Day 8 & 9 Gettsburg, PA

Day 8 & 9

I’m combining these days both days were at Gettysburg, PA. The battle at Gettysburg, the three days in July of 1863. Up until that point most of the war was fought in the south. General Lee’s objective was to bring the war north in hopes that the north would give up. After the 3 day battle and what was left of the armies retreating. It left the town of Gettysburg in shambles and over 51,000 soldiers dead, wounded or missing. The wounded and dying were crowded into every building still left standing. Most of the dead was left lying in hastily dug graves and many not buried at all. The Governor commissioned a local attorney David Wills  to buy land for a proper burial for the union soldiers. This cemetery was located right were the union has the strong hold now know as cemetery hill. The dedicated on the of course famous date November 19,1863, the date of the Gettysburg Address. We could go into a lot of detail here but we will keep in some what short. The main speaker was not President Lincoln (he was known not to be a good speaker at all) so he was asked to keep it short and brief.  The main speaker was Edward Everett who’s well received 2 hour speech followed by President Lincoln’s 272 words speech taking 2 minutes. Amazing that his speech is now known as a masterpiece of English literature. In that short speech he turned a tragic battle scene into  a symbol of sacrifice of the dead and inspiration to the living. (WOW way to go Abe).

I must say the most meaniful and inspiration things to me was the Gettysburg Cyclorama also known as the battle of Gettysburg. The painting was done by a French artist Paul Philippoteaux depicting Pickett’s Charge of July 3, 1863. The version that hangs in Gettysburg, a recent (2005) restoration of the version created for Boston, is 42 feet high and 377 feet  circumference as you stand in the middle of this large circle they reinact the battle with lights and canons and gun fire. So moving, if you ever have the chance that is the one thing that is a must to see.

Also took a bus tour to see President Eisenhower's one and only home. Never knowing much about their lives prior to the tour I was surprised by the humble lives that they both lived. Nothing formal about them, family was everything to them and even the little staff that they did have was like family and lived with them. Most evenings their supper was on TV trays in the porch where they watched the TV. 

With all that being said we walked thru the town and then enjoyed a well needed change from battle and death to do alittle wine and cider tasting. Yeap got to enjoy life to the fullest. Here’s to you or should I say “Y’all”

                                                            Gettsburg Battlefield

Eisenhower's