JULY 2010
Editors Letter
As the anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg approaches, those of us at The Gettysburg Experience are eager to bring you the 157th issue of our publication in historic Adams County, Pennsylvania. We never run out of ideas for articles for the magazine, because there are so many compelling stories to share from the Colonial era through the 20th century that happened in and around the village of Gettysburg.
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"Our Bravest Men": Remembering Pickett's Charge
Whenever the famous battle of Gettysburg is studied, the epic, climactic moment of that fight, Pickett’s Charge, must be remembered. Here, in their own words, the combatants of that final struggle on the fields of Pennsylvania have chronicled their memories of that fateful Friday, July 3, 1863.
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Robert Lee Hodge's Gettysburg
You have seen Robert Lee Hodge someplace before.
He may have been that especially convincing Reb you noticed while watching the movie Gettysburg. Or perhaps he was the re-enactor in the Remembrance Day parade who looked as if maybe, just maybe, he was a real Confederate who had somehow slipped through time to join his regiment.
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"How I Dread Tomorrow!" Gettysburg Neighbors Recall the Battle
On June 26, 1863 ten-year-old Charles McCurdy ran as fast as he could down to the end of his street. A crowd of older men and young boys like himself had already gathered there, watching the view before them on Seminary Ridge. The marching of the Southern army into lower Chambersburg Street, and the accompanying sounds of the firing of pistols, were too much for any young boy. “I waited only for the front line to come into view,” he recalled, “making record time for home…and stationing myself on the front porch, watched the spectacular entry.” He later compared what he described as “a leisurely and gentle entry” by the Confederates into his home town, “as if it were a wild west show.”1
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"Our Fervent Hope": Echoes of the Last Reunion
When Gettysburg’s Grand Reunion of 1913 came to a close, many newspapers touted it as the “Last Reunion of the Blue and Gray.” The state of Pennsylvania nevertheless issued an invitation to the veterans of the North and South to return in 25 years for another, final, reunion at Gettysburg. Most believed it would not happen, scoffing at the invitation as “impossible”, since the veterans of the Civil War were already elderly by 1913. As the years passed and the aged soldiers grew to relatively few in number, plans for the reunion for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg were nearly scrapped, as one detractor claimed “there would be too few veterans left.” Moreover, those who remained would be so aged – most of them in their nineties and some centenarians – they would be too feeble to attend.1
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JUNE 2010
Editors Letter
As summer draws near to historic Gettysburg, we at The Gettysburg Experience magazine approach the beginning of 14 years serving the residents of and visitors to Adams County, Pennsylvania. To help our readers commemorate and enjoy the month of June, we offer our updated Calendar of Events, for the latest happenings -- which are many -- in the area this month.
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Cora Hatman: A Gettysburg Orignial
Gettysburg College, formerly known as Pennsylvania College, has excelled for 178 years in education and historical significance. Established in 1832 by Dr. Samuel Simon Schmucker for the purpose of providing secular education for those who sought higher learning, the liberal arts college created another milestone in the spring of 1894. It was during that time that two women, the first of the institution, graduated along with the young men. The first was Cora Hartman, the daughter of John and Catherine Hartman.one.
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Totem Pole Playhouse Celebrates 60 Years
It all started because a group of lease holders in the wilderness of the Michaux State Forest wanted summer entertainment for themselves and their fellow vacationers. In 1951 it was called the Michaux Community Theater. The following season this successful summer theater was renamed Totem Pole Playhouse – and history was made.
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Culp's Hill: Forgotten Battlefield
Gettysburg is, and always should be, famous throughout the world for the battle that was fought in her fields, hills, and ridges in the summer of 1863. Little Round Top, Devil’s Den, and Pickett’s Charge immediately spring to memory as the High Tide of the Confederacy is reverently recalled. Yet, there is a place at Gettysburg that is far less visited than these high profile areas; a hill where heavy casualties were incurred, and an equally important part of the fight was waged in the late evening of July 2 and the following morning of July 3, 1863. Culp’s Hill, which served as the Union right flank during the Battle of Gettysburg, is a nearly forgotten part of the epic battle that shaped the future of the nation.
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D-Day in Gettysburg
Sunday, June 6, 2010 is the 66th anniversary of the D-Day Invasion, the turning point of World War II. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who made Gettysburg his home after that war, was the commander of this most pivotal of battles, as well as its orchestrator.
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Cafe St. Amand
Let’s face it – the French really know how to cook. From hearty breads and onion soup to savory crepes and chocolate mousse, the bistros of Paris and inns from Bordeaux to Alsace provide the best of haute cuisine. Café St. Amand, located at 48 Baltimore Street, just one block from the Square, brings a taste of Paris to the heart of downtown Gettysburg, offering patrons the best in fine dining for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
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"Time Will Never Tell"
In all, men from 18 Union states and 11 Confederate states struggled for their respective countries and their lives at Gettysburg. Yet, one Union state actually sent her sons to fight for the Confederacy as well – and this was never more visible than at the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg.
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A Quest Fulfilled
Colonel James Herbert was a gentleman farmer from Maryland who traded his plow for a sword when the Civil War erupted in 1861. Present at the Battle of First Manassas, he noticed a Union officer mortally wounded in the fray. The day was hot, the fight chaotic, but Herbert managed to reach the dying soldier and gently pulled him into the shade to make his last moments more comfortable.
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MAY 2010
Editors Letter
May has arrived in historic Gettysburg and we at The Gettysburg Experience are ready to celebrate the new month by bringing you our newest supply of interesting articles, savory recipes, and our recently updated Calendar of Events.
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Two Gettysburg Girls
Two mothers, who had been girls during the Battle of Gettysburg, often shared their experiences with their children and other family members of the younger generation. One of them, Lydia Zeigler Clare, remembered, “My children have long been urging me to give them in a short story my experience in the battle.” The other, Mary Elizabeth Monfort Melchoir, affirmed that her children, and nieces and nephews, insisted that she write down such an important chapter of American history. These two Gettysburg girls, at ages 12 and 13 in 1863, have recorded their summer that year – a most unforgettable July if there ever was one.
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The King James Gallery
Gettysburg is hallowed ground, and it will always inspire artists who visit its rolling hills and now quiet fields. The King James Gallery, Gettysburg’s newest art gallery, has recently opened its doors at 15 Baltimore Street, just a half block north of Lincoln Square.
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From China to Gettysburg
American history is much more diverse than we realize. At the Battle of Gettysburg, there were many soldiers from varied nationalities who fought there: Irish, Norwegian, Polish, French, and Italian. A little known fact is that there were two soldiers from a land much farther and more ancient than the rest. Joseph Pierce and John Tommey* were Union soldiers who fought valiantly in the pivotal battle. Their names belie the fact that both were full-blooded Chinese men. Joseph was born in Canton, China in 1841. John was also born in China, and as an immigrant resided in New York City when the war began.1
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Unbounded by Time: Jeremiah Gage and Gettysburg
During the Civil War, institutions of higher learning throughout the land contributed their fair share of soldiers to both the Union and the Confederacy. Comprised mainly of students or recent graduates of the University of Mississippi in Oxford, the University Greys were among the most famous of these scholarly outfits. The young men from “Ole Miss” became Company A of the 11th Mississippi Infantry, a regiment that would go on to earn a distinguished place in the annals of American military history. On the final day at Gettysburg, this unit suffered more casualties than any other regiment in the Army of Northern Virginia.
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A Man's Fate, A Town's Tradition
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania was one of the first places in America to officially recognize the holiday, originally known as Decoration Day. A commemoration of those who were slain in the Civil War, the name was given to this special day because the living showed their remembrance by placing flowers on the graves of the dead. Now known as Memorial Day, the holiday is a commemoration of all who have passed before us, with special attention to those who fought for liberty at home or abroad.
