Giant Steps

Cycling in Andalucia Southern Spain Day 1 Granada

The Jewish community of Spain (Sefarad) was one of the most unique and important in the Middle Ages, and occupies an outstanding place in Jewish history. Historical Cycling International invites you to join us on a exiting journey through Southern Spain (Andalucia) where over several centuries developed a Jewish culture that attained the highest pinnacles of creativity and was the most remarkable in the world at the time. We will explore the beautiful cities of Granada, Sevilla and Cordoba, flourishing centers in the Middle Ages of Arab, Christain and Jewish co-existence, and the cradle of what has been called the Golden Age of Spanish Judaism. We will cycle through unspoiled countryside and explore the exquisite and famous white hill-top towns of Andalucia; including Ronda, Grazalema and Arcos de la Frontera. We will stay at many of Andalucia’s most beautiful lodgings, including her Paradores, a unique hotel network of international prestige and great tradition and famous for their historical-artistic value and magnificent natural landscapes.

Granada - Afternoon rendezvous at the 4 star Alhambra Palace Hotel in Granada. Lecture of Jewish cultural history in Granada and Andalucia and visit to the “La Juderia”, the old Jewish quarter. Walking tour of the sites of the famous Spanish poet and writer Garcia Lorca in Old Grenada, Albaicin and Paseo de las Tristes. Welcome dinner in the city of Granada.
Walking tour of the second wonder of the world, La Alhambra; and guided visit of the Royal gardens of El Generalife, the military Alcazaba, Los Reales Palacios Nazaries and the Renaissance Palace of King Charles V. Lunch at the Parador in La Alhambra. Afternoon bike ride in the Sierra Nevada National Park. 30 km downhill ride on the old ‘Alpine’ road through pine forests to the Genil Valley. Dinner at our favorite restaurant in Granada.

Physics of Diving. Our Normal Environment - Air

The diver is affected by increasing water pressure as he descends and this manifests itself in several ways. Some will be noticed quickly: others will take longer to become apparent. Both the diver’s body and his equipment will be affected. Divers should have a clear understanding of how the laws of physics apply to them and to their equipment. Without this knowledge they put themselves at risk.

Before considering the diving environment, it is necessary to look at the atmosphere in which we normally live and the gases which make up the air we breathe.

ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE. The earth is surrounded by an envelope of air which we call the atmosphere. Air is a mixture of gases, and like all matter, it has mass. A mass exerts a force on those things which lie beneath it, and at sea level the atmosphere presses down with a force of approximately 1 kilogram for every square centimetre of the earth’s surface. Gas pressure is commonly measured in units of bar and our own atmosphere exerts a pressure at sea level of approximately 1 bar.

Atmospheric Pressure = 1.02 bar (1 bar approx.)

Atmospheric pressure varies slightly with changes in weather and diminishes with altitude until it reaches zero at the extreme limit of the atmosphere. At about 5000 m above sea level, for example, the atmospheric pressure is about 0.5 bar.

Our bodies do not suffer in any way from this pressure which is applied to every square centimetre of their surface-we are born to it!

GAUGE PRESSURE. When a pressure is to be measured, it is normal practice to relate it to ambient pressure. Thus a simple gauge would read zero at an atmospheric pressure of 1 bar. An aqualung contents gauge would perhaps read 200 bar, but this really means 200 bar above the normal atmospheric pressure of 1 bar. Such a recording would be known as a Gauge Pressure.

ABSOLUTE PRESSURE. If the above gauge were related to true zero as found in a vacuum it would read 201 bar - the extra 1 bar being atmospheric pressure.
Such a gauge reading would be termed an Absolute Pressure.

Absolute Pressure = Gauge Pressure + Atmospheric Pressure

In diving physics, it is normal to work in absolute terms, and the reasons for doing so will be soon apparent.

COMPOSITION OF AIR. The air we breathe is a mixture of gases comprising:

Nitrogen (N2) approx. 79% (say, 4/5)
Oxygen (02) approx. 21% (say, 1/5)

There are traces of Carbon Dioxide (C02) and other rare or inert gases, but in such small quantities that they can be ignored. All gases are compressible, having neither shape nor volume.

On the other hand, liquids have a definite volume and mass and may be considered to be incompressible at the pressures we are to consider.

The Confederate Postal Operations, Adding Order to a Time of Chaos and Disorder

With South Carolina’s secession from the Union on December 20, 1860, an exciting era of postal history began. For four and a half years the South was in a virtual state of chaos. Few supplies could be brought in and no technology existed to produce even the most basic needs.

The South was an agrarian society with no industrial base A few textile mills were about the only industry that existed. With the federal blockade of the ports, the South became a closed society with little means to produce for itself.

One of the most difficult tasks Jefferson Davis had in forming his new government was locating a Postmaster General. His final appointment, John H. Reagan, had to be asked numerous times before he would agree to assume the duties. Reagan knew the operations of the mail would be the most important job in the new government, yet it would be one of the least rewarding.

