Gettysburg Ghosts

November 19, 1863

President Lincoln’s solemn address hangs in the air over the Gettysburg battlefield to this day. 522 acres of Battlefield with monuments, headstones and memories of approximately 50,000 dead. It is a somber experience, as this war pitted families against each other, and continues to have ramifications in our country to this day. 

We visited the park on our own, with a $9.99 Gettysburg Driving Tour app that I highly recommend. We were able to drive the almost 20 miles of the park, and have audio with explanations as we drove. The GPS worked extremely well, so that we did not have to do anything. The tour knew where we were, and even reminded us when it was time to make a turn. We stepped out and walked and took photos as we wished, and returned to be right on track. At the last stop of the tour there was a group of Civil War reenactment men who had set up camp, in uniform and in character, and answered any questions we had. 

After an emotional day of touring this historic battlefield, we found ourselves at O’Rorkes Family Eatery. This is a local pub, and we ended up there because of a t-shirt a man was wearing at Gettysburg that said: O’Rorke’s, the place where the North and South come to party. It was crowded and clearly had a local clientele, along with tourists. We enjoyed our post battle rations, and I bought the t-shirt.

I couldn’t help but think of today’s politics as I remembered Lincoln’s solemn address: It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

From his lips to God’s ears.