America the Exceptional, Part Two

On what was the first full family vacation my wife, kids and I have actually taken (aside from day trips or overnight to Chicago or Detroit), we had the opportunity to visit several historic sites not far from her family's home in Maryland. I spoke of Washington, D.C. in a previous post.

The massive size of the Gettysburg battle fields cannot be accurately described in words or even photos. Only Ken Burns' 1990 masterful documentary The Civil War does it justice. It's a place we learn about from the time we're in elementary school, its importance in the Civil War and place in American history stressed to us.

We lunched at  Sweney's Tavern, part of the Farnsworth Inn, one of the most haunted places in town. My daughter, her aunt, and her grandpa could swear they felt some supernatural juju happening! While I didn't feel it, I enjoyed the atmosphere, complete with costumes from the film Gettysburg adorning the walls, as well as the fish & chips I had for lunch.

What I didn't care for was the narrow selection of tourist-trap stores along the main drag. Once we'd seen a couple, we'd seen them all, but some of the ladies in our group wanted to hit each one before we got to the battlefield. C'est la vie, eh?

The first spot on the fields we finally made it to was the Eisenhower farm area with its massive observation deck along Confederate Avenue. One can get an almost complete panoramic view of the area from its top. From there the battlefields take shape in the viewer's eye.

 

We didn't get out of the vehicle frequently due to cold and winds, but we arrived at Little Round Top, one of the most famous spots on the battlefield and where some of the heaviest casualties of the war were suffered. I felt the weight of history on me when I ran my hands over the names of the dead inscribed upon monument walls.

From there we proceeded to Devil's Den, appropriately named given the savagery of the Gettysburg battles. We climbed on the rocks and snapped a few photos, and it hit me how terrified the Confederate soldiers must've been, rushing from there to Little Round Top for slaughter. Just because they fought for the South doesn't mean we cannot mourn their loss. They were still Americans, after all.

The final spot before heading home was the cemetery to see the spot where President Lincoln gave his historic address. There were several busloads of tourists there and I'll admit it took away from the visit for me. The family enjoyed it, though, and the kids can say they've been there. I myself would love to go back on a quiet afternoon and be able to take in the aura, so maybe next time.

Our great nation is full of historical spots, many of them within a day's drive. Gettysburg is something anyone in the Midwest or East Coast should see if you get a chance. It remains a stoic reminder of the division we once faced and of the bravery of untold men and women to fight and die for their beliefs.