GETTYSBURG - The four-year conflict that divided our nation in the 1860s is known by many names, including the Civil War, the War Between the States, the War of the Rebellion and the Freedom War.
This summer, the 150th anniversary of the three-day Battle of Gettysburg, which many historians believe was a pivotal moment in the war, will be observed.
It was at Gettysburg where, from Wednesday, July 1, through Friday, July 3, the largest battle in North America was fought between the invading Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, under the command of Gen. Robert E. Lee, and the Union Army of the Potomac, under the command of Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade.
When Lee's forces retreated - somewhat ironically on Independence Day - through the rain and mud, what proved to be the turning point of the Civil War had taken place, as the remaining battles in the Eastern Theater were fought south of the Mason-Dixon Line.
In every way, the carnage at Gettysburg was horrific, with Lee losing more than one-third of his 75,000 force with 3,903 killed, 18,735 injured and 5,425 missing, for a total of 28,063 casualties. Of the 85,000 under Meade's command, 3,155 were killed, 14,529 were wounded and 5,365 were missing, for a total of 23,049, according to the Civil War Trust's website.
Even before the smells of battle had evaporated from locales that have become burned into the pages of history such as Devil's Den, The Wheatfield, Spangler's Spring, Little Round Top and The Peach Orchard, the action that had - and had not - taken place during the Battle of Gettysburg was being second-guessed.
It has been argued that had Gen. Richard Ewell pressed his advantage on Day 1, the Confederates would have had a clear road to Harrisburg and, ultimately, Washington, D.C., and been able to sue for peace. Or, if Meade had pursued the retreating Confederates on the Fourth of July, it could have resulted in the end of the war, and on and on.
Make most of tour
To fully understand what took place during the three-day battle, the best way is to tour the battlefield in chronological order. Of the tours available, the best option is hiring a licensed Gettysburg Battlefield guide, such as Saint Clair native Ray Hinchey.
"Historians and military leaders have been studying the action, troop movements and command decisions that occurred here for decades," Hinchey said. "Very often, they are focusing on one particular phase of the battle, but for the average person to grasp and begin to understand what happened, I recommend touring the battlefield in the chronological order of events."
Hinchey said the best way to get the full picture is to tour the battlefield over two days. He said there are some sites where action took place on multiple days, so to avoid confusion, it is best to talk about things in the order they occurred, coming back and backtracking over those areas.
"Also, there were times when simultaneous action was taking place at multiple locations, and that can be difficult to grasp with a superficial tour of the battlefield. For instance, while Pickett's Charge was taking place on the main battlefield, the cavalry battle to the east of town was also taking place," he said.
Like all licensed, full-time Gettysburg Battlefield guides, Hinchey must conduct a minimum of 175 total tours a year to maintain his status. These tours are comprised of public and private bus tours and private tours by vehicle, which are his favorite because they can be customized to focus on a particular unit or aspect of the battle.
Hinchey said that one of the learning tricks he has developed to help visitors grasp an overall view of the battle is to break down the famous "fishhook" shape of the Union lines.
To the north, the hook, or "C," is Culp's Hill; on the bend of the hook, and still part of the "C," is the National Cemetery where President Lincoln delivered his famous speech; in the middle of the shank, near the Pennsylvania Monument, is Cemetery Ridge and the location of the so-called "high water mark" of Confederacy; and at the south, the closed eye of the hook represents Big and Little Round Top.
Step by step
The chronological tour begins northwest of Gettysburg, where the first shots were fired at 7:30 a.m. July 1 at Knoxlyn Road and Chambersburg Pike (Route 30). Fighting in town began approximately three hours later along McPherson Ridge.
By 3 p.m., action had escalated and the Confederates launched an attack from the area where the Eternal Light Peace Memorial now stands. Pushing the Union forces back through the town to Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill, the Confederates were in position to win the battle, but Ewell misinterpreted Lee's order to pursue his advantage "if practicable" and halted his attack. That night, Union reinforcements arrived.
Action on Day 2, which got under way at approximately 4 p.m., began in the area of Little Round Top and spilled over into The Wheatfield, The Peach Orchard and Devil's Den. Fighting was intense for the next four hours, during which time fighting broke out at Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill.
Fighting continued through the night into the pre-dawn hours of July 3, with small arms fire between both armies taking place in the town, during which time 20-year-old Jenny Wade became the lone civilian casualty of the battle. At approximately 1 p.m., the cavalry battle began to the east of town along Cemetery Ridge with flamboyant Gen. J.E.B. Stuart leading the Confederate forces against a Union force that included Brig. Gen. George Armstrong Custer, along Cemetery Ridge.
At the same time, a two-hour cannon battle between the two armies began in town, leading to the famous, ill-fated action that is known as "Pickett's Charge." Just 200 Confederates reached the now-famous "clump of trees" known as the High Water Mark of the Confederacy. What was left of this force retreated after its commander, Brig. Gen. Lewis Armistad, was killed, and by 6 p.m. organized action on both sides had concluded.
This year, the Gettysburg Convention and Visitors Bureau has hundreds of events scheduled to commemorate the anniversary, the highlight of which will be a re-enactment of the battle.
Many of the attractions in the town of Gettysburg can be seen by walking tours, so an excellent option for lodging is staying at one of the town's historic sites.
If you go
For information Gettysburg Battlefield tours with Ray Hinchey e-mail him at rhinchey@yahoo.com or call (717) 337-3136.
For information about events commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg access the Gettysburg Convention and Visitors Bureau website at http://www.gettysburg.travel/