The moon over the Union Monuments. Gettysburg.

The moon rises over the Pennsylvania Monument and others on Cemetery Ridge. Taken from the field where Pickett’s Charge took place. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Gettysburg

I had high expectations of what I would derive out of my visit to Gettysburg. To put it simply, I expected Gettysburg to be the highlight of my trip. I had also expected Gettysburg to be a great cathartic, emotional experience for me. My expectation was based on the feelings I felt at Kennesaw Mountain just north of Atlanta. I stood on the ground between the Union and Confederate battlements on Kennesaw Mountain (which are about 20 feet apart) and almost started crying at the lunacy of the whole situation. If I was almost in tears at a relatively minor Civil War battle site, I wondered how I’d react when I toured THE definitive Civil War battlefield. To my surprise, my reaction wasn’t as outwardly emotional as I anticipated. Yet, my impressions reflected a deeper emotional connection than I had imagined I would have. As a result, my visit to Gettysburg was the highlight of my trip, but in a way I hadn’t thought it would be.

As was usually the case on this trip, we arrived at our destination in the middle of the afternoon. We grabbed some lunch at a local pub, and then set out for the battlefield museum. We arrived around 3 p.m. Despite the fact that it was the middle of October, there were still plenty of tourists (particularly children) in the museum. We went inside to look at the exhibits. The museum does contain some very interesting artifacts, like a shell and the roof rafters it pierced. However, many of these artifacts were in displays that were very outdated. Even the building itself had peeling paint and a very dated feel. It was pretty clear that the museum needs some serious renovation in order to make it a more informative and interactive experience for visitors.

Our next stop was the cemetery, which is directly across the street from the museum. My first reaction when I entered was “Where’s all the graves?” In fact, there are no graves near the cemetery entrance across from the visitor’s center. Instead, the grounds could be mistaken for a park. There’s a large grandstand, a lot of trees, and immaculately manicured lawns near that entrance. The only indication that there is something different is the monument to the Gettysburg Address. The monument’s location is not where the actual speech took place. Instead, it’s simply a reminder that the monumental speech took place in the cemetery.

About 200 yards north of the Gettysburg Address Monument were the battle’s participant’s graves. The graves are in a semi-circle around the National Soldier’s Monument, which was where the Gettysburg Address was actually delivered. They are identified by concrete rows that arch out around the monument. Many of the rows are inscribed with names. However, there are a few rows that use numbers to identify that a body is resting in the plot just in front of the number. Seeing the numbers was the only time during my visit that invoked a feeling in me similar to the one at Kennesaw Mountain. It seemed incredibly sad that there were people who gave their lives for their beliefs, and yet no one (to this day) knows who they are.

We continued around the graves on the paved loop that runs through the necropolis. Occasionally, we’d stop to take a picture or just look at the names. A lot of other tourists were doing the same thing. I began to notice that there seemed to be an unspoken bond that existed between the cemetery’s visitors. Respect and veneration were the main emotions being shown by the tourists. There were neither screaming children nor obnoxious laughter. Instead, everyone seemed to recognize that they were in a special place that deserved quiet reflection and reverence.

We exited the cemetery through the gate where we entered. We went back to the visitor’s center parking lot to get our car in order to begin the driving tour. By now, it was about 5:15 p.m. We were a little worried, because the brochure we obtained in the Visitor’s Center said that the driving tour would take about two hours and there was only about ninety minutes of sunlight left. It turned out that our fears were realized because it takes a lot more time than two hours to see the battlefield. It’s probably possible to tour the battlefield in that time if one minimizes the number of stops. But, even stopping at only the key locations will extend the tour beyond the suggested time. We took the full two hours just to see one third of the battlefield. I was so disappointed in only seeing this small portion, that I went back two days later and spent another four hours completing the tour. In other words, a visitor should count on the driving tour taking at least five hours to complete. Throw in a visit to the Visitor’s Center and the cemetery, and one will need a full day to see all the attractions.

