The Worst

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This year I have managed to visit a number of Civil War battlefields. Among them: the Shiloh battlefield in southwestern Tennessee, and Stones River battlefield near Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Those two battlefields have the sad distinction of being the third and second (respectively) bloodiest battles of the US Civil War. The worst? Gettysburg. In mid-1863 the Confederacy had made significant advances into the north. Working into Pennsylvania would crush the Union. The battle for Gettysburg in particular, and the future of the United States on a grander scale, began on July 1, 1863. Three days and tens of thousands of casualties later, the Union drove the Confederates back. My family and I went to Gettysburg when I was little (I think 9 or 10), but I honestly do not remember it being that huge. It is massive, which shows the scope of the conflict that occurred there. The welcome center reflects the massive interest and size of what is probably the Civil War’s best-known battle. While other national parks may have a few dozen books, this gift shop looked more like a library thanks to the collection of books on the Gettysburg campaign. Additionally, because of the size of the battlefield, Gettysburg offers bus tours or a personal tour (where a park ranger will drive you around the battlefield and explain things). CDs are also available for a “guided” driving tour. It’s one of the saddest places in American history, yet one of the most vital. Gettysburg’s Union victory turned the tide against the Confederacy.