gettysburg2

Pictures from the display

Gettysburg was great, they have built a new museum which was opened this spring. If a person was able to do just one thing this museum would be it. When they designed it they did it in a way that is progressive starting with the days before the battle at the entry to the exibit to the days following the battle at the end. As you go through the dispalys tell of the life of the solders, the battle plans, the various engagements, along with some behind the scenes information, such as Picketts Charge, Pickett was against the charge and was only one of several officers detailed to make this attack. Pickett was just the unlucky one to have this failed attempt with its huge loss of men named after him.

It was due to the efforts of Gettysburg residents who became concerned with the poor conditions of soldiers' graves scattered over the battlefield and at hospital sites, and got the Govenor of Pa. to arrange purchase of the land for a cemetary for the Union soldiers. The Confederate soldiers were intered in cemetaries in the south.

President Lincoln delivered his "Gettysburg Address" at the train station. A 2 minute speach that followed Edward Everett's 2 hour speach. Later it is reported that Everett told Lincoln that he could only hope that his 2 hour speach came close to expressing what Lincoln did so successfully in 2 minutes...

After the battles at Gettysburg, General Lee headed south to Virginia and eventually Appomattex and the end of the war..