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Saving Abraham Lincoln’s Washington – The Lincoln Group and the Battle of Monocacy

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On June 28, 2014, the Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia celebrated the 150th anniversary of the saving of Washington during the Civil War. Like Abraham Lincoln, we stood tall at Fort Stevens, though unlike Lincoln, no one shot at us. But first, the Monocacy National Battlefield.

Monocacy National Battlefield

About 30 members of the Lincoln Group left the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro Station by motor coach and headed for our first stop at the Monocacy battlefield grounds. The battle, which occurred in the summer of 1864, was a strategic gamble by Confederate General Jubal Early to take Washington. On Robert E. Lee’s orders, Early secretly marched his men at a record clip northward in the Shenendoah Valley, across the Potomac into Maryland, and headed for the Union’s capital city. The goal was to cause enough concern in the North to disrupt the upcoming presidential elections, Lee envisioning that the defeat of Abraham Lincoln would help the war end on the South’s terms. All the better if Early could capture the Union capital city and force Lincoln into exile.

Monocacy battlefield map

First catching on to Early’s ploy was Union General Lew Wallace (later the author of Ben Hur), with some inside intelligence from B&O Railroad President John Garrett. Despite already being chastised by Ulysses S. Grant for his perceived failures of command at Shiloh, Wallace took the initiative to move a cobbled-together group of inexperienced soldiers to meet Early head-on at Monocacy. By the end of the day Wallace’s troops were retreating in defeat, but that day of delay allowed other troops to arrive at Fort Stevens for a final victory, pushing the much larger Confederate army back into Virginia and saving the city.

Monocacy battlefield

Craig Howell, the Lincoln Group’s outgoing 1st Vice-President and DC-certified Civil War tour guide, led us across the fields at Monocacy to view the main railroad trunk lines that bracketed the early battle. From there we reboarded the bus to visit two other battlefield locations at the Worthington House and Thomas farm. Craig’s knowledge of the troop movements during the battle, sprinkled with stories of personality conflicts and unending background information, made the tour both entertaining and incredibly informative.
Fort StevensAfter a delightful open-air lunch at the Urbana Park, we were on to Fort Stevens. Located inside the District line from Silver Spring, Maryland (and not far from the modern day horror of the “DC sniper”), Fort Stevens is a series of low dirt mounds lined with Union cannon. Here was not only the repelling of Early’s forces but the site of one of Abraham Lincoln’s most famous incidents.Lincoln at Fort StevensLiving not far away at the Soldier’s Home, Lincoln had decided to see the action first hand. Ignoring the risk, Lincoln stood his 6-foot, 4-inch frame (plus tall top hat) on top of the mound to get a view. A medical officer standing beside him was hit with a bullet, after which the infamous (and possibly apocryphal) line was blurted out: “Get down you fool.” Whether it was this or a more respectful imploring for the President to get out of the line of fire we will likely never know, but thankfully he did get down and was unharmed.Fort DeRussyOur last stop was at Fort DeRussy, another of the small forts that served as a perimeter around Washington DC during the war. Earthenwork like Fort Stevens, DeRussy also boasted a “100-pounder,” a rifled Parrott cannon that could fire accurately for up to 4 miles.Many thanks to Craig Howell for being such a fantastic and knowledgeable tour guide, to Beltway Transportation for the comfortable bus and daring driver, and to Karen Needles, Susan Dennis, and everyone else in the Lincoln Group who arranged the tour. As the saying goes, a great time was had by all.

But wait, there’s more. Check out all the upcoming events of the Lincoln Group of DC as we continue our celebration of Abraham Lincoln in these sesquicentennial years of the Civil War.

David J. Kent is a lifelong Lincolnophile and is currently working on a book about Abraham Lincoln’s interest in science and technology. He is also the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and a soon-to-be-released ebook on Nikola Tesla :Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time.

