Gettysburg

Little Union Girl Touches the Heart of a Confederate at Gettysburg

Edward McPherson Farm. Gettysburg farms like this one were used as field hospitals.

During my research for Widow of Gettysburg, I read everything I could related to the battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863) and its aftermath. I read so many gory descriptions of the carnage that I started to glaze over them. But one day, a sweet letter from a soldier to a Sunday school girl brought tears to my eyes. I want to share it with you. First a little background: during the Civil War, the Christian Commission (born out of the YMCA) encouraged Sunday school classes in the North to put together "comfort bags" which were distributed by delegates of the Christian Commission to soldiers. These bags were small cloth kits which included thread, sewing needles, small scissors, and scraps of material. Each child also included a note with the bag to encourage the receiving soldier. At Gettysburg, a wounded Confederate received one of these comfort bags from a little girl in Massachusetts. He wrote back to her: My Dear Little Friend--I received your present, the comfort bag, and it is thrice welcome, although it was intended for Union defenders. It was given to me by a Christian woman, who lost her holy anger against Rebels--for such am I--in her bounteous sympathy with the unfortunate. My little friend can imagine my thankfulness for the favor, when I inform her that I have no friends this side of heaven--all gone, father, mother, sister and brother, and I am all alone. The dear comfort-bag I shall always keep as a memento of true sympathy from a generous heart in the loyal State of Massachusetts. I hope you will not be disappointed by this, coming as it does from a Rebel; for I was forced into the ranks at the point of bayonet, for I would not go willingly to fight against the dear old flag, whose ample folds have always shielded the orphan and made glad the oppressed. I have read your note very many times over, and have wished it could rightfully be mine. "Do they think of me at home?" Silence--all is silence! Not so with the Union soldier; a thousand tokens tell him yes. I was wounded in the second day's fight and am now packing up my all to be exchanged or sent back a cripple for life. I am seventeen years old, and now am turned out with one arm to carve my way through the world; but my trust is in my heavenly Father, who will forgive and bless. Hoping that God may in mercy reunite us all again as brothers and sister. I am your unworthy friend. E--A--Co--. Miss. Volunteers This touching letter appears in many documents and books, including Gettysburg and the Christian Commission by Daniel Hoisington. Following the battle of Gettysburg, the United States Christian Commission provided spiritual and physical care to thousands of wounded and dying soldiers of both armies. More than three hundred volunteers came to the battlefield, leaving a legacy of “a thousand little nameless acts.” The book includes important contemporary accounts of the battle’s aftermath, including the first complete publication of the diary of John Calhoun Chamberlain, one of the first delegates at Gettysburg and brother of the hero of Little Round Top. Jane Boswell Moore’s letters provide a glimpse of women’s work among the soldiers. Andrew Cross’ official report describes the carnage of battle as “a most fearful judgment of God upon a nation and people.” In a postwar story, George Peltz tells of a return to the Second Corps Hospital eight years later on a final mission of mercy. For more about the Heroines Behind the Lines Civil War novels, visit the Web site.

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Gettysburg Diaries: Georgeanna Woolsey's "Friendly Enemies"

