Our Fathers Brought Forth Upon This Continent

Our second full day at Gettysburg was simply suberb. We began at 8:30a.m. in the Gettysburg National Military Park where we secured our personal tour guide to the battlefield. I highly recommend that when you come to Gettysburg you hire a guide to take you around the battlefield. We learned so much from Paul, our tour guide, as he drove us around the park pointing out all the different aspects of the battle as well as information that I know we wouldn't have heard or learned on our own. It was great because he drove our truck, so I could just enjoy the ride and...bonus...Natty could ride along so we didn't have to leave her in the hotel.

We began with a drive past this house that was hit by an artillery shell.


Next we went to visit the monument of the Michigan 24th Regiment. Notice the hat was not the typical Union soldier hat. The Michigan regiments wore black hats that turned up on one side and typically had a feather or deer tail in them. These soldiers were known as the "Black Hats".



These cannons were positioned at the top of Little Round Top. The Union army took control of this high ground and held it throughout the second and third days of fighting and is the reason that the Union won the battle of Gettysburg, and ultimately the war.


Notice the green color of the cannons. These are actual cannons used during the Civil War and are made of iron which has turned green over years of weathering. (The "stands" that the cannons are on are not from the Civil War, just the cannons.)


Looking up at Little Round Top.


This is the view from atop Little Round Top. The statue is Brig. General Warren who became known as "The Savior of Gettysburg" due to his quick decision to take control of this high ground which ultimately gave the Union the upper hand and led to the Confederate's defeat at Gettysburg. If you've watched the movie "Gettysburg", you will probably remember the scene after the battle on Little Round Top where the Chamberlain brothers were sitting on a rock looking over the battlefield. That scene was filmed on the rocks right next to the Warren statue. They hid the statue with some "trees", and you can see the hat of the statue at one point in the film.


This photo is looking down from Little Round Top to Devil's Den below. Devil's Den (the labyrinth of large boulders) was taken by Confederate soldiers in a long and bloody skirmish, after which the Confederates brought in sharp shooters to carry out their deadly task of pecking off Union soldiers at the top of Little Round Top. Stinking rebs.


Jayme is standing on Little Round Top. You can see rocks piled in front of her. Exhausted Union soldiers worked through the night stacking rocks between the boulders for added protection from the likes of those aforementioned stinking johnny reb sharpshooters.


I told Chase to pretend he was a Union soldier and get behind one of the piles of rocks. I could barely see him so I suggested he prop himself up as if he were shooting his gun. His intelligent reply? "Because if I had to fight in this war, I wouldn't be shooting, I'd be hiding." Smart kid.


The kids are walking down Little Round Top to the 16th Michigan monument. Monuments are placed where each regiment fought. Gettysburg is one of the most monumented places in the world.


Walking up from the monument of the 16th Michigan. Did I mention that Gettysburg is very pet friendly? Lots of folks brought their dogs and many shops in town are pet friendly.


The kids are climbing around Devil's Den. I must admit I hesitated to let them climb around some of these places. It just seemed like hallowed ground, not a jungle gym. But many folks were exploring and so I sat quietly, contemplating what had taken place on this very spot, while they enjoyed themselves.


Chase pretending to be Spiderman.


Jodie is sitting at the monument of the 24th Michigan which is also at Little Round Top. We spent a lot of time here because it was so beautiful and there were lots of places to explore.


As the sun went down we headed back to our hotel and ate some pizza. Later we walked a block to the annual Gettysburg Halloween parade. I'm pretty sure that was the first time I've watched a night parade. It was pretty cool.

There is so much more to write and many more photos to post, but for now.....

Somewhere a dog barks....still chasing that johnny reb I suppose.