Fall trip 2016 - Gettysburg Pa

Several years ago while on a fall trip we wanted to tour Gettysburg on our return leg from the Poconos.  We were unable to get reservations at any campground so we continued on home.  this year we planned our trip to include a stop over in Gettysburg on our way up to the Delaware Water Gap area of Pa..  We stayed at the Gettysburg KOA which is about 4 or 5 miles from the town of Gettysburg.
  On Tuesday we drove to the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & visitor center.

Above we are seated alongside a statue of Lincoln.

We bought the combo tickets which included the theater, cyclorama, museum and guided bus tour of the battlefields.  I wished that I had taken more pictures of the battlefields during the bus ride but I was so captivated with the whole experience as well as listening to every word of the guide as he took us thru the three day battle ( July 1, 2 & 3 1863) explaining the battle from both the Confederate and Union perspectives.

Day 1 -  Northwest of Gettysburg the two armies collide.  fighting continues throughout the day and the Union army is pushed back thru Gettysburg and finally regroup on Cemetery Hill.

Day 2 - the main strength of both armies has arrived on the field.  General Lee with the south and General Meade with the north.  General Lee launches attacks on the Union left and right, attempting to dislodge Meade's army.  federal reinforcements from the center eventually check the Confederate advances.

Day 3 -  The Confederate forces are assembled along Seminary ridge on the west and the Union forces along Cemetery ridge to the east.  Lee turns his main attention to the Union center.  following a two hour artillery bombardment, he sends some 12,000 Confederate infantry to try and break the lines on Cemetery ridge.  Despite a courageous effort, the attack called "Pickett's Charge" is repulsed with heavy losses.  After heavy losses Lee can no longer continue.  On July 4 he begins a withdraw to Virginia.

Statue depicting North Carolina  infantry.

field where Pickett's charge took place.  In the distance you can see the high ground of Little Round Top.

View from atop Little Round top.  The union troops had control of higher ground and was a contributing factor in beating the south at Gettysburg. 

another view from Little Round Top.

the complete experience took over 4 hours.  The film, "A New Birth of freedom", and Gettysburg Cyclorama is 45 minutes.  It took us over and hour to tour the museum.  the guided bus tour is two hours.  This historic site has to be on every ones' bucket list.