We arrived at Gettysburg Campground RV Park in Gettysburg about 4 pm after a long drive from Bar Harbor, ME. Most of our drives are in the 150-300 mile range but this was about 470 miles. We have a few more of the long days before we are home but not many.
Once again, the campground is very appealing as we are backed up to the creek with plenty of space around us. I am convinced that making reservations well in advance helps to secure a good site. Maybe we are just lucky or they feel sorry for Linda.
Tuesday
We bought tickets for a bus tour of Gettysburg battlefields with a NPS certified guide explaining the battles was we went. It was a very well done tour.
The tour began at 11:15. We were picked up at our campground at 9:50 and shuttled into Gettysburg to wait an hour for the tour bus.
While waiting we walked over to see a civil war period home, All the buildings that existed during the battles at Gettysburg are marked with a bronze plaque indicating Civil War 1863. The plaque is small; only about the size of an envelope and is on Linda's right.
The tour departs from just below Cemetery Hill so we went up to see the various monuments and view the Northern Army's position. Most of the monuments indicated the units that fought here.
These canons are the light artillery that will deliver a shot up to a mile. Heavier guns with rifling could reach up to two miles but didn't do as much damage as the smaller canons. All the canon barrels were authentic from the war. The wooden mounts and wheels were not.
From the position of the Northern Army on this hill it was nearly suicide to cross the field below.
We were told that the monuments of Generals with their horse's four hooves on the ground indicated they hadn't been wounded or killed, one leg raised indicated wounded and two, killed.
General Winfield Scott Hancock which had been wounded in the battles.
This is the eternal light peace monument dedicated by President Franklin Roosevelt. The base is of Maine granite and the shaft of Alabama limestone to indicate united in peace.
Below are the fields where so much blood was spilled and so many men were killed, wounded or captured.
Much like the feelings at the North Bridge in Concord, MA the result of the battles here along with the fall of Vicksburg turned the war in favor of the North even though it lasted another two years.
When the tour was over we waited again for 30 minutes for the return shuttle. We wished we had just driven ourselves instead of spending the extra time waiting around. As soon as we returned to the trailer we had a little lunch then took the truck into town and to the NP Visitor center.
We got tickets for the Film, Cyclorama and museum at the Visitor Center. All of it was excellent. The film shows and describes the events of July 1-3, 1863, the battle at Gettysburg. The Cyclorama is a 360 degree oil painting of the battles. It was painted originally in 1884 by Paul Philippoteaux and is titled "The Battle of Gettysburg". This masterpiece has recently been restored to it's original appearance. The Cyclorama production brings the floor to ceiling painting to life with lighting and sounds. It appears you are actually watching the battle from Cemetery Hill.
The shots of the Cyclorama really provide a glimpse of how horrendous the carnage was. My pictures don't do justice to how detailed and complete the actual mural is.
A field hospital in the distance.
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At each place we visit we learn more about the history of that area and the people that helped build it and make it what it is today,
If we were to visit Gettysburg again we would go to the Visitor Center first, see the Film, Cyclorama and Museum, then take a private tour in which a park approved guide drives your vehicle and describes events at each of the stops. This allows you to see and take in everything. It takes about 2 hours and is reasonably priced. The private guide should be reserved in advance through the National Park.
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