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Headed to Gettysburg tomorrow
Rack Ops
Member Posts: 18,597 ✭✭✭
We'll be there until next Wednesday. I've been wanting to go the battlefield since I was 13. I'm stoked!
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Very interesting place, I recommend hiring a guide.
walking up Big Round Top is a workout, Little Round Top is very interesting too.
If you get a chance, visit the Eisenhower Farm, pretty much like stepping back in time, too.
The town can be very tourist trap. Try Ernies' Texas Lunch on Rt 30 for a good reasonable lunch (good Texas wieners(, and the Dobbin House for dinner, go downstairs to the tavern.
We'll be there until next Wednesday. I've been wanting to go the battlefield since I was 13. I'm stoked!
A sobering experience, Rack.
It is large and there are so many 'sub battlegrounds' to see that it is difficult to see it all even in a long day and do it any justice.
I've spent many hours walking the ground and contemplating the sheer horror and destruction those men went through and the immense fear they had to overcome to march out into some of those maelstroms.
Let us know your thoughts after you get back.
As an aside, two of my family went into the battle the first day with Reynolds Corps. They served in the 121st Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.
Uncle Henry got shot in the shoulder and captured. He recovered and was paroled in 2 months. Uncle James was not wounded at Gettysburg, but was killed later at the battle of Laurel Hill near Spotsylvania Courthouse in May of 64.
Henry fought through the remainder of the war and survived to spawn my clan.
quote:Originally posted by Rack Ops
We'll be there until next Wednesday. I've been wanting to go the battlefield since I was 13. I'm stoked!
A sobering experience, Rack.
It is large and there are so many 'sub battlegrounds' to see that it is difficult to see it all even in a long day and do it any justice.
I've spent many hours walking the ground and contemplating the sheer horror and destruction those men went through and the immense fear they had to overcome to march out into some of those maelstroms.
Let us know your thoughts after you get back.
As an aside, two of my family went into the battle the first day with Reynolds Corps. They served in the 121st Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.
Uncle Henry got shot in the shoulder and captured. He recovered and was paroled in 2 months. Uncle James was not wounded at Gettysburg, but was killed later at the battle of Laurel Hill near Spotsylvania Courthouse in May of 64.
Henry fought through the remainder of the war and survived to spawn my clan.
Hence your intense interest in the founding and building of our country, perhaps. Your kin damn sure played a part in some pretty big events in the shaping of this once-great land.
An extensive history of my family, the Adams, was put into book form about 25 years ago. The family historian was an incurable busybody, but no one ever doubted her, or was able to disprove her claim that we're decendents of Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams.
Devils Den, love this place- You will see. Others are recommending a guided tour, I don't. It's an easy place to drive around and around, very small actually. Know the history, good maps and do a few laps. My kids love it, too, especially the Devils Den area. The town is cool, too. Enjoy!
I recommend the self-guided tour purchase. You do it on your own in your vehicle. You get maps and a tape/CD.
You listen to the CD as you drive to each location and it provides a relatively detailed account of each sub-battle/location, then you park and walk the ground to you hearts content and repeat until done.
As a Halfway measure, they have DVD or Cassette tapes that you can follow, IIRC. May have it on some sort of Electronic Device, by now...
I had Family on Both sides. I favor the South.
quote:Originally posted by lt496
quote:Originally posted by Rack Ops
We'll be there until next Wednesday. I've been wanting to go the battlefield since I was 13. I'm stoked!
A sobering experience, Rack.
It is large and there are so many 'sub battlegrounds' to see that it is difficult to see it all even in a long day and do it any justice.
I've spent many hours walking the ground and contemplating the sheer horror and destruction those men went through and the immense fear they had to overcome to march out into some of those maelstroms.
Let us know your thoughts after you get back.
As an aside, two of my family went into the battle the first day with Reynolds Corps. They served in the 121st Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.
Uncle Henry got shot in the shoulder and captured. He recovered and was paroled in 2 months. Uncle James was not wounded at Gettysburg, but was killed later at the battle of Laurel Hill near Spotsylvania Courthouse in May of 64.
Henry fought through the remainder of the war and survived to spawn my clan.
Hence your intense interest in the founding and building of our country, perhaps. Your kin damn sure played a part in some pretty big events in the shaping of this once-great land.
An extensive history of my family, the Adams, was put into book form about 25 years ago. The family historian was an incurable busybody, but no one ever doubted her, or was able to disprove her claim that we're decendents of Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams.
[:)][:)]Brother Wyatt.
