Having left Nashville, we stop overnight on the way to Pennsylvania – somewhere through the Shenandoah Mountains. Beautiful scenery for sure, then a “nice” overnight campground, next to the freeway. A place that we didn’t have high expectations about. Turns out it was, well, ok. Not bad, just ok. The nearby town was quaint and quite historic – a good job a keeping track of each building’s history – all available with a simple Google search.
After a few hours of driving, we try to let Grayce out for some running and romping around, usually chasing her frisbee. Today was no different and a nice plot of grass next to the coach was welcomed by us and a good Grayce-run was had. Moments after putting Grayce back on her leash, up waddles an interesting visitor. He wasn’t interested in us and fortunately, Grayce didn’t see him! Based on her previous “affinity” for skunks we are glad that there was no exchange of greetings!
Hi there! Looking for Grayce. I am an east coast cousin of your striped skunks!
Walks like a skunk, shaped like a skunk, probably should assume it is a skunk!
Onward to Gettysburg! Beautiful country but not as lush as the Shenandoah’s. Almost immediately after exiting the freeway, it was obvious that we had just traveled back to the mid-18th century. OK, well, I exaggerate a bit, there is still the Walmart and McDonalds to remind us of where we are, but the well maintained Civil War era buildings command our attention.
Typical of Civil War era homes in the area. If these houses could talk, what stories they could tell!
Many buildings have survived from this era and are, in fact, well preserved and well documented with plaques like this.
Laura picked an incredible camping location called “Artillery Ridge”. In fact, part of the Gettysburg battle occurred right where we were located. There is a barn on the property that was used as a hospital during the battle(!). There are many signs around that say “no artifact hunting”, so we know we were walking and sleeping in the exact area where Union soldiers were. We are immediately adjacent to the boundary of the Gettysburg National Park and a couple of miles from the central area of this incredibly brutal event. It is hard to describe how moving and humbling it was to be in living in the midst of this great battle – just knowing that Union soldiers probably stood, ate and slept right where we were camped.
The Gettysburg National Park is a very interesting place – there are over 1,300 monuments in the battle area. They are nearly all Union memorials, although there are a few Confederate memorials as well. They are placed where a certain regiment was located during the fight. Typically a central memorial with inscriptions describing the city from where the young men came from, and often details of how many soldiers were lost. Although these memorials are important, they don’t elicit certain personal feeling. The fact that these were areas where boys and men stood, shoulder to shoulder, are clearly brought into focus with an almost nondescript stone marker on either side of the main memorial.
Memorials like these are lined for miles and indicate where specific regiments were posted.
Memorials in the center usually are accompanied with markers of the right and left flank of where the men actually stood. This type of marker is adjacent to another regiment and another and then another…
These were marked “LF” and “RF”, the left and right flank of that particular regiment. Depending on the size of the regiment this “territory” that could be 30 feet long or perhaps 100 feet long. That was their duty, their territory to defend, that small patch of idealism to protect against the attacking Confederates. Just boys, standing shoulder to shoulder, rifles in their trembling hands, facing the just as terrified, adrenaline filled Confederate boys coming at them.
Starting just next to a RF marker would usually be the LF of another regiment. To be repeated over and over. It is difficult to imagine how many men and boys were pulled together for the common cause by Abraham Lincoln and fought this terrible battle.
The battle really only lasted three days – on that day the Confederate Army attacked the central area of this long defensive line of Union soldiers. They aimed their cannons at a “copse” of trees, now a protected area of significance, hoping to break through the Union defense there. As the bombardment continued, focused on the copse of trees, the confederate soldiers made their way through some of the Gettysburg farm land that offered little protection, mostly open land with a few stone and wooden fences.
Stone walls typical of the area. All of the walls are authentic, although some have been rebuilt, but are in their original locations.
Fences like this originally separated farm lands but became barriers for the Confederate soldiers to overcome.
The Confederate casualties in this part of the battle were tremendous, but some made it to within a few yards of the union. In this location a particularly brutal aspect of this war took place. Canons were used in much of the battle, but when their target was yards away, the cannon balls were replaced with “canisters”, essentially a tin can full of scrap steel, chain and other loose materials. These were then fired at the opposing soldiers.
Adjacent to the “copse of trees” is a memorial of note, dedicated to “Cowans First New York Battery Artillery Brigade – Sixth Corps”. It reads “Double Canister at 10 Yards, July 3rd, 1863”. I don’t know of a direct relationship to the Cowan’s of New York, but it really hit home for me. The plaque displays what must have been a terrifying experience for all, shooting a cannon a these men at 10 yards away!
Cowan memorial at the Copse of Trees
At this location the Confederates were turned back and marked their “high water” mark. The turning of the Civil War started here where Cowan stood.
The reverse side of this memorial gives this description of the battle:
“Erected in memory of our comrades, July 3rd, 1887. “The world can never forget what they did here’. During the cannonade preceding Longstreet’s assault, the battery was engaged a short distance father to the left, but by order of general Webb it was moved at a gallop to this position, which battery B, 1st R.I. artillery had occupied. Skirmishing had just commenced. The confederate lines were advancing and continued their charge in the most splendid manner up to our position. The artillery fire was continuous and did much execution. Our last charge, double canister, was fired when some of the enemy were over the defences and within ten yards of our guns. Our loss was four men and fourteen horses killed, two lieutenants and six men wounded. The battery was relieved on the morning of July 5th and returned to the sixth corps”
Battle description for the “two canister” assault.
Many of the 1,300 plus memorials contain battle descriptions like this. What bravery and sacrifice was made on these three days. It is hard to comprehend this. In fact it became a bit overwhelming at times!
Not all of the Gettysburg area is battleground, there were plenty of other beautiful areas to explore – like this covered bridge. But, as you might expect, there is Civil War associated with this, too. Some of Lee’s Confederate army retreated back to Virginia across this bridge.
President Eisenhower’s only home is located here as well. We toured through the compound and found it to be quite “quaint”, old school, unassuming. Certainly there were memorabilia on display, collected during Dwight and Mamie’s travels, but the house was surprising modest.
Eisenhower house in Gettysburg.
All in all, this area was inspiring, humbling, sometimes event overwhelming, but always beautiful. And always at the same time. A place to remember and respect for what happened here and how this single event changed how our country grew and continues to grow.