My friend Sheri and I decided to spend a long weekend in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, a 6 hour road trip from Columbus, Ohio. Being history fans, we were exciting about touring Gettysburg Battlefields and Museum. We also spent some time exploring the town of Gettysburg, which you can read about in my blog post about the top things to see in Gettysburg.

We left Columbus Friday after work, and after stopping for dinner we drove into Gettysburg late in the evening. In the dark of night we could see old-fashioned fencing lining the road, and the shadows of monuments rising from the fields. It gave everything a sense of solemnity and power. I was glad that my first viewing of the battlefields of Gettysburg was the next morning during our tour. Before this trip I had no idea about the grandeur of the area.

History of the Battle of Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg was fought over the first three days of July 1863. It was one of the most important battles of the Civil War. Confederate General Robert E Lee led his army north into Pennsylvania to confront the Union army, commanded by General George Meade. Despite the Confederates winning the first two days of battle, the tides turned on July 3, resulting in Lee commanding his army to return to Virginia. Over 160,000 men were involved in the fighting. And with over 50,000 casualties, it was the bloodiest battle during the Civil War. Many call it the turning point of the war. Today there are over 1,300 monuments and markers to see when touring the Gettysburg battlefields that stretch over 6,000 acres.

Touring Gettysburg Battlefields

The Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center is open daily from 8 AM until 5 PM. The battlefield, and roads around the battlefields, are open 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset. While admission to the park is free, there are some costs involved if you want go into the museum or take a guided tour. Visitors can drive themselves around the battlefields (and there a lots of audio guides available out there).

The National Park offers bus tours of the battlefield, which can be purchased in the museum. Tickets for the 2.5 hour bus tour cost $37 for adults, $22 for children aged 6-12, and is free for children under 5. They can be booked in advance through the Gettysburg National Park website. Visitors could also take guided bike or segway tours of the battlefield. Each July, on the anniversary of the battle (July 1-3), a Gettysburg Civil War Reenactment occurs.

McPherson Ridge

The first stop on the tour is McPherson Ridge, named for the farm of Edward McPherson of whole barn still stands. This is where the Battle of Gettysburg began on July 1 around 8 AM, when the Confederate army advanced toward the Union cavalry. The road, just like much of the Gettysburg battlefields, is lined with monuments paying tribute to the soldiers.

Oak Ridge & Eternal Light Peace Memorial

The second stop on the tour is Oak Ridge. These fields, located to the west and north of town, witnessed some of the most intense fighting on the first day of battle. It’s also the third highest point on the battlefield. Confederate armies were able to take control of this area, forcing the unions to retreat to Cemetery Hill. This is also the location of the Eternal Light Peace Memorial. This memorial was dedicated by President Franklin Roosevelt on July 3, 1938, the 75th anniversary of the battle. The eternal flame is said to be the inspiration for President Kennedy‘s grave at Arlington National Cemetery. The monument was made by donations by states both north and south. At the ceremony in 1938, one Union and one Confederate veteran unveiled the monument.

Seminary ridge

Named because of the Lutheran seminary college located at this spot, Seminary Ridge was our third stop on our tour. After being secured on the first day, General Lee set up his headquarters here. Schmucker Hall, which we first saw from McPherson Ridge, was used as a lookout tower by both sides during the battle. It was also a hospital for both union and confederate troops. It is now the location of the Seminary Ridge museum.

Seminary Ridge continues down a road that is lined with artillery, many of which were actually used during the Civil War.

Also located along Seminary Ridge is the North Carolina monument. This monument, which commemorates the 32 Carolina regiments that found during the battle, was completed in 1929. It depicts North Carolina infantry advancing during Pickett’s Charge- the last battle of Gettysburg. It was created by the same American sculptor who worked on Mount Rushmore- Gutzon Borglum.

And just a bit further down from that is the Virginia monument. This monument features a bronze statue of Robert E Lee on his horse Traveller.

Devil’s Den

Devil’s Den was the location of some heavy fighting on July 2. Union troops had positioned themselves on some of the higher hills in Gettysburg giving them great vantage points. This in turn made the Confederate troops move across the low lands (such as Devil’s Den) and attempt to clear the Union troops off of those highlands. Boulders dot the landscape of Devil’s Den, which provided cover for the soldiers.

Little Round Top

Little Round Top was another scene of intense fighting on July 2. It was one of the key positions that the Union soldiers held during the battle while the Confederates were firing at them from the nearby Devil’s Den. The picture below shows Little Round Top seen from Devil’s Den.

The Union soldiers did not give up this position, which is the second highest point of the Gettysburg battle sites. Today is covered with monuments, and is one of the most popular sites at Gettysburg. It was extremely windy when we visited (which explains the photo of Sheri and I huddled together looking a bit cold and windblown).

I feel so lucky that we visited Gettysburg when we did. Not only was it relatively empty (albeit cold) but we also were able to visit Little Round Top which will be closed starting Spring 2022 for 12 to 18 months while it undergoes some rehabilitation. Sheri and I both agreed this is one of our favorite sites during the tour. From the top of the hill you can see land for so far. It really shows the magnitude of how massive Gettysburg is (so much bigger than I imagined). This monument of General Warren overlooks the battlefield.

