Gettysburg Semester 2009 - Muster Out

Last Friday, after all us of burned the midnight oil to finish our seminar papers, we scrambled over to Rob Gibson's studio to get a Civil War era group picture taken (see below!). He briefly reviewed the history of photography and showed us the techniques he used -- and even let us play around with his camera, which was super neat. We then got dressed up and posed; staying still for fifteen seconds is, believe it or not, harder than it looks! That evening, after I took a long afternoon nap, we all went to Herr's Tavern for a final dinner together. We read Civil War poetry, enjoyed the yummy (but admittedly leisurely) meal, and said our last goodbyes to Dr. Guelzo.

Now that I'm officially finished with all of my work for the semester, it's beginning to feel like the end. It's a bit astonishing that the semester is over already; as I write this, my darling roommate is packing up her things, and it all feels a bit surreal. I will not deny that I am excited to head home and celebrate the holidays with my loved ones in a warmer climate, but I am sad that this experience is coming to a close. (It's going to be REALLY strange not talking Civil War with the people I live with all the time.) I've met many kindred spirits here and will miss them dearly, and with the good and bad, I am thankful to have spent the time here that I did. To everyone: best of luck on your adventures. Thank you to everyone who has helped me, and all of us, on this journey. It's been great!

Gettysburg Semester 2009 - Washington, D.C.

This Friday, we embarked on our final Gettysburg Semester field trip – to Washington, D. C. I hadn’t been to Washington since early high school, and have desperately missed being in a city, so I really looked forward to it.

We began the day in Lafayette Square in front of the White House, where Dr. Guelzo explained how the area appeared during Lincoln’s administration. As he discussed Stanton in the Treasury Department and Lincoln’s frequent visits to Seward’s house nearby, we saw a helicopter depart from the White House and some apparently important visitors arrive. Exciting!

We then made our way to Ford’s Theater, where we spent some time in their downstairs museum. There, they had some interesting artifacts, including the gun John Wilkes Booth used to assassinate Lincoln and the suit the president was wearing when Booth did so. We then left the museum itself and made our way upstairs to peek into the Presidential Box, in which Lincoln sat when Booth shot him. After listening to a brief ranger program, we crossed the street and went through the Peterson House, where we were able to see the rooms in which Mary Lincoln awaited news about her husband, Secretary of War Stanton briefly ran the nation, and Lincoln ultimately died.

After lunch at the Hard Rock Café, we concluded the day with a visit to the Lincoln Memorial. Looking across the mall from the Lincoln Memorial was certainly an apt way to end the trip – and the last of the semester.

Gettysburg Semester 2009 - Richmond Trip, Day Three / Appomattox Court House

On the final day of our Richmond trip, we made our way down to Appomattox Court House. Fortunately, the day was beautiful, and we were able to enjoy the park in the sunshine!

We began in the visitor’s center with a brief ranger talk and orientation video. Afterward, we stood outside the old courthouse and Dr. Guelzo discussed the maneuvers of Lee’s army subsequent to the fall of Petersburg. He explained that chiefly, Lee sought to access the supplies first at Amelia Court House, and, failing that, at Appomattox Court House. However, Sheridan captured those at Appomattox before Lee could arrive – and after realizing that the Union cavalry was supported by infantry units, he surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia. We then made our way to the McLean House to see the room in which Grant and Lee negotiated the surrender. We concluded the morning with a discussion of the parole and final march of the Army of Northern Virginia.

After a very pleasant lunch at a cozy bed and breakfast, we made our way back to Gettysburg. Although we faced more than a few bumps along the way (metaphorically and literally, given the unpaved road we somehow managed to find ourselves on), we made it back over the Mason Dixon line in one piece. After Thanksgiving, on to Washington, D. C.!

Gettysburg Semester 2009 - Richmond Trip, Day Two / Cold Harbor and Petersburg

After sleeping in, at least a little bit, we began our second day of the Richmond trip with Cold Harbor – led by Dr. Guelzo himself. He opened with an explanation of the utter exhaustion that the Army of the Potomac and the Army of Northern Virginia alike suffered by late May of 1864. After discussing Grant’s frustration with geography during the Overland campaign, we moved on to the Sixth Corps position on June 1. Dr. Guelzo then described the contribution of the 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery, of Upton’s brigade, in the Union attack. We then saw several lines of entrenchments – labeled as Confederate, but Dr. Guelzo disagreed. We continued walking through the battlefield as Dr. Guelzo explained the bloodshed of the June 3 battle and the decision of men to disobey orders to attack – indicating the measure of casualties and the terror experienced by the Army of the Potomac. We concluded the morning with a photograph at the 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery monument - and an impromptu discussion of the balloon corps.

After lunch, we met Randy Watkins at the Petersburg. We began by becoming acquainted with the siege of Petersburg with the National Park’s video on the subject. We then went outside with Mr. Watkins and did artillery practice – probably the most fun, in Dr. Guelzo’s own words, that we’ll have all semester! (To be fair, he isn’t wrong.) We then made our way to Ft. Stedman and discussed the action there – and Mr. Watkins explained that this was the last real offensive made by the Army of Northern Virginia during the Civil War. We concluded at the Crater, where Mr. Watkins had us figure out the tricky ventilation system in the tunnel and described the battle there as a good plan, poorly executed. Sunday, on to Appomattox Court House, and then back home to Gettysburg.

