Driving along US Route 6 in Potter County is an experience filled with surprises, including a discovery made shortly after I relocated here. Standing at roadside, partially concealed by brush, was a rusty metal sign with faded letters proclaming, "Grand Army of the Republic Highway."
Grand Army of the Republic Highway?
Asking about the sign, I was told, oh yes, they named the road in honor of soldiers from this area who sacrificed for their country during the War of the Rebellion. I said if they were referring to the Civil War that where I had come from they called it the War of Northern Aggression. That's it, I was told, they were honored for their service in both of those wars. Well okay, I thought, it was great they did that, although something about this bothered me.
Now Route 6 cuts right through Coudersport, always in view, so I found myself thinking about this a lot. One day I did some research and learned some interesting things. Route 6 is the major route through the entire northern tier of Pennsylvania, and it goes from Massachusetts way out to the midwest. It was voted one of the ten most scenic drives in America. In autumn, the mountains and the colors of changing leaves do make for a beautiful sight. But what did that have to do with the Grand Army of the Republic?
One day, reading further, I discovered why it was odd to name Route 6 for Civil War veterans. Route 6 runs east and west, not north and south like you would expect. That's right, it runs across and not down.
It appears that when news reached Coudersport of fighting in 1861, Coudersport residents (being Americans and not wanting to pass up a fight) grabbed their rifles and shotguns and started out on the only major road we had at the time. They didn't know where it went, but they knew that it came in and went out sure enough.
Some of the volunteers headed east and some went west, all of them spoiling for a fight. But they encountered very little action, which was heaviest, of course, not east or west but to their south. After the war, when the last of their units had returned to Coudersport, they reported, "All present," and they discovered they had not suffered any losses. They had no casualties either, except for one old fellow with a sore foot from all the marching.
It was agreed that the Coudersport volunteers had faired better than any other units in the Civil War, coming through the entire war with only the one casualty, so Congress recognized them for their bravery and skillful service by naming the route they traveled after the army for which they served, The Grand Army of the Republic.
The distinction stands to this day. And to this day, we remember the lesson that comes from their great example: that the best roads lead neither toward nor away from battle but are major routes nonetheless.
For RadioWCPR.com, I'm Gen'l Lee Sadmirer |