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APRIL 2010
Editors Letter
April has arrived at last in historic Gettysburg, and those of us at The Gettysburg Experience welcome the warmth of spring. We celebrate the new month with an array of interesting articles, delicious recipes, and our newly updated Calendar of Events.
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Battlefield Art
Gettysburg is the most memorialized battlefield in the world. Thousands of monuments, markers, and statues fill its massive acreage. “These grounds are doubly sacred,” said one of the generals who fought here, “from the memory of our brethren who lie here.”1
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Brothers Against Brothers, Friend to Friend, Freemasons at Gettysburg
For Sheldon Munn, the Friend to Friend Masonic Memorial literally began as a dream. The Mason, former park guide and author of Freemasons at Gettysburg woke one very early morning in 1987 from a vivid dream in which he saw the building of a monument in Gettysburg honoring the brotherhood of the Freemasonry, with an epiphany. “I woke up and said, ‘This is something I have to do,’” Munn remembered.
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Eyewitnesses at Appomattox
The American Civil War was comparatively short in length of other civil wars throughout the ages, a miracle in the cycle of societal history. Yet, this particular war was one of the most sanguine and miserable of conflicts. Though still discussed, and even argued, in the history books and at local round tables, most agree that the end of that war of wars came at a place called Appomattox.
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The Gettysburg Diorama and History Center: 1863 Revisited
When Gettysburg natives Todd Mickley and Craig Redding graduated from high school, the last thing on their minds was local history. Fate, however, intervened years later when Todd paid a visit to Artillery Ridge Campground and met the owner, Jim Kralik. Jim, a New York native who has been intensely interested in Gettysburg since the eighth grade, showed Todd his pride and joy: the Gettysburg Diorama, a scaled down model of the pivotal battle that took place in 1863.
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Two Generals: Meet At Last
Robert E. Lee and George Meade were not that far apart in age. Lee was 56 years old at the time of the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863, and George Meade was 47. They had known each other during the Mexican War, when they both fought on the side of the United States. When they faced each other, years later, at Gettysburg, they did not see one another, except perhaps at a very great distance from across the field during Pickett’s Charge.
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MARCH 2010
Editors Letter
Looking out on a snowy landscape, I am reminded that we are nevertheless lucky to live in historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, even with several feet of the white stuff still on the ground. As we anticipate the speedy arrival of spring, we at The Gettysburg Experience Magazine are glad to bring you our newest issue of interesting articles, delicious recipes, and our updated Calendar of Events. From the Reenactor Appreciation Weekend on March 5-7 through the Gettysburg Bike Show at the end of the month, there are plenty of events to enjoy, many of them on the Irish side!
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A Bucktail to the Rescue
In the winter of 1862, just after the Battle of Fredericksburg, Governor Andrew Curtin of Pennsylvania made a hurried trip to Washington City to dispatch aid for the wounded soldiers of his state. After an interview with President Lincoln and making plans to bring the myriad Pennsylvania wounded to a Washington hospital, Curtin walked back to his hotel through thronging masses of people. A woman approached him, a fellow Pennsylvanian, with a look in her eye of obvious distress.
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Destined for Greatness
With the election of Abraham Lincoln in the autumn of 1860 the clouds of war were already evident on the national horizon, and had been for quite some time. The result was four dark years of fratricidal war where dread and death greeted each day – and tested to agonizing heights the leadership of the man in the White House who, in the ensuing years, has been widely recognized as one of the greatest American Presidents. In the Keystone State there was another who, to a degree, led a parallel political life in fighting the war and leading so capably that he has been described by those who knew him as one of the greatest to ever govern Pennsylvania. He was Andrew Gregg Curtin.
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A Man Named Ireland
Although many Americans can claim an Irish heritage on some level, and many of Irish descent have settled in the Gettysburg area since 1740, there is one man who fought at the Battle of Gettysburg whose last name was Ireland. He was Colonel David Ireland of the 137th New York Infantry.
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The Garryowen
With the approach of St. Patrick’s Day, Gettysburg is a perfect place to celebrate the Irish heritage of those whose ancestors have been living in Adams County for nearly three centuries. At the Garryowen Irish Pub, located at 126 Chambersburg Street, just a block and a half from historic Lincoln Square, the Irish cuisine is just like that of old Eire.
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A Father's Wounded Spirit
A sense of anxiety pervaded the headquarters of the Army of the Potomac throughout the morning of July 3, 1863. At the widow Lydia Leister’s farm, just behind Cemetery Ridge, General George G. Meade and staff listened intently to the continuous roar of musketry that echoed for hours from nearby Culp’s Hill. With the approach of noon the firing finally sputtered away. The right flank of the Union line was secure. With the exception of some desultory shots between the opposing pickets, a peaceful lull settled over the battlefield.
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A Very Green Anniversary
In honor of the month of March it is an interesting coincidence that this year is the 50-year anniversary of one of the most famous “green” books ever published. Before Americans were ever conservation conscious, back in 1960 the color green was gloriously described by a man who just liked to doodle strange creatures and write interesting verse.
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FEBRUARY 2010
Editors Letter
February is always a month to enjoy, provided that a certain Pennsylvania groundhog doesn't see his shadow. We at The Gettysburg Experience are happy to bring you, in this shortest of months, enough interesting articles, delicious recipes, and our updated Calendar of Events to tide you over until the promise of spring -- which is just around the corner!
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Gettysburg's Historic Bridge
Pennsylvania has often been called “The State of Bridges” and Gettysburg boasts one of the most historic spans in the state. In 1852, local builder David Stoner received a contract to build a covered bridge to span Marsh Creek, southwest of the borough of Gettysburg, on land owned by civilian John Pfoutz. Its cost to taxpayers was $1,544.00. It would not be the first, last, longest, or most unusual bridge in the state. Known as Pennsylvania’s most historic bridge, the Sachs Bridge stands as a picturesque reminder of a bygone era.
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Presidential Couples: How They Met
In honor of Presidents’ Day and Valentine’s Day, it is important in studying American history to see that our national leaders are also people who had to make their ways in the world. They faced hardships and broken hearts, most of them married, and most found love in those matches. Of our 44 Presidents (which are really 43, as Grover Cleveland was President #22 and #24), all but one were married, and some were married more than once. Here is a brief description of how each of our United States Presidents met their First Ladies.
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The Horse Soldier
After 30 years on Gettysburg’s historic Baltimore Street, The Horse Soldier has relocated to a more expansive Gettysburg address at 219 Steinwehr Avenue. Owned and operated by the Small family, The Horse Soldier is one of Gettysburg’s longest running business establishments. “We’ve come a long way from the days when Chet sold artifacts pulled from beneath the family room sofa,” explained office manager Dana Diehl. For many years the Smalls bought and sold valuable Civil War memorabilia from their home near the Peach Orchard. When Chet’s wife, Pat, finally tired of the myriad items cluttering her home, Chet built a barnand sold his relics from it for many years. In 1980 the Smalls moved their business to Old Gettysburg Village, where the establishment thrived for three decades. The move to a more spacious building on Steinwehr Avenue shows that The Horse Soldier continues its great success that began with one man’s interest in the artifacts he found on his own property a century after the guns fell silent in Pennsylvania’s most historic town.
