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The Ken Burns PBS Series

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Front-Ranger:
I have a lot to catch up on here. Yesterday morning I watched a discussion about how the maps for the show were created. They mentioned the Great Wagon Road, which runs through Virginia (now WV) just a few miles away from my ancestor Richard Stephenson's homestead. And the graves of him, his wife Honora and his stepson Col. Valentine Crawford are even closer on a ridge where the Bullskin Run has its headsprings.

Also, I was chagrined that they mentioned Col. Daniel Morgan as the leader of the Bee Line March but not my ancestor, Col.. High Stephenson (son of Richard and Honora) who also led a regiment of Virginia sharpshooters. THey marched in a straight line from Virginia to Cambridge, MA, to join with General Washington's troops to start the Revolution.

Front-Ranger:
I Googled "Bee Line March" and here's what I came up with:

The "Bee Line March" refers to the 600-mile march taken by Captain Hugh Stephenson's company of 98 men from Shepherdstown, WV (then Mecklenburg) to Cambridge, MA, to join the Continental Army in 1775. They completed the journey in just 25 days, earning the march its name due to its speed and direct route. The march began on July 17, 1775, and is considered a significant early feat of the Continental Army.

? The march's origin: The march was prompted by the Second Continental Congress, which called for companies of riflemen to aid General Washington at the siege of Boston. Captain Hugh Stephenson formed one of Virginia's companies from men in and around Shepherdstown.
? The starting point: The company gathered at Morgan's Spring, near Shepherdstown, on July 17, 1775, to begin their journey.
? The journey and destination: The 600-mile march was completed in 25 days, with the men arriving in Cambridge, MA, on August 11, 1775, to join George Washington's forces.
? Historical significance: The Bee Line March is remembered for its speed and the dedication of the men who traveled a great distance to fight for independence. It is often cited as a symbol of the early Continental Army's spirit.
? Commemoration: The march is commemorated in Shepherdstown with a monument in Elmwood Cemetery erected by the Daughters of the American Revolution and a marker in Morgan's Grove Park. There have also been recent anniversary celebrations, including reenactments and historical talks. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7] 

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1] https://observerwv.com/bee-line-march-anniversary-events-in-shepherdstown-mark-250-years-of-history/
[2] https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/82fb520ab4054f73823a4ef81f77bcde
[3] https://emergingrevolutionarywar.org/2023/07/17/july-17-1775-the-start-of-the-beeline-march/
[4] https://historicshepherdstown.com/2025/04/speaker-series-1775-bee-line-march-may-14-doug-perks/
[5] https://theclio.com/entry/11738
[6] https://www.shepherdstownchronicle.com/news/2024/05/31/250th-anniversary-of-beeline-march-to-be-celebrated-throughout-coming-months/
[7] https://vssar.memberclicks.net/beeline-march

Coincidence that he began marching on my birthday! I was -176 years old! And Daniel Morgan isn't even mentioned!

Front-Ranger:
Somehow I got distracted from watching the series and I want to get back to it again. But the two-hour segments are grueling! I don't know why I can watch a two-hour movie in the evening but I can't make it through a show that's the same length.

Jeff Wrangler:

--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on December 07, 2025, 11:14:41 am ---Somehow I got distracted from watching the series and I want to get back to it again. But the two-hour segments are grueling! I don't know why I can watch a two-hour movie in the evening but I can't make it through a show that's the same length.

--- End quote ---

I guess I've said before, my issue is that the segments are every night for a week.

serious crayons:

--- Quote from: Jeff Wrangler on December 07, 2025, 02:25:43 pm ---I guess I've said before, my issue is that the segments are every night for a week.

--- End quote ---

I remember those days! But I've been watching Burns documentaries (and almost everything else) on my own schedule for more than 20 years -- first with a VCR, now with streaming platforms.

As for the two-hour episodes, I just turn it off halfway through. I do the same with movies, sometimes.

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