About Those Supply Lines
Behind the Frampton Plantation House, which is now the Low Country Museum and Visitor Center, trench-work can still be seen that was designed by General Lee and dug by his men. I learned he had so many trenches dug here in the low-country they gave him the nickname King of Spades. Perhaps it’s local; they don’t tell that in Virginia.
Following these battles over the past four years, one thing I’ve learned is how important the railroads and supply lines were in this war to the future of both sides. Much was sacrificed for that uncertain future.
The weather was cold and rainy on Saturday which kept the spectators away, but I had the opportunity to meet a really interesting person. Bob Rogers was there to give a presentation which was cancelled because of the low attendance. He was dressed as a Buffalo Soldier, which is to say he looks like the Cavalrymen from Rin Tin Tin, except that Bob is a black man, and his area of expertise is the Buffalo Soldier. His novel First Dark sat on a shelf near my table. The book had my attention in the first five minutes. Later when Bob walked in and we picked up a conversation, I didn’t immediately realize he was the author. During the battle when the museum was completely empty of visitors, I found time to buy his book; he signed it. I’m looking forward to learning about the Buffalo Soldiers following the war.
Sunday was a busy day for signing books with the sun shining and the crowd growing. This trip has been about my own supply line. School day on Friday was cancelled because of the weather, which meant I suddenly had a free day. I drove to all the Sea Islands and visited school and public librarians, told them about my books and gave them a flyer announcing the upcoming book, The Mysterious Life of Jim Limber, which has a strong tie to this Sea Island area. Though I’d been disappointed at the cancelled School Day, the loss turned out to be a blessing, a gift of time to make these visits. The librarians were all excited about Jim Limber! Meanwhile, they’ll look at all my other books for their shelves. I acquired interesting business cards and several nice invitations for future events and engagements closer to home. Meeting folks, fun; selling a bunch of books, great. But creating a supply line for the future is, as they say, Priceless.