A hero of mine...

Robert E. Lee that is. Melody prepared an incredible birthday surprise for me last December by getting tickets for the 147th Anniversary Gettysburg Reenactment. We arrived on Friday and enjoyed staying at the Battlefield Bed & Breakfast. This establishment delivered in all three areas providing a bed in addition to a breakfast the next morning--all within sight of the battlefield.

The event actually takes place north of the actual battlefield. There was a Confederate camp and a U.S. camp and everything. Some of the reenactors took this division very seriously as can be seen in the "arrest" of Joshua Chamberlain by General Pickett for loitering in the Confederate camp:


As for the battles themselves, we were able to watch the "Wheatfield" portion of the battle which took place on the second day between General Sickles' 3rd Corps and General Longstreet's First Corps. This wheatfield changed hands up to seven times within a few hours and some of the most vicious fighting of the war took place here.

We also saw a cavalry battle, which I won't post right now. This fight took place during the third day during and after Pickett's charge.


All in all, this was one of the coolest experiences I've had. Almost since Melody and I met (but not right at first, because let's face it, it would have just been creepy), I've been telling her that I want to be a part-time reenactor. I think she actually started believing me as I asked Major Pickett (i.e. General Pickett's bro) how one got "in" with the reenactor scene. Bring on the beard and banjos I say!

On a more serious note, Melo and I were able to walk Pickett's charge from Seminary Ridge to Cemetery Ridge. It was July 3 2010, exactly 147 years to the day after. The field is very similar to how it would have been that day- uncut grass, Emmitsburg road cutting down the middle, about a mile and a half slightly uphill. For those of you unfamiliar with this final episode of the battle, over 6,000 casulaties were reported alone for the Confederacy. We were very impressed with gratitude for those that came before us and sacrified little or all for our freedom. May God bless America, and we wish you a Happy Independence Day!

History and Cheesesteaks

Last weekend, my parents came for a visit from Boise. We had a great time, it was sad to see them go. On the first day they were here we did some sightseeing in Philadelphia. We saw the liberty bell, Independence Hall, and went to the Philadelphia Museum of Art

That night we decided to get a taste of true Philadelphia culture and get philly cheesesteaks at Pat's. I was a little bit nervous because we heard that they get mad at you if you use too many words when you order. You basically want to communicate three things: 1) that you want a cheesesteak, 2) what kind of cheese you want, and 3) with or without onions. Chad did the best..."American with" The cheesesteaks were amazing, we'll definitely be back.
On Saturday we drove out to Gettysburg and spent the day exploring the park. We saw the cyclorama (which I thought would be a movie where your chair would spin around a little bit) it's actually a huge old painting that goes in a circle around a whole room that shows all of the major events in the three days of the battle. We also went to little round top, the devil's den, and then went for a ranger walk on the spot where pickett's charge took place. It was great having my dad there with us, it was like having our own personal tour guide.
Gettysburg truly is "hallowed ground." It really makes you feel reverent when you think of all the men who died there and what a significant event took place on that battlefield. I think Jeremy and I might come back in July to see the reenactment of the battle. I am so glad that we are both nerdy and like those kinds of things.