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Winfield Scott Hancock: Born to be a Soldier
February 14, 1824 was a cool and blustery Valentine’s Day, and as is usual in the mid-Atlantic region, there was the promise of snow. James Monroe was in the White House. The Missouri Compromise had become law just a few years before, and ending slavery was already being discussed between England and the United States. In eastern Pennsylvania, a few miles north of Norristown, Pennsylvania, twin sons were born to Benjamin Franklin Hancock and his lovely wife, Elizabeth. Since the scholarly school master and future barrister was named after an American icon, he felt that he should name his sons after those whom he admired. The first he named after the great War of 1812 commander General Winfield Scott, and the second he named after his friend Hilary Baker. A few years later, another boy child, John Hancock, was born to the couple. The close-knit husband and wife loved all three sons, but their eldest, Winfield Scott Hancock, showed amazing promise, and was his father’s favorite.1
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JANUARY 2010
Editors Letter
Another year and a new decade begin in historic Gettysburg. To help you ring in the new year, those of us at The Gettysburg Experience are eager to bring you a fine selection of interesting articles, delicious recipes, and our updated Calendar of Events. There is always something wonderful going on in Adams County, which celebrates its 110th anniversary on January 18th. To see what's happening this month, check out our Calendar.
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Time Tested Resolutions: From Penn's Pen
Abraham Lincoln once gave advice to a young man who wanted to be a lawyer. “If you are resolutely determined to make a lawyer of yourself,” he wrote, “the thing is more than half done already…Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing.” As the coming of the New Year inspires us to resolve and achieve a better way of life for the future, it would be wise to glean advice from those who have come before us. Here are a few excerpts from the book Some Fruits of Solitude published in 1693 by the well-traveled and well-experienced founder of Pennsylvania, William Penn:
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Yesterday or Today? Life in Year 1910
A century seems a long time, and yet, using another perspective, it could be considered a short one. The year 1910 seems as near to us as it seems far away in the annals of history. A look back to 1910 shows an interesting dichotomy of the past and the present – for some things change, and some things,quite eerily, remain the same.
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The Man from Londonderry: The story of Alexander Dobbin
As early as 1721, settlers were beginning to inhabit the area of dense woods, rich soil and abundant creeks and springs known as central Pennsylvania. Invited to share in the new colony by the benevolent Quaker William Penn, people from Germany, Ireland, Scotland, Holland, and Scandinavia flocked to the pristine woodlands west of Philadelphia. By the mid-1700s the Manor of Maske had been sectioned off as a sterling area especially fitted for the Penn descendants. After the death of William Penn, his surviving sons decided to remain in England. They sold off portions of the massive land area that Charles II had bestowed upon their father – and a substantial portion of it became, eventually, the Borough of Gettysburg. While men like Sam and James Gettys have made history in the beginnings of this historic town, there is another whose name is always mentioned in the periphery of old documents, a man who owned much property and who was instrumental in establishing Gettysburg as the busy crossroads town and county seat that it became. He was as benevolent as William Penn, as judicious as James Gettys, and as patriotic as any who ever lived. He was the Reverend Alexander Dobbin.
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From the Ike Files: An Influenza Advisory
During the year 1918, the influenza epidemic raged across the world, killing millions of people. In fact, the casualties of World War I and the flu epidemic combined to cause the deaths of over 50 million people in one year. Many soldiers in the field, and those in training camps like Camp Colt in Gettysburg, succumbed to the flu by the thousands. The following memorandum was from the surgeon general on how to avoid contracting the dreaded disease. The date was October 5, 1918, but is just as timely and crucial today:
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DECEMBER 2009
Editors Letter
The holiday season has arrived, and there is no better place to celebrate than historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. As the year 2009 winds to a close and families near and far begin to decorate their Christmas trees, we at The Gettysburg Experience are eager to help enhance the holiday mood with a selection of articles, recipes, and our Calendar of Events. There are some great events this month to help make the season bright, you won't want to miss them!
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Eisenhower Christmases
Mamie Eisenhower was well known for many things – her signature bangs, her love of the color pink, joy in her grandchildren, and her fondness for holidays. When she and her beloved Ike purchased their Gettysburg farm, Mamie was determined to make it a place she could finally call her own.
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A Fitting Memorial
At Christmastime, more than any other, Americans remember loved ones who are not able to be with them for the holiday season. During the Civil War, packages were sent to the soldiers in the field, letting those far away know that they were not forgotten. After the war ended, toasts were made to the empty chair for the soldier who did not return. Relics and remembrances were held in loving tribute by families for the slain who would, sadly, never come back.1
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Just Jennifer Celebrates
When Jennifer LeVan was in the second grade, she saw a children’s book with the title Just Jennifer and was thrilled beyond description. “Back then the name Jennifer wasn’t all that common,” explained Jen’s friend and gallery director Jennifer Terry. The memory of that title stayed with her, and ten years ago she opened a shop in Gettysburg with that name. Just Jennifer, an eclectic gift shop and art gallery that has gifts and corresponding prices to suit any budget, is found in the heart of downtown, at 33 York Street. It is literally filled with two stories and six rooms of wonderful “very cool stuff” that ranges from traditional to modern, from classic to arty, and from tiny to room-filling huge – it truly has something for everyone on your holiday gift list.
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Remembering Pearl Harbor: A Solemn and Similar Anniversary
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania is known as the turning point of the American Civil War, the pastoral crossroads town that for three days knew war as few would ever witness it. Far away and decades later in the Hawaiian Islands another town, as unlike Gettysburg as possible, witnessed that same horror. Yet, like Gettysburg, it too proved a turning point in our history, as “Remember Pearl Harbor” became the rallying cry for mass enlistments. In studying the two, one a bona-fide Civil War battle, the other a surprise attack on an American territory not yet at war – one finds that the two events are actually as similar as they are different.
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Did You Know
There is a Christmas carol that has its roots in the Civil War, and specifically the Battle of Gettysburg. The noted poet and abolitionist, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, faced a difficult Christmas morning on December 25, 1863. He had arisen early and heard the church bells toll in his native Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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5 Easy Gifts
With the economic crunch and with unemployment overshadowing the coming holiday season, many of us want to better watch the purse strings this year. In doing so, we are actually following the traditions of Christmases past, when just a few small gifts were placed upon the tree or the mantelpiece in the stockings that were hung over the chimney. This year, why not give a gift that really shows the personal touch? For just a little bit of time, and we all know that time is especially precious during the holiday season, you can save money and show your most caring side at the same time.
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NOVEMBER 2009
Editors Letter
As the seasons change and the holidays draw near, November is a great time to be in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Abraham Lincoln visited here on November 19, 1863 and changed history with his immortal Gettysburg Address. This month's issue of The Gettysburg Experience is largely dedicated to Lincoln's day in Gettysburg, and other notable events of the month that we remember as grateful Americans. Be sure to check out our updated Calendar of Events for the many happenings during this commemorative month.
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A Lincoln Proclamation
Each year, when American families sit down to eat their Thanksgiving feast, the historical figures that most likely come to mind are the pilgrims and the Indians. The well known narratives of history books have explained that the Native Americans saved their newly arrived friends from across the Atlantic from starvation, and they feasted in the fall of 1620. While this is true, it is not the only reason – for the proclamation that made Thanksgiving a national holiday was given much, much later, in the midst of the Civil War.
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24 Hours: A President's Day
From sunset on a mild Wednesday evening through a sunny and temperate Thursday, November 19, 1863; Gettysburg, Pennsylvania was a place of epic significance. Those scant 24 hours, it could be said, changed the history of the world. For the duration of that single day, a President came to Gettysburg for the simple reason that he had been invited there and felt it necessary to come. His “few, appropriate remarks”, given to dedicate the nation’s first national cemetery, are still inspiring today. And, it could be argued, that while the Battle of Gettysburg was the fight that saved our nation, Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address cemented that salvation by galvanizing the resolve of the people to keep a nation alive. 1Read More >
Gettysburg Frame Shop
Civil War art is appreciated all over the world, but never more so than in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. One of the longest standing galleries in the historic town is Gettysburg Frame Shop & Gallery, located at 17 Chambersburg Street, just a half block west of Lincoln Square. Read More >
Gettysburg Events Honor Lincoln
Although many U.S. Presidents have visited Gettysburg (and two of them lived here for a time), probably the Commander-In-Chief most historically linked with the famous Pennsylvania town is Abraham Lincoln. He spent less than 24 hours in the Borough of Gettysburg, from the evening of November 18 to the evening of November 19, 1863; yet his presence here can still be felt.
