Williamsburg, Yorktown and Jamestown

Saturday, March 28, 2014

Some days, when there is too much to talk about, or too much has happened to talk about, and you don't know where to start, the easiest thing to do may be to start with food. This is the Grouper Reuben we split at the Riverside Cafe in Yorktown.

Grouper Reuben

I don't know where the grouper reuben originated. I've only seen it on a menu twice, here and at a fish shack in Fort Meyer's Beach. Both were good, but this was better. We came to Yorktown to visit the battlefield and the Victory Center, but were hungry and the options for dining were slim. (No Taco Bell). This restaurant is on the water, which automatically adds a couple of dollars to every meal choice. It is also very nicely appointed in a modern minimalist style. Peg had a bowl of cioppino, which was also very good, and we split the sammy. After lunch we went to the Yorktown Battlfield. The visitors' center has a excellent short movie explaining the battle and there are many displays of artifacts and documents.

The battlefield itself looks distressingly like a golf course, except for the cannons. There are lovely lines of rolling hills surrounding a peaceful looking green. Those rolling hills are hand dug fortifications built by men digging day and night for the 8 days that General Washington and his troops laid siege to General Cornwallis behind his fortifications in Yorktown.

Washington had marched his troops down from New York. That was on foot! Except I imagine the General rode a horse. It was a daring move, pulling his whole army away all the while maintaining a pretense of a New York presence by the use of of empty tents and false troop movements. By the time Cornwallis figured out what was happening it was too late.

Much credit is given to the French, without whose help in manpower, fire power and naval presence the siege would have failed. Freedom Fries indeed.

One hundred and seventy-four years earlier the first English settlement, Jamestowne, was established about 22 miles east of the events at Yorktown. The settlement was to be a profit making venture of the Virginia Company of London. It never did show a profit for its investors and the Virginia Company dissolved around 1622. John Rolfe, who married Pocahontas, was finally successful in growing a strain of tobacco which became the cash crop which saved Jamestowne. In 1624 the colony was sent a Governor who answered to the King. By 1627 they had their own assembly and this form of government lasted until 1776.

The history of this country flows from the history of these early beginnings, which were tenuous enough to have one year named "The Starving Time", to the victory at Yorktown and the subsequent coalescence of ideas and ideals at Williamsburg. It is really remarkable that it happened at all and that it turned out so well. This history instills pride and anxiety at the same time. Pride in this country and what it accomplished and stands for, and anxiety for our future. But I have faith. We've come together more than once and will do it again.

The Jamestown Victory Center is near the Battlefield and also has artifacts on display. In the warmer weather it has farming demonstrations, but this cold afternoon the only person out there was this young lady directing tourists. She was directing us to the artillery demonstration.

This was the real show. After explaining 18th century artillery, how it worked and the strategies behind its use, a dry run was done with audience volunteers, so that we would understand the steps required to fire the cannon. Then the pros took over. We were told that a proficient team could load and fire one of these guns in about 40 seconds. They advised us to cover our ears. It is very loud.