The citizens would expect the same level of uninterrupted service they were currently receiving, yet Reagan knew he would have a difficult time fulfilling the expectations of these citizens. Upon taking office, he quickly began soliciting help from Southern sympathizers working in the U.S. postal operations. He hired as many as he could and requested they bring with them everything they could - forms, maps, route agent names - anything that would help in forming this new postal system.

The decision was made that on June 1, 1861 all Union postal operations would cease and the Confederate postal operations would begin. Needless to say, Reagan was not ready for this quick beginning. It would be October of 1861 before the first stamp would be printed and distributed to the post office. Few printers in the South have the ability to print stamps, not to mention the near non-existence of paper making equipment.

This lack of knowledge and technology is a key factor in making Confederate postal history one of the most interesting areas of collecting. Throughout the war the demands did not slow. In order to perform the Southern people had to make do with what they had and “make do they did”!

In the Summer of 1978 I acquired my first Confederate cover (Fig. 1). While purchasing a collection of Confederate covers for resale, the owner ended the transaction by handing me a cover posted in Hamptonville, NC on May 27, 1861 and informing me that this was a gift to me.

May 27 was significant in North Carolina because it was the day it entered the Confederacy, thus a first day of Confederate operations in North Carolina. At this point, Union postage was still valid in the South. Four days later, only Confederate postage would be valid. North Carolina had the shortest time of any state out of the Union prior to the beginning of the Confederate post office - a total of only 11 days.

May 27 was significant to myself because it was my birth date. My customer had discovered this in our conversation and felt I should have this cover for myself. I expect he never thought nearly 20 years later I’d still own that cover and that it would be a key cover in my own personal collection of North Carolina Confederate postal history.

With the absence of postage stamps, the Confederate Postmasters had to find a solution to the problem. Many of them went back to their earlier days of stampless markings, requiring the patrons to bring covers to the Postmaster with no pre-payment ability. This posed a problem in that how was one to pay 5 cents postage when the smallest currency that existed was a 50 cent note?

The Postmaster addressed this need by creating provisional postage. Many Postmasters would prepare in advance envelopes with postage paid markings on them. Figure 2 is an example of a Gaston, NC paid 5 provisional. Only one example of this marking has ever been discovered. The Postmaster used a dateless Gaston handstamp with a paid 5 marking within as a control marketing to indicate the prepayment of five cents. The cover was later returned to the post office with a letter enclosed. The Postmaster then handstamped the envelope with a November 26, (1861) circle date stamp.

The son of Postmaster John Harper of Lenoir was somewhat more creative. He carved a stamp in pear wood and printed 500 copies of a provisional stamp on ruled paper that were sold to post office patrons. An example of one of these stamps can be seen in Figure 3. To date, 27 of these stamps have been recorded, two of which are on similar Davenport female college covers.

As the war progressed, paper supplies became almost non-existent. Individuals used almost every scrap of paper they could find to continue communication. A striking example of this is Figure 4, a wallpaper cover. Contrary to some beliefs, wallpaper was not pulled off the walls to make envelopes. Excess rolls of wallpaper were commercially used to make envelopes and sold to Southern citizens. They made quite attractive envelopes and served their purpose well.

Another example of these creative hard times is Figure 5, an example made from an old map. This was most likely a homemade envelope that put to good use some paper that was no longer needed. I expect most of you thought recycling began in the mid 20th century. Here are two examples of recycling 130 years earlier.

By the end of the war another hurdle was in place. The South had been split into several pieces and crossing through these lines became difficult. The cover shown in Figure 6 is an example of such. The addresser mailed the envelope on March 21, 1865 from Raleigh, NC to Winnsboro, SC. Knowing Sherman had passed through this area already, he placed the following instructions on the envelope: “Should mail communications not be opened to Winnsboro the Postmaster at Chester, SC will please forward this on to Mrs. Cockrell at White Oak Station to be sent.”

On April 26 the army of Tennessee would surrender in Durham, thus ending the war in North Carolina. It would be July before the formal reopening of federal post offices would begin. This, however, is a story for yet another writing.

Cycling in Tuscany Italy Pienza, Montichiello, Bagno Vignoni, San Quirico d’Orcia, Pitigliano, Sorano and Sovana

Pienza, Montichiello, Bagno Vignoni, San Quirico d’Orcia - Ride through the sleepy hilltop villages of Trequanda, Montisi, and Castelmuzio. Stop and explore the Chiesa di S. Anna, made famous in the movie “The English Patient.” Our home for the next three nights is the resplendent Il Chiostro di Pienza. Once a 15th century convent, the hotel offers incredible views of the Val d’Orcia. Bicycle through gently winding roads to Montichiello, a charming hilltop village overlooking the timeless beauty of the Val d’Orcia. Continue to Bagno Vignoni, a famous medieval spa town where we will soak our feet in the warm thermal waters. Continue north to the sleepy town of San Quirico d’Orcia. In the evening we will continue to enjoy some excellent regional wines - Chianti Classico, Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

Pitigliano, Sorano and Sovana - An unforgettable walking tour of Pitigliano and Sorano reveals once vibrant and flourishing Jewish communities. We will meet with Riccardo Pivirotto, Director of Archeology and visit the newly restored synagogue, ancient Jewish cemetery, ghetto bakery (where they still make matzo!) and a local fattoria where we can purchase a local outstanding kosher wine. In Sorano we will visit the smaller, but equally fascinating Jewish ghetto area. It promises to be an unforgettable experience, a time of reflection, understanding and spiritual awakening.