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Garlach Family
It was just after dawn on July 1, 1863 when 18-year-old Anna Garlach finished her breakfast and morning chores. The house was still quiet as she went outside to the garden to pick vegetables for the dinner her mother was planning to cook that evening. It was to be a special dinner for Union soldiers who had recently arrived in the Garlach’s hometown of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.1
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The Historic Gatehouse
The Cemetery Gatehouse that marks the entrance of the town’s Evergreen Cemetery introduces the area that gave Cemetery Hill its historic name. The cemetery was established in 1854, just nine years before the Battle of Gettysburg made the formerly quiet, final resting place a battle site. The Gatehouse was occupied by the Thorn family in 1863, when war came to the town of Gettysburg. The caretaker of the cemetery, Peter Thorn, had enlisted in the war and was away fighting in Virginia. It was his wife, Elizabeth, who bore the horrors of battle along with her young children and aged parents during the summer of 1863.
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Remebrance Day
Since Abraham Lincoln came to Gettysburg, the act of remembering the fallen of the historic battle here has been foremost on the minds of the citizens of Gettysburg. Since the end of the war, men of renown have been invited to Pennsylvania’s crossroads town each November to recreate the day in which President Lincoln uttered his immortal address.
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The Last Soldier
November 11 is Veteran’s Day, a day of remembrance for those who have fought to preserve our liberty and for the oppressed from the four corners of the earth. The date is preserved from November 11, 1918 – the day the fighting ceased on the Western Front, between the German, Belgian and French borders, finally ending World War I.
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OCTOBER 2009
Editors Letter
Autumn has arrived; and we at The Gettysburg Experience think that October is one of the best months of the year to be in historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Many wonderful events take place in the area this time of year, beginning with our annual Apple Harvest Festival to the equally annual and memorable Halloween Parade near the end of the month.
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A Lincoln Peculiarity
Abraham Lincoln is undoubtedly one of the most studied personalities in U.S. history. More books have been written concerning his life, his beliefs and his stances, his tragedies and his accomplishments than any other President. It is rare indeed to discover new information about the Great Emancipator, but recently a letter has surfaced in the Lincoln Library in Springfield, Illinois that sheds at least one beam of new light on this most enigmatic of American icons. It illuminates an interesting and sometimes annoying habit that Lincoln practiced throughout his life.
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Segway Tours
When Bob Velke and his wife took a beach tour on the island of St. Martin a few years ago, he did not know it would change his life. Coasting across the sand on a Segway Personal Transporter, Bob was hooked. “I loved it,” he says. “Two weeks later, I owned a Segway.”Read More >
Remembering Ike: A Journey to Abilene
Many years have passed since October 14, 1890, when a son, the third of seven, was born to David and Ida Eisenhower in Denison Texas. Our 34th Commander-in-Chief was one of seven brothers, and one of only two West Point graduates to occupy the White House (the other was Ulysses S. Grant). His life’s journey took him all over the world – from the jungles of the Philippines to the ivied halls of Britain to the shores of Normandy. Yet, when searching for a place to live, Ike and his beloved Mamie chose the quiet historic town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The pastoral setting of his farm, known as the Reading farm, south of the borough reminded him of the place where he grew to manhood in Abilene, Kansas. Read More >
Adelbert Ames: Sailor, Soldier, and Survivor
April 12, 1933, was an interesting day in history, though most American citizens did not realize it. It was just another spring day in the middle of the Great Depression, the main issue of the time. A new President, FDR, had recently moved into the White House.
The date was synonymous with the onset of Civil War, when Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter 72 years earlier. It was also just one day after another historic event – the surrender of Lee’s army at Appomattox 68 years ago. Few were left to remember those dark days in American history, and until that day in 1933, only one major general from either side remained. He was a stalwart man who had led an amazing life, and when he died on April 12, 1933, he was nearly a century in age. He had traveled the world as a young seaman, was a capable West Point graduate, a brave soldier, and an even braver statesman during the troubled days of Reconstruction. He was the last surviving Civil War general, Adelbert Ames. Read More >
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SEPTEMBER 2009
Editors Letter
It hardly seems possible that autumn is drawing near and it is time to go back to school once again. As summer winds down and the harvest approaches, we at The Gettysburg Experience bring you our monthly offering of interesting articles, delicious recipes, and our updated Calendar of Events to make your September more memorable.
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Lincoln's Luck
The intricacies of Abraham Lincoln’s legacy are legion – and, with over 50,000 books written about the man, it appears that just about everything that can be known about him is found in the pages of the phalanx of titles. Yet, Abraham Lincoln is one of the most enigmatic of our U.S. Presidents, and many blanks emerge when searching certain episodes of his life. There is at least one theory about our 16th President that is commonly accepted that might not be exactly, or thoroughly, true: that he was unlucky. The many political losses, the untimely deaths of three of his four sons (two while he lived),and his tragic assassination at Ford’s Theater just as the theaters of the Civil War were closing support this claim. However, upon closer inspection, one might make the argument that, for much of his life, Lincoln was actually quite lucky; and might have died a total of seven times sooner than he did. Here are some of the close calls in past episodes of his amazing life: Read More >
Lion Potter
Historic Pennsylvania has always yielded a bountiful life for those who are fortunate enough to live here. David and Junco Young, owners of The Lion Potter, found just behind the Round Tops at 855 Taneytown Road, have discovered just how great life can be. The couple and their four sons (Irvin, Elisha, Caleb, and Kagen) have blended the perfect combination of artistry and life on the farm with their business, now completing five years in Gettysburg.Read More >
When Seconds Seemed Hours
The fighting that swirled around Devil’s Den was as chaotic as the jumbled landscape that characterized the area. Smoke and flames arose from the rocky chasms, which, accompanied by the fiendish yells of the combatants, resembled a scene from the bowels of the earth. Southern troops from Texas, Arkansas, Alabama, and Georgia grappled with Brigadier General Hobart Ward’s brigade for possession of this forlorn patch of real estate that had no particular value prior to that day. The key to the position was a narrow, rocky ridge crest above the Den where a four-gun battery, commanded by Captain James Smith, blasted away at the onrushing Confederates. Fighting next to the 4th Maine regiment near the left flank of Ward’s line, the 99th Pennsylvania stood resolutely at their position. Read More >
Sons of September
In studying the lives of the Union and Confederate commanders at Gettysburg, a sizeable number of the myriad officers were born during the winter months, from December through February. Many more entered the world in the spring and summer – but relatively few were born during the month of September. However, some of those commanders who were born during that month were memorable indeed. Here are ten of Gettysburg’s Sons of September: Read More >
Recipes, Yesterday, & Today >
AUGUST 2009
Editors Letter
As the dog days of summer are once again upon us, we at The Gettysburg Experience are eager to bring you another issue of interesting articles, delicious recipes, and our updated Calendar of Events for the month of August, for those living in or visiting historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. To check out the happenings this month, and in the months to come, take a look at our Calendar. Read More >
Did You Know?
Waging battle is never enjoyable, but during the stifling days of summer, the heat was unbearable for the combatants during the Battle of Gettysburg in early July 1863. Records kept by Gettysburg (formerly Pennsylvania) College show that on July 2, 1863 the weather read 85 degrees in the shade at 2 p.m. on the college grounds. Read More >
Gone With The Wind & Gettysburg
“Crowds formed at the depot, hoping for news from incoming trains, at the telegraph office, in front of the harried headquarters, before the locked doors of the newspapers…They all waited to hear the news that death had come to their homes. They expected death. They did not expect defeat.”1
Such a narrative could have penned with historic accuracy an editorial or article of any newspaper in the North or South during the dreadful years of the American Civil War. The account reports the early days of July, in 1863, at the train depot in Atlanta, Georgia. It is a page from Margaret Mitchell’s epic novel, Gone With The Wind.
