A not so Civil War

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The National Park visitor centre at Gettysburg is simply amazing. It took us about 4 hours to take in the US Civil War museum, film and diorama portraying the Gettysburg battle. We spent another 2.5 hours touring the actual battlefields with Dennis, a guide who came with us in the car and gave us a personal commentary on the 3-day battle between the Unionist and the Confederate armies. There's about 1,400 different war memorials around the town.

Separately, rangers routinely give free talks and tours on specific themes. We attended a 1-hour talk on 'The Civil War soldier', and Jackson volunteered to be dressed up in the uniform and 40 pounds of gear, as worn/carried by a regular soldier in 1863. Quite a sight, even without the mud, mould and lice!

Although the historical experience was extremely vivid, the over-riding feeling was one of sadness at the massive loss of life & limb, and the intolerable conditions suffered by the soldiers over the 4 years of the Civil War. As a result of the war, the Union was preserved and slavery was abolished, though it took more than a century for equal rights to be fully enshrined in federal law. Some might say that true government "Of the people, by the people, for the people" (Lincoln's Gettysburg address) is still some way off!

Tomorrow we head NE towards Lancaster and New York, and we'll be driving through Amish country...

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