Basic Ability Required to Start Diving

Whatever the reason they decide to start diving, many will come to the sport with an initial sense of apprehension for water presents a strange and, to some, hostile environment that is not fully understood. In any event, it is certain that most newcomers ask either of themselves or of their instructor, ‘Do I have the ability to become a successful diver?’

What might then form an answer to this question? The recent very rapid expansion of professional diving has made necessary research into criteria which might be used to select diving personnel, but so far no positive guide-lines have been published. Nevertheless it is obvious that for the sports diver, for whom the training can be less hurried and the ultimate task less dangerous than that of professional diving, the initial demands on his abilities will be less rigorous. It follows therefore that selection for sport diving begins with the individual himself, for the fact that he has presented himself for training proves that an initial interest exists. However, success depends on more than just an initial interest, no matter how strong; there must also be a sense of motivation, an ability to stick at the task once begun, and to see it through to the end.

Although fins have been designed to increase swimming efficiency, a diver should be capable of swimming confidently and without excessive effort over distances of 2~OO m and should be able to support himself by floating or treading water, without their aid. To determine the trainee’s ease and composure in the water therefore, tests of minimum swimming ability without the aid of equipment are taken early in the training programme, and although speed is not important, the trainee diver should have mastered the rudiments of swimming. Unfortunately it is rare that a diving club, engrossed in the detail of its diver training programme, has sufficient instructors to spare for teaching swimming, but those who wish to take up diving and are of moderate swimming ability may improve their personal standards through practice. If truly motivated, with regular attendance at the swimming pool and practice in swimming with a light - then gradually heavier -weightbelt, the swimming standard necessary for diving can be attained.
Although the basic techniques of diving may soon be mastered, safe diving in open waters depends on a period of organised and progressive training. Such a training programme necessitates regular attendance at both the pool and lecture sessions so that the trainee’s skills and knowledge can develop together. The trainee diver who lacks enthusiasm and attends the courses irregularly will inevitably find that instruction is disjointed and the resultant erratic progress is unsatisfying.

As with all sports, diving makes physical demands upon the body’s resources, and it is therefore essential that the diver be sufficiently fit to meet these demands. It should be remembered that whilst he is underwater the diver is subjected to pressure and that movement under pressure calls for greater exertion than he may at first realise.
He must therefore choose his diving activities to match his physical capability; an inability to recognise one’s physical limitations is potentially dangerous and may well culminate in an accident.
Diving equipment can be very heavy, and difficult access to some diving sites may necessitate carrying this for some distance, but fitness is a relative term and it is certainly not necessary to be a superman in order to become a good diver, in fact many disabled are able to enjoy the sport. Careful selection of equipment to suit the diver’s requirements and physique can keep the weight to an acceptable level, and diving covers a wide range of activities-from the less physically demanding diving in shallow, sheltered waters, to long expeditions and deep dives in tidal waters that can tax the strength of the fittest-so it is possible to find exciting and interesting diving that is within the scope of all ages and physiques.

Basic ability to undertake a particular physical activity can be readily tested, and a person’s physical condition can be ascertained by medical examination. Less easy to define and recognise are those basic mental attributes that contribute to the making of a successful diver, yet these are extremely important. Many of the difficulties that arise as a diver adjusts to the new environment in which he finds himself are frequently a result of temperament. Inevitably it will be necessary to overcome the apprehension that is present when any new activity is undertaken, and this may be even more pronounced in the trainee diver who is also entering a completely strange environment. Frequently enthusiasm and a natural curiosity will overcome this, but far more important in allaying doubts is sound basic training. Under good instruction the learner takes progressive steps, and initial nervousness disappears as success follows success. However, even with the help and careful guidance of an instructor an ability to relax and to adapt to new sensations and changed perceptions is essential: the face mask, whilst permitting underwater vision~ which is one of the most exciting experiences in diving-also restricts the total field of vision to a much narrower field; first the snorkel and then the demand valve requires the technique of mouth breathing (which does not always come naturally); correctly weighted, the diver neither floats towards the surface nor sinks to the bottom, but remains in mid-water apparently suspended, and gone are the clues for personal orientation that are available when on dry land. In such conditions the diver must be able to learn to interpret new signals: the way in which pressure builds up in his ears, or the changed feel of his equipment, in order to orientate himself in his environment. Such adaptation does not always come quickly or easily, and a diver needs patience coupled with a placid and imperturbable temperament, for he is not undertaking a sport in which the training can be rushed with safety.