 

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The Scents of Sandy Hook – Science Traveling

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Science traveling is a big part of this website. I’ve written on various trips taken to date, always with some sense of the science surrounding the majesty of the locations. And there is much more to come. I’m sure Nikola Tesla and Abraham Lincoln, both science travelers themselves, will be along for the ride. With this post I’ll introduce the Scents of Sandy Hook, along with a new writing endeavor.

The Scents of Sandy Hook is a short memoir-ish piece writing in response to a writer’s prompt. You can read it on my new creative writing blog, which I call Hot White Snow.

As you can see, the Hot White Snow site is specifically for short pieces of fictional, creative, and experimental writing, including responses to writing prompts. Heck, there is even a prose poem, a preview into some other poetry writing I’ve done and will do. The name of the site comes from the first piece I posted. Indeed, the very existence of the site is the result of requests from other writers to publish more of my creative writing side. Since this Science Traveler site focuses on non-fiction works related to Tesla, Lincoln, Aquariums, and of course, Science Traveling, creating a new site for fictional and memoir work was the obvious choice. I hope you like it.

David at Sandy Hook

Tagging flounder off Sandy Hook (me, in disguise)

Getting back to The Scents of Sandy Hook for a moment, let me give some background. In college I studied to become a marine biologist. I was a huge fan of Jacques Cousteau, having watched all his television programs as I was growing up. Soon after graduation I worked two summers at the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) laboratory in Oxford, Maryland. After the second summer I got a full-time job with NMFS at the Sandy Hook laboratory in New Jersey. I was there for 2-1/2 years, leaving only after arson had destroyed the laboratory building housing all of the fish tanks used in our research, thus putting my continuing job prospects into limbo.

Now, all these years later (I won’t admit to how many), I’ll be dropping by Sandy Hook on my way to see the family for the holidays. I’ll get a tour of the new laboratory facility, which largely recreates the systems we had back in the day. Even more fortunate, the tour will be given by a colleague who was a co-worker at the time and is now the director of my former department at the lab. It was anticipation of this trip in which The Scents of Sandy Hook was born.

So if you’re interested in creative writing, check out Hot White Snow. For a science traveling follow up to my Sandy Hook visit, come right back here to Science Traveler.

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) (both Fall River Press). He has also written two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate. His next book, Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, is scheduled for release in summer 2017.

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Lincoln Group of DC Joins Facebook…and More!

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LGDC logoFounded in 1935, the Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia (LGDC) has been instrumental in celebrating the life and times of our 16th President – Abraham Lincoln. And now LGDC is going digital. Yes, Abraham Lincoln has a Facebook page.

But wait, there’s more.

The Lincoln Group of DC also has a new LinkedIn group page.

We also have a Twitter handle (@LGDC2).

Somewhere down the line we may expand into Google+, YouTube, and whatever other social networking sites seem appropriate for our membership and fans. Until then please take a moment to “Like,” “Join,” and “Follow” the Lincoln Group of DC.

To Like our LGDC Facebook page, click here ———–> LGDC Facebook

To Join our LGDC LinkedIn group, click here ————> LGDC LinkedIn

To Follow our LGDC Twitter feed, click here ————> LGDC Twitter

To bookmark our LGDC website, click here ————-> LGDC website

Because we are in the midst of the sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) of the Civil War, the Lincoln Group of DC has a steady stream of events going on right now. Check our LGDC website for more details on the following:

June 28th: Picnic and motorcoach tour of The Battle of Monocacy and Fort Stevens

August 2nd: “Lincoln’s War on Slavery in 1864”

August 16th: Author James Conroy speaking on “Our One Common Country, Abraham Lincoln and the Hampton Roads Peace Conference of 1865”

September: LGDC book club starts a new book, Michael Burlingame’s “The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln.” [With a special appearance for those who participate]

There is a lot more, of course. The Lincoln Group of DC is one of the country’s foremost gathering of Abraham Lincoln experts. Membership is a must for anyone interested in our 16th President or the Civil War. Everyone is welcome to join LGDC and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Check us out!

