my anxiety driven worries aside the kiddos were filled with anticipation of all they were going to see and do there. I started to reminisce back to the days of my field trips to the battlefield in elementary school and was happy to know that they also would have memories of walking around that peaceful place with friends feeling like you had taken a step back into the 1860's.
We had beautiful weather for our trip and actually made it a little early to the battlefield! I was excited for the kids but was weary that I would get anything out of it. I took a Civil War class in high school and Hairy Man and I took Missy when she was a little thing to a reenactment weekend at the battlefield so I felt like I had been there and done that.
The day started off with a presentation on Civil War medicine on the site of the Ray House. I was expecting the usual gruesome discussion of amputations. That was touched on during the presentation and our speaker had the tools on display for viewing, but the subject of unsanitary conditions and illness was really the main topic. Measles was discussed and I found that to be very relevant for the kids considering the latest outbreaks.
Off we went to the Ray House itself. Outside on the porch with the beautiful view of the rolling fields, our guide greeted us and tried to set the picture of the day the battle began. He explained in detail, like a great storyteller, Mr. Ray sitting on that very porch watching as both armies ran in and out of his cornfield and destroyed his harvest. Inside as we were surrounded with all the daily utensils and furniture of that time period, it was really pounded home to all of us what the cost to the family the war was. The destruction of their crops that they needed to sustain themselves for the winter, the loss of livestock to the army and even the loss of wool for their clothes as it was needed for wound dressing.
After a lovely picnic with good friends, we went on to the Visitor's Center to listen to a presentation by two gentleman about daily life for a soldier complete with a musket demonstration. My mother's heart was a little concerned. Bubby and boys around his age are fascinated with all things military and watching a gun being fired is usually the highlight of the trip. My concern was that the boys would get a glamorous idea of war. I was so very wrong. This was a very fun demonstration so it definitely kept all the kid's interest but it was very relevant that the Civil War was brothers fighting brothers and friends fighting friends. It was also explained that many of these young men left to join the war so they could see the "world" and they unfortunately did not get very far.
This spring has already fired up some significant tornados in our state and surrounding states. Living this rural life now I had a totally different perspective on our field trip than I have had in visits past. I was struck throughout the day on how this was so similar to our modern natural disasters. All that you have worked for to sustain your family can be gone in the course of a couple of hours and you cannot take time to mourn the loss because you have to help others and give what you can. The senseless loss of life and the everyday hero's that come out of such disaster. I am thankful that this trip not only gave my kiddos a historical step into the past but lessons and memories they can carry with them into the future.
Oh and they did not care one bit what I packed for our picnic, sometimes the little things don't matter.
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