Gettysburg interest.

[P95Carry]

Sept 2004 was our visit, following which I posted this on THR - hope it may prove interesting, either to those planning a trip - or a small substitute for those who can't make it.

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Sept 9 2004


Last week, my wife and I took off on the bike for a trip over to Gettysburg .... something we wanted to do all this summer but also choosing good and reliable weather (and, avoiding Labor Day weekend!!). We lucked out on that score, with perfect conditions. Arrived latish Wednesday and stopped over, with all of Thursday free for exploration and then returned home late Friday morning.

I daresay some here have visited but equally many have not ... for most I expect, way too far from home. It is tho one of those ''must visit'' places if at all possible ...... three days (July 1st, 2nd and 3rd in 1863) ..... within which timeframe thousands of lives were lost, in what was reckoned to be the most pivotal battle of the war, despite that dragging on a further two years more. Forget here the politics and ''the cause'' ...... remember instead all the young blood that was spilled, countryman fighting countryman.

Let me share some of this visit .... primarily from a weapons standpoint, having taken a considerable number of photo's in the Visitor Center as well as touring the battlefields. The displays are superb, exemplifying the amazing diversity of both rifles and handguns, many of which were bought from European sources as well as home produced.

It was also fascinating to see just how advanced was the artillery, with not only skillfully engineered cannon but also, a vast variety of shells, many fuzed. It is not difficult to imagine the horrors on the battlefields - the carnage and losses. It is estimated that some seven million bullets were fired in those three days!

Now - some pic's which I hope might be of interest to some. One of the problems with items on display behind glass was reflections .. both of other lighting and - making things difficult for using flash too. So, some pic's are far from ideal but still hopefully convey a flavor... I also will have to post in limited numbers due to posting restrictions on images per post.


This picture is one display of pistols and revolvers ..... everything from old single shot front stuffers to the more exotic cap and ball revo's.


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Just one cased display of long arms .. it included the not over popular Colt repeating carbine, the one using a revo cylinder.


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First of a few pic's showing some examples of revo's dug up .... unfortunately in pretty corroded condition.


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More of same tho, somewhat less damaged.


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The caption card says it all .....


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Part II

A nice Colt ... sorry focus not ideal. Had to place camera against glass to cut out flash burn-out.


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Here is a fascinating piece ...... probably very collectible and worth a lot.


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A very personalized revo here ..... and with its provinence also I am sure, very valuable.


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A nice example of what many guys must have had in their equipment.


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Just one of many cannon muzzles ..... but interesting because of the stampings and thus manufacture info. This one I guess was brought in later if the date anything to go by. It has what appears to be the ''trigonal'' rifling.


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[DefensiveCarry.com]

[P95Carry]

The remainder -

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Part III


Here is a bronze example ... I find the quality of rifling quite remarkable.


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A rather beat-up selection of lead sabots ....


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Supposedly a very unusual event .. but here this bronze piece has blown .... quite close the muzzle. I wonder if it had suffered from some form of obstruction. The wall thickness as far as can be seen, looks quite thin.


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Just a few of the many patterns of shell that were on display.


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Finally in this selection .... a photograph of the PA Monument . A superb piece of construction which was put together almost a century ago.


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Sage words .............



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I have a large selection of other pic's taken whilst touring the battlefields ... I will perhaps post one or two later on.

In case anyone has ever wondered .... I am passionate about firearms! :) :p

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((A final comment added following a question - ))

Yep ...... staged it was ... as proven subsequently.

''Cemented'' rocks?? ..... hmmm .... I guess the powers that be laid stones as they had been before .... can't say as I noticed ..... poor observational skills ..... or simply ... too much to take in on the day!!

Here are three more pics .. I am sure they will seem well familiar. First is maybe a ''sniper's'' view of Little Round Top from Devil's Den ... then another the the Den itself. Finally ..... a diagram of the attack - as with all plaques ... difficult to capture.

[havegunjoe]

Great pics. P95, thanks for shareing.

[jarhead79]

The 2 shots of the cannon muzzles look exactly like the ones I took while I was there. I'll have to dig out the pics to see if they're the same. I was there around August of 2002. LOTS of history there. For sure.

[KenpoTex]

Thanks for posting those pics, it's interesting to see the huge variety of weapons that were in use.

[St Michael]

Great thread!

Have you been to the The National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg?

If not, it too is definitely worth the trip!

[Captain Crunch]

Great pix, Chris. Thanks.

I've been a Civil War buff for a long time with a particular interest in the Battle of Gettysburg, and especially with the Cavalry engagements. Most people don't realize that most of the Cavalry action took place on the third day of the battle, on what is now known as East Cavalry Field, between JEB Stuart's horse soldiers and Custer's Michigan Cavalry Brigade.

Along with this, ExSoldier mentioned in another thread about the restless souls on the battlefield. I believe this is true, I've read many credible accounts of paranormal occurrences at Gettysburg. Has to be a fascinating place to visit. I'll get there someday.

[Ti Carry]

Really cool Chris, it is almost like your a tour guide for the ones that can't or haven't been yet. I am one that hasn't been yet either so I appreciate you posting some great pic's and a guided tour. I really didn't realize just how many weapons that were available to them back then.

Excellent post!

Ti.

[Bud White]

Good Stuff Chris ive never been there but would like to go someday