gettysburg

[crab bait]

earlier this week i went to this gigantic sports show in harrisburg.. the east's largest..it was pretty neet.. lots & lots of huntin' & tons & tons of archery.. an good sized fishin' & boat section..<br /><br />first time there.. probably the last.. <br />but o'well glad i went..<br /><br />stayed overnite.. next day ,was just goin to come home.. but i decided to take the long-way-home..i dropped down to gettysburg..<br /><br />never been there,, always wanted to.. just never did..<br /><br />let me say,, IT'S AWLSOME..!!<br /><br />first off ,,the town is really cool.. just the way it was.. beautiful little town.. <br /><br />then of coarse the national park.. the visitor center is great.. movies,lighted battlefeild show,, artifacts up the wazoo.. could spend all day right there.. <br />an justabout did..<br /><br />lot to be said about goin' to these places in the winter... IT WAS ALL MINE.. had the whole place to myself..<br /><br />i got so much info my body ached.. talked to this knowlegdable ranger so much about the battle,, he 'tagged out'... he passed me on to another ranger for a break.... o'well,, can't hang.. GET OUT.. NEXT..<br /><br />then to drive around the battlefield brings tears to eyes..momuments,statues, cannons, markers ,all mark the spots.. <br /><br />standin' up on 'little round top' defended by the 20th maine.. lookin' down onto the 'wheat field' & the devils den in the 'valley of death' ..was just overwellin'.. <br /><br /> 51,000 men died in this three day battle. 6,000 just in the wheat field..<br /><br />i'll go back here, for sure..

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: gettysburg

Been there and everything Crab said is right on the money. Just read an article somewhere on the looting of artifacts at gettysburg. Seems some folks just go a diggin around the place and take whatever they find,, and they do find stuff. A real shame.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: gettysburg

hello<br /> doode<br /> that battlefeild is on my list to vist. I have visited others and found it overwhelming. the carnage must have been just awestrikingly horrid. I cant imagine a battle like that. today battle is more of a skirmish them airstrikes from 30,000 feet. then almost any wound was fatal. what is more gruesome is diseases killed more than bullets. I want to go there but also wish to make sure I can handle it. its hard to think about all the young and old alike fighting for no real reason. (slavery was NOT the reason for that war) and just dying so senslesly. .<br /> anyway thanks for the report makes me want to see it more.<br /> good luck and keep posting

 

[gaugeguy]

Re: gettysburg

Went there about 15 years ago when they still had the tower that you could go up in and overlook the battlefield. You are right Crabby, it is a powerful place. It is pretty amazing to think that more american lives were lost there in one day than 9/11 and Pearl Harbor combined. I will be taking my boys there when they can understand the enormity of it

 

[aspeck]

Re: gettysburg

Go to Gettysburg fairly often - lot of deer in the park <br /><br />It is an awesome place - just so overwhelming - the history, the museums, the guns, the cannons, the sense of peace in the midst of the battlefields, the folklore and stories. If you ain't been there, get there!<br /><br />Shucks, if I am home and available, I would even guide ya!

 

[ebbtide176]

Re: gettysburg

thanx for the info crabbie, i wish to see that place now. my m-nlaw lives by chickamauga battlefield park. her house is on a high hill, and you can see the tower in the park, and nearby missionary ridge. that place leaves a lasting impression when you tour it also.

 

[crab bait]

Re: gettysburg

yes,, it wasn't about slavery at all.. slavery was just a tote card for the war..<br /><br />yes,, all wars are senseless,imho.. but the reason was.. the northern an southern states never seen eye to eye from the jump..<br /><br />two different regions,, two idealogy ..they were always fighting policticly..thrown together as one country.. as alone,, could never achive independence from england..<br /><br />but were NEVER a happy union... the split of the CSA from the USA was ineviable...

 

[JoeW]

Re: gettysburg

Rodbolt,<br />

(slavery was NOT the reason for that war)

Just curious! What makes you say this? If not slavery, what was that war about?

 

[snapperbait]

Re: gettysburg

My parents drug me there many moons ago on a summer vacation, unfortunately I was too young to "get it".. (probably 6 or 7)..<br /><br />Would like to see it again..<br /><br />States Rights..

