Gettysburg

We had the opportunity to visit Gettysburg during one of the days of the anniversary of the three day battle (July 1-3).  Mama and Daddy took Owen and Charlotte on "Day 3" for some special battlefield walks and talks.  (Eliza enjoyed a day with her cousins in the area.)

Oh Abe, how we love you!

When we stopped into the Visitor's Center we met a Battlefield Guide. Charlotte asked him what the name of Union General Hancock's horse was...and he did not know. So the Guide asked other Guides and no one knew! For "stumping the Guide" he gave Charlotte a $5 bill (which she later used to get her own "Hancock's Horse"). The Guide later emailed Charlotte to say that after all of his research, including consulting with the Park's historian, it was still not clear the name of the horse that Hancock rode at Gettysburg.

We came to experience Pickett's Charge!

View from one of the Observation Towers...

We made our way to Little Round Top to search for the Twentieth Maine monument (their story is spotlighted in the movie Gettysburg.)

The very left of the Union Line that the 20th ME held on Day 2!

Charlotte found a very obvious cannon ball hole near the Peach Orchard!

After a Ranger talk about Generals Lee and Longstreet, we made our way to the High Water Mark and (once again) visited where Confederate General Armistead fell.

Owen and Charlotte became Junior Rangers again!

They also got to participate in a program to "experience" what it was like to enlist in the Union Army at the beginning of the war. They received very concise training!

Our adventure culminated with a special Battlefield Walk of Pickett's Charge. The kiddies were assigned to Pettigrew's division (North Carolina). Armistead's Virginians walked right beside us...

Charlotte brought "Hancock's Horse" with her.

We began Pickett's Charge: the one mile march across the open field to the Union position at Cemetary Ridge (High Water Mark).

Oh, Owen...

Delighted that we made it to the stone wall and the "copse of trees" (although only to be wounded or captured in the end...)

The long trek back...not as dramatic but very peaceful!

Paying respects to Confederate General Longstreet.

And Miss Eliza... she was well cared for and had some adventures of her own!