Today in 1863, Gettysburg began to experience a second invasion. The armies had withdrawn on July 4, and now it was time to pick up the pieces of shattered homes--and bodies. Last week I shared the perspectives of housewife Sarah Broadhead and of teenager Tillie Pierce. Today I'd like to share from the perspective of Sanitary Commission nurse Georgeanna Woolsey. The following is excerpted from my nonfiction book, Stories of Faith and Courage from the Home Front: Friendly Enemies [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"671", "attributes":{"class":"media-image alignright wp-image-216 size-full", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"124", "height":"179", "alt":"BB-homefront-cover_125"}}]]When the armies moved out, they left behind 21,000 wounded Union and Confederate soldiers. The town of Gettysburg, with its 2400 residents, was taxed beyond their limit to feed, clothe, house and otherwise care for the men. Waves of volunteers from the U.S. Sanitary Commission and the U.S. Christian Commission flooded the town to help, bringing storehouses of food, clothing, and hospital supplies, plus manpower to relieve the townspeople of their nonstop cooking and nursing. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1287", "attributes":{"class":"media-image size-medium wp-image-2890", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"279", "height":"300", "alt":"Georgeanna Woolsey"}}]] Georgeanna Woolsey Among the Sanitary Commission volunteers was Georgeanna Woolsey, who distributed fresh food and drink to the men on ambulance trains. She recalled: I do not think that a man of the 16,000 who were transported during our stay, went from Gettysburg, without a good meal—rebels and Unionists together, they all had it, and were pleased and satisfied. “Have you any friends in the army, madam?” a rebel soldier, lying on the floor of the car, said to me, as I gave him some milk. “Yes, my brother is on -----‘s staff.” “I thought so, ma’am. You can always tell; when people are good to soldiers they are sure to have friends in the army.” “We are rebels, you know, ma’am,” another said; “Do you treat rebels so?” It was strange to see the good brotherly feeling come over the soldiers, our own and the rebels, when side by side they lay in our tents. “Hullo, boys! This is the pleasantest way to meet, isn’t it? We are better friends when we are as close as this, than a little farther off.” And then they would go over the battles together: “we were here,” and “you were there,” in the friendliest way. Many on both sides found it impossible to cling to demonizing rhetoric about the opposing army when they ate and talked together, and slept side by side. Resident Liberty Hollinger later said, “Many romances were developed during the stay of the soldiers. One of our most intimate friends (a northerner) married a southerner who her mother had nursed back to health.” As friendships and marriages bonded Yankees and Rebels together, the people hoped the country would soon be reunited as well. Prayer: Lord, help me tear down any division among my brothers and sisters in Christ. “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!” ~Psalm 133:1 ___________________________ Georgeanna Woolsey's pamphlet, entitled "Three Weeks at Gettysburg", can be read in its entirety online, and provided the inspiration for a few scenes in Widow of Gettysburg. Georgeanna herself was the inspiration for my first novel, Wedded to War, and she does come back to make an appearance as a nurse at Gettysburg in Widow of Gettysburg. The young woman named Liberty Hollinger, quoted in the excerpt above, inspired me to name my heroine of Gettysburg "Liberty." (Such a great name!) If you liked meeting Georgeanna Woolsey, Tillie Pierce, and Sarah Broadhead, you may also enjoy 3 Heroines of Gettysburg. View the live-action trailer below for a better glimpse into Wedded to War, my Civil War novel inspired by Georgeanna Woolsey:

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Gettysburg Diaries: Tillie Pierce's Field for Profound Thought