Whilst the ability to remain calm in the face of a crisis is a very necessary part of a diver’s make-up, he must also have a developed sense of adventure. Without this there would be no urge to explore a new environment. Diving is not for the unsure or the timid, but rather for those whose sense of adventure expresses itself through a confidence in their ability to face and overcome problems when they arise. Personal confidence grows with experience but must always allow a place for reason, for the diver who is over-confident, who tends to make rash decisions and who takes reckless action out of sheer bravado, will soon place himself and his diving companions at risk.

It must be accepted that in all diving there is an element of risk, and it is often this which, consciously or unconsciously, brings a touch of spice to the activity. However, there is a level of risk acceptance that is permissible in a particular situation and this will depend upon many factors: the skill and experience of the divers, the equipment available and the purpose of the dive. A diver’s temperament must be such that he has the ability to exercise a reasoned judgement that is not easily swayed by external pressures, for overconfidence could result in making dives with an unacceptable risk.

In many people a feeling for adventure and excitement is often matched with an independence of spirit and a strong desire to go one’s own way. Such a singleness of purpose is a valuable trait, but in diving this must be balanced by a willingness to accept the disciplines that the sport demands. For instance, sport divers should always dive in pairs, each having a conscious awareness of the partner’s position and actions, and ready to provide support at all times. This demands an ability to behave unselfishly and to be completely reliable. The individualist who continually wanders off is a danger both to himself and his partner.

Although it may not appear so at first sight, diving is very much a team sport in that it relies upon groups of people working together for the good of the group. A diving expedition is supported by a considerable back-up organisation which involves such activities as site planning. transport, equipment checking, and marshalling and organizing at the dive site. Each and every person should be willing to play his part and to make his contribution to the total effort. The ultimate -; responsibility for safety on an expedition lies with the Expedition Leader, and each member of the diving group must accept his authority and decisions unselfishly. Although initially the diver in training will rely heavily upon the more experienced members of his club, the time will come when he in turn will be ready to step into a position of responsibility. In the first instance this may be as an assistant Marshal or as a Dive Leader-as part of the progressive training programme. Eventually he may find that he has risen to the position of Diving Officer. Any prospective diver should be willing to accept the responsibility of leadership as his experience grows.

Finally, those who wish to take up diving must realise that it is an activity that relies upon more than just a sound physique and an ability to undertake certain skills. To be efficient and safe, diving must be supported by a body of knowledge that forms the basis for many important decisions. A diver must be able to understand sufficient physiology to realise the limitations of his own physique; enough physics to appreciate the effects of a hyperbaric environment, and be sufficiently practical to understand the workings of his equipment.

General Sherman’s March Across North Carolina
General William T. Sherman considered his march through the Carolinas the greatest of his military feats. The South, on the other hand, considered it the crowning display of Yankee barbarity. When Sherman set out from Savannah in January 1865 with 60,000 veteran soldiers, he was convinced that his concept of total war would bring about a speedy end to the war. Before him lay South Carolina, the birthplace of secession and beyond that was North Carolina and then Virginia where Grant and Lee stood deadlocked.

On December 30, 1864 Sherman began his move into South Carolina by moving Major General William T. Ward’s 20th Corp across the Savannah River into South Carolina. Because of bad weather and occasional fire from the few Confederate pickets on the other side, it took over a week to successfully move all 60,079 men, 2,500 wagons and 600 ambulances across. This crossing would, in fact, sever the communication tie of Sherman’s army from their friends and family back home.

For the month of January and February, Sherman’s troops played havoc on the State of South Carolina, burning everything within its path. Being cut off from its supply lines, Sherman ordered “bummers” to fan out from the troop’s path and bring in any usable supplies. The bummers took this as an order that if it wasn’t used or they couldn’t carry it, to burn it. This they did!

Never before or since has the state experienced such destruction, the scars of which can still be seen today, some 133 years later. One phase of Sherman’s plan of total war called for a demoralization of the Confederate armies in the field by the attacks on the home front. Sherman wrote, “The simple fact that a man’s home has been visited by the enemy makes a soldier in Lee’s or Johnston’s army very, very anxious to get home.”

Governor Vance, in fact, did receive letters from troops stationed at the front line stating that they could not complain of their conditions for it was their duty to protect the state but they were in fact concerned for home and family. They asked the Governor to do something for them in order that there be less desertion of the men who were feeling the need to protect their family. Governor Vance, however, could do little.

On March 7 and 8, Sherman’s army began to cross over into North Carolina at the Pee Dee River near Cheraw. Sherman had his Generals issue orders for gentler treatment of North Carolinians. General Slocum’s orders read: “All officers and soldiers of this command are reminded that the State of North Carolina was one of the last States that passed the ordinance of secession. And from the commencement of the war there has been in this State a strong union party…it should not be assumed that the inhabitants are enemies of our government, and it is to be hoped that every effort will be made to prevent any wanton destruction of property, or any unkind treatment of citizens.”

