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We moved from Virginia to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on Wednesday June 17th. We are in a good campground very near the Gettysburg National Military Park, which covers a huge area with sections almost all the way around the town. This is another pretty area similar to our location in Virginia, but we do not have so many of the long vistas across open fields and pastures. There are more close woods along the roads. The rains continue to follow us. We were able to tour the battlefield on Friday, but I think that is the first day we have had without rain. We drove here in the rain and had to set up in the rain – no fun!
There is a new museum and visitors center in the Park with excellent displays about the battle and the Civil War in general, probably the best collection of weapons, uniforms, etc. that I have seen. One display is a Cyclorama about the battle. This link tells the story of the Cyclorama and its recent $16 million restoration. This is a painting made in 1884 that surrounds you in a round room. It puts you in the middle of the Union lines for the climatic battle of Pickett’s Charge. As part of the restoration and new display, dramatic light and sound have been added to tell the story of the battle. This really helped me understand the battle when we toured that section of the Park. The terrain today looks very much like that depicted in the painting. Allow at least 2-4 hours to tour the museum, longer if you study and read every display.
In the bookstore we purchased an audio CD and guide book that does an excellent job of explaining the battle and telling stores about some of the individual participants as you drive from point to point. We like this option because it lets us set our own (slow) pace. Many also recommend the narrated bus tours. An even better option is to hire a guide to drive your car and give you a personal tour of about 2 hours. I overheard several of these and would highly recommend this option. I do not think the cost is much more than two adults taking the bus tour.
There are 16 stops on the parks tour map. The first day we covered 6. The stops generally follow the sequence of the battle which lasted 3 days. As it turns out we also broke our tour up into 3 segments over 3 days. Below are some pictures from the first day. Also if you click on this link, you will go to the associated Picassa album for our 1st day where I have some descriptions below many of the pictures.
The 1st day's fighting of the three day battle began near here west of town as Confederate Infantry encountered Union Calvary. The fighting escalated as both sides rushed in more troops. By the end of the day the Confederates had driven the Union forces back through Gettysburg where they took up strong positions just south of town along Cemetery Ridge. This barn was used as one of many Confederate hospitals.
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One story from the tour CD told of a group of Union Infantry being sent forward to drive out Confederate sharpshooters from the barn in the picture below. In the group was a German emigrant. He passed a group of Confederate prisoners being led to the rear. In the group was his brother who he did not know was fighting for the Confederates much less on the battlefield. They stopped briefly to embrace and then moved on. The Union brother was killed later in the day. One of many sad stores from the battle.
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Confederate cannon near the center of Seminary Ridge where Pickett's charge began.
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The climatic fight was on the 3rd day forever know as Pickett's Charge as General George Pickett's Division was the spearhead of 12,500 soldiers who march 3/4 of a mile across this field under constant rifle and cannon fire. It took them almost 30 minutes to cross. They reached the other side along the far ridge but could advance no further. That was called the high water mark both of the battle and of the whole war for the Confederacy.
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| From 06-09 Gettysburg 1 |
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