What's your favorite part of the Gettysburg battlefield?

[jsj7547]

I personally enjoy the angle early in the morning. I can almost see those men waiting in the trees.

[jnyreb]

I have been to GB only twice, but have been to one place on both occasions: The site of Hardaway's Battery on Oak Ridge.
Standing there behind the Whitworth Guns, I still am amazed that not only did they have the capability of firing anywhere onto the battlefield, but one mile BEYOND Little Round Top (some 4 miles away!)

Also, retracing the route of Pickett's Charge and then resting (as I must ) at The Angle is a very special moment.

[brian_swartz]

I to have retraced the the route of Picketts charge 4 times. Each time I have a feeling of excitement all the way to the angle. Followed by the depression I feel on the way back.
Brian Swartz

[jamesjm]

I just returned from my first visit to Gettysburg. April 10-14th. After so many years of reading about the CW I finally told my wife..."I'm going". She had to work, but she understood.

The visit was...welll, incredible. As all of you know who have been there. I cannot say I have a favorite place, however. Every spot I visited and even the places in-between the 'spots' were so alive with the spirits of those men, Blue & Gray, who fought there that I almost never thought beyond the place in which I stood. That said, however....

It rained every day I was there, relentlessly. There would be moments, a few minutes, when the rain would ebb but by far it kept raining from dawn to dusk and beyond. I did NOT let it ruin my trip. I got soaked but I walked at least a part of of every single part of the battlefield, including East Cavalry Field.

On my last day, the rain coming down harder than ever, I found myself nearly alone in the park. I had yet to climb Big Round Top. So, a $4.99 umbrella from a 7/11 in hand, I hiked to the top. Rain, mist, I could see no further than perhaps 100 yds. I was alone, not a person to be seen nor even a car on the road below. When I reached the summit I sat on a rock that marks the highest point on the summit. And I sat there a long, long time. Mist, Rain, and for just a moment I think I heard the drums from both armies as the men prepared to do battle. The moment was so overwhelming that I lost all track of time.

Evening drew near, and I remained on that rock. The night grew black, the rain continued, and I remained. Finally, without a flashlight, I made my way back down to my rental car. I had to pass through a small portion of the park to exit and return to my motel room in Hanover so my last real view of Gettysburg, on that trip anyway, was on the summit of Big Round Top. And I can promise you, I'll never forget it. - JamesJM

[johan_steele]

I'll always remember standing behind the wall at the same time and day of Picketts charge 120 odd years after the fact, it was so hot you could see heat waves rising from the field and I remember feeling the tension in the air and for a moment I saw the wall of gray clad men advancing on that wall bent over as advancing into a hail storm, I remember that my stomach clenched and I felt a ripple of awe. It was strange, my mother attributed it to the imagination of a child... Maybe so; then again perhaps I was more open to the experiance.

I've experianced similar feelings at Shiloh and Chickamagua... I stood on the spot the Confederates routed from King's Regulars Bayonet Charge and remember thinking... gotta go, bad spot.

Those fields of honor are priceless.

[manofdreds]

My favorite spot(s) on the battlefield. 1) is the observation platform outside the cyclorama/visitor center which overlooks the center of the union line at an awesome angle. breath taking! I've never walked the route of pickett's charge but i plan on doing it. 2) the triangular field. very eeeeeeeerie. very isolated.

[gary]

Visitor Center. Look for the puddle of drool where the guns are.

All of Gettysburg is my favorite place. There's something special about being there and you feel the impact of what happened there as you stand on the battlefield. Imagining a world of chaos and death all around, the charges and retreats on both sides. Gettysburg is a perfect time capsule for any Civil War enthusiest or reenactor.

(Message edited by wil_clark_iii on November 30, 2004)

[illreb]

My favorite spot would have to be Devils Den. I'm not exactly sure why , but I was drawn to that part of the battlefield many times on my visit to Gettysburg .

[gschank652]

I have forgotten how many times I have been to Gettysburg. I started going 28 years ago. Little round top was always my favorite place but there is no way to describe why! My little girls love Devil's Den because they like to climb on the rocks. It's kind of weird to me but I feel a great peace in gettysburg even though a terrible battle was fought there. My soon to wife also likes the Den.