The point that first struck me as I toured the battlefield was how clean it was. Not only was there very little evidence that visitors toured the site, but many of the war’s scars have been cleaned up as well. Again, I was using Kennesaw Mountain as a reference point. I remember being so impressed by seeing the trees with bullet holes from the battle still in them. I was expecting to find something similar at Gettysburg. However, those scars didn’t exist. There were no chip marks on the rocks at Devil’s Den. There were also no bullet holes in the trees of either Big Round Top or Little Round Top. The only physical evidence of a battle could be seen in the cannons that lined many of the driving tour’s streets and a couple of battlements that still remained near the summit of Little Round Top. While it was initially surprising to see everything so sanitized, the battlefield’s condition served as a reminder that Gettysburg didn’t need a battle’s physical evidence to convey the feeling that something of great importance occurred at that spot.

What does convey Gettysburg’s importance is the large number of monuments that dot the landscape. The monuments are usually for a particular unit that participated in the battle. However, there are a few for particular individuals (General Longstreet, General Meade, General Reynolds) and for states whose soldiers were involved in the fighting. All of these monuments can be enjoyed on a couple of levels. First, they can be enjoyed simply from an artistic perspective. There is an amazing amount of artistic diversity in the various monuments. From simple obelisks to ornate statues, the monuments are stunning works of art. There is simply no way that a visitor can look at them and not feel moved by the emotion that inspired such powerful artistic expressions. It is this emotional quality that imparts the strongest impression on the visitor. The appearance and placement of the monuments immediately gives the visitor the impression of visiting a cemetery. Yet, the battlefield isn’t just a memorial to the dead (that’s for the actual cemetery). A quick read of the text on the monuments shows that the veterans who lived are mentioned in equal terms with those who died. Thus, the visitor not only is imparted with a sense of sadness, but also with a sense of celebration. The result is a feeling over the battlefield which can only be found in the most sacred of shrines.

North Carolina Monument. Gettysburg.

The North Carolina Monument at dusk. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Three monuments of the over 300 best exemplified the artistic and emotional levels for me. The first was the General John Reynolds Monument. This simple granite obelisk stands alone in a grove of trees just northwest of the town. It marks the spot where Reynolds was killed. I enjoyed it because it was a simple, yet poignant, reminder of Reynolds’ importance to his troops. Another monument that moved me was the North Carolina Monument. This memorial, which was sculpted by the same artist that created Mount Rushmore, stands close to the staging area for Pickett’s Charge. The monument’s statues are posed in a way that makes it appear as though they are going to run across the field to the Union forces once again. It conveys a sense of motion and commitment that isn’t found on any of the other monuments in the park. I had a different sense of emotions when looking at the Pennsylvania Monument. This massive edifice was a little too grandiose on an artistic level for me, but it did a wonderful job of conveying the pride that the state felt toward the battle’s veterans. Its presence spoke volumes about the esteem in which these men were held by their fellow residents.

The emotions conveyed by the presence of the monuments seemed to rub off on visitors. I found that visitors seemed to sense this feeling throughout the battlefield. As a result, visitors tended to display a strange mix of pride, sadness, reverence, and awe at the sacrifice that occurred at Gettysburg. Perhaps the best example of this expression came when I visited the Wheatfield. I hadn’t been there more than a couple of minutes when a gentleman pulled up in his Cadillac. We stood together for a while, reading the placard which described the action that had occurred on this spot. Eventually, he asked me if I this was my first visit to Gettysburg. I mentioned that it was. That exchange led to an hour-long discussion about our mutual travels and feelings about Gettysburg. He said that he had been to most of the Civil War battle sites, but was always drawn back to Gettysburg. “There’s just a sense on this battlefield that doesn’t exist on other Civil War battlefields. There’s a feeling of desperation, of exhaustion, of sadness, and of hard won victory in the ground”, he said. “It doesn’t matter how many people are here,” he further stated, “You can always feel it.” I had to agree.

I think a big reason why visitors feel the way they do when they tour the battlefield is because it’s very easy to feel the ghosts of history swirling around. I don’t mean that one actually sees ghosts (although I wouldn’t be surprised if sections of the battlefield are haunted). Instead, I mean that it is very easy to imagine the battle’s scene when one is standing on the battlefield’s various points. Two areas that were very conducive to creating this feeling were the Round Tops and the field where Pickett’s Charge took place. I first visited Big Round Top on the second day in Gettysburg. This hill was captured by the famous 20th Maine Division after its heroic stand on Little Round Top. As one would expect, there are several monuments to the 20th Maine at the top of the hill. Unfortunately, the monuments tend to get lost in the substantial foliage that is present. But, I did find that the foliage was very conducive for conjuring up the ghosts of the soldiers hiding behind the hill’s trees and rocks. It was also easy to imagine the fear of not knowing whether the person hiding behind one of the other rocks or trees was a friend or foe.