Today in 1863, Gettysburg shuddered beneath its second day of battle. Yesterday, I shared housewife Sarah Broadhead's perspective of hiding in the cellar during the July 1 fighting. Today, it's teenaged Tillie Pierce's turn in the spotlight. The following is excerpted from my nonfiction book, Stories of Faith and Courage from the Home Front: A Field for Profound Thought [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"677", "attributes":{"class":"media-image alignleft wp-image-228 size-full", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"124", "height":"179", "alt":"BB-homefront-cover_125"}}]] When fifteen-year-old Tillie Pierce fled to a neighbor’s farmhouse a few miles away, she thought she would be safe from the battle. Instead, she was right behind the Union lines on the eastern slopes of the Round Tops for the second and third days of the battle. She and her neighbors passed out water to the soldiers in blue as they proceeded into battle, and watched in horror as they came back wounded or dead. After tearing all the muslin and linen in the house into strips for bandages, Tillie finally looked up. I was looking out one of the windows facing the front yard. Near the basement door, and directly underneath the window I was at, stood one of these [amputating] benches. I saw them lifting the poor men upon it, then the surgeons sawing and cutting off arms and legs, then again probing and picking bullets from the flesh. Some of the soldiers fairly begged to be taken next, so great was their suffering, and so anxious were they to obtain relief . . . To the south of the house, and just outside of the yard, I noticed a pile of limbs higher than the fence. It was a ghastly sight! [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1285", "attributes":{"class":"media-image wp-image-3305", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"300", "height":"316", "alt":"Tillie Pierce"}}]] Tillie Pierce After the battle ended, Tillie and many other women in the town threw themselves into whatever they could do to bring comfort to these strangers, who by now felt more like family. They brought lemons, oranges, cakes, jellies and rolls. The women also spent hours reading to the wounded and participated in their religious services at the hospital. Though the Battle of Gettysburg certainly left a mark on Tillie, she chose to dwell not on the human suffering now forever linked with her hometown, but on God’s sovereignty. What in my girlhood was a teeming and attractive landscape spread out by the Omnipotent Hand to teach us of His goodness, has by His own direction, become a field for profound thought, where, through coming ages, will be taught lessons of loyalty, patriotism and sacrifice. . . . we cannot fail to learn that: “The God of battles” is ever present, that on those memorable days at Gettysburg “The hand of our God was upon us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy.” Prayer: Lord, help me focus on You and learn the lessons you have for me. “The hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy.” ~Ezra 8:31 ___________________________ [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"771", "attributes":{"class":"media-image alignleft wp-image-891 size-full", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"125", "height":"193", "alt":"Widow cover 3 125"}}]]Tillie's diary, At Gettysburg: Or What a Young Girl Saw and Heard of the Battle, is a wonderful eyewitness account, and one I used in my research for Widow of Gettysburg. It can be read online in its entirety for free at Google Books or purchased in paperback (or 99 cents for Kindle). Tillie's house is now the Tillie Pierce Inn, where you could lodge during your next visit to Gettysburg! (Also be sure to check out the home of Tillie's neighbor, Hettie Shriver. The Shriver House Museum is on my list of 9 Must-See Sites of Gettsyburg!) If you liked meeting Tillie Pierce and Sarah Broadhead, you may also enjoy 3 Heroines of Gettysburg. Learn more about Widow of Gettysburg here, or view the one-minute trailer below for a taste of the story.