I can relate to your family historian. We had one like that too. I picked up the family-line about the Civil War history some years ago and had some success in adding a few interesting details/documents to what we already had.
Sounds like you have an envious lineage.[:)]
quote:Originally posted by alltheway
Devils Den, love this place- You will see. Others are recommending a guided tour, I don't. It's an easy place to drive around and around, very small actually. Know the history, good maps and do a few laps. My kids love it, too, especially the Devils Den area. The town is cool, too. Enjoy!
I recommend the self-guided tour purchase. You do it on your own in your vehicle. You get maps and a tape/CD.
You listen to the CD as you drive to each location and it provides a relatively detailed account of each sub-battle/location, then you park and walk the ground to you hearts content and repeat until done.
Good idea and that's what I did the first time, but definitely go around by yourself.
quote:Originally posted by lt496
quote:Originally posted by alltheway
Devils Den, love this place- You will see. Others are recommending a guided tour, I don't. It's an easy place to drive around and around, very small actually. Know the history, good maps and do a few laps. My kids love it, too, especially the Devils Den area. The town is cool, too. Enjoy!
I recommend the self-guided tour purchase. You do it on your own in your vehicle. You get maps and a tape/CD.
You listen to the CD as you drive to each location and it provides a relatively detailed account of each sub-battle/location, then you park and walk the ground to you hearts content and repeat until done.
Good idea and that's what I did the first time, but definitely go around by yourself.
Absolutely agreed.
You cannot absorb the impact and properly contemplate the events, walk the ground as and where you choose and contemplate the experiences, if you are under the control/blather of some 'guide', IMO.
May be different if you are just a tourist and don't have a particular interest or connection to the battle, though.
My formal education is Geography/Cartography, and my hobby is military history. Gettysburg is incredible opportunity to blend the two together.
Little Round Top is, of course, a given.....but I'd really like to walk the path of Pickett's Charge. I want to see the ground, the lay of the land.
My formal education is Geography/Cartography, and my hobby is military history. Gettysburg is incredible opportunity to blend the two together.
It is amazing and sobering, particularly in light of how you will be viewing it.
It is truly one of the "must do" experiences that should be everyone's list if at all possible.
The view from Little Round Top shows just how vulnerable the Federal troops would have been if Longstreet hadn't stalled for several hours when ordered to take it before it was occupied.
Just a couple of hours earlier and he could have shot cannons right down the Union lines, potentially driving them off of Cemetery Ridge.
Gouverneur Warren beat him by just a bit, and his statue stands there today as a result.
Anyway find the Dobbin House, great food. The place is a 200 year old inn.
Not only our students, but also groups from the Pentagon and other organizations come to us for the tour. It takes generally all day.
I hope you truly enjoy your visit to Gettysburg. American history at its finest. The whole battlefield is a shrine. The visitor's center has the Cyclorama, painted by Paul Philippoteaux...quite a thing to see. Rest up and allow plenty of time!
If, as it appears, you'll be there more than one day, will you plan on seeing each day's battle in order? That will take quite a while but can be very rewarding.
Enjoy!
A few things to do when there.
Walk all over Devils Den, and up Little Round Top.
Walk the path taken by Confederate Troops during Pickets Charge.
Visit the Cemetery, and museum.
The town itself has become somewhat of a tourist trap, but if you know the history there are several buildings & locations worth taking in.
Trinity +++
The small town was faced with the problem of burying more than 7,000 dead soldiers and 10,000 dead horses that had been left behind by both armies.
20,000 wounded men were left on what had been farms and fields a few days earlier.
The book provides firsthand accounts of life in the town and on the battlefield in the days and months following the battle.
I'll get some pics up tomorrow....lots of things to discuss.
By the way, I took a TON (literally about 600) pictures of the battlefield and the various monuments. If anyone has any requests for pictures of the field or certain monuments, let me know and I'll load them up.
Even with all the time we had, it still wasn't enough.....really a remarkable place.
What was your favorite place or thing?
There was so many things that were really great, in different ways.
The most memorable experience was walking the path of Pickett's Charge.....not only for the obvious reasons, but due to the circumstances surrounding our trip.
On our last day on the battlefield, I told my wife (6 months pregnant, btw) that I intended to walk from the Virginia Memorial (located on Seminary Ridge) to The Angle...which is a distance of about 3/4 of a mile. I fully intended to make the walk by myself....I told her she could drop me off on Seminary ridge, then meet me at Cemetary ridge to pick me up. Well, she wasn't interested in waiting on me.....she told me she was she was perfectly capable of making the walk as well. I was a little reluctant, especially when I realized we'd have to walk back across the battlefield to get back to our car....but it was either go with her, or not go at all.....so off we went.
