Gettysburg National Military Park - Part II

I feel like you could easily spend multiple days touring Gettysburg.  Unfortunately we only had one day available, though we did make sure we had the entire day available to tour the battlefield.  We didn't try to cram in another stop on that day.

Last time we left off on our trip around the battlefield on the top of Little Round Top where the Union defense held its ground against multiple Confederate attacks.  The areas at the base of the hill later became famous and were also the scenes for many photographs after the battle.  I found a fascinating section of the Gettysburg NMP website that offers several comparisons of modern and historical photographs.

We parked near the Devils Den and got out of the car to go walk amidst the huge rocks.  Once you climb behind the massive rock in this photo you can see a path, the next section of the road,and more as seen in this 360º photo.

I found the story behind the 1st Minnesota memorial interesting.  "Late on the afternoon of July 2, after the collapse of the Union line at the Peach Orchard, Confederate infantry...threatened to pour through a gap in the Union line...only one regiment was at hand to stop the Confederate tide--the 1st Minnesota....  With levelled bayonets, the Minnesotans crashed into Brig. Gen. Cadmus M. Wilcox's Alabamians who outnumbered them 4-to-1.  The charge broke the Confederate ranks and stalled the Southerners long enough for Union reinforcements to arrive.  The Union line was saved, but at a terrific cost.  According to a regimental officer, of the 262 Minnesotans in the charge, only 47 escaped death or injury."

The Pennsylvania Memorial was huge and it had stairs that allowed for access to the area directly beneath the dome.

The view of the ceiling from the inside of the memorial.

The view from on top was fantastic as you can see below and in this 360º view.

On top of Culp's Hill I climbed another observation tower.  The view from the top is somewhat spoiled by the roof supports, but this 360º view still gives you a sense of it.

Look, another cannon and equestrian statue!

This memorial marks the high-water spot where the Confederate assault advanced the furthest as part of the infamous Pickett's Charge.  Check out this 360º view for the whole context.
Years after the battle, Pickett's Charge and its failure came to be known as the "High Water Mark of the Confederacy."
--from exhibit signage

I found the Tammany Regiment memorial interesting knowing the influence that organization had upon politics in New York City.

At the end of the day we drove back by the visitor center and I noticed this sign.  It must be terrible if you accidentally left a vehicle in the parking lot in the evening.

You will find many, many more pictures from our drive around the battlefield in my Gettysburg album.  I definitely plan for us to go back to the battlefield at some point, and I'm looking forward to going through the tour with kids who understand a bit more about the battle and the importance of what happened there.

~Matt