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: gettysburg

Joe- I would suggest you visit www.dixieoutfitters.com They sell merchandise there (that does not compete with Iboats) and use proceeds to further the education and preservation of the southern states. Slavery had nothing to do with the War of northern aggresion. Dixie Outfitters has a little of the history on the different reasons why. You will be suprised to learn what they taught you in school is not exactly true.

 

[CrappieFisherman]

Re: gettysburg

Hey there crabbie, those horses hooves are significant too, the net says that its bunk, but there is a bronze marker that defines the meaning of the raised hooves, in the manner told below<br /><br />(I cant account for longstreet, but for gettysburg, the code holds)<br /><br />Claim: The number of hooves lifted into the air on equestrian statues reveals how the riders died.<br /><br />Status: False.<br /><br />Origins: Folk<br />wisdom has it that equestrian statues contain a code whereby the rider's fate can be determined by noting how many hooves the horse has raised. The most common theory has it that if one hoof is raised, the rider was wounded in battle (possibly dying of those wounds later but not necessarily so); two raised hooves, death in battle; all four hooves on the ground, the rider survived all battles unharmed.<br /><br />The hoof code mostly holds true in terms of Gettysburg equestrian statues, but there is at least one exception. James Longstreet wasn't wounded in this battle yet his horse has one foot raised. <br /><br />Pretty cool in a macabre sort of way

 

[rodbolt]

Re: gettysburg

hello<br /> Joe<br /> slavery was dying. no question. but the disparity between a way of life in the southern regoins was vastly different from the political and industrial might of the northern industry barons. that is why so much of the cotton and other agricultural products was going over seas. the noth was slowly strangling the south with outrageous tarrifs and other finanicial hardships. no one wishd for war. Robert E Lee was possibly the finist tactical mind of most the wars the US has ever been involved in. he was west point trained and a meber of the union army up until the outbreak of hostilities. even he was hoping for a succesion then a suit for peace. abe Lincoln had the foresight to realize that a divided nation would become futher divided then conqured by someone else. so after the war broke out and he emancipated all slaves BELOW the mason dixion line(some northern states were still slave states) it was the final straw and gave a focus to the unions cause.History is very often inaacurate and most teachers teach to further their own agendas. if you dont believe it go back and look at how we treated the american japenese at the outset and during WWII. and even how we are treating supposed terrists now by holding them without counsel or trail in prison . who knows if they are actually guilty of anything.cause if ya belive bubba dubbyas tale about WMD's I will sell ya tickets to cinderellas ball. so no the slavery issue was a dead one. slavery would have failed in 10-15 years all by itself. the average joe bubbabob in the south never owned a slave or ever had a hope to. most worked other large plots. hollywoods version of history is not quite the version that happened. it had become an economic liability to have a slave and Lincoln knew that as well. that is why there were several meetings trying to figgue out what to do with such a large population of semi-skilled and illeterate workers. by the late 1800 and early 1900's machenery had replaced most slave jobs. machines were not a liability that had to have medical,dental and spiritual care. it was rare to here of a combine or threshing machine riot. an occasional steam explosin but usually a local single event. you really should read about history. its very fascinating when you get past the movie roots and what ya got spoonfed in high school. anyway that does not detract from the Hoorific loss of life or the terrible battle conditions that existed before modern medicine. it was the worst time to be a soldier with maybe the exception of WWI. a lot of technology on how to kill wound and maim but not much on battlefield medicine.<br /> Nor do I mean to detract from the deplorable conditions of slavery. however it was started by the muslims back in the 16 and 1700's. we just figgured out how to do it better.<br /> <br /> good luck and keep posting

 

[JoeW]

