If you can get to the battlefield, and especially if you’ve never done this before, make a point to be there on Saturday, December 6.

It’s the 20th Annual Memorial Illumination. It will be stunning. You’ll be awestruck, I promise.

Volunteers place over 23,000 candles on the battlefield; each representing a casualty from the bloodiest single day battle in American History. Driving tour begins at 6:00 p.m.on Route 34 east of Sharpsburg. In the event of high winds or heavy rain, this event will be rescheduled to December 13. Note: The visitor center will be open from 8:30 a.m through 3:00 p.m. Several of the park roads will not be available to tour after 3:00 p.m.

Also this year …

Pry House Field Hospital Museum-Living history, barn and house exhibits conducted before the Illumination. House closes at 5pm. Illumination gates open at 6 pm at the entrance on Route 34. For more information, call 301-695-1864 or visit us online at www.civilwarmed.org.

It is alive.

I’ve installed and configured a wiki for like minded folk to discuss using blogs as a means of getting history online. And anything else that relates to practical digital history.

This seems like a good tool for remote collaboration, and stems from a rash of recent posts and comments on the subject by Harry, Robert, Craig, Jenny, Don, Nick, and others.

I’ll try a more serious post later, and hope to do more with the wiki over the next few days. In the meantime, have at it!

I’ve been poked by Molly Gannon of Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive (WPNI), alerting me to the new blog by columnist Linda Wheeler. I’ve enjoyed her newspaper articles for some time, and look forward to what she’ll be doing online.

Civil War columnist Linda Wheeler brings her successful A House Divided writings to washingtonpost.com after a” 10-year run as a column in the newspaper. Sometimes news-breaking but always interesting, the blog will cover issues of importance to Civil War enthusiasts across the country and around the world. She will report on conferences and seminars, find little-known battlefields and sites to explore, check on the latest books and advice on upcoming events, and more. Wheeler welcomes comments on the blog, as well as tips and ideas for coverage.

Keep an eye out!

Tim Buck and Robin Willhite are the musicians of The Gothic Rangers. Tim dropped a note to let me know about their new CD Omen. Among the collection of folk-rocky songs is a strangely upbeat Antietam. Can’t be all that many songs out there with that title …

The pace and feel are “jaunty”, as Tim puts it, but the story sure aint.

Mine eyes saw fervor at Antietam
Mad dog murder at Antietam
Grapeshot workin' at Antietam
Red hot fervor at Antietam
Red hot fervor at Antietam

Do check out the Gothic Rangers. You can hear Antietam and the other songs from their new work on the band’s MySpace page. CD Baby has ’em, and says

These songs about the Civil War, love’s mystery, unquiet spirits, and dark forebodings are infused with rockin’ energy and lyrical passion.

Unique sound, and well worth a listen. Mad dog murder indeed.

Battlefield tourer Steven Mynes has begun a new blog at CW Battles and Battlefields to share his adventures. His first post is of particular interest, being a presentation of the action of Fire on the Mountain: last weekend’s artillery reenactment at Fox’s Gap on South Mountain. A nice collection of action photos is included, with more promised.

The Battery (S. Mynes, from his blog)

Steve also shows fine form in the selection of his first Site of the Month feature …

Welcome Steve and happy blogging!