LGDC banner

David J. Kent is a lifelong Lincolnophile and is currently working on a book about Abraham Lincoln’s interest in science and technology. He is also the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and a soon-to-be-released ebook on Tesla and Renewable Energy.

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Abraham Lincoln Book Acquisitions – January to June 2014

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Lincoln book towerI have a lot of Abraham Lincoln books. Too many for my shelves, it seems. While I read a dozen (or two) books about our 16th President every year, the fact remains that my collection outpaces my available time. Still, it remains a joy.

I’ve previously listed the Lincoln books I acquired in 2013. In this post I’ll list the books I’ve acquired in the first half of this year. And yes, I know that June still has a couple of weeks to go, but I’ve put myself on a moratorium (of sorts), at least until the end of the month. Check out the list below.

David J. Kent is currently working on a book about Abraham Lincoln’s interest in science and technology. He is also the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and a soon-to-be-released ebook on Tesla and Renewable Energy. 

Here’s the list!

Ambrose, Stephen E. Nothing Like It In The World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad 1863-1869 2000
Bacon, Benjamin W. Sinews of War: How Technology, Industry, and Transportation Won the Civil War 1997
Barton, William E. Abraham Lincoln And His Books 1920
Borritt, Gabor (ed) The Gettysburg Nobody Knows 1999
Boritt, Gabor S. (ed) Lincoln The War President 1992
Denenberg, Barry Lincoln Shot: A President’s Life Remembered 2008
Fletcher, George P. Our Secret Constitution: How Lincoln Redefined American Democracy 2001
Gary, Ralph Following in Lincoln’s Footsteps: A Complete Annotated Reference to Hundreds of Historical Sites Visited by Abraham Lincoln 2001
Goodheart, Adam 1861: The Civil War Awakening 2011
Grant, Ulysses S. Personal Memoirs 1999
Haydon, F. Stansbury Military Ballooning during the Early Civil War 2000
Herdon, William H. and Weik, Jesse William Herndon’s Life of Lincoln 1942
Holzer, Harold Lincoln: How Abraham Lincoln Ended Slavery in America 2012
Katcher, Philip The Civil War Day By Day 201
Martin, Iain C. Worthy of Their Esteem: The Timeless Words and Sage Advice of Abraham Lincoln, America’s Greatest President 2009
Miller, Richard Lawrence Lincoln and his World: Prairie Politician 1834-1842 2008
Mills, Eric Chesapeake Bay in the Civil War 1996
Poleskie, Stephen The Balloonist: The Story of T.S.C. Lowe – Inventor, Scientist, Magician, and Father of the U.S. Air Force 2007
Randall, J.G. Mr. Lincoln 1957
Ross, Charles Trial by Fire: Science, Technology and the Civil War 2000
Sandburg, Carl Abe Lincoln Grows Up 1956
Stashower, Daniel The Hour of Peril: The Secret Plot to Murder Lincoln Before the Civil War 2013
Stoddard, William O. Inside the White House in War Times: Memoirs and Reports of Lincoln’s Secretary 2000
Thomas, Benjamin P. Lincoln’s New Salem 1987
Thompson, Frank Abraham Lincoln: Twentieth Century Portrayals 1999
Waugh, John C. One Man Great Enough: Abraham Lincoln’s Road to the Civil War 2007
Widmer, Ted (Ed) The New York Times Disunion 2013
Wilson, Douglas L. Lincoln before Washington: New Perspectives on the Illinois Years 1997
Wilson, Douglas L. Lincoln’s Sword: The Presidency and the Power of Words 2006
Zeitz, Joshua Lincoln’s Boys: John Hay, John Nicolay, and the War for Lincoln’s Image 2014
Lincoln Takes Norfolk 1983
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The Art and Science of Bonsai

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Bonsai, the Japanese art of growing miniature trees in small containers, is also a science. The term bonsai aptly describes what it is – “bon” means tray or low-sided pot and “sai” means plantings. I gave some examples of bonsai (and a related Chinese form called penjing) in a previous post. Ironically, while bonsai is emblematically Japanese, the art was originally developed in China and only adopted later by the land of the rising sun. Here’s a quick reminder of one kind of bonsai tree:

Bonsai

The art of bonsai cultivation is passed down from generation to generation. And since managing a single tree may take many decades or even hundreds of years, the tree itself passes through many generations. The oldest one in the US National Arboretum remains vibrant today at 389 years old. So how does one cultivate a bonsai tree? That is where the science comes in.