From his headquarters at Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church, General Sherman sent a message to the commanding federal officers at Wilmington to send a boat up the Cape Fear River to meet Sherman in Fayetteville to re-supply him with bread, coffee and sugar. He noted they had an abundance of all else.

On the morning of March 11, General Howard ordered Captain Duncan to take all available mounted men at his headquarters and scout toward Fayetteville. Finding no Confederate resistance, Captain Duncan entered the city and surprised General Hampton. Captain Duncan’s 68 men were not enough to take the city. Eleven Federal’s were killed and twelve captured, including Captain Duncan. This gave General Hampton the necessary warning to move his troops across the Cape Fear River to safety and to burn the bridge before Sherman’s troops could take over.

Mayor Archibald McLean made formal surrender of Fayetteville to Lieutenant Colonel William E. Strong of Howard’s staff then to General Slocum. The United States flag was once again raised over the marketplace.

General Sherman reached Fayetteville on March 11 and set up headquarters in the old U.S. arsenal. On Sunday, March 12, the quietness of the city was broken by the shrill whistle of a steam boat, which meant only one thing, the courier had gotten through safely from Laurel Hill and this was the prompt reply from the Federals in control of Wilmington. Sherman states: “The effect was electric, and no one can realize the feeling unless, like us, he had been for months cut off from all communications with friends.”

The passage up the river of this steamboat, the army tug, Davidson, was unopposed until it was ten miles from Fayetteville, where some small detachments of Confederate cavalry fired upon it from the river banks. Acting Ensign Charles Ainsworth of the Davidson had taken precaution to cover the craft securely with cotton bales and no damage was done.

After a few minutes conference with Ensign Ainsworth about river conditions, Sherman instructed him to ready a start back at 6:00 p.m. and ordered Captain Byers of his staff to get ready to carry dispatches to Washington. He also authorized General Howard to send to Wilmington on the Davidson some of the refugees who were traveling with his army which at this point amount to more than 20,000 predominately black Southerners.

Carrying Captain Byers, the tug departed Fayetteville with a huge pile of mail cluttering its deck. Ensign Ainsworth’s offer to take personal correspondence back to Wilmington brought a tremendous and immediate response from the news hungry soldiers.

On March 14, the tug Davidson again arrived from Wilmington with Brigadier General George S. Dodge of the Quartermaster Corps on board. He reported the badly needed clothing was not to be had at Wilmington but that he brought some sugar, coffee and a bountiful supply of oats for the horses.

Evidently the Quartermasters in Wilmington were not familiar with the successful foraging tactics of the Federal “bummers.” If they had been, they would not have wasted ship space on forage for the animals. 40,000 pairs of shoes, not a cargo of oats, were needed at Fayetteville. One of Sherman’s Quartermasters, peeved at the sight of boat loads of forage, asked one of the vessel’s captains if he would like to return to Wilmington with a load of corn.

The Davidson has been followed up the Cape Fear by two gunboats. These boats joined the gunboat Eolus, which had been in Fayetteville since the evening of March 12.

During the occupation of Fayetteville, several skirmishes took place between Federal reconnaissance units operating across the Cape Fear River and the Confederate rear guard. These engagements were strictly minor in nature but in each affair the Confederate gave ground very grudgingly.

Perhaps few towns in the South surpassed Fayetteville in the ardor and liberality with which she supported the war. After secession became the law of the state, the leading men had been union men, not secessionists, but they were Confederate, and when the war began they rallied to the Southern cause.

Fayetteville received harsh treatment at the hands of Sherman’s army, not only because it was a stronghold of confederate loyalty but also because it allowed the bridge across the Cape Fear to be destroyed. General Sherman issued specific orders as to what property was to be destroyed in Fayetteville. He issued special field orders, No. 28, which instructed the destruction of all railroad property, all shops, factories, tanneries, etc. All of the above property was destroyed and much more. A lady living near Fayetteville told the following story of a visit from Sherman’s “bummers.”
“There was no place, no chamber, truck, drawer, desk, garret, closet or cellar that was private to their unholy eyes. Their rude hands spared nothing but our lives. Squad after squad unceasingly came and went and tramped through halls and rooms of our house day and night. At our house, they killed every chicken, goose, turkey, cow, calf and every living thing, even our pet dog. They took from old men, women and children alike, every garment of wearing apparel save what we had on. Such as it did not suit them to take away they tore to pieces before our eyes.”

So much for General Sherman’s orders for the citizens of North Carolina.

After a week in North Carolina, the invading army had found booty and destroyed property, but they had found little evidence of the supposedly strong union sentiment among the people. One Union major wrote that he found more persons in Columbia who had proved their loyalty to the Union than in all of North Carolina put together. The city of Fayetteville was offensively rebellious, he noted.