That spirit was even more present at Little Round Top. This hill was a key position in the battle. If the Union had lost control of this hill (as they almost did), the battle’s result would have probably been different. Perhaps that was why there was definitely a stronger presence of ghosts here than there was on Big Round Top. They could easily be seen in the Devil’s Den, sniping from behind boulders. They could also be seen in the Slaughter Pen, running from rock to rock in a futile attempt to assault Little Round Top. Finally, they could be seen on Little Round Top, looking worriedly at the oncoming Confederate wave. Given all the ghosts of history that were present, it was no surprise that visitors were a little circumspect.

That same presence also permeated the field where Pickett’s Charge took place. It was a goal of mine when I went to Gettysburg to walk this field. However, it was pretty late by the time we got to the Virginia Monument on Seminary Ridge. Even though it was getting dark, I still wanted to walk the path. So, we set off for Cemetery Ridge using a narrative I had downloaded off the Internet as a guide. The narrative turned out to be a great reference document for our walk. While it provided excellent reference material (which beautifully complemented the placards that the National Park Service had placed along the path), one item that was omitted became readily apparent. Nowhere did we see any mention of the terrain’s openness between the two ridges. While there are a couple of small rolling hills on the path, there isn’t any place where a soldier could take cover if an enemy were to fire upon them. It then made sense why over 7,000 of the 11,000 men that took part in the charge were either killed or wounded during the attack. I felt incredulous at the bravery or stupidity that would compel a man to charge across a mile of open terrain while being fired upon. I was also surprised to find that I had a hard time imagining these men run across the field. It seemed easier to visualize tired men trudging back to camp while passing the bodies of their comrades. I think it was the time of day when we traversed the fields that led to my lack of imagination. The sun had almost entirely set and a full moon was rising over the Union monuments on Cemetery Ridge. By the time we had reached the Emmittsburg Road, it was already dark and we still had to walk back to the Virginia Monument. So, we turned back. I returned to the site two days later, except I started at The Angle (where the charge climaxed). I walked to the Emmitsburg Road and turned around to walk back to The Angle. The charge that was so difficult to image in the darkness was very easy to imagine in the daylight. I felt the sense of history around me, and that I was now part of that history. That feeling only strengthened as I jumped the stone fence at The Angle. I could almost hear the cries of the wounded and smell the scent of gunpowder. Standing there made it was very clear why Gettysburg is so ingrained in the American consciousness.

The Angle. Gettysburg.

The Angle. This was where Pickett’s Charge met the Union forces. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

I think that anyone who goes to Gettysburg understands why Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is such a popular speech. The reason is because Lincoln perfectly described the situation in Gettysburg. To quote from the speech, “But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men…who struggled here have consecrated far above our poor power to add or detract.” What’s more amazing is that a visitor can easily sense this consecration’s power in spite of the length of time that has elapsed since the battle. To put it succinctly, I haven’t visited another secular spot that stirred such a powerful response within its visitors. It created enough of a response that I felt compelled to return to Gettysburg two days after I had initially been there in order to complete the experience. While my compulsion may be unique, it was clear from the large number of repeat visitors I met that others feel the emotional connection to those whose dedication created the struggle that made the ground sacred. It may not generate any outward emotional response, but the connection will definitely leave a lasting impression as to the true meaning of sacrifice. As a result, Gettysburg is a “must-stop” for anyone who wants to understand the cost of war, the product of dedication, and the pain of sacrifice.

Gettysburg National Battlefield is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission to the battlefield, visitor’s center, and cemetery is free. While walking around in the evening does have a certain atmosphere, it is much more effective to see the battlefield during the day. Then, one gets a true impression of the distances between the armies and the landscape where the conflict took place. Please note again to plan for a full day in order to see the entire battlefield.

Below are a few images from the battlefield. Please click on the thumbnails to get a see a bigger image