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battle of Gettysburg

field for profound thought

Gettysburg Diaries: Sarah Broadhead's Suspense in the Cellar

On this day in 1863, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, shed its small town tranquility as the most famous battle in the entire Civil War began. For three days, war would rage in fields and orchards, with farmers and townspeople alike caught in the crosshairs. Today I'd like to share with you one woman's perspective. The following is excerpted from my nonfiction book, Stories of Faith and Courage from the Home Front: Suspense in the Cellar [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"677", "attributes":{"class":"media-image alignleft wp-image-228 size-full", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"124", "height":"179", "alt":"BB-homefront-cover_125"}}]]While Sarah Broadhead’s husband stayed in their Gettysburg home to protect it, Sarah and her child fled to a friend’s cellar in a “safer” part of town to ride out the fighting on the first day. There they remained huddled together all day, only emerging when the firing ceased. She recorded in her diary at the end of July 1: How changed the town looked when we came to the light. The street was strewn over with clothes, blankets, knapsacks, cartridge-boxes, dead horses, and the bodies of a few men, but not so many of these last as I expected to see. . . We started home, and found things all right. As I write all is quiet, but O! how I dread tomorrow. The next two days of battle, the Broadheads stayed together in their own cellar. Staying in the dark for hours at a time while the battle raged, the suspense was nearly unbearable. On July 3, Sarah wrote: Nearly all the afternoon it seemed as if the heavens and earth were crashing together. The time that we sat in the cellar seemed long, listening to the terrific sound of strife; more terrible never greeted human ears. We knew that with every explosion, and the scream of each shell, human beings were hurried, through excruciating pain, into another world, and that many more were torn, and mangled, and lying in torment worse than death, and no one able to extend relief. . . Who is victorious, or with whom the advantage rests, no one here can tell. It would ease the horror if we knew our arms were successful. As Christians, we are in spiritual battles of our own, and we see the physical evidence of sin in every corner of the globe. Man’s inhumanity to man is often incomprehensible, and natural disasters from floods to fires cause tremendous heartache and destruction. But unlike the Gettysburg citizens hiding in their cellars, we don’t have to live in suspense about who holds the ultimate victory. Jesus had victory on the cross, and He is victorious in the end. When you feel attacked, remember that you are fighting on the winning side! Prayer: Lord, I praise You that You are victorious—the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Alpha and Omega, Almighty God! “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.” ~Revelation 19:6 ___________________________ [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"771", "attributes":{"class":"media-image alignleft wp-image-891 size-full", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"125", "height":"193", "alt":"Widow cover 3 125"}}]]Sarah survived the battle and offered her nursing help to the wounded soldiers being cared for at the Lutheran Seminary building. Her diary of the weeks during and after the battle has proven to be one of our most valuable eyewitness accounts of the civilian experience. Stories like Sarah's inspired me to bring these women's voices to life with my novel, Widow of Gettysburg, in which Sarah plays a small but important role. I am so pleased to report that just last month, a marker was dedicated at Sarah Broadhead's grave to honor her contributions. If you liked meeting Sarah, you may also enjoy 3 Heroines of Gettysburg. Learn more about Widow of Gettysburg here, or view the one-minute trailer below for a taste of the story.