Since these plantings come from regular trees, they must begin as cuttings or seedlings. Regular trimming, pruning, and manipulation is necessary to keep the trees small and create the desired shape. While the type of tree chosen influences the potential shape, there are different styles ranging from formal or informal upright, slant, or cascade, as well as more advanced styles such as root over rock, forest, raft, and windswept. Examples are shown in my previous post. To get these shapes there is quite a bit of physical manipulation.

Bonsai

Bands like the one above help pull together larger boughs, while heavy copper wire is used to direct future growth into twists and turns.

Bonsai

More wires and struts help in the shaping.

Bonsai

More advanced techniques include grafting of new plant material into existing trunks (to create side growth), defoliation, trimming, and the brutish-sounding trunk chopping. Considering the amount of manipulation needed to create these masterpieces, one has to reassure themselves that plants, unlike animals, don’t experience pain.

Bonsai

Ah, the tea bags. Many of the bonsai and penjing displays contain several tea bags. They are filled with natural fertilizer. Each time the tree is hand-watered the bags become soaked and leach out nutrients. Still, because the trays are so shallow and the trees are living organisms, regular repotting of the minimal soil must occur.

The incredible amount of attention needed to train and maintain bonsai trees requires patience, effort, and ingenuity from the grower. But to those of us who see and appreciate the art, these works deliver a sense of serenity that pervades the very essence of our souls.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

David J. Kent is the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, available now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (both Fall River Press). He has also written two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

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Bonsai and Penjing – Little Bits of Japan and China Alive in Washington DC

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Cherry blossoms gifted from Japan aren’t the only link to Asia in Washington DC. From the famed tidal basin head northeast and you’ll eventually reach a glorious spot nuzzled into an otherwise urban New York Avenue – the U.S. National Arboretum. Yes, there is a National Arboretum. And one of its greatest treasures is the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum.

National Bonsai and Penjing Musuem

An offshoot of the US Department of Agriculture (which, incidentally, was started by Abraham Lincoln in 1862), the Arboretum features living exhibits spanning the familiar dogwoods and azaleas to the practical herb gardens to the more exotic Asian collection. They even have 22 sandstone Corinthian columns that once stood at the east portico of the U.S. Capitol. But by far the most captivating are the bonsai trees and penjing art.

Japanese White Pine

Bonsai is the Japanese art of sculpture using living trees. Each tree is painstakingly managed over many decades and even centuries to limit its size and sculpt its shape. The oldest tree in the museum is the Japanese White Pine in the photo above. It has been in training since 1625, which means that many generations have dedicated thousands of hours to this one tree. How do they sculpt the tree? I’ll talk more about the science of bonsai in a future post. Suffice to say it takes a lot of patience.

Many of the trees in the collection are White, Black, or Japanese Pine, or Junipers. These evergreen conifers lend themselves to being handled and managed. Some of the most beautiful are this California Juniper:

California Juniper

And this Chinese Juniper:

Chinese Juniper

But non-evergreens can also created, like this Japanese Maple:

Japanese Maple

Even trees that we know for their extraordinary size can be kept small by a dedicated bonsai artist. Take, for example, this Coastal Redwood tree:

Coastal Redwood

All of the above would be considered Japanese bonsai. The museum also has a several examples of the Chinese art of penjing. Like bonsai, penjing uses carefully managed miniature trees. But penjing places these trees in the context of a miniature landscape.

