Gettysburg: Perspectives of the Battlefield, the Town, and the Sacred Landscape That Surrounds

In the spring of 1863, the Confederacy had momentum and looked to build upon it. The Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert E. Lee, had defeated the Army of the Potomac at Fredericksburg in December of 1862, and at Chancellorsville in May of 1863. Once his army had gathered and been reorganized, Lee began moving his men north in early June. He hoped to draw the Federals away from Washington, D.C. and find needed supplies in the rich and untouched farmlands of Pennsylvania. It was also reasoned that one more resounding victory might pressure the United States government to seek a peace agreement with the Confederacy. Thus, the Confederates moved into Pennsylvania and eventually converged in Chambersburg. Spread out, and as Union forces approached, the road network would allow them to concentrate some 20 miles to the east, around Gettysburg. This Adams County community would never be the same. While this work is not intended to be an exhaustive look at the battle and its subsequent impact on the town and surrounding area, it is meant to provide unique visual perspectives of Gettysburg's most notable monuments, farms, and other points of interest. Hopefully, some of the included imagery captured on these hallowed grounds and streets varies from that normally seen at this scenic place of American pilgrimage. Read more