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Gettysburg - Part 1
Written by: Janet Pope
Photography by: Donald
The Battle is studied from many perspectives.
Don and I went from Amish country to Civil War country. Gettysburg is a town that revolves around the three days of the historic battle that took place in this area, beginning on July 1st, 1863. Every hotel, house, restaurant and historic museum is defined by being around before and lasting through that battle. Every place you visit tells and retells the story of those three days, in every way imaginable. It can be very overwhelming for the novice historian like myself, but for someone like my husband Donald, he just ate up every fact, date, general and skirmish.
We began our journey back in time by checking into the James Getty Hotel, built in 1804. It has been one form of a hotel or a tavern ever since. There are over 3,000 hotel rooms within three miles of the center of town, but the James Getty is a smaller more intimate place to stay, with eleven comfortable suites. Besides the spacious accommodations, we enjoyed the homemade treats and breakfast baskets left in our room daily, along with fresh orange juice. Food is always a great welcome.
We had dinner reservations at the Farnsworth House, built in 1810. You will notice that I mention a lot of founding dates. If the building was around prior to those three days of battle in 1863, it holds a claim to fame. In any case, the restaurant is decorated in period decor complete with candlelight and menus written on rolled parchment scrolls. The wait staff were dressed in period costumes, and the tables were set with heavy pewter goblets and plates. Donald, as always was the adventurous one. He began with Goober Pea Soup, and I stayed safe with a Chicken Corn Soup. He moved on to the Game Pie, filled with pheasant and duck, blended with mushrooms, bacon, red currant jelly and wild rice and I remained boring with a chicken dish. I did venture out with the side dishes-- pumpkin fritters and spoon bread, which almost tasted like mashed potatoes. That's about as bold as I get.
On our first full day in Gettysburg, we were up at the crack of dawn-- ready to soak up as much history as we could. We started out at the Gettysburg Diorama, located at the Artillery Ridge Campground. This HO scale model of the 3 day battle was actually started in Michigan by a Civil War buff, taken apart, and brought here in 1997. It shows in unique detail the way the battlefield looked in 1863. There are over 20,000 hand painted soldiers, horses, canons and buildings, highlighted by lights and sounds and an overall narration. Don was even able to pick out the Brooklyn 14th. It was here that I first learned that over 52,000 Americans died in that three day period, a fact I would soon hear repeated many times. The diorama gave you a good overview of the battle.
Now, ready to visit the battlefield ourselves, we noted that equestrians can actually take horseback tours of some of the battlefields for a real up-close and authentic experience. Being city folks, my husband and I chose a car tour over a horse tour. At the Gettysburg Convention and Visitor's Bureau, we met our licensed tour guide Jack Wise. Jack hopped in our car and said "I'll drive, it's better that way." Jack did not seem like a man you argued with, so off we went for a two hour tour. I know Gilligan took his crew on a three hour tour, so I had visions of being stranded on a monument somewhere on a distant battlefield, with my husband and Jack going on and on discussing the Civil War and neglecting me -- not a pretty picture. As you can see, my mind tends to wander when I am being taught history. Donald, on the other hand, was in the front seat picking Jack's brain, like an eager student on his first day of school.
Jack was a wealth of information and not a bad driver either. He told us a lot of facts and figures, which I had to take notes on, and Donald just absorbed like a paper towel. There are over 16,000 monuments, markers and plaques on the battlefield, and Jack knows everyone by heart. When Donald asked to see the ones honoring Brooklyn, Jack knew just where to go. We learned that New York and Pennsylvania had 78% of the troops here.
The land was acquired by the Parks Department in 1890, but the first monument had already been put up in 1876. At the time of the battle, the whole area was farmland and soldiers were fighting and dying literally in people’s back yards, front yards and farm fields. Again, the startling figure was given of 52,000 Americans dying in three days, compared for instance to 26,000 men dying during 37 days at Iwo Jima. There were also 20,000 wounded soldiers, so almost every house and tavern soon became a mini-hospital. I was taken aback by the tremendous loss of life and the toll of wounded, and thought of the sadness just three days in history could cause.
Jack stopped the car and led us out for a walk around the Pennsylvania Monument-- the largest Civil War monument anywhere in the United States-- the Peace Light and Devil's Den, a large natural rock formation. After two hours, almost to the minute, Jack had us back at our starting point. He is a pro. There are also listening audio car tours available, but if you can, get the individual car tour and ask for Jack.