Lijiang River in Spring

 

Roots may be “draped dramatically” over rocks. Rocks may also become the focal point of the work, with the trees acting as highlights. In some cases miniature ceramic figures are included to create a “natural” scene on a tiny scale. The effect can indeed be dramatic.

Penjing with Chinese Elm and figures

 

I’ll end this post here but plan to come back for more insights into the fine art of bonsai and penjing. Getting these small trees into the preferred shape (including dragons!) takes some significant, some might even argue tortuous, mechanical manipulation. The public rarely sees the science behind the art. I’ll show it to you.

Meanwhile, check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

David J. Kent is the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, scheduled for release in summer 2017. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (both Fall River Press). He has also written two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Follow me by subscribing by email on the home page.  And feel free to “Like” my Facebook author’s page and connect on LinkedIn.  Share with your friends using the buttons below.

 

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If it’s Tuesday, This Must be Belgium

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In 1969 there was a movie by this title (“If it’s Tuesday, This Must be Belgium“) starring Suzanne Pleshette. It was a comedy about Americans experiencing Europe for the first time. Not long ago I had a chance to live out the idea behind the movie – the company I worked for at the time traded me from Washington DC to their office in Brussels (presumably for a scientist to be named later). I lived in Brussels for three years.

During that time I traveled as much as I could squeeze in between a heavy work load and limited finances. While in retrospect I wish I had traveled even more, I treasure every second of the time spent hopping from one country to the next.

Flower carpet in Grand Place

In future posts I’ll talk more about specific places I visited. And, of course, I’ll also be talking about some of the cool science experienced on these travels. My base of Brussels was well positioned as a starting point. Most of Europe is within two or three hours by plane and the train system in Europe is tremendous, so it’s very easy to get around. Over my three years I took train trips, driving trips, flying trips, and even an occasional boat (though no long boat trips).

Brussels is not only the capital of Belgium, it’s the capital of the European Union. The former is reflected in its “old town” central square called Grand Place (pronounced with a French accent, n’est-ce pas?), while the latter is reflected in the tall steel and glass buildings more familiar to modern cities. The site of the 1958 World’s Fair, Brussels proudly shows off one of its most famous attractions – the Atomium, whose nine spheres form the shape of an iron crystal (see, I told you there would be science).

Atomium, Brussels

 

Bizarrely, Brussels’ other most famous attraction is the Mannekin Pis, which everyone rushes to see, then wonders what all the hubbub is about. I’ll talk about that later, as well as have much more on Brussels and my European adventures in future posts. Meanwhile, I’m planning my next European adventure (along with a few south of the equator). Back soon.

David J. Kent has been a scientist for over thirty years, is an avid science traveler, and an independent Abraham Lincoln historian. He is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and the e-book Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time. He is currently writing a book on Thomas Edison.

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In Patagonia, Don’t Miss The Cave of the Hands…or the Camels!

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Yes, I said camels. More on that in a minute. As I’ve been documenting, Ru and I joined my friend Pablo and his two daughters Juli and Mica touring, trekking, and tripping down the eastern side of the Andes mountains of Patagonia, southern Argentina. One of our stops was the Cueva de las Manos…the Cave of the Hands.

Cueva de las Manos

A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Cueva de las Manos is in such a remote location that it’s often missed by most casual tourists. Since driving all the way around to the main access road would take us over 150 kilometers out of our way, we decided to hike to it. After spending a night in a comfy log cabin, the five of us drove 17-km along a winding gravel road, along which we saw guanacos (WAN-a-coes), which look like short-haired llamas but, like the llamas, vicunas, and alpacas are actually closely related to camels.

Guanaco

We also saw choiques (CHOY-kas), which are ostrich-like birds that people up north may have heard called rheas. I’ll have more on these and other Patagonian wildlife (including condors) in a future post.

Choique (Rhea)

Eventually we arrived at the end of the road, but not the end of the trail, for where we were parked was on the opposite side of the valley from where we needed to be. So we hiked down this valley; that’s the cave peaking out from the other side.