The Wheatfield

On July 2, while some were fighting for the Little Round Top, many others were fighting nearby in the relatively flat 26 acre field owned by George Rose. This area, The Wheatfield, is also known as the Bloody Wheatfield because it was one of the bloodiest places in American history. Over 6,000 men of the 20,000 fighting in the field died in the three hours of fighting. There are many monuments in this area in remembrance of fallen soldiers. One example is a Celtic cross honoring the three New York regiments of the Irish Brigade. At the foot of the cross lies a life-sized Irish wolfhound, a symbol of honor and fidelity.

Across from the Celtic cross was a memorial to a Michigan brigade. And almost hidden next to it, among the boulders, is was flat stone on the ground. This was used as an operating table during the battles.

High Water Mark

This area on Cemetery Ridge is the farthest the Confederates reached on their march north. And it is the location of Pickett’s Charge on July 3. The Confederate Army, with over 12,000 men, marched around 1,000 yards in open terrain across this field with devastating results (about 50% casualty rate) in what many call the turning point in the Civil War. The Confederates retreated the next day.

State of Pennsylvania Monument

The State of Pennsylvania Monument is the largest monument at Gettysburg. It was dedicated in 1910 and is the largest monument on the Gettysburg battlefields. On top of the monument is a statue of winged victory, made from melted Civil War cannons. Visitors can take a spiral staircase to the roof to gain a panoramic view of the battlefield. Along the base of the monument the names of the over 34,000 Pennsylvanians who participated in the battle are listed.

East Cemetery Hill

Easy Cemetery Hill is where the Union soldiers were positioned during the Battle of Gettysburg. This is where they fell back after the first day of fighting, and hand-to-hand fighting took place here on the second day of battle. There are no roads through this area, so parking can be limited, or visitors can walk to it while visiting the cemeteries or nearby shops. The fields are full of monuments, such as the equestrian statue for Major General Winfield Scott Hancock, who was wounded during Pickett’s charge. And I loved the “witness tree”.

Gettysburg National Cemetery

Evergreen Cemetery was established in 1853 and gave Cemetery Hill its name. After the Union and Confederate armies left Gettysburg it was expanded upon and Gettysburg National Cemetery was added. There are soldiers through the Vietnam War buried in this cemetery.

Looking across the slope of the hillside, you see the gravestones, laid out in rows, which mark the final resting place for over 3,500 Union soldiers who died at Gettysburg. They fan out in a semi-circle from the Soldiers National Monument. This cemetery is also where Abraham Lincoln made his famous Gettysburg Address.

Monuments of note during the Gettysburg Tour

There are over 1,300 monuments scattered over the Gettysburg Battlefields. Scroll through the slideshow to see some of note:

Takeaway from the guided tour

I really enjoyed our guided tour so much. The personal touch of our guide, who answered all our questions and asked us questions during the tour, was exceptional.

There were so many things I learned and had not considered about the Battle of Gettysburg. Such as how much the men walked every day, the weight they were carrying, and how little food and water they had. Just the magnitude of the battlefields and number of people involved is staggering. Another thing we learned about was the after-effects on the townspeople of Gettysburg. The city of Gettysburg was devastated because of this battle. After the troops left there were over 20,000 injured Union and Confederate soldiers to care for. There were bodies everywhere. Homes were rippled with bullet holes, many of which still exist today. Can you see the large hole in the side of this home located on Seminary Ridge?

Did you spot it?

Gettysburg National Military Park Museum

After touring the Gettysburg battlefields we returned to the museum. We purchased tickets to watch the film (which was very informative), see the cyclorama and tour the museum. Tickets for those three things cost $18.75 for adult, $17.75 for seniors or veterans, and $13.75 for children 6-12.

Gettysburg Cyclorama

The cyclorama was painted by French artist Paul Philippoteaux and premiered in Chicago in 1883. Many veterans of the war who saw it were moved to tears because of its realistic depiction of Pickett’s Charge.

Cycloramas were a popular means of entertainment throughout the world in the late 1800’s when there weren’t televisions or movies. These massive oil paintings were displayed in auditoriums and featured landscaped foregrounds. Viewers stand on a central platform and are surrounded by the circular painting, putting them in the center of a historic scene.

This cyclorama is the largest oil painting in North America. Viewers hear commentary explaining some of what happened that last day complete with light and sound effects.

Touring the Museum

The Gettysburg National Park Military Museum was very informative. It has lots of artifacts and short films by the History Channel detailing each day of the battle. It also explained why the Civil War started, the aftermath of the war, the Gettysburg Address, as well as the civil rights movement after the war. Scroll through the pictures that follow for some of my highlights.

Thanks for reading my blog about touring Gettysburg battlefields and museum. Be sure to check out my other blog post about top things to do while in Gettysburg. I definitely plan on going back, there is so much more I want to see! Do you have any suggestions about things I missed during my visit? Do you have any suggestions about where I should take my next road trip? I appreciate your likes, shares and comments. Catch you soon!

-Catching Katie