Location, Location, Location: "The [Civil] war began in my front yard and ended in my front parlor". @ AMERICAN DIGEST

August 26, 2011

Location, Location, Location: "The [Civil] war began in my front yard and ended in my front parlor".

The initial engagement [of the Civil War] on July 18, 1861 of what would become the First Battle of Bull Run took place on McLean's farm, the Yorkshire Plantation, in Manassas, Prince William County, Virginia. Union Army artillery fired at McLean's house, which was being used as a headquarters for Confederate Brigadier General P. G. T. Beauregard, and a cannonball dropped through the kitchen fireplace. Beauregard wrote after the battle, "A comical effect of this artillery fight was the destruction of the dinner of myself and staff by a Federal shell that fell into the fire-place of my headquarters at the McLean House."

Maclean however had had enough:

He decided to move because his commercial activities were centered mostly in southern Virginia and the Union army presence in his area of northern Virginia made his work difficult. He undoubtedly was also motivated by a desire to protect his family from a repetition of their combat experience. In the spring of 1863, he and his family moved about 120 miles (200 km) south to Appomattox County, Virginia, near a dusty, crossroads community called Appomattox Court House.

.... Two years later ....

On April 9, 1865, the war revisited Wilmer McLean. Confederate General Robert E. Lee was about to surrender to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant. He sent a messenger to Appomattox Courthouse to find a place to meet. On April 8, 1865, the messenger knocked on McLean's door and requested the use of his home. Lee surrendered to Grant in the parlor of McLean's house, effectively ending the Civil War.

At left, Wilmer McLean's house where the Civil War 'began.' At right, Wilmer McLean's house where the Civil War ended.

For a contemporary analysis of what this could possibly mean we turn to noted scholar and culture interpretrer, Tengobaila2.

Take it Tengo!

Posted by Vanderleun at August 26, 2011 10:30 AM

Oh (G)od why!?! WHY!?!

I'm gonn'a have freakin' nightmares tonight…strike that, for the next week I'm gonn'a have freakin' nightmares about this convulsing, transvestite appearing, totally digging her/himself as if Doctor John's singing is giving her/him the most exquisite orgasm anyone has ever experienced.

The horror...the horror.

Eff you Vanderleun, eff you.

Posted by: tim at August 26, 2011 11:26 AM

Oh (G)od why!?! WHY!?!

The horror...the horror.

Eff you Vanderleun, eff you.

Posted by: tim at August 26, 2011 11:26 AM

?????

I'm not sure why that bizarre video attachment and even more bizarre comments exchange happened, but I wanted to comment on what seems to be the original intent of thise post: Appomattox.

In the rapid Army of Virginia retreat towards Appomattox, a Confederate veteran observed a teenage soldier running past him. "Why you runnin', boy?" he called out. The boy answered, "AHM RUNNIN' CAUSE AH CAIN'T FLY!"

An account from a Confederate diary.

Posted by: Don Rodrigo at August 26, 2011 2:34 PM