Cueva de las Manos

And a little closer…

Cueva de las Manos

Once on the other side we could see the valley we crossed. To give you perspective, the greenery in the center are full-size trees nestled along the Pinturas River. I admit we dallied in the wonderful shade they provided from the mid-day sun as we crossed a footbridge over the river.

Pinturas River valley

By the way, our car is at the top of that ridge on the right. But let’s not think about the return trip just yet. Let’s go see the cave.

Cueva de las Manos

Okay, the cave itself is not so impressive. It’s about 10 meters high, 15 meters wide, and about 24 meters deep. It’s what is outside the cave that stirs the imagination. To get an idea of the layout, take a look at the photo below, which shows the valley and the cave system on the right wall.

Cueva de las Manos

The main cave is the hole to the right about mid-way where the slope meets the cliff. However, following along what looks like a cut as you move left in the photo traces over 4000 years of history. And what you see is…hands.

Cueva de las Manos

The hands are everywhere. At least three waves of indigenous peoples lived in this area, from about 9,000 years ago to as far as 13,000 years ago. The peoples were semi-nomadic, chasing their main food sources, the aforementioned guanocos and choiques, back and forth across the otherwise barren scrubland. To mark their ownership of the cave and environs they painted their hands onto the rock walls.

Cueva de las Manos

Painted is a bit of a misnomer. They actually stenciled negative images by holding their hands against the rock and blowing through a hollow reed a mixture of natural mineral pigments. The different colors were made by blending different base components – iron oxides (for red and purple), kaolin (for white), natrojarosite (for yellow), and manganese oxide (for black). Some unknown binder was added to get it to stick to the rock. Given that the hands are still visible after many thousands of years, one has to wonder whether the inhabitants had permanently painted mouths.

Cueva de las Manos

While most of the artwork depicts the artists’ hand (notice that most are the left hand, suggesting that they, like us, were predominantly right handed), as the photo above shows, they also painted guanacos. Needless to say they didn’t hold a guanaco up to the wall and do stencils, so these animals are directly painted as positive images (though I admit, a bit stylistically). For the occasional choique footprint, again they could hold up the three-toed appendage (presumably without the 90-lb bird still attached) and blow pigments to create a stencil.

Cueva de las Manos

As I noted above, there were at least three waves of peoples who inhabited the caves over time. Initially you see only the masses of left hand stencils, but as you walk along the rock cut you see a gradual shift in the style and patterns of the artwork. More and more hunting scenes are visible, and near the far end you start to see stick-figure people, geometric shapes, and zigzag patterns.

Cueva de las Manos was a wonderful experience. The guide gave the tour in Spanish, but luckily Pablo and Juli took turns translating the highlights so we didn’t miss much (something to keep in mind if you travel down there without speaking the language). While the site is very remote, I wouldn’t have missed this for the world. Now, only one more trek left today. All we have to do is hike back down into the valley, then back up the other side. See those white specks at the top of the ridge (just right of center)? That’s our car. I’m glad I brought a hiking stick.

Cueva de las Manos

David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, now available. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (both Fall River Press). He has also written two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

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The Latest in Lincoln Scholarship at the Abraham Lincoln Institute Symposium

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Abraham LincolnPut two hundred Abraham Lincoln scholars and followers in a room and what do you get? On March 22, 2014 you get the 17th Abraham Lincoln Institute Annual Symposium highlighting the latest in Lincoln scholarship. The day-long symposium featured five speakers discussing their latest books, and the audience included some of the biggest names in the field.

ALI President Allen Guelzo served as emcee for the program, while the equally eminent Lincoln scholar Michael Burlingame introduced the first speaker, Rich Lowry. This was the second time this week I had seen Lowry as he was the featured speaker on Tuesday night at our monthly Lincoln Group of DC dinner. He gave a spirited and informative look at “The Lincolnian Ethic and the American Dream.”