Re: gettysburg

rodbolt,<br />Thanks for the reply. I am a follower of history and I'm well aware of many of the facinating issues left out of our history books. I have to admit that my question was a baited one as I believe that we also need to watch out for "revisionist" history as well. I have heard some use such statements for no other purpose than to diminish the importance of the emancipation of slaves. I can tell by your attention to detail that you are not one of those folks. <br />There is an excellent book on the subject of "false history". It's titled "Lies My Teacher Told Me" by James W. Lowen. It's packed with lots of interesting facts that you don't read in American History text books. For example, few text books mention the life of Helen Keller after she was grown. Why? Fact is she was a communist She openly worked for the American Communist Party. After the revolution, Woodrow Wilson sent American troops into Siberia to fight against Soviet forces. The Mormons once declared war against the United States.<br /><br />I find it interesting that we tend to judge historical events in terms of our morals of the day. I was talking about the subject of history to a young college graduate friend of my niece. She received her BA in History. I mentioned that my 5th Great Grand Father, William Whitley, was the leader of the Kentucky militia and by some accounts credited with killing Techumseh during the Battle of the Thames in the War of 1812. She looked at me in disgust and said "How awful! Techumseh was a great leader!" I just shook my head and wondered what else she had been taught. The fact is that Tecumseh was a great leader. He was great at banding several tribes together to fight with the British against the U.S.<br /><br />I have to admit that my knowledge of the Civil War is week. I have focused primarily on the pioneer movement west. I'd love to see Gettysberg. I'll get there one day.<br />-Joe

 

[CrappieFisherman]

Re: gettysburg

the main issue was the north wanted to remain the manufacturing mecca, and the south the breaking back and garden plot to grow the raw product. Northern interests held sway in washington, the north held all the cards and the south was pissed.<br /> Lincoln knew the nation could not survive divided, and history was made. The enduring backlash is another story, reparations and the idea that every white man in the south owned slaves is as rodbolt pointed out, ridiculous.<br /><br />Not too far from Gettysburg is Antietam, where a sunken road became Bloody Lane, 5500 casualties in a few hours<br /><br />Down to Spotsylvania, bloody angle, more thousands upon thousands dead in literally hours, the same during the battle of The Wilderness - here is where, in a river of blood, the price of that freedom was paid

 

[KennyKenCan]

Re: gettysburg

crab bait,<br /><br />Did you get an erie feeling while you were at Gettysburg?<br /><br />A feeling like you could just feel that something significant happened there, or that the battle dead were still wandering the battlefeild?<br /><br />I did!

 

[crab bait]

Re: gettysburg

OH YEAH..!! in a major way.. this is major - major hallowed ground,here..<br /><br />since it was a brite blue cold winters day,, i literaly had the place to myself.. an was very quite.. <br /><br />stopped at many monuments an statues .. <br /><br />many in woods.. many in fields.. an at all,,or most,, hair-on-back-of-neck stood up..<br /><br />sittin' on a little unobtrusive rock wall in a wooded area reading a plac .. the <br />wall was made at nite,, the 2nd nite.. the rebel forces recalled they heard the sound of 'clackin' of rock stackin' all though the nite.. <br /><br />the next day proved the little wall ,made that nite, was the best thing the union forces could of done .. an the worst thing for the rebels to over take.. just the protection of the two foot wall made all the difference ... <br /><br />sittin' on that wall ,,was a major presents.. tried to stay calm an finish the read.. i couldn't.. i had to get outta there an back to the truck..<br /><br />what great impession i got was how pretty the land is.. rollin' fields an meadows..with the old pennsylvannia applachian mountains prominatily in the background...just flat-out beautiful..<br /><br />you couldn't pick a better battlefield if you tried..!!

 

[CrappieFisherman]

Re: gettysburg

Does make you stop to think:<br />How would Gettysburg be viewed today if the war went the wrong way and the nations capital was in Richmond?

 

[gaugeguy]

Re: gettysburg

I'd be eating grits this morning instead of cream of wheat.

 

[tylerin]

Re: gettysburg

Cream of Wheat Having problems with regularity gaugeguy What happend to Cap'n Crunch

 

[gaugeguy]

Re: gettysburg

That's never been a problem. Cap'n crunch hurts the top of my mouth cause it's so crunchy. It's like eating shards of glass. Actually it's Total Raisin bran every day, I got the cream o wheat/grits from a thread SBN put up a couple days ago.