Libby and Ezra's Excellent Gettysburg Adventure!

Julia Kelly writes: "You never really leave a place you love, you take a part of it with you...and leave a part of you behind."  I love this quote and would like to think it's true.  

I love my hometown of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  I never tire of the rich history of the area.  The Civil War Battle of Gettysburg was fought in this beautiful place on the first 3 days of July in 1863.  As I walk the grounds I've walked, biked and rode horses over so very many times...I am always so struck by the events that took place on this hallowed ground.  From a very young age, I grasped the meaningful loss of life, the hard struggle of the soldiers who met and died here. I am thankful for the way these grounds have been maintained and kept, the monuments that memorialize the brave men who fought here.  The canons that stand today where a canon stood at one point in the three day battle.  This is my hometown...the place I grew and learned and loved...so very much a part of me!  Will my footprints remain here long after I am gone, mingled amongst the footprints of the soldiers who walked here before me?  I truly hope so...

We decided on our recent trip to my hometown that we would take pictures of our favorite spots and include our dogs Libby and Ezra in the pictures.  I have so many pictures of my home and thought this might be a fun twist!  Our visit took place in July and like those first three days of July in 1863 it was hot and humid.  I will try to post pictures in order of the days battle - 1st, 2nd and 3rd day.  So let's get started...

The 1st day...  One of our favorite monuments that we always visit is the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment.  Sallie, the dog is immortalized on the monument (and if we have an extra 'cookie' we leave one for her).  And for those of you who may look for this statue, Sallie is on the opposite side of the monument, not seen from the road.  She was the mascot of the 11th PA Volunteer Infantry.  The story goes that she was brought to the Captain of this newly formed infantry in the spring of 1861.  She was barely four to five weeks old; a pugged nosed brindle bull terrier.  The group of men fell in love with her and named her after a local beauty.  She was described as even tempered and affectionate to all the men.  She could count on the men of the 11th to feed her scraps so she hung around.  Sallie got to know the drum roll for reveille and was said to be the first one out of quarters to attend roll call. She took great joy in marching with the men while practicing their drills. During the 1st day of the Battle of Gettysburg the 11th Pennsylvania saw heavy fighting and were pushed back into the town of Gettysburg. During the chaos Sallie became lost and three days later she was found by a member of the 12th Massachusetts at the original position of her regiment when fighting broke out.  Sallie had found her way back and was standing guard over the bodies of her dead compatriots - neither hunger nor thirst would sway her from watching over her beloved soldiers.

The 2nd day...  The second day of battle saw much of the fighting around Little Round Top and Devil's Den, the Peach Orchard.  Above is a statue of Brig Gen Warren who saw the importance of this hill and quickly directed his troops to take the ground.  He called for reinforcements and the 20th Maine was sent to help secure the high ground.  On the 2nd day of battle the 20th Maine lead by the esteemed Col Joshua Chamberlain held the ground called Little Round Top. They were badly in need of ammunition and when they ran out the order was given by Col Chamberlain for his men to use their bayonets and hold the ground at all costs!  And that they did! Below pictured are Libby and Ezra at the extreme left flank of the 20th Maine.  My daughter Natalie fell in love with Col. Joshua Chamberlain upon hearing his story during her visits to Gettysburg as a young girl.  I can't think of a more deserving hero in the eyes of a young lady. She still has the  posters, pictures, books and even a Christmas ornament of this wonderful man.  He lived through some of the toughest battles at Gettysburg and lived a rewarding and fulfilling life after the Civil War...a true legend of a man!

The dogs are pictured above looking up from Devil's Den toward Little Round Top...the ground that the Union army held on the 2nd day of battle.  Devil's Den is aptly named as it was a place of a great loss of life...the Union sharpshooters on the hill could pick off the Confederate soldiers easily.  It's interesting that the Confederates arrived in the area first...but they hadn't wanted to fight a battle on this ground and were hoping to head towards Washington DC.  The Union army arriving in the town after the Confederates couldn't believe their good fortune that the South hadn't taken the high ground and Brig Gen Warren quickly directed his men to take this vital and important ground and sent for reinforcements. The Confederates first mistake in this historic battle.

Pictured above is Libby and Ezra sitting at the opening of  "the castle" fondly named by my children.  They are looking down toward Devil's Den below. A lovely castle like monument dedicated to the many men who struggled to keep the high ground...Little Round Top.  God bless them!

Pictured above is Libby paying her respects to Col. O'Rourke!  It is tradition for everyone who passes this monument to touch Col. O'Rourke's nose - hence his shiny nose. He was one of our fine Irish Colonels and I suppose by touching his nose you will have good luck. This was such great fun for my son, Nicholas as a kid!  He couldn't wait to visit Little Round Top to 'touch the nose", it wasn't a visit to Gettysburg if we skipped this tradition.  By the way, their is a very good Irish Pub named O'Rourkes on Steinwehr Ave. in Gettysburg...I highly recommend it...wonderful food and great atmosphere!  One of the many men who held Little Round Top through the tough fighting of day 2.

The 3rd day...  The Battle of Pickett's Charge.  Pictured above is Libby and Ezra at a canon that is placed where it was on that day in 1863 - pointed to the Union line across the field.  They say the Confederate canon-aide that started before the battle made the ground tremble and could be heard all the way to Harrisburg.  How horrifying that sound must have been to the inhabits left in the tiny town of Gettysburg.  This day has brought me such grief for so many years.  What was Gen. Lee thinking sending his soldiers into an open field toward the enemy line! It made no sense to me at all until I read Lee's Real Plan at Gettysburg by Tom Carhart. Apparently, Jeb Stuart and his Confederate Cavalry were to break the Union line from behind.  Unfortunately, Jeb was held up on the East side of town - right by my childhood home - just down the Hanover Road, by none other than Custer from Ohio!  Custer was in the right place at the right time (I guess depending on which side your rooting for) and spotted Jeb Stuart and his men. There was a skirmish between the two that day that delayed Stuart getting to the battle at Pickett's charge to break the Union line.

 My husband, Matt and I always walk Pickett's charge starting on the Confederate side...pictured above are the dogs at the monument of Gen. Robert E. Lee. The dogs know this area well and cry in anticipation of our walk as we park the car.  As we walk across this battle field I am often in awe of the events of that day...it can be quite overwhelming if I think too much about what happened here.  I try to console myself by thinking about the names and the pictures of soldiers I have seen that fought on that field so long ago.  I think about how I honor them by remembering them and walking where they fought for a cause they so believed in.  I think it's a good thing to honor them in this way and I believe they would be pleased that a girl from the 21st century has not forgotten them...

Some of the beautiful images we see as we walk Pickett's Charge

As we make our way across the field and cross the Emmitsburg Road we stop at the High Water Mark where Col. Armistead and his men broke through the Union line...it's such an amazing thought that they made it through the canon fire!  

We visit the marker where Col. Armistead fell mortally wounded...how brave of him to make it that far against all odds and then to continue fighting with the overwhelming number of Union soldiers surrounding him on all sides!

As we finish our walk across the field of the great Pickett's Charge, my emotions spent, we pay tribute to Gen Meade as he sits on his horse facing Gen Lee across the field.  I am, once again, in awe of these truly brave men.

Thanks for joining Libby and Ezra as they share their view of Gettysburg through the eyes of one who knows and loves this beautiful battlefield...