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3 Heroines of Gettysburg

[[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"771", "attributes":{"class":"media-image alignright wp-image-891 size-full", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"125", "height":"193", "alt":"Widow cover 3 125"}}]]Both Hollywood and history books tell stories of valor from the battle of Gettysburg. But before the word "Gettysburg" was synonymous with battle, it was simply the name of a town where ordinary people lived—until extraordinary circumstances brought out strength and courage they did not know they possessed. These stories of resilience inspired me to write my novel Widow of Gettysburg, book 2 in the Heroines Behind the Lines series. Today I'd love to introduce you to just three real women of Gettysburg. Sallie Myers [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1278", "attributes":{"class":"media-image wp-image-3260 size-medium", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"201", "height":"300", "alt":"Sallie Myers"}}]] Sallie Myers Gettysburg school teacher Sallie Myers never could stand the sight of blood. But on the morning of July 2, 1863, the second day of battle, she could not ignore the desperate cries of the wounded lying in a church across the street. Kneeling by the first man inside the door of the church, Sallie asked what she could do for him. "Nothing," he replied. "I am going to die." Overcome with emotion, Sallie ran outside and wept. With great effort, she finally calmed herself and returned to the soldier, where she learned he was Sgt. Alexander Stewart of the 149th Pennsylvania Volunteers. With the surgeon's permission, she then had Sgt. Stewart brought to her home where she could better care for him. Though a bullet narrowly missed her where she sat fanning her patient, she refused to leave him for the safety of the cellar. After Sgt. Alexander died on July 6, 1863, Sallie took in eleven more soldiers while continuing to work in the make-shift hospitals of the town for weeks after the battle ended. "The sight of blood never again affected me and I was among the wounded and dying men day and night," Sallie recalled. "While the battle lasted and the town was in possession of the rebels, I went back and forth between my home and the hospitals without fear." The next summer, Sgt. Alexander's widow and his brother Henry came to visit her. From that meeting, Sallie and Henry began a relationship which resulted in their marriage in 1867. Sadie Bushman Nine-year-old Sadie Bushman was running to her grandparents' house for safety when the battle roared into action. I don't have a picture of Sadie, but I do know what nine looks like. My own daughter is currently the same age Sadie was when the following story took place. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1279", "attributes":{"class":"media-image wp-image-3258", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"400", "height":"270", "alt":"This is my 9-year-old daughter looking on as my 6-year-old is being treated for his broken arm. "}}]] This is my 9-year-old daughter looking on as my 6-year-old is being treated for his broken arm. Little Sadie had a much different experience, as the youngest nurse in the Civil War. Sadie tells the story in her own words: "There came a screech and a shell brushed my skirt as it went by. I staggered from the concussion of it and almost fell, when I was grasped by the arm and a man said pleasantly, ‘That was a close call. Come with me and hurry,' he added in a tone so commanding that I meekly followed. [That man was Dr. Benjamin F. Lyford, a surgeon in the Union army]. He led me to . . . an army corps hospital and then he put me to work. Wounded and dying men were then being carried to the place by the score. . . "As I reached the hospital tent a man with a leg shattered almost to a pulp was carried in. ‘Give him a drink of water while I cut off his leg' was the command I got. How I accomplished it I do not know but I stood there and assisted the surgeon all through the operation. I was in that field hospital all during the three days of the battle, climbing over heaps of bodies six and eight deep and always with the doctor helping him in his work. Then my father found me and took me home. Soon, the Christian and Sanitary Commissions set up a hospital on the scene of battle, and Sadie nursed there, too. "I was placed in charge of one of the wards and I was so small I had to climb up on the beds to attend to the sick and wounded men," she said. Having conquered her fear, Sadie served in that hospital nearly five months, though her father whipped her for nursing against his will. Elizabeth Thorn [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1280", "attributes":{"class":"media-image size-full wp-image-3259", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"260", "height":"357", "alt":"Peter and Elizabeth Thorn"}}]] Peter and Elizabeth Thorn Elizabeth her husband Peter were caretakers of Gettysburg's Evergreen Cemetery, and lived in the cemetery gatehouse with Elizabeth's parents and her three small sons. With Peter away as a soldier, Elizabeth tended the cemetery in his absence. She was six months pregnant in July 1863. Like most other Gettysburg women, she gave food and water to passing soldiers in both blue and grey before fleeing to safety during the battle. The Thorns returned to find their home severely damaged. But there was work to do. The cemetery president instructed her to bury the soldiers as fast as she could. The stench from the bloated corpses, both human and horse, was nauseating, but she and her father, aged 63, had little choice. The longer the bodies lay sweltering in the sun, the more of a health hazard they became. Elizabeth and her father buried 102 soldiers in Evergreen Cemetery. She was never compensated for her work in the aftermath of the battle, or for the damages to her home. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1281", "attributes":{"class":"media-image wp-image-3179", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"500", "height":"375", "alt":"Monument to Elizabeth Thorn, the pregnant gravedigger, in Evergreen Cemetery."}}]] Monument to Elizabeth Thorn, the pregnant gravedigger, in Evergreen Cemetery. These women, and so many others (Sarah Broadhead, Tillie Pierce, Hettie Shriver, etc.), did not ask to be heroines, but when war demanded it of them, they quietly filled the role. Their courage, sacrifice, and ability to love their enemies inspired Widow of Gettysburg, and I hope the book, in turn, inspires you. *Visiting Gettysburg soon? Don't miss these 9 Must-See Sites (Plus 5 Spots for R&R)!

