Good ground. Very good ground.

7-10-11:  We went to Fort Indiantown Gap today, where my dad-in-law was stationed one winter during the Korean War.  Took a lot of pix for him and visited the Nat'l Military Cemetery there.  Really beautiful and well-kept.  Today the base is used for Nat'l Guard training. Saw a car from the Gratitude Train that the French gave us just after WWII.  They sent a train of 49 cars to us loaded with gifts ranging from humble gifts to priceless art.  Each state got a car and DC got the 49^th.

7-11-11:  Wow!  Gettysburg.  Loved it! The area and the park is totally picturesque. The streets in town are so narrow that there wasn't much room for streetsigns, so some were posted on bldgs/homes. I really thought the auto (self-guided) tour of the battlefield would take about an hour or so.  We started about 9:00 a.m.,  didn't finish til 3:00p.m.  And we honestly could've stayed longer, but we had Rocky with us.  (between the heat and the fact that his back legs are starting to give out, he couldn't have walked around much more with us at our stops.)  The mountains, farms, and monuments throughout the park are magnificent. We saw where the first cannon shot was fired that kicked off the battle, went to Little Round Top,  and climbed rocks at Devil's Den. Just a serene moment to realize the slaughter that took place in that awesome land. “Very good ground” according to Union Generals as they prepared for battle. 

Gettysburg

Devil's Den from Little Round Top

Little Round Top from Devil's Den

We were able to climb 3 towers and get great views of the battlefield and surrounding area, including Eisenhower's farm.  Then there was the wheatfield.  So peaceful and tranquil, and yet on that July 3^rd in 1863,  6000 or so soldiers lay dead or wounded.  General Lee made a big mistake that day by not going right.  And General Longstreet was a little slow.  

Wheatfield

The Wheatfield

From a Gettysburg Lookout Tower

David at the General Lee Monument

David and the AR Monument at Gettysburg Battlefield

Finally, we made our way to the Nat'l Soldiers Cemetery where Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address.  

Site of Gettysburg Address

Before AND after our trip today, we watched the movie, Gettysburg,  with Jeff Daniels – I highly recommend it. Walmart usually has it for $5.

7-12-11:  Today I did laundry in York, PA.  I was about the only one there, til a girl came in who was visiting from Harrison, AR.  We spoke each other's language.  Once again – small world!

7-15-11:  David and I drove back to Gettysburg today.  He visited the museum in the visitor center and went back to Little Round Top for more pix and sights.  Meanwhile, I took a horseback ride through the battlefield with General Robert E. Lee.  I did ask him to plz “go right” this time.  I rode King Valor, a young horse who was so mild-mannered.  History buffs:  what was General Lee's horse's name?  We rode along the beautiful battlefield with the Catoctin Mountains (foothills to the Appalachians) in view most of the time. At Spangler's farm, Lee talked to us about some of the battle history as well as some details about himself and his family.  I told him that he is in my ancestry somehow and that many of my kinfolk have his last name in our name – as probably do most Southerners.  He gave us some interesting info: such as George Washington being one of his heroes, as well as is wife's step-great-grandfather. He told us about how helpful and fearless the Texas boys were in the battle and went on to tell us about Sharpsburg, as the South called it (the North preferred Antietam).  I asked why the wool uniforms in July?  He said it's because wool just simply lasts.  We headed back down the trail at a leisurely pace, soaking in the scenery and feeling like we were a part of history.  Good 'ole King Valor finally had enough of Stella (the Rocky Mountain horse in line behind him) being right up on his rearend and started kicking her.  Got my attention, but I didn't fall off.  I'm ready for the rodeo circuit!

Traveller

Gettysburg Battlefield Trailride with General Lee

Cousin Robert and me

Riding King Valor at Gettysburg

Afterwards, David and I visited General Lee's headquarters.  It was a home owned by Old Lady Thompson – or Widow Thompson as some called her.  She refused to leave her home, so she and a few family members spent most of the battle in her cellar.   This is a small but good museum.

David and Bec

I read in one book that when the Southern troops reached Gettysburg, they found out they could get much-needed shoes there for the troops.  The Yanks pushed them back, but they came back because they weren't ready to give up on those shoes. 

Gettysburg is awesome!  Really makes history come alive – even with all the cars, tour buses and segways all over the battlefield. 

On to Luray, VA and various towns in NC.  Looking forward to seeing my friend, Madeleine! She was my friend and mentor when I first started teaching in 1978 and recently turned 90 years young!

Marching On,

Bob and Mary Lee