Today I had the honor and privilege of giving a private tour of the area for the Warren family who were visiting from Roanoke, VA. You may recall a previous post and video blog I shared on their son Richard, who does an extraordinary portrayal of Sgt. Richard Kirkland, the “Angel of Marye’s Heights.” Documentary film director Clint Ross has expressed an interest in shooting Richard for a movie project that I am consulting him on. Young Richard was joined by his parents Richard and Kathleen, and sisters Lydia and Caroline. (The Warrens have 10 children in all.)

This morning we were able to videotape Richard’s presentation at the actual site, on the sunken road, just behind the stone wall in front of the Kirkland Monument. It was VERY moving to say the least, and I feel blessed to have witnessed it firsthand. Arriving in the early morning we toured the Fredericksburg Battlefield before any of the crowds arrived. I was very impressed with the children's knowledge and they asked great questions all day long. After a short visit to the adjacent museum and bookstore, we traveled over to the Civil War Life Soldier’s Museum to see their artifact collection and 3D Stereoscopic photo show.

After lunch, we headed south to the “Stonewall” Jackson Shrine where Richard gave his speech on the front porch to several visitors and NPS volunteers. Everyone in attendance was blown away and seasonal historian Becky Cumins suggested that we provide a copy of the video to our good friends at the NPS. I agreed to pass it on to John Hennessy and Greg Mertz, so Richard’s presentation may have a future here in some capacity at the Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania Military Parks.

It was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday and a perfect example of why I LOVE living here. Richard reminds me of myself when I was his age and I know that his interest and passion for history will continue to grow. The Warrens blessed me with their interest and I strived to give them a better appreciation for the storied lives of those who hallowed our grounds here in Fredericksburg. As Christians, we all shared in a fellowship today that I will cherish for years to come. You touched a lot of people today Richard, perhaps most of all me.