Battle of Gettysburg, Evergreen Cemetery Gate, 1863. Courtesy Library of Congress.

For three days from the 1st to the 3rd of July 1863, with the emancipation proclamation in force, 163,000 soldiers of both armies would cross the fields and hills of Gettysburg in a battle that the United States had never seen, and would never see since. One third of the men who fought in the battle of Gettysburg would be lost to the ranks of the wounded, or dead, or missing. One army would stand its ground at the High Water Mark of the Confederacy and turn back the tide, while the other would retreat across the fields of Pickett's Charge, never to engage in a battle of significant proportion again on Northern soil. It would be two more years before anyone knew what the importance of Gettysburg would be. It would be two more long years of Civil War. But there is no doubt that throughout the fields and rocks, and now cemeteries of the small Pennsylvania town, the history of the United States had been written in the blood of courageous men on both sides, that which would eventually bind that split nation together, forever.

As much as any historic site in the United States today, Gettysburg reflects the honor and tenacity of its past. Gettysburg National Military Park encompasses nearly 24 square miles, surrounding the town itself in a fishhook arc, which approximates the battle lines of the North and South on Cemetery Ridge and Seminary Ridge. The park is filled with monuments that pay homage to each regiment that fought there and contains a reverence that you can feel with each tingle of your soul as you walk the many trails, either accompanied by park rangers, paid guides, on horseback, or by yourself, or ride around the park roads in private automobile or bus tours. The town also contains a bustling amount of Civil War attractions, from museums, historic homes, taverns, bed and breakfasts, to a town walk, whether ghost or otherwise. Very little about Gettysburg does not center around its Civil War history, although a myriad of other attractions have popped up, both historic (Eisenhower National Historic Site sits alongside the park and can be visited by shuttle bus from the main Gettysburg Military Park Visitor's Center) and otherwise.

There's always an argument amongst historians about whether Gettysburg was the most important event of the Civil War, but as one park historian has said in the past, no matter what they may think, the men of the Civil War thought so, erecting more monuments in this town, on this battlefield, than at any other. In fact, there are more statues in Gettysburg than any other location on earth, outside Paris and, I think, Kansas City. This is a place to visit, to bring your children, to learn and remember. And it will be a vacation you will recall as well, even if history is not the most imperative focus of most of your days. And if it is, or is not, you'll still be amazed at the sights, the stories, and the sacrifice here.

Photo above: Bushman Farm along Slyder Lane on the southern end of the Gettysburg Battlefield with Little Round Top in the distance. Photo Below: Photo above: Period homes along Baltimore Street, including the Shriver House, where Confederate soldiers took positions as sharpshooters on the upper floors during the battle.

Gettysburg Then

Little Round Top - Defensive earthworks along the top and sides of the hill (picture below left) reflect the desperate attempt by the forces of Vincent and Chamberlain to fortify the location in the midst of enemy fire. These hasty attempts, combined with the arduous climb by the Confederate forces to take the hill, provided the necessary cover for victory. Victory was certainly not easy, however, as the casualties in the Valley of Death indicate. Some disagreement surrounds the notion of who was the actual hero here, or even who the first man who noticed the vacant position was, but there is no doubt to the fact that Warren, Vincent, Chamberlain, as well as later reinforcements by Colonel McCandless and the Pennsylvania Bucktails, allowed the position to remain in Federal hands through the remainder of the battle.

Citizen Burns - Inside this house (picture below center), elderly John Burns lived, a veteran of the War of 1812 and seventy years old in 1863. When the battle of Gettysburg began on July 1 and the shots could be heard cascading west and north of town, John Burns grabbed his musket and joined the fight. He was the only citizen to actively participate in the battle. Before the battle was over, John Burns had taken up arms with the forces of the 150th Pennsylvania Reserves and 2nd Wisconsin along McPherson Ridge.

Peach Orchard - Two hours of cannonade had raked the Union lines on the land to the south of town. Unfortunately for the Confederate generals who would have to lead this charge, it had been less than effective, with many of its shot landing past the intended target and in the cemetery ground along Taneytown Road. So the Union army, commanded by General George Meade, had most of its line intact when the waves of Southern soldiers, 12,000 in total, attempted the fateful walk. They would face only 7,000 Union soldiers on the other side and breach the line at one point, but the lack of success of the cannon, plus the lack of support from Stuart's cavalry after their repulse at the East Cavalry Field by General Gregg and Custer, would doom the effort to failure and cause the High Water Mark of the Confederacy to quickly lose ground on Cemetery Ridge as well as the battle of Gettysburg.

Gettysburg Now

Little Round Top - Made famous again by the movie "Gettysburg", Little Round Top has become one of the most visited locations on the battlefield. The struggle to maintain control of the large rocky hill during the second day of the battle, after Sickel's failure to remain there, allowed the North to remain entrenched on the defensive position of Cemetery Ridge during the third, decisive day of Pickett's charge. Many scholars view this perch as the most important of the battle, because if it had been captured by Southern troops, they would have had the high ground location to position artillery and roll up the Union line to the north of Little Round Top.

Citizen Burns - This statue (below right), along Stone Avenue, stands testiment to the tenacity of John Burns, citizen of Gettysburg, who undertook the battle against the Confederate usurpers without fail. This statue is only one of over one thousand monuments that stand on the field as solid reminders of the fateful outcome that saved a nation from splinter, but cost 51,000 casualties (over 10,000 dead) over three days of fighting. John Burns was injured during the fight, but lived to tell his tale, a national hero even to President Lincoln, who wished to meet this old resident when he arrived that next November day to give the Gettysburg Address.

Pickett's Charge - Over a mile of terrain, slightly uphill, under the fire of cannon and muskets, was a daunting task that General Lee had ordered the commanders Pickett and Pettigrew to follow. Today you can still see the famous land of rolling farmfields, predominantly as it was in 1863, particularly from the viewpoint of Pickett's command. In the distance, the Copse of Trees that became the landmark for Confederate soldiers as they trudged into the face of fire, still stands, and the monuments that grace both the Federal and Confederate side, tell many a story of the fierce fighting that occurred that fateful afternoon.

Photo above: Battle walk along the Pickett's Charge fence rail toward the Brian Farm.

Minute Walk in History
160th Anniversary - Day 3

The third day of the 160th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, included walks and talks on the action at Culp's Hill, Pickett's Charge, Farnsworth's cavalry action on the southern fields, as well as a program hosted by the Gettysburg Foundation and the Civil War Breakfast Club at the George Spangler farm, which was used as a Union hospital. Our most popular video ever, including popular Park Ranger Matt Atkinson.

Minute Walk in History
Power's Hill

For many, Power's Hill is a remote location that used to be hard to negotiate. It's still a bit hard to find, behind Little Round Top and toward Baltimore Pike, but several years ago the park did a major restoration project and its well worth a walk up the hill to see where artillery was barraging the south on Culp's Hill. Get an idea of this in our Minute or Two Walk in history, then find the walk yourself the next time you visit.

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