Gettysburg

I spent the night in Chambersburg so I could trace the route Lee followed down the Chambersburg Pike.  When I reached Herr Ridge I went both right and left to check out the flanks and then proceeded on into the battle area at McPherson Ridge.

From Herr Ridge:

Looking towards McPherson Ridge 9:00 am:

First view of Battle area from McPherson Ridge. Visitor Center on right and road leading off to lthe left headed for Oak Hill and Railroad Cut.

Looking across McPherson Ridge:

Iron Brigade marker on McPherson Ridge:

Guided group:

Reynolds Woods and marker near where Gen. Reynolds was killed:

The Railroad cut. Not a lot of room to maneuver:

The artillery I came to find - 2 Whitworths:

Me.  :-)

Looking south-west from Peace Memorial at Oak Ridge and McPherson Ridge:

Telephoto shot towards Reynolds Woods from Peace Memorial:

The road into town with church steeple visible:

The drive along Seminary Ridge:

Looking at Union position and "the copse of trees":

Awesome monuments - North Carolina:

Looking behind Seminary Ridge where Pickett formed up:

Virginia Monument and Lee on Traveler.  I started my walk of Pickett's Charge from here:

Well, here I go - 3:00 in the afternoon, no breeze and HOT! (July 1st) I think I'll just mosey on over to the shade of those trees on that hill with the cemetery on it:

Looking back but pressing forward.  I was thinking "These guys were the bravest men on earth or the stupidest." There is nowhere to hide except where you go down into a couple of little gulleys.  Any streams here would have been no barrier at all:

Fence located about halfway:

Pickett's men had to make sure no busses were coming as they crossed this road!  And all of those markers represent thousands of Union soldiers anxiously waiting to greet me:

The last rise:

The Angle:

Looking back again - Lee over white pickup:

The Angle - today a nice shady spot to sit and rest after the long walk - then - "Hell":

Gen. Meade:

Walking back the North Carolina (Pettigrew) route:

Longstreet's Memorial:

Louisiana Monument:

Mississippi Monument:

20th Maine:

The way of the Rebels:

Looking down at the Devil's Den:

Looking towards Cemetery Hill you can see why the Little Round Top was so critical to the Union position:

The statue of Gen. Warren:

We all know the story of the posed picture here at this location.  But still, as you stand there, you know you are standing exactly where a dead soldier lay after the battle, posed or not:

The awesome Pennsylvania Monument.  It is open and you can go upstairs now:

Looking from Penn. Monument towards Little Round Top with Big Round Top behind it:

Oops - the world tilted as I took this one of the "High Water Mark" area:

Looking towards Seminary Ridge:

Looking towards Culp's Hill and the "Fish Hook" area:

Statue on top of Pennsylvania Monument:

Culp's Hill:

General Slocum:

In town - building that housed Rebel snipers still showing scars of Union sharpshooters trying to pick him off.  Story says they got one:

Re-enactors in town in force tonight.  Also had the chance to hear and meet Jeff Shaara: