Went to Gettysburg today

[Calvin]

It was a nice tour around the battlefield. Beautiful day to view history. One little thing though, while I was at Devils Den I was using a flashlight so my kids could see into a few of the little spaces in the rocks. One spot was like a small cave, So I was showing how far back it actually went to my wife. Well the light I was using kept fading out, I guess it did this about three or four times. I kept having to turn it off and then back on again. I had never had a problem like this before with the light. After we left I did not have any problems either with that light.

Makes me kind of wonder about that place.

For those that do not know, Devils den was where southern sharp shooters were sniping at the yanks on Little Round Top. While the yank sharpshooters were sniping back.
I just figured I would share that little story.

Calvin

[4XLT]

someone wants their privacy man lol

[xd40_jim]

Maybe it was the ghosts of Gettysburg. They say when ghosts try to communicate or try to materialize they drain power from batteries and electronics. lol

Thanks for the history lesson too. I need to get down there some day.

[556slinger]

I've been there 6 times and thats not enough if you ask me. The one trip there was a north vs. south live artillery shoot, that was awesome. The viewers were kept 100 yards behind the artillery but you could feel the vibrations under your feet from the impacting rounds. The only downside to that particular trip was there was a bigger turn out than expected and the parking was moved to a Field which later turned into mud, they had to get backhoes and chains to tow us out. Mud really sticks when it heats up, had to smell it all the way back home. I want to take the kids down there but i don't think they'll enjoy it as they are all under 6 lol.


OP, glad you had a good time. you plan on going back?

[Armed_in_Lancity]

Yeah the Yanks held off the Rebs on little round top with just a handful of men.
We go camping out there every summer and we always hear and see stuff. Most memorable was 2 summers ago woke up to hear a rebel yell from the woods around 3 am. I had trouble getting back to sleep.

[HiredGoon]

I have an uncle buried at the Gettysburg National Cemetery. He was killed in WWII's Battle of the Bulge.

[64Jeeper]

I've been there 6 times and thats not enough if you ask me. The one trip there was a north vs. south live artillery shoot, that was awesome. The viewers were kept 100 yards behind the artillery but you could feel the vibrations under your feet from the impacting rounds. The only downside to that particular trip was there was a bigger turn out than expected and the parking was moved to a Field which later turned into mud, they had to get backhoes and chains to tow us out. Mud really sticks when it heats up, had to smell it all the way back home. I want to take the kids down there but i don't think they'll enjoy it as they are all under 6 lol.


OP, glad you had a good time. you plan on going back?

Mud, huh....................I am soooooo there next summer!!!

[ReconLdr]

I have been there 6 times in the last 2 years. I learn something new every time. The place is amazing. I started taking my Advanced NCO Course students there 2 years ago. When time permits, I assign them key pieces of the battle to brief to the rest of the class. I ask the Tour Guides to critique their briefings and fill in the blanks.

When you look across the field where Pickett started his charge, I could not imagine the mass carnage.

When you examine the battle closely, if Gen Lee would have listened to Longstreet or if Jeb Stuarts Cavalry hadn't been tracking the wrong units, the outcome of the war might have been completely different.

[1861]

I have been there 6 times in the last 2 years. I learn something new every time. The place is amazing. I started taking my Advanced NCO Course students there 2 years ago. When time permits, I assign them key pieces of the battle to brief to the rest of the class. I ask the Tour Guides to critique their briefings and fill in the blanks.

When you look across the field where Pickett started his charge, I could not imagine the mass carnage.

When you examine the battle closely, if Gen Lee would have listened to Longstreet or if Jeb Stuarts Cavalry hadn't been tracking the wrong units, the outcome of the war might have been completely different.

If General Jackson hadn't gotten killed in May he instead of Longstreet would have been in command with totally different outcome . General Lee was too use to giving Jackson a suggestion of what he wanted and Jackson got it done . Longstreet required much more supervision .

[wis bang]

We just visited the new visitor's center last Sunday.

After 8 years of sending two daughters to Gettysburg College and three summers of having my youngest do town ghost tours, we thought we had seen the 'Gettysburg Experience'...

Our youngest flew up from TX for alumni weekend and we drove out on Sunday to see her. After a three hour car ride I suggested we go walk around the new center as none of us had gone there since it opened. We were too busy last year w/ graduation.

I have to give the Park Service some credit. Although 9 years ago I enjoyed the seeming endless display of weapons in the glass cases, it was much to my families anoyance. The cyclorama was this huge dingy circular painting in the center basement and wasn't too inspiring.

Most of the weapons are gone and after a shortmulti media show we rode escalators up to the top level where the restored cyclorama is located. You end up on a circular viewing area and the foreground has been setup to blend into the painting.

The presentation really makes you feel that you are standing on top of Cemetary Ridge at sunrise on July 3rd. While the sound system may not be as spectacular a sharing the actual re-enactment cannon fire [the gound doesn't shake as much], you really come away impressed over the display and with a better understanding of Pickett's charge, almost rivaling standing in the tower on Seminary ridge looking across the ground they covered in the charge.

We were also invited to come back after 5pm w/ our ticket stubs to spend more time viewing the painting with out being 'moved' along to make way for the next group.

We continued on thru the museum and it is laid out in clear chronological order making a better experience than the old visitors center. They really did an excelent job.

We finished the day w/ an early dinner at Apalacian Brewing Company and I brought a 12-pack of 'Hoppy Trails' IPA back to enjoy later.

I really recomend who visits Gettysburg to spend the $10.50 and see the new visitor center.