Gettysburg Battlefield July 2 & 3 (1863)

Today was an amazing day. We started at Devil's Den, made our way to Chamberlain's last line of defense, to Round Top, and then to Culp's Hill and Pickett's Charge. It was just incredible walking in the footsteps of Chamberlain, Longstreet, Pickett, Lee. It was hot, I was sweaty, but it was worth it and I loved every minute of it.



On the way to Devil's Den, our 1st stop of the day.

Devil's Den, below Round Top and the 1st high ground objective of the Confederate troops.

The information at the Devil's Den sharpshooter.

The black and white photo is a picture taken by Timothy O'Sullivan of a dead Confederate sharpshooter. The only problem is that he staged the picture of dragging a dead soldier there. However, the spot was most likely used by sharpshooter to aim at the Union officers on Round Top.

The picture on the left is a picture taken from the sharpshooters' lair towards Little Round Top. The right hand picture is of the Slaughterpen at the foot of Big Round Top.

I am standing on top of Devil's Den, which is where fierce fighting took place to claim this high ground by both sides. (Round top is over my left shoulder.) On the right, that is a shot of the rocks I was standing on top of.

The photo below shows the battle line on top of Little and Big Round Top. The line begins with the small white monument to the right and extends thru the tree line to the right. The monument marks the spot of Chamberlain's far left line, the one he was told he had to hold in Gettysburg.

The view of Devil's Den from the top of Round Top. I am posed on a rock on the top of Round Top and Devil's Den is behind me. Devil's Den was taken by Confederate forces on their way to the top of Round Top.

On the left, I am rubbing the nose of Patrick O'Rourke, which is supposed to be for good luck, on the top of Round Top. On the right, that is the view from Little Round Top across the valley. The Confederate army had to attack across all that land, from the furthest line of trees.

The Virginia Memorial to Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia poised on the edge of the field of Pickett's Charge.

The start of the walk of Pickett's Charge. The path is paved only a short way, and then you walk through grassland that has been cut for a path.

Me in the field of Pickett's Charge. Yes, it is HOT and HUMID--but well worth the walk. I was soooooo excited to walk the charge. I know, geeky:)

To the left, this is the field that Gen. George Pickett charged across with a line of men one mile across from several southern states. To the left, this fence was where a Connecticut regiment waited to try and slow the onslaught, but were unsuccessful.

The photo on the left is the view back across Pickett's Charge that I walked across. The picture on the right shows the line of union defense with monuments that represent the different divisions and regiments that defended against the Confederate attack.

Off the field of battle now.......

We had dinner at the Fairfield Inn, which was where Lee and his officers retreated back to and had dinner. This house has much of its original walls and parts. The dinner was GREAT! Ham and bean soup and chicken and biscuits.

The Fairfield Inn and Tavern was also a stop on the Underground Railroad. This was a very small hiding hole under the eaves that the runaway slaves had to crawl in and then the opening was nailed up.

I can honestly say that I have rarely done anything that felt so much like being a very small part of history; to actually walk where the battles took place, see very close to same terrain, and imagine those days. It was truly an amzing experience today all around.