Gettysburg

[shrapnel]

At the battlefield for a couple days, overwhelming…

 

[manitou1]

It is crazy to think 54,000 men died in three days on that little field. As many that died during the entire Vietnam war.

Over a million pounds of lead were fired!

Nine months later when Lincoln gave the Gettysburg address they were still burying the bodies.

It's a haunting place for sure. Well worth the visit.

 

[FairWeather]

I went several times as a kid. Growing up in NE OH it wasn’t a terribly long drive. It was always fun, but the true impact didn’t really sink in.

During the early days of COVID I watched the full series of the guided virtual tour, and it had a way different impact as an adult. 300,000 men trying to annihilate each other, this quaint little town caught in the cross fire. All those poor bastards being ordered to to fight and die. It’s a lot.

On a side note, the Eisenhower farm is also pretty neat. Learned a lot I didn’t know about ol’ Ike on that tour.

 

[shrapnel]

It is crazy to think 54,000 men died in three days on that little field. As many that died during the entire Vietnam war.

Over a million pounds of lead were fired!

Nine months later when Lincoln gave the Gettysburg address they were still burying the bodies.

It's a haunting place for sure. Well worth the visit.

Actually, there were around 53,000 casualties total at the battle and 13,000+ deaths. I’m sure that many deaths occurred later from those casualties…

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

First went about ‘98, so cool to a kid, also from NE Ohio. I went again in ‘06 and the park service had allowed logging once again as was historically accurate at the time. Little Round Top looked radically different. Rub Chamberlin’s nose for goodluck. I went all through VA, NC, GA, SC battlefields when I was younger. But all pictures, kitschy shit long since lost. It’s Gettysburg that’s on my desk today, little gift shop plaque of bullets- Minié, Williams and RB.

 

[mdhunter]

Been there several times and it’s humbling for sure.

 

[noharleyyet]

*In 1855, Grant built a four-room, two-story cabin on the property, naming it “Hardscrabble.” In 1885, the home passed out of the hands of the Grant family

The fence that sits across from the president’s cabin was fashioned from 2,563 rifle barrels as a Civil War memorial.

Grant's Farm was the Homestead of Ulysses S. Grant-Union General during the Civil War, and 18th President of the US. The 281-acre farm was acquired by August Busch Sr. In 1907, and housed the famous Clydesdales from the early 1950's.

 

[ismith]

At the battlefield for a couple days, overwhelming…



View attachment 325046

Been there several times. The most haunting place to be at last light is on little round top looking down into devil’s den. Found out recently I have kin that was killed there.

 

[Keep on]

I tend to take it for granted living 15 minutes from the battlefield. It is a powerful reminder of the price that was paid to preserve this union. Enjoy your trip to Adams Co PA, if you like chicken wings, or a good hamburger go to the Gettysburger while you"re in town.

 

[shrapnel]

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

In 1993 filming the movie “Gettysburg” extras were taking a break. An older man in a filthy uniform and reeking of sulfur came out of the woods and talked briefly. When he left them, the man handed out some rolled cartridges. The extras didn’t recognize the cartridges so they turned them over to the people in charge of such things. Cartridges were live and period specific!
That’s one of the few Civil War ghost stories I can’t discount. Because think of it, if this unknown man were some trouble maker, he would have had to do a lot of work in a short time to appear and smell real. Then handing out live cartridges that he knew would be touched off in movie takes is straight up manslaughter.

 

[BMountaineer]

A very powerful feeling comes over you when you realize the gravity of what happened there. Same feeling I got visiting Shanksville soon after 9/11.

 

[brymoore]

Very powerful place.

One of my relatives fought there with the 8th Ohio. At Gettysburg, the 8th held a picket position in front of the cemetery hill lines.



The 8th fought well that day.

“Facing a force several times its number, the 8th Ohio held its advanced position and was able to flank portions of a Virginia brigade under Col. John M. Brockenbrough. Assisted by artillery fire from Cemetery Hill and Ziegler's Grove, the 8th succeeded in routing much of Brockenbrough's force, the first brigade to ever break and flee during Lee's tenure in command of the Army of Northern Virginia.[citation needed] The 8th then shifted and poured fire into the flank of other Confederate regiments. As the assault waned, the regiment collected over 300 prisoners of war.[3] As the Ohioans reentered the Union lines, they were given a salute of arms and cheers from the other regiments.”

My relative survived to be killed later in the war at the Bloody Angle with only a month left in his three year contract.

 

[mdcrossbow]

I went several times as a kid. Growing up in NE OH it wasn’t a terribly long drive. It was always fun, but the true impact didn’t really sink in.

During the early days of COVID I watched the full series of the guided virtual tour, and it had a way different impact as an adult. 300,000 men trying to annihilate each other, this quaint little town caught in the cross fire. All those poor bastards being ordered to to fight and die. It’s a lot.

On a side note, the Eisenhower farm is also pretty neat. Learned a lot I didn’t know about ol’ Ike on that tour.

I usually ride the HD up there a few times a year. Some years ago I restored the Eisenhower Desk that sits in the foyer of the home he lived in which is reception offices now I believe. He baught this while in Europe during WW2

 

[mdcrossbow]

There is a feeling that comes over you when you on these sacred hallowed grounds

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

You all seen this? Filmed Fort McCoy, WI in 1990. They’re using real shells firing at an old APC downrange. Turn up your volume on the first half and you get a whole new perspective on old BP cannons.

 

[Zak]

My favorite inscription is on the North Carolina monument:

"To the eternal glory of the North Carolina soldiers. Who on this battlefield displayed heroism unsurpassed sacrificing all in support of their cause. Their valorous deeds will be enshrined in the hearts of men long after these transient memorials have crumbled into dust."

I've visited dozens of battlefields and Gettysburg is still my favorite.

 

[utah400elk]

I went to a war college course there. I am not in the military but work for GOV. We were given a tour by a military historian and walked Pickett’s charge to the angle. It invoked very strong emotional responses from everybody on the tour. Great leadership lessons from that battlefield.

I have also done a twin towers tour. Highly recommend that one as well. The room with the recorded calls was brutal.

 

[shrapnel]

In 1993 filming the movie “Gettysburg” extras were taking a break. An older man in a filthy uniform and reeking of sulfur came out of the woods and talked briefly. When he left them, the man handed out some rolled cartridges. The extras didn’t recognize the cartridges so they turned them over to the people in charge of such things. Cartridges were live and period specific!
That’s one of the few Civil War ghost stories I can’t discount. Because think of it, if this unknown man were some trouble maker, he would have had to do a lot of work in a short time to appear and smell real. Then handing out live cartridges that he knew would be touched off in movie takes is straight up manslaughter.

It’s highly unlikely that really happened. The only cartridges that would have been used would be for a Henry or Spencer rifle. The only thing similar in the Civil War would have been paper cartridges, which would not work in a movie set other than one with Alec Baldwin in charge…

 

[mdcrossbow]

A friend who lives in KY was passing through the DC area on his way home from Gettysburg and stopped by the shop. He took his son up to see where his Great great grandfather died. I asked who was your Gggrandfather? He replied : Pickett, I said and this is the 1st time you've been to Gettysburg.