Lunch was at another Civil War restaurant, The Dobbin House Tavern, built in 1776. In the mid 1800s it was used as a way station for run away slaves, and during the Civil War it was one of the many hospitals. We went down a dark stoned wall entrance and came into a busy bar area. The tables were candlelit, the floors were brick, the furniture was a heavy wood and the ceilings were low with wooden beams. It felt like we were indeed back in time. Fife music played in the background, and I wouldn't have been surprised if a Union general in full uniform had walked in and ordered a lager. The lunch menu was mostly soup and sandwiches. They were good, but the atmosphere was outstanding.
After lunch we toured The Rupp House History Center, built originally in 1863. In 1868 most of the house was torn down and rebuilt, and in 2002 it was opened to the public as a free museum. There are three rooms of interactive displays and hands-on exhibits that both young children and adults can enjoy. I loved the way period furniture was turned into actual displays. Whenever I opened a drawer, I found a quiz or a game to try.
Every house in this area has a story to tell, and this one is no different. Rupp was a civilian who tried to hold onto his family home, even as it was being taken over by soldiers from both armies.
Next on our agenda was a wonderful presentation called “Mr. Lincoln Returns to Gettysburg,” at the Battle Theater. This is a staged production featuring James Getty as our 16th President. Mr. Getty, a great look a like for Abe, has been portraying him in the area since 1978. In a casual conversational tone, Getty talks to the audience as he tells tales of his youth and his life leading up to his time in Gettysburg. He was so believable that I felt a little mesmerized by him, convinced he must be a distant relative of Mr. Lincoln. So far we have learned about the Civil War through a diorama, our guided tour, museum interactive displays, and now a theatrical piece. I was finally putting it all into perspective.
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Gettysburg Diorama showng the Brooklyn 14th | |
Off to the Schriver House Museum, built in 1860. This museum, in the heart of the historic district, gives a voice to the civilians experience during the Civil War period. The home belonged to George and Hettie Schriver. A tour by period guides took us through the four floors of the home, which remains much the same as it was in 1860. George, the son of a farmer, decided to open a saloon in the basement, complete with a ten pin bowling alley in the back. I had no idea that our concept of bowling went that far back. In any case, right after George and his wife set up both their house and their business, George enlisted as most able bodied men did. Two years went by as Hattie struggled to take care of her family alone. By June 30th 1863, they thought the war was nearing an end, and that they were safe. But July 1st 9 A.M., the canon fire was so bad that Hettie decided to leave her beloved home to try to head to her father's farm for safety. She went from the frying pan to the fire, as far as the battle was concerned. By now, the Schriver home was now housing over one hundred wounded soldiers, with amputated arms and legs as high as the garden wall.
On the seventh day, the Schrivers attempted to return home. This must have been the 9/11 of their time. Houses were destroyed, and dead bodies were festering in the sun along with 5,000 dead horses. Food was gone, the water was contaminated, and the odor was horrendous. Stories tell of how the odor lingered until the frost of the following November. Hettie found her house was still being used as a hospital.
George finally made it home in December 1863, but was only able to stay four days. He was assigned to return to duty in Virginia on Dec. 29, but was captured in January and died in captivity a few months later. George never came back to his beautiful home, his business, or his family. It took Hettie a full year to even find out that George had died. They had two daughters, both of whom died before the age of 21 of consumption. The story's sad “twisting of fate” gives us insight into the human side of the battle.
We ate that night at The Fairfield Inn, built in 1757. It is one of America's oldest continually operated inns, serving travelers for over 247 years. Built 19 years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the inn is steeped in history and has played host to many famous guests, such as Patrick Henry, General Robert E. Lee, and the Eisenhowers. We began our meal with the coconut shrimp and the breaded basket, containing deep fried mushrooms, cheese sticks, cauliflower and onion rings. All filled with calories, but tasty and worth going off a diet for.
Don always tries to sample house specialties. That night he opted for St. Michael, a jumbo lump crab cake, with shrimp, chicken and scallops, baked in a dill sauce. Don ate every crumb, so I guess it was good. I was equally happy with Fairfield's famous chicken and biscuits, which claimed to be from a traditional old family recipe. The menu said that they serve two tons of this annually. That's a lot of cholesterol.
It was now past 8 o’clock in the evening, but our touring was still not done. We were scheduled for a Ghost Tour. I told you that Gettysburg is proficient at telling the story of three days in every way imaginable. There are a few of these nightly tours around town. We met our guide to the spirits on a street corner. He was dressed in period garb and held a lantern. For the next hour and a half, we walked around the town with him as he told stories, both historical and folk lore. He was a teller of tales, and listening to his stories on a beautiful star filled night was a great way to end a day in Gettysburg.
After, the tour, we headed back to our hotel room and collapsed. Donald dreamt of battlefields and generals, as gunfire roaring in his head.
Part 1
Part 2
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