Gettysburg Battle Field Tour

We took a driving tour of the Gettysburg Battlefield area. This is the Gettysburg Cemetery where Lincoln gave his famous address. We borrowed a friends' (Thanks Carol, Lily, and Joel) Audio description of the driving tour. We had about 2 hours and made it through 2/3 of the 23 miles. We didn't have time to get out and look at things as this was definitely a 'drive-by shooting'. The only place we got out was on Little Round Top. There are some really neat rocks to climb on and the view is tremendous from there.

This is the eternal flame located in the 'Oaks'. It is a large memorial and the flame is on top of the tall pillar. On a bright day like this one, it is almost impossible to see the flame. You can get a feel for the size if you note the people in the picture.

This is the statue of Robert E. Lee. I would really recommend using either an audio tour or getting a guide as you go through the battle field. Otherwise, you will miss out on too much.

I could picture in my minds eye the troops coming together in the fields with their guns blazing and cannons booming. I think much of the countryside looks the same as it did back then (minus the cars in the distance, and the planes in the sky).

It was a 90+ day and Michelle needs the shade. She found it in the shade of a monument on Little Round Top.

Even Dear Hubby got out of the van and left the air conditioning for a few minutes to look around. Little Round Top is where one of the defining and last skirmishes at Gettysburg was fought. If the South had been able to take this position the whole outcome of the war might have changed.

The view from Little Round Top is stunning. Here you see in the distance, the Pennsylvania monument.

Mr. Boots allowed me to take his picture posing on one of the many rocks on the 'Top. I liked the clear blue sky as a background.

Michelle finally moved out of the shade and climbed on some rocks. She didn't move too far or too fast.

JoAn found the top of the rock. The children had a lot of fun climbing on these large boulders for a few minutes before we had to rush off to the next stop. We would like to come back here someday soon.

After we left the 'Top we continued driving through battlefields. We came by the Pennsylvania monument. It is the largest monument in the whole Gettysburg National Park. On such a hot day we thanked God for an air conditioned van. We felt for all the soldiers at the battle who wore wool uniforms as they fought on those long hot July days.

~Mom