Gettysburg Remembrance Day

November 15, 2007 - 2:54pm — JYork

Civil War

The Civil War is one of those common denominators of history that links together all Americans. A recent trip to Adams County, Pennsylvania was another chance to refresh our interest in that chapter of American History by spending a few days in Gettysburg and reflecting on many past trips.

Neither my wife nor I would rank history as our favorite subject, but we love visiting Gettysburg. We can't even recite the Gettysburg Address without notes. Our limited knowledge of the actual battle is limited to a few battlefield landmarks, generals, and military maneuvers that are part of the daily National Park Service Ranger interpretive talks.

Over the years, we did the bus tour of the battlefield, rode into Gettysburg on a "virtual train" with our 16th President, visited the Cyclorama, and witnessed a recital of the Gettysburg Address by an actor who looks and sounds so much like Abraham Lincoln that it makes you believe in "time travel". By the way, the actor's name is James Getty.

Oh yes, we even climbed the battlefield tower [now removed] that provided both the greatest view of the battlefield and served as the biggest "commercial eyesore" that was ever created. We also flew over the battlefield in a helicopter piloted by a Vietnam Veteran who liked to thrill willing riders,so we opted for the 'tree-top", stomach turner flight that was a combination of a rollercoaster ride and medevac dust-off. We were young and it was great fun. I can't remember much of the aerial view though.

These days TV documentaries, movies, and history classes keep the Battle of Gettysburg "alive"; but nothing compares to the re-enactors who do living, history presentations at historic events, parks, battlefields, and locations throughout the North and the South.

Remembrance Day is an annual event that marks the day President Lincoln, although not the keynote speaker, traveled to Adams County, Pennsylvania to help dedicate a cemetery for the war-dead and deliver a few appropriate remarks. He composed his thoughts on the train ride to Gettysburg and spoke for a few minutes that day, 10 sentences and 272 words. His visit took place on the morning of Thursday, November 19, 1863, during the American Civil War which was four and a half months after the Union armies defeated the Confederates at the decisive Battle of Gettysburg.

This past weekend, we returned to Gettysburg to attend the Remembrance Day Parade on November 17th and to meet our daughter, Heidi and son-in-law ,Trevor. They traveled from Knoxville, Tennessee. We stepped back in time and joined 4,000 re-enactors and 20,000 onlookers on the streets of Gettysburg.

With only one day to work with, we were forced to limit our attraction visits. You should plan for a minimum of two full-days if you have never visited before. I also suggest that you make a pre-visit call to the Visitor’s Bureau for advice and go online to explore the attractions, maps, and services offered.

Battlefield bus tours, trains rides, walking tours, National Park Service exhibits, and a downtown full of shops that deserve your attention are also on a long list of other options. That is why you need to do your homework. Most groups of Gettysburg visitors are made up of Civil War buffs and reluctant tag-a-longs. So don't expect everyone with you to be willing to stand around for 30-minutes chatting about the cannon placements and artillery rounds. Keep it moving and have mercy on your partners.

This trip, the parade was our central focus for this visit, so we had a choice viewing-location staked out with our "folding" chairs several hours before it started. That gave us time to explore other nearby attractions. The parade lasted for over one hour as 4000 + re-enactors marched by. I filmed most of it with my digital camera, published the videos on YouTube, and placed links at the end of this story.

By the way, parking is an issue, not a problem , just an issue. You should get as close as possible to what you want to do and remember to wear comfortable shoes.

The actual battlefield, south of town, is series of grassy meadows outlined and divided by wooden fences, a few farm house structures, and woodlots. That landscape is dotted with monuments that memorialize the battle events and the brave men who fought and died here.

The order of our visit was a quick ride through town and the battlefields to give Heidi and Trevor the "lay of the land", then we stopped at the Cemetery for Remembrance Day opening remarks, made a visit to the Jennie Wade House, Soldiers’ National Museum, watched the Remembrance Day Parade, made a Pizza Hut pit stop, then visits to the Hall of Presidents and First Lady, Lincoln Train Museum, the Gateway Theater Fields of Freedom Movie, and finally a night walk through the Cemetery to view the luminaries to end our day.