What Is Gettysburg National Military Park?
Gettysburg National Military Park is a massive collection of monuments commemorating a turning point in the American Civil War!
What Makes It Historical?
The Battle of Gettysburg was the most important engagement of the Civil War! After defeating Union troops at Chancellorville in May 1863, Robert E. Lee decided the time had come to invade the North once again, so he marched 6,000 soldiers north into Pennsylvania, where they met the Union lines at the town of Gettysburg!
On July 1, the fighting started when Union and Confederate divisions clashed in the town of Gettysburg, while the main battalions had yet to arrive. The Confederate troops drove the Union soldiers back to Cemetery Hill, half a mile south. General Lee ordered an attack on Cemetery Hill, but Lieutenant General Richard Ewell didn’t follow through. That gave just enough time for Union reinforcements to arrive!
By morning, the Union had the high ground, based on a hill called Little Round Top. They lost lots of battles on the flatlands below in places like the Devil’s Den and an orchard. When I say “lots,” I mean more than 9,000 casualties on each side! By the end of the second day of fighting, there were a total of 35,000 bodies on the field!
By the third day, General Lee thought he had this battle in the bag and ordered 15,000 troops under George Pickett to march straight into the Union stronghold and finish off the Union. What the Confederates hadn’t counted on were the Union positions along their flanks, which closed in and took out half the regiment! The Confederates withdrew, though the Union never chased them. This battle sealed the fate of the rebellion, which had been banking on foreign powers siding with them and sending supplies. After defeat at Gettysburg, this would no longer be an option!
In November of 1863, President Abraham Lincoln came to Gettysburg to dedicate the new Soldiers National Cemetery. Here, he delivered the Gettysburg Address, making the Civil War a fight for liberty and America ideals, and not just a fight against a rebellion!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
- Volunteer at Gettysburg National Military Park!
- Donate to Gettysburg National Military Park!
- Be a responsible visitor! Remember the old adages: Pack out what you pack in! Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints!
How Do I Get There?
1195 Baltimore Pike
Gettysburg, PA 17325
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit the Park?
Between April 1 and October 31, the grounds are open daily from 6:00 AM until 10:00 PM, while the visitor center is open from 8:00 AM until 6:00 PM! Meanwhile, the rest of the year, the grounds are open from 6:00 AM until 7:00 PM, while the visitor center is open from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM!
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