Category: Gettysburg Battlefield
The Devil’s Den: Exploring the Key to Little Round Top
January 28, 2023One of the most famous battlefield locations at Gettysburg is Devil’s Den, a boulder-strewn hill rock formation located on the southmost end of Houck’s Ridge, about 500 yards west of the hill known as Little Round Top. Used extensively as a firing position by artillery and sharpshooters on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, it was the scene of some of the bloodiest fighting of the war and is an important stop on battlefield tours of the area.
President Nixon’s Intriguing Connection To Gettysburg
January 23, 2023
If you ever find yourself walking through The Soldiers National Cemetery here in Gettysburg and visit the Ohio section row C, grave number #4 you will find a marker that bears a last name that will be very familiar to most people. That name is “Nixon”— specifically George Nixon, who it just so happens was the Great Grandfather of Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the United States.
The High-Water Mark: Revisiting a Pivotal Moment of the Battle of Gettysburg
July 19, 2022What is the High-Water Mark?
The High-Water Mark of the Confederacy or “high tide of the Confederacy” refers to an area on Cemetery Ridge near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, marking the farthest point reached by Confederate forces during the action known as Pickett’s Charge on July 3, 1863. Like a high-water mark denoting a level of water, the term is a reference to arguably the Confederate Army’s best chance of achieving victory in the war. The designation “High-Water Mark” was formally evoked by historians in the years following the Civil War, based on the idea that the battle of Gettysburg was the turning point of the war.
What are the Must-See Sights of the Gettysburg Battlefield?
June 23, 2022The Gettysburg Battlefield is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Pennsylvania. For three days in 1863, Union and Confederate forces met here on the hills, fields, and wooded landscape of central Pennsylvania in what would become the most famous battle of the American Civil War.
The 6,000-acre battlefield has since been preserved as a tribute to those who fought that day and boasts more than 1,300 monuments, markers, and memorials to tell their story. The modern battlefield and much of the nearby town still look very much like they did in 1863. Today the area remains a living monument to the struggle and strife of our American Civil War.
Where Did the Iron Brigade Fight at Gettysburg?
May 31, 2022Though destined for fame as one of the most respected and feared forces in the Army of the Potomac, the Iron Brigade came from humble roots. The all-Western infantry brigade was primarily comprised of five colorfully named regiments: the Calico (6th Wisconsin), the Huckleberries (7th Wisconsin), the Babies (19th Indiana), the Feather-beds (24th Michigan), and the Ragged Asstetical (2nd Wisconsin), which won its not-so-fierce nom de guerre, said the veteran Aubrey Cullen, “from the fact that the government contractors had run short of good material when they made the pantaloons … allowing their flag of truce always to be kept in their rear.”
What are Iverson’s Pits?
April 29, 2022On the Gettysburg battlefield, in the shadow of the Oak Ridge Observation Tower just off Doubleday Avenue and not far from the junction between Confederate Avenue and the Mummasberg road, there is an open field of nondescript farmland bordered on one side by a low stone wall. This property, part of the John Forney farm on the eve of the famous battle, would sadly be the site of one of the most brutal and ignominious episodes of the Civil War.
This otherwise nondescript patch of grass on Oak Ridge is where the unsuspecting men of a hapless North Carolina Brigade would meet a horrific fate, and the events of that tragic day would earn that lonely patch of ground a share of infamy that echoes through the years to the present day.
Modern-day visitors to the Gettysburg Battlefield can experience the site firsthand and walk the hallowed field widely famed as a supernatural hot spot.
Is Gettysburg Open In The Winter?
December 9, 2021At Gettysburg Battlefield Tours, you’ll find tour guides who love sharing historical facts about the most important engagement of the American Civil War.
When winter arrives, that doesn’t stop.
Is Gettysburg open in the winter? You bet! The town known for one of America’s bloodiest battles is now perhaps one of the most peaceful places to visit in winter. Not only is the town of Gettysburg open to visitors hoping to dine and shop in this quaint historic town, but our guided tours of the battlefields and Winter Combo Deals make Gettysburg a wintertime destination.
Where was the Gettysburg Address Given? Join History Fans in Commemoration
August 3, 2021In November 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous speech to honor the men who had fought and died in the Battle of Gettysburg to preserve the Union.
His Gettysburg Address was given on Cemetery Hill in the National Soldier Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It was a short, yet powerful speech invoking the message of equality for all.
Yet the very spot where he stood may surprise those who tour Gettysburg Battlefields. Read on to learn some fascinating facts about that special day, and for information about a special event to commemorate it: Dedication Day 2021.
How Long Did The Battle Of Gettysburg Last?
June 21, 2021If you’ve been studying the history behind the Gettysburg Battlefield, possibly in preparation for an upcoming visit, one of the questions you may be wondering is, “How long did the Battle of Gettysburg Last?” The short answer is:
The Battle of Gettysburg lasted a total of three days, from July 1-3, 1863.
Keep reading if you’re interested in learning more about the history surrounding the battle itself.
Best Ways To Tour Gettysburg Battlefield (Something For Everyone!)
May 13, 2021Planning a trip to Gettysburg soon? The battlefield is one of the most popular attractions and there are a surprising number of ways to navigate through it. In this post, we’ve highlighted some of the best ways to tour Gettysburg Battlefield whether you plan to go by yourself, as a family, or with a group of friends. But before we get too far, we’d like to answer a question we get a lot, which is “What is THE best way to tour Gettysburg Battlefield?”
While the preferred method of taking the tour varies from person to person, the best way for you to tour the battlefield is with some sort of guidance, whether from an in-person tour guide or from a pre-recorded self-guided audio tour.