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| I have most graciously allowed by BMC and BFC space on my web site. They have chosen to document their Gettysburg experiences. It’s a major topic in our house... | |
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My BMC and BFC have been to Gettysburg about 15 times in the past 5 years. My BMC has always been interested in history, but ever since he saw Ken Burns’ Civil War series and they both saw the movie, Gettysburg, and their first visit to the battlefield—they really turned into Civil War buffs (or nuts, as the case may be—’member how I got my name!). |
Anyway, they consider it their
 second
home and everyone who knows them thinks they are nuts ’cause
they keep going on vacation a couple times a year to the same place. But
they like it so much ’cause they feel comfortable, like putting on
an old pair of slippers—the people are so friendly, it’s so historical,
the scenery’s beautiful, the food’s great, there are lots of antique
stores...and yet, there’s something else that keeps pulling them back... |
 This is the Trostle Farm. Notice the black
shell hole in the top triangle of the barn. Union
General Daniel Sickles used the farm as his headquarters during the
battle and lost his right leg by a cannonball. In the mid-1890’s,
as a Congressman from New York, he proposed the Sickles Bill which established
the battlefield as a National Military Park. |
 Lately
they’ve been driving there since they don’t have to be too careful packing
and can bring back whatever they want, even if it doesn’t fit in a suitcase.
One time (September, 1998) they even took their bikes! They last went
in April. It’s about a 12 hour drive from Chicago. |
 My BFC last September in Breezewood, PA with their bikes—next stop: Gettysburg! |
When they arrive at night, they
know they’re near Gettysburg when they start seeing candles in the windows
of some homes. It’s an old Pennsylvania Dutch tradition that tells travelers
that they can find shelter and hospitality if needed.  
They know they’ve really arrived when they see the flame from the
Eternal Peace Light Memorial on the battlefield (this monument was dedicated
by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1938, commemorating the 75th Anniversary
of the battle). The center of town, the Circle, is only a few minutes away. |
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Gettysburg is the most visited and famous battlefield in the Park Service,
and is 25 square miles. The Park Service has put up lots of narrative markers,
on the battlefield and in the town, which explain what happened at those
sites. Twenty-nine states (18   northern
and 11 southern) had regiments at the largest land battle in North America
on July 1-3, 1863! |
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The Army of Northern Virginia,
led by General Robert E. Lee, unexpectedly encountered Cavalry of General
George   Meade’s
Army of the Potomac on the northwest outskirts of town on July 1. Ironically,
the Confederates attacked from the North and the Union attacked from the
South. By the end of the first day, General Lee’s forces pushed the Union
Army through the town and south to Cemetery Ridge. The Confederates had
control of Seminary Ridge, a few miles west and parallel to Cemetery Ridge. |
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 This is the Virginia Memorial with a statue of General Robert E. Lee on his horse, Traveler, located on Seminary Ridge. General Lee is facing General Meade’s statue on Cemetery Ridge. |
 This is General George Meade’s monument on Cemetery Ridge, facing west toward Seminary Ridge and General Lee’s statue. It’s as if these two generals are still commanding their armies. |
 On
July 2, the Confederates attacked the Union flanks but were unsuccessful.
The third day of battle became the turning point of the war when General
Lee sent General George Pickett’s division across the mile long open field
which separates the two ridges to attack the center of the Union line (Pickett’s
Charge). This charge was a tragic error and most of the 15,000 who attacked
were killed or seriously wounded. After this day, the remaining battles
of the War took place on Southern soil. |
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This is the field where Pickett’s Charge took place. Sometimes small bands of reenactors can be seen making the march across this field carrying their regimental flags. One time, my BMC and BFC also made the march. They were both overwhelmed with the courage the Confederate soldiers must have had to attempt this attack, all the while facing Union cannons ahead of them. |
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The 29 states which sent men to
this battle later put up monuments to honor them. One of the more famous
is on Little Round Top—it honors the 20th Maine, led by Colonel Joshua
Lawrence Chamberlain.
Visitors to this monument, as well as other monuments, leave pennies (with
Lincoln’s face up), notes, flowers, and flags to honor their ancestors,
or just to honor the heroics of the men who fought at this battle. The
only Confederate monument on the Union side of the battlefield is to General
Lewis Armistead. The monument is located at an area called The Angle on
Cemetery Ridge, near the High Water Mark. (Read more about it at your local
library.) According to my BMC and BFC, it’s a rather poignant site—there
in the middle of Union territory, a monument with Confederate flags. |
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When my BMC and BFC first went to Licensed Battlefield Guides go through rigorous
If you’re planning a trip to Gettysburg, my
BMC and BFC highly recommend the services of these |
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An interesting story...One time
when my BMC was photographing in the woods by Pickett’s Field, he came
 across
a note held in place with a rock on a log. Curious, he went to see what
it was. It was a present day love letter to General Richard Garnett, who
was killed during Pickett’s Charge. The note was written by a female
admirer of his. My BMC read it and felt very uncomfortable, as if he had
unintentionally read a private diary. He respectfully placed the note as
he had found it. |
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| This is just one example of how moved visitors are when they visit Gettysburg. Being there and knowing what happened, makes it very easy to imagine the battle unfolding in front of you, and if you imagine hard enough... you go back in time...and feel that at any moment soldiers will come out from behind a grove of trees and ask, “Who goes there?” | |
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| My BMC and BFC are always trying to figure out why they need to keep going back to Gettysburg. It’s a hard thing to explain but must have something to do with the feeling they have when standing on hallowed ground. Maybe this is the “something else that keeps pulling them back.” | |
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    This cannon is located in the National Cemetery—notice the dent caused by a direct hit. That’s Evergreen Cemetery beyond the fence. The fence, by the way, originally surrounded LaFayette Park, across from the White House, in Washington DC. The fence was put up here to separate the two cemeteries. |
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| Wow!! I’m really kinda understanding this whole Gettysburg thing much better since my BMC and BFC supplied me with these facts and reminiscences. Maybe they will take me there someday! |
| First I gave my BMC and BFC a page on my web site, then they wanted a whole section about Gettysburg! But, it’s cool stuff—check it out. Be sure to turn out your lights when you read about their ghost experiences! And don’t forget to email me or my BMC and BFC to let us know what you think. |
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Original animations, art, and text © 1998-2005
Jim and Nicki Puente.
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Beauregard’s Tuxedo Tails www.2bridges.com
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If
you’re a new visitor to Gettysburg, you can go to the 
Gettysburg, their Guide knew they had seen the movie and tailored the
tour to their knowledge of the battle. He even took them off the
battlefield to show them areas where the movie had been filmed. One of
these places was the home of the person who had purchased the plastic
cupola (replica of the cupola on 
top
of one of the Lutheran Seminary buildings) from the movie company after
filming. The plastic cupola is used as a gazebo in the yard! 
training
and must pass a detailed exam—part of the exam is to take instructors
on an actual driving tour of the battlefield. 
professionals.
After the tour, the Guide told my BMC and BFC, “You’ll be back—maybe
not soon, but, someday. Something will keep pulling you back!” 