By March 15, Sherman and his entire army had crossed the Cape Fear and the march to Goldsboro had begun. Before leaving Fayetteville, Sherman wrote General Schofield at Newbern and to General Terry at Wilmington to move with their effective forces direct to Goldsboro where he expected to meet them by March 20.

On March 15, Sherman’ cavalry under the command of Kilpatrick struck the confederate skirmish lines of Confederate General Hardee. There were no skirmishing on the night of March 15 between Kilpatrick and the confederate troops. At 6:00 a.m. on March 16 the federal troops moved against the Confederate troops led by Taliafello. The Confederate loses were considerable during the morning’s fighting. The Federals pressed Hardee hard all afternoon and up into the early part of the evening but were unable to overtake the Confederate works. Around 8:00 p.m., Hardee started withdrawing his troops and artillery.

General Slochm and Kilpatrick reported their casualties for the day’s fighting at 682 killed, wounded, captured or missing. Of the casualties, 533 were wounded. This was a serious loss because none of the wounded could be left behind. Every injured man had to be carried in an ambulance.

The Battle of the 16th, though seemingly fierce by those participating, was little more than a skirmish as compared to the battle to be fought at Bentonville two days later. It is significant because the stout resistance put up by Hardee in the engagement stopped the advance of the Federal Troops. As a result, the columns became strung out and the distance between them gave General Johnston time to start preparation for his next grand stand, The Battle of Bentonville.

Men seem to be eternally bewildered about what colour their socks are supposed to be. It’s okay. I’m here for you. First of all, it’s always better to stray on the side of darker socks, meaning your socks can be darker than your suit. Promise me you will never, ever-ever-buy flesh-toned socks. You’ll look like you’re wearing nude panty hose and just those three words - nude panty hose - give me the heebiejeebies. When in doubt, match your sock colour to that of your shoes; it will create a seamless line. You don’t want to match socks to pants, because you could wind up looking like you’re wearing stirrup pants. Basically, if you buy yourself an army of black and brown cotton or silk dress socks, you’ll be just fine. If you want to try some patterned socks, remember to keep it simple. There’s nothing worse than a bold-patterned suit with a patterned sock.

Socks can really invigorate your wardrobe. If you’re wearing casual clothes, you can mix it up with argyles, herringbone, dots, whatever. Go ahead and have yourself a little party in your shoes. It can also be really festive to wear brightly coloured socks - purple, red, yellow, etc. - for occasions like holiday parties, but I say that with extreme caution because this can easily backfire. And just like underwear, any kind of novelty socks (sports figures, superheroes, Valentine’s cupids, Christmas trees, socks that play music, light up, etc.) are to be avoided at all costs. You should also steer clear of any sock that’s provided free of charge, especially airline socks.

Some people like wool socks for when it’s nippy out, but I think most wool socks are scratchy, hot, and tend to trap moisture. They’ve gone the way of the milkman.
They’re outdated. For the ultimate in sock luxury, you can invest in a pair of soft and cuddly cashmere socks. They’ll probably run you around $150, but you didn’t really need to eat much this month, did you? If you can’t afford cashmere socks, you can try a merino wool sock, which is a very high-quality wool, or a wool/cashmere blend. It’s almost like the real thing. Just like that nice “lady,” Suzy, you met at the Vince Lombardi service area on the New Jersey Turnpike! You remember her!

And now we come to one of the pressing questions of our times: How high should your socks be? A good quality dress sock should always be long. They shouldn’t be as long as control-top panty hose, of course, but they should always be long enough to go well up to your calf. I do not want to see the gap between your sock and your pants when you cross your legs. First of all, hopefully your pants will not be that short to start with. (Clam diggers are always the wrong answer.) Your socks should also be able to stay up without Levitra. If your socks are falling down around your ankles, making you look like you have elephantiasis, or you’re wondering where you can find yourself a good pair of sock garters like your great-grandfather Ebenezer wore, it’s time to get new socks. High-quality socks of the proper length should come up to your calf and stay there.

The only exception to the rule is the athletic sock which is a fluffy white cotton sock to be worn with an athletic shoe at the gym. Period. These socks should be shorter. You don’t want to look like a jackass with big tall tube socks up to your knees, like Kristy McNichol wore in Little Darlings. It’s not 1979, people.

Cycling in Tuscany Italy Days 2 to 4 Siena, Lucignano and Monte San Savino

Siena - Enjoy a spectacular morning ride to Siena, Italy’s best-preserved Medieval city and famous for its magnificent artistic heritage. We will enjoy a guided tour of the ghetto site and the beautiful synagogue, the only Italian synagogue in use dating before Napoleon. Spend the afternoon exploring art museums, visit the 13th century Duomo, shop Siena’s elegant boutiques or sip cappuccino in the Piazza del Campo.