Lincoln Symposium 3-22-14

After a short break, former ALI President Fred J. Martin spoke about the long, and often in doubt, march to Lincoln’s reelection in 1864. Martin noted that Lincoln, while uncertain of his reelection chances during a long and unpopular war, had a clear understanding of the nation’s geography, issues, and political dynamics. He knew how important it was to hold the elections even as the nation fought to keep itself together.

But that was just the beginning. After lunch we were treated to more excellent presentations by a series of great speakers: John David Smith enlightened us on emancipation and the U.S. Colored Troops; John Fabian Witt explained the significance of Lincoln’s Code of war; and Joshua Zeitz led us into the world of “Lincoln’s Boys,” the title of his new book about Lincoln’s presidential secretaries, John Nicolay and John Hay. Following the presentations was an opportunity for the audience to pose additional questions for the panelists. Overall, this was an amazing event and the organizers should be congratulated on their efforts in putting together the program. More information can be found on the ALI website, including an archive of videos from past symposiums.

Lincoln Symposium 3-22-14

On a personal note, the symposium was a special occasion for me for several reasons. First, it was the first annual ALI symposium I have been able to attend. Normally it is held at Archives II, which is up in College Park, Maryland, but this year it was held in Archives I, the main Archives building right here in downtown Washington DC. Second, because it gave me the chance to introduce myself to Michael Burlingame, one of the most respect researchers in current Lincoln scholarship. Third, because in the nearly full 290-seat auditorium were some of the most erudite Lincoln experts in the country, including Jonathan W. White, Joan E. Cashin, Douglas L. Wilson, Michelle Krowl, and many others. Being in the presence of such Lincoln knowledge was both intimidating and exhilarating.

Also nicely represented at the symposium were members of the Lincoln Group of DC. Our own Rodney Ross provided a nice introduction to John Fabian Witt, current LGDC President Karen Needles asked some stimulating questions, and my lunch with Richard Margolies and John Elliff led to some fascinating discussions. In my brief conversation with Michael Burlingame I mentioned that the LGDC was beginning to expand our outreach and education activities and would be happy for any insights he may be able to provide. I’m looking forward to interacting with him and other Lincoln experts as I take on this important role for the group.

As an added bonus I had a rolling conversation throughout the day with George Kirschbaum, a retired history professor with an avid interest in both Abraham Lincoln and my other favorite historical personage – Nikola Tesla. [He even bought one of my books] While getting his address to send the Tesla book I realized that Elizabeth Brownstein was sitting right behind me. Elizabeth and I had been discussing her book, Lincoln’s Other White House, at the LGDC meeting earlier in the week. Luckily for me I had my copy with me (I had started reading it on the train into DC that morning), so she graciously agreed to sign and write the most amazing inscription in it.

All in all, a very good day. A very good day indeed.

David J. Kent is the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

 

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Up Close and Personal with the Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina

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You’ve probably seen photographs of the Perito Moreno Glacier. One of the most photogenic glaciers in the world, the Perito Moreno is a site to behold. And behold we did. It was one of the final scenic stops on our trip to Patagonia in southern Argentina, and it was worth the wait. I took hundreds of photographs, so picking the few that I use below was difficult. There will be more in the future, but let’s at least get in some of the highlights. Driving along the Peninsula Magallanes, we rounded a turn and, as a group, in unison, all exclaimed, “Wow!,” as we saw this:

Perito Moreno first look

Unlike many of the glaciers we had already encountered on the trip, this one is both massive and dramatically intrudes onto the lakes. If you look closely at the photo above, near the shore in the middle right, you’ll see a boat. That boat is roughly the length of the boats that take you into the mist at Niagara Falls. Luckily there was no mist (as it would have been ice cubes), for we were about to go on that boat right up close to the south face of the glacier. The north face, which I’ll get to later in this piece, is just off the right side of the above photo. Staying on this side for now, this is what the south face looks like up close.

