"Gettysburg, July 1st" Topic

158th Anniversary of the First Day at Gettysburg. Was there ever a more interesting battle?

Well, there are some right up there with it, but Gettysburg is very interesting.

Certainly one of the ones with a lot written about it!

We lived close enough to make lots of visits. Years later, my daughter was a producer on the movie The Dinner that had a scene in Gettysburg. Since she knew so much about it, she was allowed to direct the Gettysburg part of the movie. Most of the scene took place in the Pennsylvania monument.

I've spent several days wandering Gettysburg and always enjoy it. As the last (almost) equal battle in the ACW the story has a tension that is lacking in the last 20 odd months of the war. Also, it's exceptionally well preserved and even the plethora of monuments do not detract from being able to observe how the terrain impacted the fight (see Lion's Mound for an example of what not to do.) I wish I lived a little closer (3,000 odd miles at the moment) so that I could visit more often.

Been there 3 or 4 times now….doing each part of the battlefield. Wonderful experience. Even walked Pickett's charge with Don Perrin and Tom Wham!!

been to Antietam on a super quiet fall Sunday….and we were alone…what an experience!

My game board of Gettysburg, played with actual numbers but with Napoleonic armies.
This was a day 2 game, did day 1 some years ago. Planning to do day 3 with this same layout.
Been to Gettysburg dozens of times but last was at least 15 years ago. My niece lives with 15 minutes of there and my sister plans to move there next year, so trips might get more often.

Been there over a dozen times. Never bored, and each visit might be my last, so each time I go, it gets more precious. A sacred spot, a place of immense beauty, loss, and victory. It is hard to describe the value of having such places preserved, and in the way this park is doing it, excellent.

+1 GamesPoet

Totally agree with GamesPoet.

+2 GamePoet. I have been to Gettysburg many times and always find some new spot or event to wet my interests.

Have you found the rock quarry where the Iron Brigade private Patrick Maloney captured Confederate General Archer?

My board over Little Round Top looking to Devils Den

I take it there has been many improvements since I have need there. This area was still very wooded and wasn't during the battle.

Over the last dozen years or so there has been a major project to remove the post-battle trees. Thousands have been cut down and areas that were overgrown are now open land. It dramatically changes the perspective of the battlefield. If you haven't been there recently I urge you make the trip.

158th Anniversary of the First Day at Gettysburg. Was there ever a more interesting battle?

Yes, quite a few.

However, that does not diminish the interest of Gettysburg nor its importance and significance.

Lee was done and just didn't realize it.

The odds started out against the Confederacy and by July 1, 1863 they had gotten worse. The outcome though was not inevitable even by mid-1863.

July 1 gave Lee the opportunity he was looking for, a chance to take on a portion of the Army of the Potomac in isolation. But for Ewell's failure to try and storm Cemetary Hill on the evening of July 1 and Howard and Hancock's decision to hold that position on the evening of the first we might be remembering a July 1 only Battle of Gettysburg as one of Lee's successes.

I was there for the 150th anniversary reenactment. I was impressed by the massive cannonade. It was fun watching most of the cannons move into position via pickup trucks.

As is my yearly extravaganza, watching PCN and Gettysburg battlefield Walks. Have wanted to do Pickett's Charge since I did day 2. The Russians ( Army of Northern Ukraine) have more than enough Position batteries for the bombardment and did on day 2 try some shots, the Prussians ( Army of the Rhine) did take some casualties. The Prussians are limited in 12pdrs so would be harder to stop the assault.

The 135th anniversary reenactment was the biggest and most impressive. We had almost 20,000 troops on the field and over a hundred cannon. We recreated Pickett's Charge at 1-1 scale. :) I commanded a brigade of Union infantry just to the right of "The Angle" and watching all those Confederates headed my way was awe-inspiring.

Many of you have been there more recently that I have, and many of you more often that I have, but I might beat you all in how early I was there -- I first visited Gettysburg in 1951.

My first visit was in 1961.

Hell, Don!

I was only a year old, did you go in your baby carriage? 🙂

I was 11, going on 12. Bought a Union-blue real-cloth kepi that I wore out and outgrew at about the same time.

Well good for you! 😃

If we are comparing dates my great great grandfather went there in July of 1863 and left his brother behind. I first went to Gettysburg in the mid-sixties, but I only learned this bit of family lore about 15 years ago.

As a Furriner visiting the field, it is just wonderful. It is so well preserved and unspoiled, with such enthusiastic guides. The contrast with Waterloo is marked (even with the recent upgrades).

I could wish there were not quite so many massive regt monuments on the Union side, or at least make them smaller, but they do at least give you some info as to placements

I found it fascinating but very commercial in 2002.

The diorama on Artillery ridge was great and the museum ( I believe modernised) was interesting.

However, whilst being a little off the subject, I personally found Manassas to be a time capsule and Antietam to be an almost emotional experience .

Best wishes,

Chris

In 1961 there was no commercialization of the town. Hilton was not there yet nor the infamous tower. Jenny Wade's house was still in original condition.

We went again in 1964 and the Wade house had been completely redone and was not the same at all. And commercialization had enveloped the town. The residents of the town were not happy about it at all. In many ways, the overall effect we had seen three years earlier had been ruined.

Thankfully, much has been restored, but the Jenny Wade house is still a great disappointment. 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it.'

At least the tower is gone :)