Today is July 2nd. In the year 1863, one of the bloodiest battles lasting three days was happening in the little town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
The battle began on July 1st and ended on July 3rd with a Union victory. Before this battle, the Confederate Army had been winning most of the battles, likely why they tried to go so far north.
It's hard to imagine how it must have felt for the inhabitants of that sleepy Pennsylvania town. The closest the war had come to them had been the battle of Antietam at Sharpsburg, Maryland.
I've visited Gettysburg and heard the story of Jenny Wade, the only civilian killed in that battle. And the site where General Reynolds was taken after he'd been shot on the battlefield. Ghost stories abound of the many who died during those three days. There are also stories of the horrors the townspeople witnessed and how they rallied to try to nurse wounded and bury so many dead. Just the sounds of shelling and horrible smells had to be terrible.
Gettysburg is a fascinating site with loads of history. It's a place I like to visit again and again.
2 comments:
You and me both! LOL. My boys are still too young to fully understand, so I'm waiting a couple more years before I take them. But they're both already showing a real appreciation for history and I can't wait to share the rich history of Gettysburg, the historical significance of that very decisive battle and the story of how their great-great-great-great Grandfather, General Meade, helped secure the Union victory.
General Meade? How cool!
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