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9 Must-See Sites of Gettysburg

Gettysburg is one of my favorite spots on earth. I've visited to research for my novel Widow of Gettysburg, and then my husband and I went in 2013 for the 150th anniversary of the battle (and to celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary!). For those of you considering a Gettysburg vacation (do it! do it!), check out this list of must-see sites I put together with the help of my readers and fellow history lovers. (If you have read Widow of Gettysburg, you'll be interested to know that almost all of the following were mentioned in the book.) Explore 1. The Seminary Ridge Museum, housed in the original Lutheran Theological Seminary building. I had the privilege of seeing this museum the night before its grand opening, and I cannot say enough about it. If you only have time to see one "in-town" site, let it be this one. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1255", "attributes":{"class":"media-image wp-image-3172", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"450", "height":"381", "alt":"The seminary building in 1863."}}]] The seminary building in 1863. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1256", "attributes":{"class":"media-image wp-image-3173", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"450", "height":"601", "alt":"Seminary Ridge Museum today."}}]] Seminary Ridge Museum today. 2. The Shriver House Museum. I adored the Shriver House Museum! To get a full picture of Gettysburg in 1863, don't limit yourself to the battlefield. Or rather, realize the town itself was part of the battlefield. Confederate snipers fired from the attic of the Shriver House. The docents here are wonderful, and really bring the personal story of a Gettysburg family to life. The home of Hettie Shriver's neighbor, Tillie Pierce, is now an inn: The Tillie Pierce Inn. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1258", "attributes":{"class":"media-image wp-image-3174", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"450", "height":"601", "alt":"Shriver House Museum"}}]] Shriver House Museum docent 3. Christ Lutheran Church. The church, used as a hospital during the battle, is usually open during the day. If at all possible, attend one their Saturday evening Songs and Stories of a Civil War Hospital performances. This was one of my most meaningful experiences at Gettysburg! Bring the kleenex. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1260", "attributes":{"class":"media-image wp-image-3175", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"450", "height":"601", "alt":"Christ Lutheran Church. The red flag signifies its use as a hospital during and after the battle. (Most buildings in town had a red flag out front!)"}}]] Christ Lutheran Church. The red flag signifies its use as a hospital during and after the battle. (Most buildings in town had a red flag out front!) 4. The historic Gettysburg Train Station. This is the station Lincoln rode into to deliver his famous Gettysburg Address. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1261", "attributes":{"class":"media-image wp-image-3177", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"450", "height":"326", "alt":"Photo courtesy Peggy Detweiler"}}]] Photo courtesy Peggy Detweiler 5. The Jennie Wade House. Jennie Wade was the only civilian killed during the battle. (Many more were killed in its aftermath, from contaminated water, exploding shells, etc.) [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1262", "attributes":{"class":"media-image wp-image-3178", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"450", "height":"338", "alt":"The Jennie Wade House"}}]] The Jennie Wade House 6. The David Wills House is a National Park Service museum which tells the story of David Wills (a Gettysburg lawyer), Lincoln, and the Gettysburg Address. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1263", "attributes":{"class":"media-image wp-image-3180", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"450", "height":"337", "alt":"davidwills"}}]] The David Wills House 7. Evergreen Cemetery, which is adjacent to the National Cemetery. The monument to the Gettysburg Address is in the National Cemetery, but the location of the speech was actually in Evergreen Cemetery. Evergreen Cemetery is the burial place for Elizabeth Thorn, Rev. Schmucker, Jennie Wade, and others. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1264", "attributes":{"class":"media-image wp-image-3179", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"450", "height":"338", "alt":"Monument to Elizabeth Thorn, the pregnant gravedigger, in Evergreen Cemetery."}}]] Monument to Elizabeth Thorn, the pregnant gravedigger, in Evergreen Cemetery. 8. Experience the Gettysburg National Cemetery with a free walking tour courtesy of licensed battlefield guides. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1265", "attributes":{"class":"media-image wp-image-3181", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"450", "height":"300", "alt":"Sunrise at Soldiers National Cemetery, by Bill Dowling."}}]] Sunrise at Gettysburg National Cemetery, by Bill Dowling. 9. National Military Park and Battlefield Start with the National Park Service Museum & Visitor Center. It's new since 2012, and features the restored, and famous, Gettysburg Cyclorama. Ranger Programs range from battle history to medical practices of the Civil War, "Visit to the Past" living history presentations, and battlefield hikes. Programs are offered at the Museum and Visitor Center, on the battlefield, and in the Soldiers' National Cemetery, with lengths between twenty minutes and two hours depending on the subject matter and location. Special programs and activities are also available for kids. Living History events are so much fun. Check this schedule of events page to find out what's happening when. My family (and many others!) really enjoyed the audio auto tour, but there are several ways to tour. "We actually LOVED the driving tour (CD that plays in the car) that is offered through the museum! I think it was our favorite activity because it was educational, not hard on the little ones and we felt like we got an amazing overview of the town and war simultaneously!"~April Lakata [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1266", "attributes":{"class":"media-image wp-image-3183", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"501", "height":"501", "alt":"Pics from our auto tour! So much fun."}}]] Pics from our auto tour! So much fun. "I love wandering around Gettysburg and trying to get off the beaten path. I like the equestrian statue of General James Longstreet in Pitzer Woods [below], notice the trail ride in the background. If you look close you can see where people have left coins on Hero's raised hoof." ~Peggy Detweiler (Check out the horseback riding trails.) [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1267", "attributes":{"class":"media-image wp-image-3184", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"450", "height":"447", "alt":"Photo courtesy of Peggy Detweiler"}}]] Photo courtesy of Peggy Detweiler Favorites sites of the battlefields include Little Round Top, the Wheat Field, the High Water Mark, Devil's Den, and a multitude of monuments. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1268", "attributes":{"class":"media-image wp-image-3185", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"450", "height":"600", "alt":"Meghan Gorecki perched atop Little Round Top."}}]] Meghan Gorecki perched atop Little Round Top. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1269", "attributes":{"class":"media-image wp-image-3186", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"450", "height":"338", "alt":"My husband Rob at Devil"}}]] My husband Rob at Devil's Den. Before you go, be sure to check out Gettysburg's Events Calendar to see what's happening! Enjoy your visit, and please send me a photo or post one to my Facebook page! I LOVE seeing my reader friends in Gettysburg! If you've already been to Gettysburg, what were some of your trip highlights?

