It has been 16 years since we last visited Gettysburg National Military Park. We were pretty excited to return, especially with our enhanced love of history we've acquired since then.

The Battle of Gettysburg, fought from July 1 to July 3, 1863, is considered the most important engagement of the American Civil War and our goal, over the next two days is to learn as much as we can about this monumental  event in our Nation's history.



This battle was a turning point in the Civil War, the Union victory that ended General Robert E. Lee's second and most ambitious invasion of the North. Often referred to as the "High Water Mark of the Rebellion", Gettysburg was the Civil War's bloodiest battle and was also the inspiration for President Abraham Lincoln's immortal Gettysburg Address.
Loving The Address and Ranger-led programs, we joined a tour called Four Score and Seven Years Ago: Lincoln and the Soldiers' National Cemetery. For 1 1/2 hours we were mesmerized by Ranger Tori's passion and knowlegde of this Cemetery and of Lincoln's pivotal speech. He guided us around explaining the reason for the architectural elements of the cemetery and the events that led up to Lincoln's speech. Wow. I took notes but I can't even begin to explain fully all that we learned. At an especially important time in United States history, and in just 272 words, Lincoln's Address defined the meaning of democracy, providing an ideal for which to strive.


A surprise find was the Rupp House. This home offers visitors a glimpse of what life was like for civilians during the Civil War, particularly the John Rupp family who lived here during the Battle of Gettysburg (between contending armies), and the soldiers who fought in and around Gettysburg through interactive displays and hands-on exhibits.


We ended our first Gettysburg day at the launch of book describing a much different battle, Little Big Horn. It wasn't such a far off topic because George Armstrong Custer was an outstanding Civil War soldier.
"An Enchanted Evening with Award Winning Author and Historian Will Hutchison" had a description we could not resist:

Do You Love History? Do you love stunning photographs? You will love an enchanted evening with award-winning author, historian Will Hutchison.
Will Hutchison unveils his new book with stunning photographs of many never before seen artifacts. Personal items giving voice to the true story of George Armstrong Custer, the 7th Cavalry, Lakota and Cheyenne Warriors at The Battle of Little Big Horn. One Enchanted Evening Only. Cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, intimate conversation with the author. Receive your personally inscribed, complimentary book: Artifacts of The Battle of Little Big Horn.