Part 14 of my "Heritage" travel campaign.
I visited the Gettysburg National Military Park in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. https://www.nps.gov/gett/index.htm
The Battle of Gettysburg is widely known as the turning point in the American Civil War. It was a decisive Union victory that resulted in over 50,000 casualties (dead, wounded, captured/missing), altogether.
It was fought from July 1st to July 3rd in 1863.
The key commanders were Union General George G. Meade, who led the Army of the Potomac and Confederate General Robert E. Lee, who led the Army of Northern Virginia.
It the farthest north that Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia had traveled to fight with Union troops, and it was risky maneuver that Lee had calculated in order to lower Northern moral and pressure Lincoln into seeking peace with the Confederacy. It was a gamble that failed at great costs.
It is home to the infamous Pickett's Charge, which was a failed attempt by Confederate forces, ordered by Lee, to advance, attack, and take the Union center position knowan as Cemetery Ridge. 12,500 Confederate troops were hit with heavy artillery and rifle fire which resulted in about 9,000 Confederate casualties (killed, wounded, captured/missing).
The Union casualties totaled about 1,500 (killed & wounded). Today, Gettysburg National Military Park is a national park which protects the original landscape and setting of the Battle of Gettysburg. The Park includes about 43,000 American Civil War artifacts, Museum & Visitor's Center, Gettysburg National Cemetery, guided tours (bus & auto), annual reenactments in July, a campground with horseback riding, and much much more.
The Gettysburg Campground offers fun for the entire family: https://gettysburgcampground.com/
There are several horseback riding options, including one that takes you on the Confederate trails where the Confederate soldiers marched: https://fareharbor.com/confederatetra...
One top attraction that deserves a special mention is the Gettysburg Cyclorama, a huge panoramic oil-on-canvas painting that comes with a story about the battle of Pickett's Charge. It was painted by French artist, Paul Dominique Philippoteaux. It's a great experience. https://www.nps.gov/…/historycultu…/g...
Ghost tours are also very popular, though I don't subscribe to them: https://gettysburgghosttours.com/
The Park has over one million visitors, annually. #HeritageTravelCampaign #AmericanCivilWar #Gettysburg #Pennsylvania