Tips for travelling, observing the anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
(June 11, 2013) This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg and President Abraham Lincoln’s eloquent Gettysburg Address.
The Battle of Gettysburg was fought during the first three days of July 1863 in and around the small town of Gettysburg, Pa.The fighting was fierce, and the casualties – estimated at 51,000 – were the highest of any Civil War battle. Though it took almost two more years for the war to end, the battle brought a halt to General Robert E. Lee’s invasion of the North and was a turning point of the war.
Special events and exhibits are taking place at Gettysburg National Military Park throughout the year, but the main observance of the anniversary will begin June 30 with an evening procession to the Soldiers’ National Cemetery. Music, a keynote address and dramatic readings of eyewitness accounts of the battle will begin at 7:30 p.m. Then, the crowd will be invited to proceed to the cemetery, where glowing luminaria will mark more than 3,500 graves of soldiers killed in the battle.
From July 1 to 3, programs in the military park will include living history camps, where re-enactors will portray infantry soldiers from both sides of the conflict. Ranger-guided programs will recount the key events of the battle, and visitors will have the opportunity to participate in re-creations of critical moments on the battlefield.
Just four months after the battle at Gettysburg, President Abraham Lincoln arrived for the dedication of the National Cemetery. At the red brick David Wills House, now a museum in downtown Gettysburg, you can see the bedroom where Lincoln stayed and put the finishing touches on the famous Gettysburg Address.
Gettysburghas ties to another U.S. President: adjacent to the battlefield is the Eisenhower National Historic Site, a home and farm that President Dwight Eisenhower used during and after his presidency. While he was president, the farm was a weekend retreat for Eisenhower and his wife, Mamie, though the President also invited world leaders to enjoy the peaceful, rural surroundings. After his presidency, Eisenhower ran a successful cattle operation on the farm for 15 years.
There’s even more to see in and around Gettysburg, including museums, wineries and more historic homes. To make your plans to visit, talk with your travel professional.
This travel column was written by BlueRibbonNews.com special contributor Robbert van Bloemendaal, an experienced world traveler, native of Australia, an Ambassador with the Rowlett Chamber of Commerce, and president of Travel Leaders of Rowlett.
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