First, a few things we learned that were surprising to at least some of us (even Ian).
Jefferson Davis (Confederate President) and Abraham Lincoln were both from Kentucky, and both became President in 1861. How fascinating that they could originate 80 miles apart and lead such opposing forces!
Mary Todd Lincoln's brother, Major George Todd, served in the Confederate Army. Even Lincoln's family was not immune to being ripped apart by the conflict.
Jeremy can lift the standard 80-pound pack carried by a Civil War soldier, but would not want to pack it up a hill (that at least was not a surprise!).
Oregon was conflicted during the war, but sided with the Union, as shown in this 1860 Census document. However, Joseph Lane, the first governor of the Oregon Territory and a former Kentuckian, was the vice-presidential candidate with John C. Breckinridge in 1860, running against Lincoln and against Stephen Douglas. Lane (for whom Lane County is named) was pro-slavery and pro-secessionist. He was quite an adventurer and has a fascinating biography.
We spent much of the day learning about the various skirmishes and strategies in this 3-day battle, which saw over 51,000 of the 166,000 troops amassed there killed, wounded or captured. In the end, the Union prevailed, but at great cost of human life.
One cannot appreciate the importance of Gettysburg without examining the year leading up to it. General Lee had just had a string of important victories, and had pushed the Union out of Virginia and parts of Maryland. He was gradually tightening the noose around Washington, D.C.
If he had prevailed at Gettysburg, he would have had a good shot at destroying the Union. And given Lee's previous spectacular victories and the demoralization of the Union, he had every reason to think he had a good chance.
A string of miscommunications impacted the battle. Picket's charge is a good example, and we began at 10:30 with a lecture on Picket's charge. Lee had already probed the Union lines on the left and right, but failed communications resulted in an uncoordinated attack. The Union, contiguous on Cemetery Ridge, was able to move reinforcements quickly.
The Confederates, on the other hand, were arrayed on various ridges and in swales around Cemetery Ridge, and were largely unable to move large numbers undetected and unmolested between regiments. Here is a famous picture of Picket's Charge, by artist Peter F. Rotherman.
Here is a map of the positions of both the Confederates and the Army of the Potomac. This configuration is referred to as the "fishhook" shape. Ewell had already failed to take "Culp Hill" on the northwest side of the ridge, even though he outnumbered the union there 3 to 1.
Picket's Charge was the product of much more than Picket. This picture shows just part of the fields to the right of Picket's position. At the beginning of the battle, the South moved up 120 artillery guns and bombarded the concentrated Federals.
Union General Henry Hunt, to his credit, ordered the artillery to hold off firing back for 20 minutes in the face of this barrage, in order to save their artillery ammunition for the inevitable infantry charge, and not give away their own position. General Winfield Hancock, who was in charge of the infantry and the battle lines, ordered the artillery to fire. This resulted in a light return fire, which caused all three Confederate generals to conclude that the artillery had been largely destroyed, and order the fated infantry assault. General Picket's forces numbered 12,500 at the beginning of this half-mile run uphill into withering artillery fire and infantry positions behind a rock wall. Over 7000 men died. Many more were wounded or captured.
There is a marker above the battlefield that is considered the high water mark of the battle, or the northernmost push of the confederacy. I thought this was literally a high water mark for flooding, and failed to get a picture of it. Can't find it on the internet, either.
There is a marker above the battlefield that is considered the high water mark of the battle, or the northernmost push of the confederacy. I thought this was literally a high water mark for flooding, and failed to get a picture of it. Can't find it on the internet, either.
Ian and Jeremy both enjoyed the site, and it brought out the kid in both of them. I snapped this quick picture, enjoying their enthusiasm. All too often they are now self-conscious and self-aware, and these moments of abandon are too brief.
This is a picture of Oak Hill, taken from Seminary Ridge (named for the Lutheran Seminary in town). Federal General John Reynolds and I Corps fought a delaying battle here to give the Union time to bring reinforcements to the high ground. The Confederates eventually took this hill, but never succeeded in taking the crucial high ground at Gettysburg. After three days of relentless battle and casualties, Lee withdrew, never to return to Pennsylvania. As a result of the Confederate defeat, the Union was free to continue its debilitating offensives in the South.
This memorial was erected at a Gettysburg reunion in 1938, and dedicated by Franklin Roosevelt. It is an eternal flame, and was burning, although you can't tell it in this picture.
Gettysburg veterans started having reunions in 1887, 24 years after the battle. At the dedication in 1938, the average age of the 100+ veterans who came was 95.
We paid the additional fee, which allowed us to see the movie, view the cyclorama, and visit the museum in the one-year old visitor center at Gettysburg. It was well worth it. The cyclorama has been restored and just opened last September. It is very helpful for understanding what happened in the battlefield, taken with the narration.
Finally, we used the Gettysburg auto tour CD that our friends and Pastor Dan and Kathy brought back for Ian from their trip east a few years ago. We didn't make it through the entire auto drive, but gleaned some more understanding of the site, especially the roll of Seminary Ridge and Oak Hill. Thanks to Dan and Kathy!
We ended the day by driving the Lincoln Highway east to Lancaster, route 30 which extends from San Francisco to New York. It is America's first transcontinental highway, conceived in 1913 with the automobile in mind (I'm sure it was a grand thing, but it leaves something to be desired, now).
We arrived early enough to go swimming and hot-tubbing, although the swimming was short-lived. The boys spotted a clump of what Jeremy promptly identified as "armpit hair" in the pool, and that was the end of the swimming. He is really a knockoff of my dad.
I was talking later in the foyer to a gentleman from Ontario, who told me a woman's watch had been left in the pool, and he wondered if it was my wife's. I went to the pool and did not find the watch, which had been claimed and was not Sherry's. But I did find Jeremy's goggles. Go figure.