Read More >
Harrison:The Elusive Agent
He excelled at his job – so much that even the most illustrious of Civil War historians have had difficulty finding his true identity. Reaching mainstream fame with the publication of Michael Shaara’s historical novel The Killer Angels in 1974 and the production of the movie Gettysburg in 1993; the man known simply as Harrison has eluded history almost as well as he did the Army of the Potomac. For decades, no one knew the fate of Longstreet’s valued scout, a man who was instrumental in bringing about the epic Battle of Gettysburg in the summer of 1863. At last, he has been found. Read More >
He Walked All The Way Home
Just prior to the Battle of Gettysburg, Private Benjamin Franklin Felts of the 3rd Virginia Infantry expressed trepidation for his first cousin, Richard A. Felts, who served in the regimental color guard. “I wish you wouldn’t do it,” he implored. “We’ve had enough killed in the family.” But his cousin averred, “I’ll do anything I can to bring this war to an end.”1
During the spring of 1861, Benjamin signed up with the Southampton Greys at Jerusalem (present day Courtland), the county seat of Southampton County, Virginia. The Greys later were designated as Company D, the 3rd Virginia Infantry. As it often happened during the Civil War, Benjamin’s younger brother, William, followed in his footsteps and joined the same regiment. At the same time, 20-year-old Richard Felts, Benjamin’s cousin, joined the Rough and Ready Guards, Company G, 3rd Virginia Infantry. At least seven members of the Felts family served with the Army of Northern Virginia.Read More >
Profile: The Gettysburg Museum of History
There is a new museum in town, and it is a good one. The Gettysburg Museum of History recently opened its doors at 219 Baltimore Street. Owner and curator Erik Dorr owns thousands of artifacts, documents, and collectible memorabilia, kept by his family for many generations. Much of it was gleaned shortly after the Battle of Gettysburg by his great-great grandfather, Gettysburg resident Frederick Peffer, who lived during the battle near the Bliss Farm. Like his history-loving progenitor, Erik has continued collecting interesting items throughout his life. Yet, The Gettysburg Museum of History extends far beyond the Civil War – it is a showcase of the American past, blending American political and military history that tells the unique story of our nation’s journey, from 1776 through the Cold War and Vietnam. Read More >
They Knew Lincoln
With the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth in 2009, there has been a resurgence of interest in our nation’s 16th President throughout America and the world. In the two hundred years since his birth, many people have wanted to know more about the man who raised himself from the dregs of poverty to govern the greatest nation on earth during its most fiery trial. Many claimed an acquaintance with Abraham Lincoln, but in the near century and a half since he left us, Lincoln is still quite mysterious. Still, to learn what we can about such an intriguing historical figure, it is often best to read what his contemporaries have written about him. Here are a few quotes from those who knew him well: Read More >
Profile: Civil War Fine Arts
As a child, growing up during the centennial commemoration of the Civil War, artist Amy Lindenberger became enthralled with this unique and disconcerting chapter in American history. That passion, combined with her talent for art, has resulted in her equally unique gallery, Civil War Fine Art, located at 333 Baltimore Street in historic Gettysburg.Read More >
Recipes, Yesterday, & Today >
JULY 2009
Editors Letter
July has arrived in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; and it is an anniversary month for those of us at The Gettysburg Experience as well as for this historic town. To celebrate and commemorate, we offer several articles that we hope will be as interesting for you as they were for us. Going back to the beginning of the nation, we learned that Pennsylvania played a large role in the signing of the Declaration of Independence -- in fact, the future Keystone State had more signers than any other of the 13 original colonies. Read about our nine signers. And, just one hundred years ago, a New Jersey woman passed through Pennsylvania making history herself. Learn what happened during "The Summer of 1909." Read More >
The Pennsylvania Signers
Did you know that, of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, Pennsylvania had more delegates sign the document than those of any other of the original thirteen colonies? In addition, Pennsylvania gave our nation the eldest signer, the first signer to die, the signer who was the financial brains behind the funding of the Revolution, the signer who was named as one of the first justices of the Supreme Court, and the signer who introduced George Washington to flag maker Betsy Ross. In honor of the celebration of the birth of America, here are the signers of our nation’s most revered document from the Keystone State: Read More >
Profile: Lincoln's Lost Treasure
Everyone loves a mystery – especially an historic one. Lincoln’s Lost Treasure is a new reality theater adventure in Gettysburg that focuses on the town’s most famous visitor, Abraham Lincoln.
Writer Phil Cohen, who has been a producer and director for murder mystery dinner theater in York for several years, got the idea for Lincoln’s Lost Treasure after seeing the movie National Treasure II, disappointed that the film didn’t focus more on Abraham Lincoln. The 16th President, a rather mysterious man in real life, has always interested those who study American history. Soon Phil came up with a fictitious story (with an historical balance) about a supposed treasure Lincoln brought to Gettysburg in 1863. According to the story, Lincoln brought the treasure to hide in Gettysburg in case he was not reelected for his second term, and didn’t want excessive funds to fall into the wrong hands and perpetuate the destruction of the nation. His fears were quelled when he won reelection, but unfortunately Lincoln was assassinated before the treasure could be returned to the government. Read More >
Profile: The Pottery Box
Downtown Gettysburg boasts an abundance of quaint shops within easy walking distance of historic Lincoln Square. The Pottery Box, a colorful and unique shop located at 23 Chambersburg Street, a mere half-block from the Square, offers a fine selection of unique and varied gifts that range from a dollar to those that are more costly. The store is owned by ETL Express Services and is operated aby Henry and Laura Fernandez, who opened the shop in the summer of 2008. “Our store is an outlet for many local artists,” Laura says. It is certainly one of the most colorful places in town as well, with original oil paintings, sculptures, pottery, candles, jewelry, and more to showcase the area’s many talented artists. Read More >
Did You Know? The Summer of 1909
One hundred years ago, during the summer of 1909, Alice Huyler Ramsey of Hackensack, New Jersey, traveled through the Borough of Gettysburg. She was in the process of making history in her new Maxwell automobile. Having departed New York City in her car, she and a female companion were determined to drive to San Francisco in the first cross country trip made by a woman. Alice succeeded, arriving in California fifty-nine days after leaving New York across muddy trails, partially constructed dirt roads, and over mountains – sometimes pushing her Maxwell out of the muck and over rocks and debris to make the journey.Read More >
Gettysburg's Fallen Star
The Battle of Gettysburg is forever etched in the pages of history as “the High Tide of the Confederacy”. It was also the most destructive battle that ever involved American troops. Gettysburg proved costliest in the life’s blood of its soldiers, including general officers. During the three-day conflict at Gettysburg, thirty-two general officers were casualties of the battle, sixteen of them fatally. Though the battle ended in a victory for the Union, of the thirty-two generals who fell, sixteen of them were loyal to the Union, sixteen to the Confederacy. Of the sixteen generals who were slain in battle or died of mortal wounds inflicted at Gettysburg, eight were Federals, eight were Confederates. Read More >
A Georgia Vet at Gettysburg
In July, 1913, 50 years after the Battle of Gettysburg, over 50,000 veterans attended a Grand Reunion in the same fields where they had struggled so valiantly for the future of their country. There were tents erected in massive camps. Restaurants and grocers catered meals, and many events were planned for the days of July 1 through July 4. Between the events, the veterans took time to explore the battlefield and visit with one another. Here is one veteran’s story: Read More >
Recipes, Yesterday, & Today >
JUNE 2009
The New Jersey Brigade
The First New Jersey Brigade, also known as Kearny’s New Jersey Brigade, is the name given to the Civil War unit that consisted of four New Jersey Union regiments: the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 15th. Serving in the Union Sixth Corps of the Army of the Potomac, the brigade saw action from the first battle of the war until its end at Appomattox in 1865.
