Civil War-gasm Day 4

Day 4 of our War-gasm had us up for breakfast at Meredith s and as she was off to work, we tided up and got on the road towards Frederick, MD once again with wife in tow to view the National Museum of Civil War Medicine and take in the down town.  The museum was nicely done, clean and fresh exhibits took you on a journey starting with how civil war era physicians and surgeons were "schooled"... onto field dressing stations and all the way through recovery or convalescence in a General Hospital.  Finally they discussed artificial limbs and ultimately what happens if a soldier didn't make it... embalming and sending the bodies home.  Had a chance to chat with George the museum director who informed us that just yesterday they received a new (old) piece to add to their displays... apparently an amputated (and mummified) arm found at Antietam (only the 2nd known to exist).  Leaving Frederick's quaint historic district after a rather nice lunch at Cafe NOLA, we drove on to Winchester, VA (after crossing over into WV thru the mountains).  Drab and dreary with overcast skies and a light drizzle all the way, we could imagine just how some of the soldiers from both sides had to contend with inclement weather while they were on long marches.

Arriving in Winchester we drove directly to the Inn.... The Nancy Shepherd House Inn, located in the historic district of Winchester and just 4 blocks for the very pedestrian downtown mall.  David the innkeeper/owner was very welcoming and gave us a tour complete with the history of the inn and some of the relics and "hot muzzle burns" left on the heart-pine floor during the heated battles that occurred in this town during the Civil War.  Artifacts were found on the grounds and buried in the walls during the restoration and many were on display at the inn.  We had dinner at a local Northern Italian Restaurant where the owners spoke in very heavily accented Italian.  Dinner was nice but un-rushed.

 Slant hats on display at the inn.  Many of the wood planks of the floor were burned with circular musket nozzle marks.

 The inn as it appears today

JP typing away on his research project at Meredith & Pats.

 Sharon enjoying a moment with Joyce M&P's cat.

 (inside joke)... "Hey Pat, check out the temperature setting."

 Desplays at the Natl. Mus. of Civil War Medicine 

Union medic and a surgeon tending to a fallen Confederate.  and CSA doctors preparing to amputate a soldiers right leg with the use of chloroform for anesthesia (95% were done under anesthesia).