Gettysburg Battlefield Tour Part 3 of 3

By Linda G. on November 29, 2018

This blog post continues our tour of the Gettysburg Battlefield.  Tuesday’s blog post pertained to Auto Stops 1-3 and provided notable events that occurred during the first day of the three-day battle.  Wednesday’s blog post pertained to Auto Tour Stops 4-9 and provided notable events that occurred during the second day of the three-day battle.  Today’s blog post pertains to Auto Tour Stops 10-16 and provides notable events that occurred during the second and third days of the three-day battle (July 2-3, 1863).

Day 2: July 2, 1863

 

Auto Tour Stop #10
The Peach Orchard

“The Union line extended from Devil’s Den to here, then angled northward on Emmitsburg Road. Federal cannon bombarded Southern forces crossing the Rose Farm toward the Wheatfield until about 6:30 p.m., when Confederate attacks overran this position.” – The Auto Tour

On our way to Auto Tour Stop #11 we passed by the Trostle Farm.

This barn shows some battle damage.  Do you see the cannon hole in the brick?

Auto Tour Stop #11
Plum Run

“While fighting raged to the south at the Wheatfield and Little Round Top, retreating Union soldiers crossed this ground on their way from the Peach Orchard to Cemetery Ridge.” – The Auto Tour

I didn’t take any photographs at this stop.

Auto Tour Stop #12
Pennsylvania Memorial

“Union artillery held the line alone here on Cemetery Ridge late in the day as Meade called for infantry from Culp’s Hill and other areas to strengthen and hold the center of the Union position.” – The Auto Tour

 

Auto Tour Stop #13
Spangler’s Spring

“About 7 p.m. Confederates attacked the right flank of the Union army and occupied the lower slopes of Culp’s Hill.  The next morning the Confederates were driven off after seven hours of fighting.”– The Auto Tour

I didn’t take any photographs at this stop.

Auto Tour Stop #14
East Cemetery Hill

“At dusk, Union forces repelled a Confederate assault that reached the crest of this hill. By day’s end, both flanks of the Union army had been attacked and both had held, despite losing ground. In a council of war, Meade, anticipating an assault on the center of his line, determined that his army would stay and fight.” – The Auto Tour

I didn’t take any photographs at this stop.

 

Day 3 – July 3, 1863

Auto Tour Stop #15
High-Water Mark

“Late in the afternoon, after a two-hour cannonade, some 7,000 Union soldiers posted around the copse of trees, The Angle, and the Brian Barn, repulsed the bulk of the 12,000-man “Pickett’s Charge” against the Federal center.  This was the climactic moment of the battle.  On July 4, Lee’s army began retreating.” – The Auto Tour

On our way to Auto Tour Stop #16 we passed by the Memorial to the Grand Army of the Republic.

This memorial is to Albert Woolson, the last survivor of the Grand Army of the Republic.  Albert went to war as a drummer boy at the age of 17. He died on August 2, 1956 at the age of 109.

The Gettysburg Battlefield is immense.  We spent 3 1/2 hours driving through the battlefield.  We could have easily spent many more hours there.  The grounds are peaceful and hauntingly beautiful when you think about the lives lost and the blood spilled there.

The last stop on the Auto Tour is Stop #16 at the Gettysburg National Cemetery.  We did not visit the cemetery on the same day that we toured the battlefield.  Please check back soon for a blog post pertaining to the Gettysburg National Cemetery.

We finished our battlefield tour shortly after 12:30 pm.  We returned to the Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center, from which we began our battlefield tour.  This was our second visit to Gettysburg.  Our first visit was in January 2016, at which time spent a couple hours at the Visitor Center.  During that visit we watched the showing of the film “A New Birth of Freedom”, narrated by Morgan Freeman.The film places the monumental events of the Battle of Gettysburg into the larger context of the Civil War and American history.  After watching the 20-minute film, we viewed the Gettysburg Cyclorama program, which immerses the viewer into the fury of Pickett’s Charge during the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg. The Gettysburg Cyclorama program is an amazing, realistic presentation!  We explored the museum during that visit as well.  The museum features relics of the Battle of Gettysburg and personalities who served in the Civil War, interactive exhibits, and multi-media presentations that cover the conflict from beginning to end.  We didn’t see any reason to spend time at the Visitor Center this year.  I did get our National Park Service passport stamped at the Visitor Center.  I also purchased a Gettysburg hoodie in the Museum Bookstore and had my picture taken with Abraham Lincoln.