Brandywine Battlefield Boys

[Bill Hagan]

 

I posted this in the V85 thread on ADVR and sent it out as email to some friends and family, but repost it here.  After all, at least here in the Northern Hemisphere, hope may spring eternal, but daffodils won’t for quite a few months, riding days are almost gone, and motorcycle enthusiasts in said northern climes can at least read about a ride.

 

A few weeks ago, as the reality of the coming Long.Cold.Dark. set in, I decided to carpe some diems on and ride.  But where?

 

Decided on a twofer that combined an overnight ride with homage to my 4th-great-grandfather, James Hagan, Jr. (1754 - 1829).  That resulted in this “staff ride” to the Brandywine battlefield in Pennsylvania to see where Corporal James stood with the 4th Maryland Regiment in September 1777 and faced the Redcoats and Hessians! 

 

Two Guzzisti friends, Steve (Alexandria, Va.) & AJ (Baltimore, Md.), agreed to come along.  Another, Kev (PhillyJoisy), planned to meet us at the destination as he once lived there and be our "local guide.”  Another “local,” Joe (who actually lives near Brandywine) joined in for the fun.
 

So, after voting — as we departed on Election Day, courtesy of the bravery of my ancestral Corporal and his fellows — it was launch time.

For the map nerds — not a perjorative, as I am one of those 😉 — here’s the route we took … OK, planned, but “where are we?” took over now and then, so it’s only close!

 

 

Three Old Flatulents, with varying needs for fuel, hydration, energy food (as in Little Debbie cakes, the original American “protein bar”), bladder maintenance, fuel, and similar things led to a slightly longer run than Google Maps’ optimistic <5 hours.

 

FWIW, the return, where we all took generally separate ways home, was even longer as I managed — my LANDNAV instructors at Armor Officer Basic 54 years ago (gasp) would not be surprised 🫡 — to get lost several times while getting lured into charming backroads.
 

Without spousal units who tend to be more picky, we stayed at the Comfort Inn that was near the battlefield.  As you might suppose, there were quite a number of bourbon toasts to Corporal Hagan and the Maryland Regiment that evening in the Hagan Hospitality Suite.  

I really had no idea that I could have as much fun in 32 hours — OK, with the exception of a few college weekends, but let’s not go there! — as I had on this short ride.

I knew when we launched that the likelihood of seeing or learning much was slim for many reasons.  The visitor center was closed.  Much of the battlefield is now covered by  subdivisions.  Etc.

Always interested in the Revolutionary War and a SAR, I had read several accounts of the battle, with the best, by far, being this, https://tinyurl.com/Brandywine-1777.  

One might reasonably think that I would have prepared better for my first visit there as I had last year at Camden, S.C., where Corporal James later fought in 1780, then transferred to the 2nd Maryland Regiment, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Camden.  One would be wrong.  

I revisited Harris’s fine book, relooked at some youtube vids (see, e.g., this … https://youtu.be/fbu_y7jf8g8)

 

I also checked out the relevant websites, and yet managed to muck it up, at least WRT the battlefield visit proper.  In some respects, I followed the lead of George Washington who, by some intel failures, did not make what he could have of the situation.

Yet, because of boon companions (and, if it must come out, bourbon, etc.), I — and I trust we, all — had a good time. I suspect that James himself may have smiled at our toasts and other references to him and his fellows even if we were not able to stand where he did back on that fateful “first” 9-1-1 day in ’77.  Heck, three McMansions probably sit there now.

But we did go, and talked lots about James and the bravery that he and his compatriots showed.  Moreover, I’ll go back better prepared in finer weather in the next year or so, tho may first visit South Carolina where James was seriously wounded in September 1781, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Eutaw_Springs.

So, here are some pix of that little "staff ride” earlier this week.

As usual with my Smugmug slideshows, this opens in “landscape collage.”  That means you’ll see all the pix at once.  You can hover your cursor over any that might interest you and see the captions.

All of that is easier to view in full slideshow mode.  Or, you can take the easy way out and not look at all!

Here they are:  

Brandywine Battlefield Boys 
 

Best,

Bill

Edited yesterday at 09:18 PM by Bill Hagan

[docc]

Not always easy to find a favorite among the array, but alas . . .

[Pressureangle]

Is that biscuits and gravy, or SOS? Either way, I'm in.

[Bill Hagan]

^^^^^^

Ah, yes, the brown and white food group; a favorite.  

In this instance, Eggs Benedict with hash browns and scrapple.  Unsure of actual "white stuff" over the eggs.

Not biscuit gravy; possibly SOS, tho classic EB gets hollandaise sauce.

I immodestly view myself as a connoisseur of (white)(sausage)(pepper) gravy, and, especially, of "proper" biscuits.  I do not care for SOS and find hollandaise sauce a bit "uptown" and "yankee" for my southern peasant tastes.  

That said, yes, I'd go back anytime near.   

Bill