Gettysburg Semester 2009 - Richmond Trip, Day One / The Wilderness and Spotsylvania

We began our trip to Richmond by heading down to the Wilderness and Spotsylvania – close to the Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville battlefields we visited several weeks ago. We met with our intrepid guide, Don Pfanz, and braved the cold and rain as we began the morning. (Appropriate, at least!)

We started the tour with a discussion of Grant’s motivations and intentions in the Overland Campaign, in particular, the potential use of combined forces. We then discussed the nature of the Wilderness battlefield as extremely difficult to maneuver through and thus terrifying for the men fighting throught it. We then went to Ellwood, where, most notably, Stonewall Jackson’s arm. We moved on next to Saunders Field, where we discussed the action there and – perhaps one of the most disturbing aspects of the Wilderness – the fires that broke out and consumed the dead and wounded. We finished the morning with stops at the Tapp Field and Chewning Farm, where Mr. Pfanz explained the actions of Texas Brigade and Lee’s rather legendary attempt to lead them into the fray.

After lunch at the Spotsylvania Courthouse Café, we proceeded to a brief tour of the battle at Spotsylvania. We began by discussing the so-called “Mule Shoe salient” and Colonel Upton’s assault there. The most sobering stop on our visit was that at the Bloody Angle, where we discussed the action there that was perhaps the hardest and bloodiest fighting of the entire Civil War. Thereafter, Mr. Pfanz explained the end of the battle and foreshadowed our visit the next day at Cold Harbor. We finished the day with a stop at the Massaponax Church, where a famous photograph was taken of Grant holding a council of war outside on the church’s pews. Saturday, on to Cold Harbor and Petersburg!

Gettysburg Semester 2009 - Gettysburg, Town and Pickett's Charge

The cold morning of November 6, we met John Heiser on the front porch of the Appleford. John runs the library at the Gettysburg National Military Park, and I’ve been interning with him this semester – so it was nice to see a familiar face as one of our tour guides! We began by going through the history of Gettysburg the town prior to, during, and just subsequent to the battle. First, we went to the train station, and John explained that Gettysburg was a fairly bustling frontier town center by July 1863. As we walked through town, we discussed the various buildings with individuals present during or significant to the battle – and John impressed upon us how utterly and thoroughly July 1863 impacted the citizens of Gettysburg.

After John acquainted us with the history of the town we’ve been living in for the past few months, we made our way to the battlefield itself in order to discuss the farms and homes there. These included the McPherson Farm, the Snyder Farm, the Bushman Farm, and the Trostle Farm. Personally, I found the Bushman Farm to be particularly interesting, as there is a barn on the property that may date from as early as the late 1790s!

After lunch, we met Scott Hartwig, the chief historian at the GNMP, for a discussion of Pickett’s Charge and the final day at Gettysburg. He began by explaining Lee’s motivations for Pickett’s Charge and Meade’s reasons for staying in the defensive position he held on the evening of July 2. We then discussed Cushing’s Battery and the position of the 69th Pennsylvania and their efforts to repulse the Confederate attack. After that, we walked down toward the Virginia monument and made our way back, walking the route of Pickett’s Charge. We stopped several times along the way to discuss the preliminary artillery bombardment, the order of the Confederate advance, and accounts from the men involved. We concluded the walk with a discussion of the Union victory at Gettysburg and its implications, and got back on the bus just as the sun set. Next weekend, on to Richmond!

Gettysburg Semester 2009 - Gettysburg, Day Two

This week, we were lucky to be joined by John Rudy and Cathy Bain, who have helped us immensely over the course of the semester with everything from getting this blog running to helping us with more personal problems. After they joined us at the Appleford, we met up with John Archer at Seminary Ridge.

We began our day with a discussion of the advantages of Meade’s interior lines and possession of strategic positions on the morning of July 2 in contrast with Lee’s longer line and the troubles he had with communication and reinforcement as a result. Mr. Archer then explained the infamous Longstreet at Gettysburg issue as well as the problems with and consequences of Sickles’ decision to alter his line of battle. We then made our way to the Peach Orchard, where we learned about the salient and the bloody action there. (I should mention here that both Cathy and Dr. Guelzo gave me blankets at this point because I can’t handle any cold whatsoever, for which I truly thank them!) We were also treated to the beginning of a debate between John Archer and Dr. Guelzo that would amusingly span the day – did Wright’s brigade break through the Philadelphia Brigade’s position on Cemetery Ridge?

After the Peach Orchard, John Archer discussed the Wheatfield, Devil’s Den, and spent little time talking about Little Round Top. (We’ve all read The Killer Angels. And seen Gettysburg.) We then made our way to the Trostle Farm, where Sickles suffered a leg wound that would lead to amputation – and allegedly enjoyed a cigar while he was carried away from the field. In another perhaps tasteless Gettysburg Semester tradition, we imitated Sickles’ loss of leg while Dr. Guelzo reenacted the general’s reaction to the injury by smoking a cigar.

As soon as we finished a delicious but coma-inducing lunch at the Pike, we went to Benner’s Hill and Mr. Archer explained the artillery battle that raged between the batteries there and those under Colonel Wainwright. We then made our way to Culp’s Hill, where we compared several photographs taken after the battle fromWilliam Frassanito’s books to the sites we were seeing. We also discussed the harsh and bloody fighting here – and were given the evidence by looking at a small burial pit near the 2nd Maryland monument. Our final stop was Cemetery Hill, and once again, Mr. Archer and Dr. Guelzo explained the importance of that position in the battle. Next week, we will return to Gettysburg for a tour of the Third Day and the town of Gettysburg itself with Scott Hartwig and John Heiser.