Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle of the civil war lasting 3 days and resulting in 46,000-50,000 casualties (it's unclear as to how many confederate casualties there were).
It was said that a creek that ran through one of the battle areas ran red with blood for hours after the battle had ended. Whether you were a soldier at Gettysburg or a civilian, I think both could agree that the sites that were seen were horrific, terrifying, and shocking yet awesome. Now, not awesome in the sense of a 12 year old boy who just got his first temporary tattoo of a scantily clad woman on his forearm, but rather, in the sense of wonder and amazement in what they were witnessing.
Being that I'm very interested in history and living just a little over an hour away from such an important and highly discussed US historic landmark, it only makes sense that I would go to tour the battlefield on my bike.
As I was driving down, I was getting very excited because I was looking forward to riding the whole tour loop. I tried it once last year, but I went on a very hot, humid, sunny day and by the time I was at mile 18 most of my energy was drained. Little did I know I wouldn't finish this time either.
Within the first 4 miles I could feel something clicking as I was riding, so I stopped and checked out my bike to see what it might be. I couldn't seem to see or feel anything loose or touching anything that moved so I figured maybe it wasn't a big deal. It continued to click but I decided to ignore it and just keep riding. It wasn't until about mile 15 that I got fed up with it and gave it a more thorough look.
After my close inspection I noticed that the pedals were shifting back and forth. Somehow the threads on the bottom bracket had come loose and was allowing some play in the pedals. At the time, I wasn't sure if it was the bearings going out, the threads being stripped, or if it was just loose, so I made the difficult decision to ride back to the car and stop the ride short. Fortunately, I was able to see the majority of the battlefield, but unfortunately it ultimately meant my riding would be stopped until I could get the problem fixed.
Aside from that only dilemma, the ride was great! It wasn't too hot or humid, traffic didn't run me off the road or squirt me with windshield wiper fluid and I got to see some living history reenactors. The only thing that might have made it better would have been a ghost walk.
View 7 score and 6 years ago in a larger map
The marker in the photo shows the location where Major General John F. Reynolds was shot and killed during battle. He was the highest ranking officer to be killed during the battle at Gettysburg.
The eternal peace light memorial has burned continuously 24 hours a day since it's dedication in 1938 (except for 2 occasions).
The Lutheran theological seminary. There's an audio track from the auto tour that I put with two images of the seminary about it that's quite interesting.
This is the field where Major General George Edward Pickett lead 12,500 soldiers in the famous Pickett's charge. After the 50 minutes of battle, some Union soldiers found a 16ft length of fence riddled with bullet holes. After counting the holes they came to a total of 836 - a mark of the intense fire power that went on.
A view from Little Round Top where Union soldiers fought the advancing Confederates.
Looking up toward Little Round Top
Devil's Den - A rock formation that the Confederates used for cover from the firing Union soldiers on top of Little Round Top.
The small nook made famous by Alexander Gardner's image "A sharpshooter's last sleep." However, Gardner actually set up the image by moving the soldier into place and laying his rifle against the rocks.
Here in the Wheatfield, some of the bloodiest and toughest fighting took place, not only during Gettysburg, but the whole Civil War. There were accounts made that stated in areas you could walk across the field and not even touch the ground it was so littered with bodies. The majority of fighting was hand to hand and was said that if you fell here it could take a couple of days until you were able to receive medical attention.
The hole you see in this brick barn was made by a cannonball during the battle.
The field of Pickett's charge as the Union soldiers would have seen it.The tree line in the distance is where the confederates started advancing
