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Marines on the March
Marines' hike through Chancellorsville Battlefield traces 'Stonewall' Jackson's strategic route
By PAMELA GOULD
Free Lance-Star
Date published: 9/1/2004
Like the men who followed Confederate Lt. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson on his final assault, 252 Marine second lieutenants set out before dawn on a march through Chancellorsville yesterday.
Unlike many of the warriors of more than 140 years ago, however, the men and women hiking Jackson's trail yesterday had a few modern advantages--such as blister-guard socks, rugged boots with specialized insoles and plenty of food in the form of Meals Ready to Eat.
"We've got it pretty comfortable right now, compared to what they had," said 2nd Lt. Alex Ramos.
The 15-mile trek for the men and women attending The Basic School at Quantico Marine Corps Base culminated their hiking training at the six-month-long school for new officers.
For Jackson's men, the Spotsylvania County march was a 12-mile route that put them on the right flank of Union Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker. The surprise maneuver was a strategic success, but the South suffered a significant blow when Jackson was mortally wounded by his own men.
Yesterday, the Marines set out about 4 a.m. and wrapped up a little more than six hours later. The timing was not an effort to duplicate Jackson's pre-dawn march of May 2, 1863--just to complete the journey before the day's temperatures hit their peak, according to Capt. Bradley Sams.
People living in the Chancellorsville area should get accustomed to seeing Marines in camouflage, flak jackets, helmets, stuffed rucksacks and M16A2 rifles. Officials at The Basic School decided these pre-dawn treks will be the final step for all the hiking training starting this year, Sams said.
The route offers both a change of scenery from The Basic School grounds and a chance to study military history where it occurred. The possibilities for practical application of military training are endless, Sams said.
"You can pull any lesson from the Civil War and make it applicable," he said.
Yesterday, 2nd Lt. Ash Ivers said he enjoyed the new environment and the chance to learn military history on the battlefield. He not only learned about Jackson's maneuvers, but was struck by the physical challenges the Confederate soldiers endured.
"They didn't have high-tech insoles and weapons," he noted.
"And their weapons weighed three times as much [as ours]," Ramos added.
What Sams pointed out, however, was that as good as they may have it, the men and women going through The Basic School today may soon find themselves in a real-world environment--putting all of their training into practice in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
And he's noticed the difference in attitudes that brings in the training process.
"They're definitely more focused," Sams said, "because now it's not some thought, some vision that's not going to happen to them."
Eric
Marines' hike through Chancellorsville Battlefield traces 'Stonewall' Jackson's strategic route
By PAMELA GOULD
Free Lance-Star
Date published: 9/1/2004
Like the men who followed Confederate Lt. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson on his final assault, 252 Marine second lieutenants set out before dawn on a march through Chancellorsville yesterday.
Unlike many of the warriors of more than 140 years ago, however, the men and women hiking Jackson's trail yesterday had a few modern advantages--such as blister-guard socks, rugged boots with specialized insoles and plenty of food in the form of Meals Ready to Eat.
"We've got it pretty comfortable right now, compared to what they had," said 2nd Lt. Alex Ramos.
The 15-mile trek for the men and women attending The Basic School at Quantico Marine Corps Base culminated their hiking training at the six-month-long school for new officers.
For Jackson's men, the Spotsylvania County march was a 12-mile route that put them on the right flank of Union Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker. The surprise maneuver was a strategic success, but the South suffered a significant blow when Jackson was mortally wounded by his own men.
Yesterday, the Marines set out about 4 a.m. and wrapped up a little more than six hours later. The timing was not an effort to duplicate Jackson's pre-dawn march of May 2, 1863--just to complete the journey before the day's temperatures hit their peak, according to Capt. Bradley Sams.
People living in the Chancellorsville area should get accustomed to seeing Marines in camouflage, flak jackets, helmets, stuffed rucksacks and M16A2 rifles. Officials at The Basic School decided these pre-dawn treks will be the final step for all the hiking training starting this year, Sams said.
The route offers both a change of scenery from The Basic School grounds and a chance to study military history where it occurred. The possibilities for practical application of military training are endless, Sams said.
"You can pull any lesson from the Civil War and make it applicable," he said.
Yesterday, 2nd Lt. Ash Ivers said he enjoyed the new environment and the chance to learn military history on the battlefield. He not only learned about Jackson's maneuvers, but was struck by the physical challenges the Confederate soldiers endured.
"They didn't have high-tech insoles and weapons," he noted.
"And their weapons weighed three times as much [as ours]," Ramos added.
What Sams pointed out, however, was that as good as they may have it, the men and women going through The Basic School today may soon find themselves in a real-world environment--putting all of their training into practice in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
And he's noticed the difference in attitudes that brings in the training process.
"They're definitely more focused," Sams said, "because now it's not some thought, some vision that's not going to happen to them."
Eric