Another great b-fast at our historic B&B. For the past 2 days b-fast starts with broiled fruit, it's very good.
We started our day with a visit to Moore Creek National Battlefield which is 20 miles NW of Wilmington. A short but important Revolutionary battle. It is a swampy area where the Scot Highlanders, commanded by Gen. Donald MacDonald, were attempting to march to the coast. (who names their kid their last name)
Anyway the British Loyalists were equipped with broadswords and the Patriots stopped them from crossing the bridge by removing the planks and greasing the joists -- and they had guns. This is the case of bringing a knife to a gun fight. The battle lasted about an hour which resulted in the capture of 850 prisoners. It was also our first decisive victory of the Revolution. Two months later North Carolina declares their independence, the 1st colony to do so. Hence their license plate motto "First in Freedom".
The site includes several monuments commemorating the battle.
I think I already mentioned that Venus Flytraps are endemic to to Wilmington, 75-100 mile radius. My friend Val told us about a carnivorous garden. Enjoy the pictures of pitcher plants and Venus flytraps, we saw lots! It's a small but important garden.
Wilmington has lots of historic houses because as the Union troops marched through the mayor peaceful surrendered and therefore the city was not burned during the Civil War. One of the houses was the Bellamy Mansion, also saved from the wrecking ball. The home included some "deluxe" slave quarters. It is a small two-story brick building. The mansion is a white Antebellum style. I guess I'm not suppose to call it that but that the building style.
We had a guided tour and learned lots. It's great the house survived but the owner was a white supremacist, doctor and businessman. His children were also white supremacists so much so that this was detrimental to the black population of Wilmington that is still felt today. Some of the furnishing are original and some are period pieces.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/8663407@N07/moRj0G076p
We went to mass at what we were told is the only Catholic church in downtown Wilmington, the Basilica Shrine of St Mary. It was also built by Rafael Guastavino who also built the basilica in Asheville. So St Mary's looked similar with a self-supporting tile dome. No incense and fewer chapel veils but mass was 1 hr and 25 mins, partly because there were 5 baptisms, which is always great to see.
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