We didn't make it far before we ran into trouble. About 20 yards from our starting point there was a small stream. Being the spry young lad I am, I easily hopped over it.......well, she didn't have such an easy time.....she stepped out into the middle, on what she assumed was a solid piece of ground......and sank in mud up to her ankles.
At this point, I assumed the dream had died.....there'd be no walk across the battlefield for me.....but I had forgotten a key fact: My wife is Eastern Kentucky born.
After issuing a blistering stream of profanity, she calmly removed her shoes and socks, and proceeded barefoot. I was pretty much in shock at this point, and trailed along behind her, waiting for her to tell me that we needed to turn around....but she never did.
She walked the entire length of the field barefoot, including crossing the Emmittsburg road. When we made it to The Angle, I assumed we'd attempt to clean up the shoes and get them back on her feet......but she told me it was so relaxing she wanted to leave them off......so back across the field we went, her still barefoot the whole way.
Keep in mind that The Angle is the busiest spot on the busiest battlefield in the country.......I imagine there are several people right now telling their friends and family about the barefoot, pregnant woman they saw walking across the battlefield.
I can't help but love her.....even if she is insane. [:)]
quote:Originally posted by alltheway
What was your favorite place or thing?
There was so many things that were really great, in different ways.
The most memorable experience was walking the path of Pickett's Charge.....not only for the obvious reasons, but due to the circumstances surrounding our trip.
On our last day on the battlefield, I told my wife (6 months pregnant, btw) that I intended to walk from the Virginia Memorial (located on Seminary Ridge) to The Angle...which is a distance of about 3/4 of a mile. I fully intended to make the walk by myself....I told her she could drop me off on Seminary ridge, then meet me at Cemetary ridge to pick me up. Well, she wasn't interested in waiting on me.....she told me she was she was perfectly capable of making the walk as well. I was a little reluctant, especially when I realized we'd have to walk back across the battlefield to get back to our car....but it was either go with her, or not go at all.....so off we went.
We didn't make it far before we ran into trouble. About 20 yards from our starting point there was a small stream. Being the spry young lad I am, I easily hopped over it.......well, she didn't have such an easy time.....she stepped out into the middle, on what she assumed was a solid piece of ground......and sank in mud up to her ankles.
At this point, I assumed the dream had died.....there'd be no walk across the battlefield for me.....but I had forgotten a key fact: My wife is Eastern Kentucky born.
After issuing a blistering stream of profanity, she calmly removed her shoes and socks, and proceeded barefoot. I was pretty much in shock at this point, and trailed along behind her, waiting for her to tell me that we needed to turn around....but she never did.
She walked the entire length of the field barefoot, including crossing the Emmittsburg road. When we made it to The Angle, I assumed we'd attempt to clean up the shoes and get them back on her feet......but she told me it was so relaxing she wanted to leave them off......so back across the field we went, her still barefoot the whole way.
Keep in mind that The Angle is the busiest spot on the busiest battlefield in the country.......I imagine there are several people right now telling their friends and family about the barefoot, pregnant woman they saw walking across the battlefield.
I can't help but love her.....even if she is insane. [:)]
I love it... you and your pregnant wife walked (especially because she was barefoot), " Pickett's Charge!"
Okay , you guys take the cake too cool...right to the Angle.
My lazy * never thought to do that, good on you, wonderful.
I know you didn't stop there, what else did you do? I love the tower just south of there on the "Southern side". Did you climb inside the boulders at "Devils Den"? That's my family's favorite place. A place I look at "Little & Big Round Top and reflect at the fighting that went on...just a glimpse of this special area of extreme struggle...I can't put this into words, the place is such "Hallowed Ground" searching for the words...
Devil's Den and the Slaughter Pen viewed from Big Round Top
We also visited the Gettysburg Cyclorama....another must see for anyone going to the battlefield. The picture is a 360 degree view from the perspective of Cemetery Hill....this being the view towards Little Round Top
View from Little Round Top towards the Devil's Den
View from Little Round Top, looking toward The Wheatfield and Seminary Ridge
One thing I wasn't prepared for was the sheer number of monuments. Here's the 40th NY Infantry, with its soldier peering out from the rocks at the base of Little Round Top towards Devil's Den.
Brandy at The Angle, after she walked across the field "Confederate Style"
Wet plate photo we had done (a VERY cool experience, BTW. Lots of history in that)
Like I said, I took roughly 530 pics, so I can post more if anyone is interested.