Lucignano and Monte San Savino - In the morning we’ll pedal southeast from Siena through some of the most graceful rolling hills in Tuscany. Arrive in Asciano for a mid-day lunch. Our afternoon ride will take us to Casa Bianca, our home for the next two nights. Perched secluded on a hilltop, the tiny hamlet of Casa Bianca will offer a delightful stay with magnificent vistas of the surrounding countryside.The following day cycle via the hilltop town of Lucignano to Monte San Savino and meet with Renato Giulietti from the comune, or town hall. Explore the fashionable ghetto area and abandoned synagogue. Wander the back streets of centuries old Lucignano; beautifully created in concentric circles. Our leisurely ride through this very quiet and unspoiled part of Tuscany will bring us back to Casa Bianca to relax by the hotels swimming pool. Rendezvous in the dinning room for a wonderful meal inspired by the hotel’s Tuscan country kitchen.

The Lure of Diving

Some people take up diving for a specific purpose such as scientific investigation, underwater photography or salvage. But for the majority of persons taking up the sport, it is simply the thrill of exploring a new, alien and-from what they have been led to believe -fascinating world that lures them to take up diving. They will not be disappointed.

Almost two-thirds of the world’s surface is covered with water. While the abyssal depths account for the greater part of this, there are many millions of square miles of sea-bed which are within reach of the trained sports diver. Most of this is as yet unexplored. Even around the coasts of the densely populated British Isles, there are thousands of square miles of sea-bed which have yet to be visited by the diver. Surely the sea must be the earth’s last frontier and any di ver who is well-trained and suitably qualified can see a new and exciting realm that can never be adequately described, only experienced.

The pleasure of diving is many-sided and as diverse as the feelings of those taking part, but since it depends upon entry into a new en�vironment, it must first be anticipated, assimilated and understood before it can be enjoyed to the full.

Some aspects of enjoyment spring from the untypical experiences of the human senses underwater. Each time a diver sinks below the surface his whole world changes: the light dims and colours fade as the sun’s rays are rapidly absorbed by the water; normal hearing ceases, to be replaced by a vague awareness of slight sounds that cannot be located-sounds of sea creatures, stones rattling in the waves’ thrust and surge, the gurgle of a demand valve. Taste and smell are virtually non-existent, and the feel of the water is all� encompassing. The surrounding water imposes its presence in many ways: its coldness and wetness in direct contact with the skin, the increasing pressure as thee diver descends and the weightlessness when one is neutrally buoyant.

The experienced diver who is at home in the water has learned to understand these previously unaccustomed and frightening perversions of his senses. He has come to recognise the features of being underwater: the silence, the calm, the caress of the water as it supports his weight-laden body. No longer are his senses distressed. They have re-awakened in a new world with a new set of values and expressions, and they have engendered a self-reliance, an awareness of things and of their significance. The diver has become one with the underwater world and has learned to love it.

On every dive, whether in the sea, rivers or quarries, whether the visibility be good or bad, the current fast or slack, the experienced diver makes renewed contact with a world that he has made-in -his own. But there is one thing that stands out above all others: sublime joy that the diver experiences at the instant of breaking surface. The shades of the underwater world are gone, light b in on the senses, hearing returns and the wonder, perhaps awe, compelled creatures to emerge from the seas millions of years a experienced.

The aims of diving are, therefore, two-fold: to explore and uncover the unknown, and then to return to the familiar with an ad appreciation of its beauties. So that a diver may immerse himself in this new environment, and for a time become part of it, he must rid himself of cares and worries about the functioning of his diving equipment and of his ability to use it. Of course, the problems diving, and the fundamental necessity of returning to the surface’ breathe when the air supply is exhausted can never be forgotten, b the diver should acquire a complete self-assurance in the use of diving equipment so that any actions underwater become instinctive. Thought, time and energy spent on the technicalities of diving then reduced to a minimum, and the diver can devote his energies and interest to other ends.

Such familiarity and confidence in diving equipment can only come after an adequate programme of training and no-one should attempt to explore the seas without first receiving proper instruction and training. The sea frowns on the foolish intruder and although professional divers may undertake deep or dangerous dives under controlled conditions for the sake of their livelihood or the needs of the job in hand, the sports diver has no cause to put his life unnecessarily in jeopardy, and even when fully-experienced with his diving equipment, it should always be used sensibly.

Size Doesn’t Make Rarity - Flat Rock, NC

Collectors of North Carolina Confederate covers are accustomed to seeing a proportionate larger share of covers from Flat Rock, NC than from any other community of its size. Except for the much larger cities during the War, few cities have retained such a large amount of their Confederate era postal history. Considering its location in the high country, it is surprising to see such a large volume of mail remaining.

In comparison to other major North Carolina cities, Flat Rock has retained a surprisingly large number of its Confederate covers. As expected, more covers remain for Raleigh than any other city if you include the provisionals. Flat Rock, however, ranks fourth with over 40 known stampless covers — not counting stampless provisionals, Flat Rock ranks third.