Perito Moreno south face

To give you some perspective, those mountains in the background are between 2100 and 3000 meters high (6900 to 9800 feet). The face of the glacier runs about 50-55 meters above the waterline (165-180 feet), but remember that most of an iceberg is below water? Well, the total depth of the ice is actually more like 150 meters (nearly 500 feet). To get a really intimate look we decided to nudge up closer:

Perito Moreno glacier

Imagine that much ice hovering over your head. Here’s another close up shot:

Perito Moreno glacier

You can see how uneven and ragged the surface is of the glacier. Even more amazing, you can hear it. There is constant groaning and popping and cracking from all over the glacier. Every so often a chunk falls off into the water. And by chunk I mean anything ranging from small (the size of your chair) to medium (your car) to large (your house).

Okay, enough of the south face. Let’s get back onshore and drive around the point to the front and north faces of the Perito Moreno glacier. Look back at the first photo in this post; we’re going off to the right, around that little point of land in the middle. This is the first view you’ll have when you arrive:

Perito Moreno glacier

See that little gray rock outcropping in the middle back of the ice field (not the mountain in the background, the little jagged rocks with ice surrounding it). That point is 14 kilometers (almost 9 miles) from the front face of the glacier (which is in the foreground, partially hidden by trees). Here’s an overhead shot (complements of Wiki Commons) to give you an idea of how massive it is as the glacier fans out toward the shore.

Perito Moreno glacier - from Wiki Commons

The front face in my photo is the tiny edge that touches the land on the right side of the Wiki photo. The lower face is the south face that I showed you above from the boat. But let’s go around to the north face (top right in the Wiki photo).

Perito Moreno glacier - front and north faces

In the photo above you can see where the front face (left) meets the north face (right). By this time (mid-February) the front of the glacier had separated from the land (see the exciting video below). The icebergs in the water are from pieces of the glacier that have calved (broken off), a process that occurs sporadically but constantly as the glacier creeps towards us from the distant mountains. And just to remind you of the size, that shoreline in the right background? It’s about 2.5 kilometers away (1.5 miles).

Okay, one more photo – a close up of the north face:

Perito Moreno glacier

Since the name of this site is Science Traveler it’s virtually imperative that I mention the state of the glaciers in Argentina. The Perito Moreno glacier is one of 48 glaciers in the South Patagonia ice field (with many more in other ice field further north). Of those 48 glaciers, Perito Moreno is one of only three that is actually growing. Scientists aren’t entirely sure why this one is growing while 94% of the glaciers are shrinking, but any ice growth in an otherwise warming planet is good news [or not, since it’s likely the growth is due to changing weather patterns as a result of man-made climate change].

Another cool science bit for this glacier is the periodic rupturing it undergoes. Because of the unique flow pattern and geography of the region, the Perito Moreno glacier tends to push up against the shores of the Peninsula Magallanes (right in the Wiki photo). Usually the glacier melts back a bit during the summer (which was when I was there). But roughly every 4 to 5 years it creates an imbalance that results in a spectacular display. As the glacier blocks off the flow between the two arms of the lake, it raises the water level of the Brazo Rico as much as 30 meters (100 feet). The pressure caused by the weight of the water starts to strain the section of the glacier that has dammed it in. Eventually the ice is worn away enough to create an ice bridge. Slowly the combined stresses of forward moving glacier, downward water pressure, and seasonal melting cause big chunks (the house size) to fall out of the bridge. Until the whole thing collapses in a huge splash.

The last rupture in January of 2013, but the most magnificent rupture occurred in 2004 where, over the course of nine months, the ice dam formed, eroded, and eventually shattered. The video below documents the process.

I’ve provided only a handful of the many fantastic photos I took at the Perito Moreno glacier. I hope you got at least a small sense of the wonder of the location. It’s an experience I won’t soon forget. For more photos and stories of our trip to Argentina click here and scroll down.

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David J. Kent is President of the Lincoln Group of DC and the author of Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America and Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America.

His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two specialty e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.