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must-see sites of Gettysburg

My Gettysburg Trip Scrapbook

[[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"771", "attributes":{"class":"media-image alignleft size-full wp-image-891", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"125", "height":"193", "alt":"Widow cover 3 125"}}]]UPDATE: This give-away is now closed. Thanks to everyone who entered, the winner is Anissa Meyer! Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I thought I'd let my snapshots from my recent trip to Gettysburg do most the talking in this blog post. Though we took hundreds of photos, I'm mostly just sharing scenes that relate to my latest release, Widow of Gettysburg, with a few "just for fun" shots thrown in. Please enjoy these glimpses, and be sure to scroll to the end for the Gettysburg Grand Give-away! We start with the building that is shown on the novel's cover. (Captions are included with each photo. You may click on the images to see them larger.) [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"959", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-1580", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"482", "height":"614", "alt":"SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES"}}]] [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"960", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-1601", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"614", "height":"614", "alt":"Christ Lutheran Church2"}}]] [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"961", "attributes":{"class":"media-image", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"614", "height":"337", "alt":"tent talk"}}]] [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"962", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-1577", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"614", "height":"232", "alt":"Just for fun2"}}]] [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"963", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-1591", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"614", "height":"482", "alt":"SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES"}}]] [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"964", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-1576", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"614", "height":"614", "alt":"In town2"}}]] [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"965", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-1578", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"614", "height":"614", "alt":"Pages of the Past2"}}]] [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"966", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-1571", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"614", "height":"614", "alt":"Candlelight service2"}}]] [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"967", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-1592", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"614", "height":"614", "alt":"museum preview2"}}]] [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"968", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-1570", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"614", "height":"614", "alt":"Auto tour2"}}]] [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"969", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-1575", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"614", "height":"614", "alt":"Holloway site2"}}]] [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"970", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-1594", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"614", "height":"482", "alt":"SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES"}}]] [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"971", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-1573", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"614", "height":"614", "alt":"Elizabeth Thorn2"}}]] [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"972", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-1579", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"614", "height":"482", "alt":"SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES"}}]] The Gettysburg Grand Give-away! I've teamed up a couple of very talented ladies to bring you a remarkable give-away! Here's what we have for one lucky winner: A handmade baby quilt in patriotic colors, reminiscent of Liberty Holloway's baby quilt in Widow of Gettysburg. Only this one is color-coordinated and pinwheel-patterned. This is courtesy of my author friend Ann-Margret Hovsepian! (Connect with her on Facebook here.) A handmade doll modeled after Liberty Holloway, courtesy of another author friend, Pat Iacuzzi, who creates historical dolls like this one for museums. (Psst- Pat is running a concurrent give-away of a 15-inch Charlotte Waverly doll, plus Godiva chocolate, a silk fan, and a Currier & Ives print, so hop on over to her Hope Inspired Stories blog here! Charlotte is the heroine of Wedded to War, book 1 in the Heroines Behind the Lines series.) I'm throwing in two books: Farms at Gettysburg (self-explanatory) and The Civil War Sewing Circle, which not only has Civil War quilt patterns in it, but also photos and letters from Civil War couples that are sure to touch your heart regardless of whether you quilt. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"973", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-1574", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"614", "height":"614", "alt":"Gettysburg give-away final"}}]] To enter, please leave a comment sharing either 1) which photos you enjoyed the most from this blog post, or 2) something from your own trip to Gettysburg. For extra entries, you may: Share this blog post via Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest. Here's a short link: http://wp.me/p1bLl3-pi "Like" my FB page Visit my Gettysburg Trip Scrapbook album on my Facebook page here and "share" one or more photos. (One point for each photo you share, so let me know how many you've done!) Sign up for my newsletter in the footer of this Web site The drawing will close at 11:59pm on Monday July 29. A winner will be selected using random.org. Good luck!

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