Known Stampless Known Provisionals Total
Raleigh 26 200+ 226+
Greensboro 47 28 75
Salem 34 29 63
Fayetteville 43 0 43
Flat Rock 40 0 40
Charlotte 37 0 37
Asheville 36 0 36
Wilmington 28 0 28

When one compares the population of Flat Rock with other areas of the state, you wonder even more about the volume of mail from this community. The entire county of Henderson had only 10,448 people in 1860, most residing in Hendersonville, the county seat. Wake County had 28,627 people, Guilford 20,056, Mecklenburg 17,374, Forsythe 16,692 and New Hanover 15,429.

The 1869 Branson Business Directory of North Carolina indicates another surprising comparison. Without a doubt, Hendersonville was the seat of commerce for the county. Hendersonville had 20 mills, 15 churches, 6 lawyers and 6 manufacturers. Flat Rock had zero.

Hendersonville Flat Rock
Mills 20 0
Physicians 3 1
Churches 15 0
Merchants 6 1
Hotels 2 1
Lawyers 6 0
Manufacturers 6 0

A look at the development and history of Flat Rock may give some clues to the reasons for this. Because of the difficulty of travel in the mountainous region, development was slow to come to Henderson County. With the completion of the Buncombe Turnpike in 1828, the mountains of North Carolina became comparatively accessible. In 1829 Judge Mitchell King visited Flat Rock for the first time. His visit from Charleston to the Land of the Sky soon became an annual event. When the temperatures of Charleston heated up, he would head to the hills for cooler times. Soon there were many others from Charleston who would spend their summers in Flat Rock — away from the heat of the coastal city.

The trip to Flat Rock from the coast took from 10 to 14 days. The “quality” traveled by coach. Their support help by humbler vehicles. Provision wagons formed a necessary part of the cavalcade. The road into the mountains, while dignified by the name turnpike, ran sometimes up a creek bed, sometimes up a gulch and over any obstacle which it could not go around. A smooth surface was doubtless not one of its good points.

In 1829 the post office was established in Flat Rock with John Davis as its first postmaster. Soon Flat Rock had more than its share of cosmopolitan citizens. Flat Rock had originally been a summer resort for the Cherokees. Here, during unrecorded centuries it was the Indian customs to bring to this area the women, children and oldsters during the summer months while the braves went on hunting expeditions or war parties.

By 1860 when the Civil War began, Flat Rock was commonly called “The Little Charleston of the Mountains.” Many of Charleston’s more affluent had their summer home there. When hostilities broke out in Charleston, many of Charleston’s citizens moved away from the war front. Flat Rock became their safe haven from the war.

It didn’t take long until others realized the mountains were a safe place to hide. Soon the mountains were full of Confederate deserters seeking refuge from the war. In order to support themselves, they soon became a gang of thieves robbing anyone who happened to cross their path. Toward the end of the war, things became so bad troops were stationed in the area to help control these renegades. Many of the residents of the area hid their valuables from these gangs in order to preserve them. In recent years a restoration project at the old hotel in Flat Rock uncovered a hidden room in the hotel that was used to store hotel valuables as well as others of the area.

I have in my collection a cover and letter written to the commander of the troops stationed in the area asking for help in going into the hills to retrieve a wagon that had been stuck in a creek bed. The owner feared going after the wagon because he knew he would be robbed if he did. Even with this concern, the area undoubtedly was considered a safe haven for at one point the Confederate Secretary of Treasury, C. G. Memminger, suggested the capital of the Confederacy be moved from Richmond to Flat Rock. It seems Memminger’s family was there, he knew the area well and felt it would be a safe place for Davis to be. The thought was ruled out because of the inability to run the government because of its inaccessibility.

Perhaps the single most important factor in the volume of covers that remain is the fact of who these residents were. They were of the caliber of Memminger — wealthy, literate, connected individuals who had the ability and desire to save their mail. Two major correspondences — the Middleton family and the Pinckney family have given us many of these Flat Rock covers. Middleton was a businessman involved in shipping from Charleston and Pinckney was a respected preacher in South Carolina.

The Middleton plantation correspondence in itself was quite large producing more wallpaper covers than one can imagine. Most of the illustrations in this article are from the Middleton correspondence. There must be well over 25 wallpaper covers from this Middleton correspondence. A recent single sale had 7 Flat Rock wallpaper covers, 6 from the Middleton family and 6 stampless Flat Rock covers as well as several other Confederate Flat Rock covers.

The Flat Rock stampless covers are both 5 and 10 cent rates with two different 10 cent hand stamp markings being used and a manuscript rate also was used. The known stampless covers are as follows:

Quantity Known
Paid 5 10
Paid 10 Type I with Serif 25
Paid 10 Type II san Serif 1
Paid 10 + 10 Type I 1
Paid MS. 10 3

Total
40

The postmaster responsible for these markings was Peter Stradley. He was appointed Flat Rock postmaster in 1845 and continued through the war until the office was closed around April 30, 1865. The office was reopened June 25, 1866 with Cephas Stradley being appointed postmaster. This was most likely Peter�s wife. On December 9, 1868 Salome Stradley was appointed postmaster and served until 1877. Salome was surely a family member.