TAHG Day 10

We began our morning in Gettysburg by heading to the visitors' center.  They have a gorgeous hiking/running trail that leads through the woods to various locations made famous in this three day battle of the Civil War.  Since we arrived a little early, a handful of us hiked the trail to the hill known for Pickett's Charge.  The Confederate troops tried to take the hill, knowing that victory would mean they would win Gettysburg.  Unfortunately for General Lee and the Confederate soldiers, General Meade and the Union troops didn't obey orders and were able to keep the hill.  What this means for America is that we have remained united as one nation instead of divided as two.  This was THE battle of the Civil War, the one that meant who would win and who would lose.  We visited the home used as the Union hospital during Pickett's Charge too. 

Union Soldiers probably camped in these woods.

Union Field Hospital

Union line at Pickett's Charge

During the visitors' center tour, we watched a fabulous video created by History Channel and narrated by Morgan Freeman.  It very concisely described why Gettysburg was a crucial town to hold for each army and how the battle took place.  I had no idea that it last three days, that at one point the Confederate line was over a mile long, or just how big this battlefield is.  We then viewed a cyclorama, a round painting describing the battle, completed in the 1880s.  The scenes were horrific but lovingly displayed for all to remember.  In the middle, where the house representing the field hospital is painted, two soldiers were carrying a wounded Lincoln.  While Lincoln didn't fight in the war, it is said, and proven through documents, that he was constantly emotionally at war over what has happening in his beloved nation.  Losing over 7,000 Americans from both sides in three days caused him great distress.  Then we viewed the museum.  I learned amputations were down to a precise 20 seconds.  No thank you.  The wounded were also begging doctors to let them die because they didn't want to go home to be the freak show.  Most were sent to asylums because there was no diagnosis for PTSD in 1863.  Yuck.

Lincoln's depiction in the cyclorama

After the visitors' center, we drove to Cemetery Hill where many of the dead were buried after the Battle of Gettysburg.  I sat on one of the many rocks and just stared.  I can't imagine being on the defense on top of that hill and watching hundreds of men die.  Gettysburg is stunningly beautiful 149 years later, but the serenity deceives the mind of what occurred up and down those hills.  We're teachers-we make fun pictures to take back to students to pique their interests, but it's hard to have fun on a battle field.  There are smiles and silly poses to imitate soldiers, but what's not seen is the pain inside at what is our history.

It's all fun and games until someone gets shot in the head. 

Nearby is where Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address speech.  I learned today that many American publications hated the speech at the time and thought Lincoln an absolute sissy pants for his silly words.  Wow.  I think it's a stunning eulogy and commitment for peace.  It's amazing how popular opinion changes throughout time.

This afternoon caused a mental shift backward in time to 1777 to Valley Forge, the winter encampment of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.  The camp is huge.  Acres and acres of rolling hills and ridges met our eyes.  There are huge trees everywhere, but none are older than 1778.  During the winters that George Washington used the camp, there were no trees for fives miles.  All had been cut for buildings and fuel.  No wonder there was mud everywhere.  We also toured the Potts' House where Washington stayed at the camp.  The colonies might have been fighting for independence, but the class system was still firmly in place.  I learned where the word 'toaster' came from.  The colonists used a metal contraption placed in the fireplace to crisp slices of bread.  Women would stretch out their foot to turn the contraption with a little hook.  Women would say they had toe stirred the bread slices.  As the contraptions evolved, so did the name, resulting in what we now know as toasters.  We were also told the story about General Hooker.  Real name, real story, won't be shared with my 6th graders.  But hey, it explains how we got the slang. See, history isn't always boring!

Huts for the troops at Valley Forge

With Natashia

The Potts' House

The drive to Philadelphia this evening was beautiful.  The city isn't thrilling me too much yet, but I'm not a city girl (except for D.C. and London).  Tomorrow is going to be hot and nasty, but I'm excited to explore America's first capital.