on a Valkyrie, I reckon.
It was a brisk 97 degrees (measured) when I pulled out this morning. Rode around and went to where Red is an optical nurse. They can't smoke near the building, so we spent her lunch break sitting on some milk crates on the side of a dress shop and shooting the bull. She was already sitting in the shade when I got there and was waiting in the parking lot of her medical building, sweating my butt off. She finally called me and asked, "I was just wondering how long you were going to sit in the sun like that?" I sure do love that child bride of mine.
After seeing her back to her building, I drove over to St John's to see if I could find the grave to General Mouton who was killed leading the charge at Mansfield - the battlefield I stopped at last week on the way back from Colorado and the final Confederate victory during the war of northern aggression. (I had said that I would try and find it for ya'll when I got home last week).
The Union forces during the Red River Campaign were dug in behind these picket fences at Mansfield, Louisiana on April 8th, 1864.
When the first frontal assault on the Union line at the Battle of Mansfield (sometimes called the Battle of Sabine Crossroads) was handed to Moutons division on April 8, 1864, General Alfred Mouton was one of the first to fall in the fighting, dying in the first five minutes. Later, a Union prison described the Confederates as "charging demons" moving forward "like a cyclone".
In 1864, this was a clearing that the Confederates charged across. The Union line to broke; their infantry panicked and ran. By nightfall, the Union had 2,200 casualties and the Confederates about 1,300, most from dePolignac's division. The Confederates captured twenty Union cannons and 200 wagons loaded with ammunition, provisions, and food.
Well, I was able to find his grave and marker today in Lafayette.
Since it had warmed up to a brisk 98 degrees, I didn't know if I should throw on a jacket or get some ice cream, so I decided to opt for the ice cream. Went to the Borden's place again on Jefferson Street. There was a framed newspaper clipping at my booth. It said that this is the LAST Borden's Ice Cream Parlor in the nation. Wow, I didn't know that. It was built in 1941 and is the last one.
I do know that the hot fudge sundae was some tasty - yessir. 4 scoops of real ice cream with hot fudge and stuff and less than $5. We are going to have to do a Borden's ride one of these days.
Well, after an awesome sundae, it was off to the store where my daughter is a pharmacist and pick up my anti malaria drugs up on the north side of Lafayette while grooving on some Alan Parsons Project. Rode around some more and stopped by her house to let her critters out to do their business and ran over to the City Hall to have my name put on the list (scribbled on a notepad) to get branches that I trimmed up while home picked up - they do it for free.
Yes, this is the WHOLE city hall of Broussard, Louisiana. What can I say. You gotta love little townsville, USA.
Got home and walked nutdog and waiting for Traveler to cool off. I need to wash the Colorado rains off of her.
Well, like I said, if you have to tool around and get ready for Africa - may as well be on a Valk I reckon. Safe winds to all going to Inzane right now.
