Pennsylvania

Gettysburg – August 2022

Our second weekend in Virginia we drove up to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania where we stayed overnight so we could take our time touring the Gettysburg National Battlefield and surrounding sites. It was one of the best activities we've ever done and well worth going.

A National Park Ranger takes us back in time to the three days of the battle. This home was used by Union Gen. Meade as his HQ.

As I walked this path along Cemetery Ridge on Sunday morning I couldn't help but imagine what I would be thinking if I were a soldier here during the Civil War. A quiet, peaceful morning that would soon erupt into roaring destruction. Would I make it through the day?

A bird sits atop a cannon's wheel. There are cannons throughout the park in locations where they would have been during the actual battle.

The battlefield is several thousand acres so there is an auto tour with 14 stops that makes sure you see the major areas. Dale and I downloaded an app as well that told us about each stop. Stephen Lang, who played Stonewall Jackson in "Gods and Generals" did the audio for the tour.

The Eternal Light Peace Memorial was dedicated by President Franklin Roosevelt on July 3rd, 1938, the 75th anniversary of the battle. It has continual flame burning at the top.

Standing in the cupola of this Lutheran Church, Union Gen. John Buford surveyed troop movements before the battle began and during the early stages of fighting.

This is a close up of the North Carolina Memorial. It was sculpted by the same man who sculpted Mt. Rushmore. The faces are those of actual Civil War soldiers.

Gen. Robert Lee looks toward the field that had to be crossed by his men. From this tree line you can see the ridge where the Union was waiting. Directly across from Lee, sitting astride his horse, was Gen. Mead, the commander of the Union forces. Mead's monument is much like Lee's, he's sitting astride his horse looking down at Lee.

There was a reenactor who was using authentic photography equipment.

The commander's tent?

What the food would have looked like for a Civil War soldier.

The entire campsite was set up authentically.

We were fortunate to see reenactors from North Carolina. North Carolina served as one of the largest suppliers of manpower sending 130,000 North Carolinians to serve in all branches of the Confederate Army. There were also about 8,000 who volunteered for the Union.

These volunteers from North Carolina come every year to demonstrate what life was like for the North Carolinians during the war.

I plucked two peaches. How many people can say they've eaten a peach from the famous peach orchard on Gettysburg battlefield?

The "Peach Orchard" was one of several major battle grounds.

This barn has a hole in the brick located just below the diamond-shaped windows. It is from a cannon ball.

The monument to the Pennsylvanians is the largest monument in the park.

This monument marks the location of the "High Water Mark". If the Confederates had made it past this point the overall war may have gone a different direction.

Dale and Abe have a serious conversation.

The town was really quaint. I wish we had time to visit it while we were there but we spent all of our time at the battlefield.