When Lincoln called for volunteers to put down what he considered a rebellion in April 1861, New Jersey was asked to fill a quota of three regiments of infantry to fulfill a three month term of enlistment. By May that year, recruitments began taking place all over the Garden State, headed by Mexican War veteran Philip Kearny. Read More >
Profile: The Carriage House: Friendly, Elegant, and Fabulous
In the foothills of the Catoctin Mountains, just a short drive south of Gettysburg is the town of Emmitsburg, Maryland – a village that has a unique history of its own. Home to America’s oldest shrine and the location of the National Fire Academy, Emmitsburg also is the place of an elegant and welcoming restaurant that is filled with old country charm. The Carriage House Inn, located at 200 South Seton Avenue, is housed in an attractive antebellum building that has been serving an ever-growing clientele since 1986. Taking its name from the time when, in the nineteenth century, travelers dined and stayed over, storing their carriages as well, the restaurant continues its perfect blend of history, fine dining and kind hospitality into the 21st century. Read More >
Presidental Partnerships
As the month of June commemorates the most popular time for weddings, it seemed fitting to describe the weddings, marriages, and matrimonial partnerships of some of our nation’s Commanders-In-Chief and their First Ladies. In studying the connection between matrimony and the highest office in the land, it appears that, like most American couples, Presidents and First Ladies had their ups and downs. In choosing these couples, there was just one requirement they needed to have in common – the President had to have visited the village of Gettysburg. Read More >
Profile: The Battle Was Here : Gettysburg's Licensed Town Guides
With the coming of summer, the sight of visitors to historic Gettysburg increases, and so do the questions. A common one is: Where is the battlefield? And the answer is “you’re on it.”
The Battle of Gettysburg was actually an epic, complex and 3-day long conflict, covering thousands of acres both inside and outside the town. The National Park Service offers licensed battlefield guides, who do a wonderful job showing tourists around the battlefield. One of these guides, historian Tim Smith, decided that really only half the story was being told. An idea formed to introduce town guides, licensed like the guides at Gettysburg National Military Park, to teach interested visitors the saga of those who lived through the battle as it unfolded on their doorsteps. Read More >
A Father's Quest
It is unfathomable to attempt to imagine all the misery caused by the death and destruction of the Civil War. In studying military tactics and campaigns – and their subsequent victories and losses from 1861 to 1865; one still remembers that with each death, sorrow came to a mother and father somewhere in the North or South.
Read More >
Did You Know?
George Armstrong Custer first gained fame as a brave and headstrong leader for the Army of the Potomac during the Battle of Gettysburg, when, as the youngest Union general at age 23, he fought gallantly and a bit recklessly during a clash with Confederate cavalry on July 2 and 3, 1863. A trait that is less known about the Federal “boy general” is that he loved animals and had an unusual talent for communicating his friendliness toward them – and they responded in kind. While this was especially true of his horses and pet dogs, the mutual affection between Custer and wildlife was also made apparent in the years after the war. Read More >
Recipes, Yesterday, & Today >
MAY 2009
Mothers at Gettysburg
Sallie Myers, a school teacher who lived with her family during the Battle of Gettysburg, remembered the first sight of blood on the opening day of battle. “A horse was led past our house covered with blood,” she wrote. “The sight sickened me. Then three men came up the street.
The middle one could barely walk. His head had been hastily bandaged and blood was visible. I grew faint with horror. I had never been able to stand the sight of blood. But I was destined to become used to it.” Read More >
Profile: Heritage Pottery
When Jeff and Judy Pearson rescued an old Dutch Colonial homestead located on Rt. 30 near Chambersburg, they did not foresee that saving an abandoned estate from destruction would bring a new life for them as well. The restored 1910 home houses their family’s pottery business (which the Pearsons operate with their children, Elizabeth and Clay) and serves as the perfect place to display their wares. Read More >
Medal of Honor Winners
Did you know that there are two winners of the Congressional Medal of Honor buried in the Soldiers National Cemetery at Gettysburg? One of them holds the rank of General who made Gettysburg his home after the war. The other was a squad commander at the Battle of Gettysburg who helped to defeat General J.E.B. Stuart in the cavalry battle at Gettysburg on the afternoon of July 3, 1863. Read More >
Goodbye to Lincoln
The tragic way in which Abraham Lincoln met his end changed America in a way that even the Civil War had not. The honor and faith in the good of American mankind, a philosophy embraced by Lincoln himself, was forever silenced when John Wilkes Booth shot the President during the play “Our American Cousin” on April 14, 1865. The President died early the next morning. With the war just ending, another ordeal had begun for the people already devastated by four long years of war. Read More >
Taking Care of Her Son
The presence of a mother was an immeasurable comfort to a wounded or dying soldier. Georgeanna Woolsey, a volunteer at the United States Sanitary Commission Lodge east of Gettysburg, warmly remembered “a nice, old German mother” who traveled all the way from Wisconsin to be with her dear boy. Among the items she brought with her was a patchwork bed quilt. “[T]here he lay, all covered up in his quilt, looking so home-like, and feeling so, too, no doubt, with his good old mother close at his side,” wrote Woolsey. Read More >
Remembering Jennie Wade
Jennie Wade is one of Gettysburg’s most famous civilians, because she was given the dubious honor of being the only civilian killed during the Battle of Gettysburg, on the morning of July 3, 1863. By the third day of battle, with nearly 170,000 soldiers having been in the vicinity, food was scarce. Rising early that morning at the home of her sister, Georgia McClellan, Jennie began baking bread at dawn, before the summer heat became too oppressive. By 7:30 a.m., Union soldiers stationed at nearby Cemetery Hill, detected the wonderful aroma of freshly baking bread, and hurried to the McClellan home for a taste. With her own close friend and possible fiancé serving on the field of battle in Virginia, Jennie might have been thinking of him as she offered to bake more bread for the hungry soldiers. Read More >
Buyers Beware
Life is continually becoming more complicated, and as we grow busier, we welcome anything that simplifies our days and shortens any hassles we might encounter. Debit cards, cash machines, and faster methods of paying have become routine in our ever diminishing free time. But buyers beware: as technology eases the time crunch, it has created a new problem: techno thieves. Read More >
Recipes, Yesterday & Today ... Read More >
APRIL 2009
The Life of Calvin Gilbert
In 1838, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania was the host to nearly 2,000 aged veterans at the famed Last Reunion of the Civil War. Most of the Union and Confederate soldiers, along with all of their high command, had long since parted. Of those two thousand men who visited the battlefield during those early summer days, a few of them did not have to travel far. One of them, a veteran of the 87th Pennsylvania Regiment, hailed from Gettysburg and one of four from Adams County, Pennsylvania. In fact, he was the last surviving of Civil War veteran from Gettysburg. His name was Calvin Gilbert. Read More >
Victory in Sight
Journalist Tom Brokaw called them The Greatest Generation. They literally saved the world from dictators and ruin. With each passing day, our World War II veterans grow increasingly few in number, but their heroic deeds can never be forgotten. Read More >
Profile: Hoffman's Bar-B-Que
When Deb Hoffman accepted a smoker oven from a friend that he no longer used, she had no idea that she and her husband, Paul, were beginning a family business. “We tried it out, and served the smoked meat to our friends – and they loved it,” she said. Soon, she tried smoking other meats, and then potatoes and beans – with amazing results. Within a short time, the Hoffmans opened their own restaurant: Hoffman’s Bar-B-Que, and they have never looked back. Read More >
10 Things You Never Knew About the Lincoln Assassination
We all have subjects that interest us. The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln has always held a certain level of fascination for me – and countless others. Beneath the dates and the facts there were, scattered about, many remarkable stories of the people somehow involved in this tragedy. These are not the kind of stories you would necessarily hear in a history class: Read More >
Recipes, Yesterday & Today ... Read More >
MARCH 2009 HEADLINES
A Visit with Mayor Troxell
Since Colonial times, the land that came to be known as the Keystone State has beckoned for those looking for freedom and the pursuit of happiness. In 1765, Richard and Thomas Penn, the sons of William Penn, sold their inherited property from the historic Manor of Maske, and colonists flocked to south central Pennsylvania. Soon the Marsh Creek settlement was formed, with many chief inhabitants that included the patriotic Samuel Gettys and his son James...Read more >
Eisenhower Vignettes
Forty years ago this month, America lost their 34th President and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania lost a beloved friend. Dwight David Eisenhower and his wife, Mamie, purchased their farm south of town in 1950; and they were denizens of the area for many years. Even during Ike’s tenure as President, the people of Gettysburg saw almost as much of the Eisenhowers as those in Washington.
