From the December 2021 Civil War Times magazine "No Man Left Behind" by John Banks.
Every so often, John Banks' blog makes an appearance in the hallowed pages of this magazine (I believe it was the first non-veteran regular magazine published). This is how I became aware of him and now I often go to Mr. Banks' blog as he writes more than one blog a month.
He often travels to the spot he's talking about in his post, as he did for the Battle of Shepherdstown.
Now, remember, until recently I really didn't know anything about this battle. I've learned a lot and it was quite the coincidence that the battle would be featured again.
John Banks' goal was to walk in the footsteps of 118th Pennsylvania Lieutenant Lemuel Croker "whose heroics on September 20, 1862, in the final Maryland Campaign should be legendary."
They, unfortunately, are not, but Mr. Banks makes a good point of support for the lieutenant.
In typical John Banks style, he meets an interesting character who will take him on a tour of the battlefield, but had some time to kill, so finished his cup of coffee in the Sweet Shop Bakery.
Because of the likelihood of ghosts since the building was used as a Confederate hospital in the aftermath of the Battle of Antietam, the war's single bloodiest day, he asks the woman behind the counter is that creeps her out.
She tells him: "My own house is haunted so it really doesn't bother me."
And, then John was off.
--Old Secesh
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