Been busy and haven't had the time to finish this post. The thumbnails of the last leg of my trip have been haunting me on my desktop display.
The last major spot was Gettysburg, PA. Why not end with the biggest battle of the War? It took us two days and a midnight hike across the battlefield to see just a portion of it. We stayed downtown at the Gettysburg hotel. Which had a nice lobby and a nice front, but the rooms was no better than a motel's and I would recommend staying at another spot downtown if you can.
Its interesting to note that the further you go towards the center of the town, the further back in time you go. On the outside you have strip malls and the modern highway. As you go in, you pass by establishments from the 70's the 30's and then eventually in the middle of town, you are back in 1863.
I had a discussion with one of the locals who ran a winery in the center of town (there are at least two others) who told me that the town has a special hold on you. The people who live there seemed to have a special bond with history and love the significance their town had to play in the unfolding drama in the rebirth of America.
We started our tour at the Lutheran Seminary - which charges an outrageous price to go up to see the famous Cupola that General's Buford and Reynolds used on the first day of the battlefield to scout incoming confederate columns of infantry. Cheap bastards - they know that die hard Civil War fanatics will pay a premium to see this.
We made our way north to the Oak Hill area and then to the North East corner of the battle field where Confederate General Early - under Gen Ewell's 2nd Corp came in on the Union's right flank and started the Federal rout. There was a massive group of students that we needed to stay one step ahead of as we made our way over to Brenner Hill.
We opted to end our tour that day as we had seen most of the sights of the first day of fighting. We got some rest back at the hotel and then later in the afternoon we walked from the center of town to Cemetery Hill. It was here that the IX Core under General Howard began to create a defense position. The fortifications here and on the neighboring Culp's Hill would prove to be to much for the Army of Northern Virginia to surmount. We walked along the way down Cemetery Ridge, taking in the monuments to General Meade and the various structures saluting the defenders of the Army of the Potomac that held this position. We arrived finally at the copse of trees where the famed Pickett's Charge was directed and where the Confederacy achieved its "high water mark."
We got up early the next day and took a tour of the remainder of the field of battle, including a stop at the Gettysburg visitor center, which in retrospect is more or less a tourist trap to anyone who has read even an article about the battle. That said, it does showcase a multitude of relics that is worth the visit. We finished that day by touring seminary ridge, little round top, devil's den, and the famed peach orchard and wheat field. Time was running out and we made a dash for Washington D.C.
Our last night we spent at the Willard Hotel. A place that resonates with history from even before the Civil War, through out the conflict, and to our present day. Google this hotel's history - I doubt you would not be impressed. The next day I got Chase back to the airport and made my way back up to New Jersey to meet up with my sister and Maria for my cousin's wedding. It seemed that a life time has passed since we stepped foot on our first battlefield.