Over a decade ago, I interviewed several of the former President’s friends and colleagues from Gettysburg. Three of them: his pastor Robert MacGaskill, his attorney Charles Wolf, and his doctor Harrison Harbaugh are no longer with us. It seems fitting, on the anniversary of Ike’s passing, to remember the General in the words of these men..Read more>
Wills House Reopens
On a blustery but otherwise mild February 12, 2009 – the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln – the historic David Wills house, located at 8 Lincoln Square, reopened in Gettysburg amid myriad celebrations of the long awaited bicentennial.
The house is a veritable national treasure, restored to its 19th century appearance, much as it was when Lincoln spent the night there on November 18, 1863 – the eve of his immortal Gettysburg Address. Documentation shows that the 16th President actually completed and practiced the famous address in Wills house...Read more >
The Lincoln Inaugurals
The election of Abraham Lincoln was undoubtedly one of the most controversial in the history of the United States. Before America’s 16th President could take the oath of office on March 4, 1861, seven Southern states had already seceded; refusing to accept him as their commander-in-chief. While Lincoln was on the train to Washington to begin his tenure at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, he learned that the secessionists had already elected Jefferson Davis – a president of their own..Read more>
Ethnic Pride at the Angle
As Pickett’s legions swept across the valley toward Cemetery Ridge like an incoming tide, a lone Union Regiment braced itself to receive the initial blow of the assault. Positioned behind a low stone fence directly in front of the Copse of Trees, the 250 men of the 69th Pennsylvania held the most advanced position of the Union battle line. The regiment carried a distinctive green flag that reflected its state and ethnic pride: the state coat of arms appeared on one side and the Maid of Erin Harp wreathed in shamrocks on the other.
The majority of the men who made up the 69th hailed from Philadelphia and they were among the over one million recent Irish immigrants who had flocked to the New World during the four decades preceding the American Civil War. The nucleus of the regiment contained several prewar militia companies such as the Irish Volunteers, the Hibernian Greens, the Meagher Guards, and the Patterson Light Guards...Read more>
Profile: Just Jennifer
It does have really cool stuff. Just Jennifer Gallery & Framery, located at 33 and 35 York Street in downtown Gettysburg has a most eclectic array of unique gifts and art, so it is not a surprise that the shop is celebrating its tenth year in Gettysburg in 2009.
Opened in 1999 by Pennsylvania native Jennifer LeVan, she decided on the name “Just Jennifer” from a book of the same title that she found in the library in the 2nd grade. “Back in those days, the name Jennifer wasn’t all that common,” explains Jen’s close friend and gallery director Jennifer Terry. “She was thrilled to see a book that she thought was written about her.” The book sits in the gallery, perched on a side wall for customers to see as the source of the owner’s inspiration...Read More >
Recipes, Yesterday & Today >>
FEBRUARY 2009 HEADLINES
Abraham Lincoln: A Bicentennial Remembrance
There have been over 50,000 books written about him. He is regarded to this day as both epic hero and hated tyrant. His speeches are still widely quoted, verbatim – and not just by Americans. His sudden, tragic death shocked the world, followed by the longest mourning period our country had ever experienced... Read more >
Presidential Quotes
Most of us are familiar with JFK’s “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,” or Lincoln’s “We must nobly win, or meanly lose, the last, best hope of earth.” Our 44 Presidents could fill volumes with all their quotable quotes... Read more >
Gettysburg Perspectives: A Civil War Scholar's Insights
The memory of Abraham Lincoln has touched the lives of untold millions. For one Gettysburg resident and his son, the 16th President has become a lifetime of study – and they couldn’t be happier about it... Read more>
The Historic Wills House
The historic David Wills House, where Abraham Lincoln stayed during his visit to Gettysburg, will open to the public in honor of the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth. The house belonged to the venerable and beloved judge and lawyer, David Wills, who was a native Adams County resident... Read more >
What Qualifies a President?
In the election of 2008, many questions were raised about the opponents and their various qualifications, or lack thereof, to hold the highest office in the land. As Presidents’ Day approaches, a look back at the men who were hailed as Commanders-In-Chief and the offices they held before entering the Oval Office, may give a clue as to what qualifies a President of our nation... Read more >
JANUARY 2009 HEADLINES
A Good Life: Dr. Gabor Boritt and the American Dream
Gabor Boritt is a humble and outgoing Gettysburg resident. Someone meeting him for the first time might not realize that he is also a noted Lincoln scholar and internationally acclaimed author on the 16th President and the American Civil War. He rubs elbows with Presidents and other dignitaries on a regular basis. Dr. Boritt recently received The National Endowment for the Humanities Award in the East Room of the White House. President Bush selected the Gettysburg College professor, along with eight other Americans, for the renowned humanities medal... Read more >
Edward McPherson: Gettysburg's Greatest Son
At the beginning of every year, it seems that people, in general, are more eager to look forward instead of backward. Yet, in remembering people and events that came before us, those living now have a better view somehow of the path ahead. No one understood this principle better than a man who lived very much in the present, hoped for a better future, and knew the past better than anyone in Gettysburg, (and possibly the nation) during his time on earth... Read more >
Historic Inaugural Balls
George Washington once remarked, “I can truly say I had rather be at Mount Vernon, with a friend or two about me, than to be attended at the Seat of Government by the Officers of State and the Representatives of every Power in Europe.”1 Yet, realizing that he would set precedent at whatever he did as the first President of the United States, Washington yielded his personal wishes and reluctantly agreed to a little pomp and extravagance... Read more >
A Favorite Lincoln Story
Abraham Lincoln loved to tell the story about the greatest maxim ever uttered. An ancient eastern king commanded his sages to come up with the truest, wisest saying for all people and all ages. He declared that, once they decided upon it, he would inscribe it in stone and marble, to be remembered for all time... Read more >
Historic January
Do you think that January is a dull month? Throughout history, January has proven otherwise. The birth of the new year parallels the birth of many famous people throughout history. It is also the month of landmark events, especially during the Civil War... Read more >
DECEMBER 2008 HEADLINES
A Tribute to the Past: The Story of Auld Lang Syne
Tradition has always filled American life since its beginning. One tradition that remains steadfast in the United States, as well as others across the Atlantic, is the singing of a beloved old song at the end of the year... Read more >
Christmas Memories
As time passes ever so quickly, it seems that the holidays burst upon us faster and faster with each coming year. With the bustle of the season comes the comfort of our traditions, including the memories of holidays past mingled with the hope of making new ones for the future... Read more >
Abraham Lincoln: "The World Knows"
On December 1, 1862, 146 years ago, the Civil War had already cast a pall over the holiday season. The Battle of Antietam, the worst single day of battle had recently been waged, and the Battle of Fredericksburg loomed. Gettysburg was yet future... Read more >
An 1863 Christmas
Some of the traditions Americans observe today at Christmastime gained popularity during the Civil War. Christmas packages, filled with homemade confections and needed items that were lacking at the front, were sent to the ones who were missing at the family table during the holidays... Read more>
NOVEMBER 2008 HEADLINES
Heartbreak at Gettysburg
Throughout the ages much of a young man’s self worth has been tied to his physical attractiveness and to his ability to provide a decent standard of living for his family. These influences certainly affected behavioral patterns in the Victorian dominated culture of the 1860s... Read more>
Remembering Father Abraham
A poignant World War I memorial, found in Edinburgh Castle in Scotland, has a fitting inscription written by the Greek historian and soldier Thucydides:
“The whole earth is the tomb of heroic men, and their story is not graven only on stone over their clay, but abides everywhere; without visible symbol, woven into... Read more>
Last Letter
The following is a letter, written by a son to his mother, before he fell at Gettysburg: Dearest Mother, We will probably leave here by daylight and in the direction of either Leesburg or Winchester... Read more>
Remembering Vietnam's Fallen
On May 28, 1965, a helicopter carrying Captain Millard Russell Valerius took off from Bien Hoa Air Base in South Vietnam. Valerius had been in-country for just over seven months, having started his tour of duty after serving as an ROTC officer at Gettysburg College. Valerius’ helicopter was between 50 and 100 feet above the ground when it collided with another helicopter... Read more>
Remembering Remembrance Day
After a nine-month stint with the Army in Iraq, Afghanistan, Djibouti, and other places resembling the lunar surface, my mind was filled with images of the green rolling hills and farms of home. I had driven more than 900 miles from my station in Florida. I sped through Frederick, Maryland and once again entered the panorama of the Catoctin Mountains lining the sky in front of me... Read more>
The Gettysburg Address: David Wills Remembers
In his own words, David Wills described for a cousin his experience with the President on the evening of November 18, 1863, the eve of the cemetery dedication: “I had charge of all the arrangements for the dedication of the cemetery, and it was on my official invitation that President Lincoln came to Gettysburg on that occasion... Read more>
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OCTOBER 2008 HEADLINES
David Wills: An Honorable Kindness
On November 19, 1863, the tides of war had already begun turning after the Union victory at Gettysburg. The unusually mild late autumn day in Gettysburg continued to make history... Read more >
Dwight David Eisenhower: Searching for Home
In passing through the ubiquitous farmlands around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, it feels to most that they are
re-entering a distant era. The guns are now quiet on the battlefield that were once – and once again – fields of wheat, corn and fruit orchards... Read more >
Precious Fragment
The saga of the 12th New Hampshire Regiment at Gettysburg clearly illustrates the extraordinary lengths
that soldiers would go to in order to prevent their colors, or even a fragment of them, from being captured...
Read more >
Did You Know?
The village of Windsor, England lies just a few miles from the city of London. Windsor Castle, one of the oldest in Britain, is still used as a home for the current Royal family... Read more >
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SEPTEMBER 2008 HEADLINES
Ordeal at the Lutheran Seminary
“Surely it cannot be called unmanly that a few tears stole down my cheeks.” What sequence of events caused a young Union officer at Gettysburg to write such an emotional passage?... Read more >
Witness Tree Wounded at Gettysburg
A
severe thunderstorm during the first week of August has severely wounded another of Gettysburg’s witness trees – in fact, one of its most famous. A honey locust tree in the National Cemetery... Read more >
The Cyclorama: Conservation of an American Relic
While American history may seem still in its infancy to those in the Old World, it is nevertheless a vibrant one that is in need of preserving for future generations. In Gettysburg, one of America’s most treasured relics has, for many years, been in dire need of conservation... Read more >
World War II Weekend: Remembering the Greatest Generation
The Civil War era is not the only historic era commemorated in Gettysburg. Every September, the Eisenhower National Historic Site takes a step into the vestiges of the past. Held on Saturday, September 20 and Sunday, September 21 at the beloved home of General Dwight D. Eisenhower... Read more >
A Woman at the Angle
The sun was low in the western horizon on the evening of July 2, 1863. Though the sounds of battle still raged through the darkness on Cemetery and Culp’s Hill, the center of the battlefield, dissected by a stretch of Emmitsburg Road, was eerily silent. Both armies slept, preparing for the next day. For many of them July 3 would be their last day on earth... Read more >
An Uncertain Autumn
The citizens of the United States of America exercise their rights in a most important way whenever they enter the voting booths. Once every four years, the lines to the polls become quite crowded. Presidential elections bring large numbers of the populace to choose who will represent them in the White House... Read more >
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AUGUST 2008 HEADLINES
Her Name Was Liberty
The idyllic summer of 1863 was abruptly interrupted with the sound of guns in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania – changing forever life as the people of Gettysburg had known it... Read more >
Ten Favorite Places at Gettysburg
Since my first visit to Gettysburg almost ten years ago, my family and I keep returning. Gettysburg holds so many memories for us, and for anyone interested in the history of our country... Read more >
A Hungry Kitten
Food was scarce when the Battle of Gettysburg ended, and understandably so. General Meade had approximately 95,000 soldiers... Read more >
Two Statesmen, Two Artists
There are mementoes of American leaders all over England. In Oxford, there is a copy of Abraham Lincoln’s letter to Mrs. Bixby of Boston. The 16th President wrote his deepest sympathies to the widow... Read more >
One August Night
The Lincoln assassination on Good Friday, 1865, was an event that forever altered American history. It was not, however, the only time a shot was fired in an attempt to take Lincoln’s life... Read more >
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JULY 2008 HEADLINES
Born on the Fourth of July
After forming lines of battle on Seminary Ridge throughout the morning of July 3, 1863, the soldiers of Major General George E. Pickett’s Division had ample time to contemplate their role in history. The significance of the date could not have escaped the notice of the aptly named John Abbott Independence Lee. In addition to the approaching commemoration of the nation’s birth, the next day also marked... Read more >
"He Had His Peculiarities": A Gettysburg Man Remembers John Burns
Theodore McAllister, a Gettysburg native and Civil War veteran, gave an address on the anniversary of Lincoln's Gettysburg address in 1914. After paying homage to the slain Commander-In-Chief, McAllister also took a moment to honor the memory of Gettysburg's civilian soldier... Read more>
A Dream Unrealized: A Lincoln Rebuke
In the summer of 1863 Robert E. Lee was the one to beat, and Lincoln knew it. With tensions growing exponentially between the President and General Joe Hooker, the current commander of the Army of the Potomac, a new general was needed to take the reins of the Union army as another battle appeared on the horizon... Read more>
"Down This Way, Boys!" Patrick O'Rorke at Gettysburg
Standing at the top of Little Round Top at Gettysburg on the afternoon of July 2, 1863, Brigadier General Gouverneur Warren, George Meade’s Chief Engineer, was noticeably nervous. The hill upon which he stood had been found devoid of troops when it was clearly the key to the battle. One Union brigade, Vincent’s, was holding their ground to the extreme left on the slope of the hill... Read more>
Repetitive History: A Tale of Two Battles
During the first three days of July in 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg was waged among the rolling fields and rocky hills in and around the small crossroads town that afterward was forever etched in the annals of history. As most of history tends to run in a cyclical fashion, students of the subject are not surprised to see parallels, ancient and modern, in famous battles... Read more>
Dreadful Days: The Aftermath of Gettysburg, Songs and Stories of a Civil War Hospital
When the guns grew silent and the smoke cleared from the fertile loam of central Pennsylvania after the first three days of July in 1863, the civilians of Gettysburg cautiously emerged from the safety of their cellars. The sights that greeted them were beyond horrific, demonstrating a level of destruction, death, and human suffering that is still unmatched... Read more
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