Planning a trip to Gettysburg

[Little Powell]

I posted a thread like this in the MMG forum a few months back, but I figured I'd start a new one here.

The family and I are planning a trip to Gettysburg when my son is on his spring break the week of April 6-10. One of my kids is five, and the other is four. I figured they can still get some enjoyment out of it by climbing around Devils Den etc. I know I enjoyed going when I was kid. We are planning for 3 days. Two for the battlefield, and one for the town.

I would like to stop by another battlefield since there are several on the way from SC to PA. I'm leaning toward Antietam since I hear it is very well preserved.

First of all, any recommendations on places to stay, eat, must see sites? I haven't been since I was a little kid, and don't remember details.

And also, any recommendations on the best battlefield to see on the way?

[rebeltim]

Antietam is a whole day visit, but awsome battlefield to visit. I would stop and visit Manasass, it is relatively small, a few hours you can take in the major part of 1st bull run battle. they have a nice little walking trail to show the major land marks of the 1st battle. If your traveling North 95, you can always stop around my area of Richmond, Vs, and drive around the seven days battles, cold harbor, etc.

[louie raider]

Probably the best way for me to give info is to relate what i did last summer, as i live in NC i did almost the same drive as you'll probably be doing.

For the first day of travel i managed to re-visit Stonewall Jackson's shrine, then work backwards to Chancellorsville (as it's more northward); with some minor planning i was able to be at the same location Jackson's troops were at sundown and it was a real thrill to retrace his famous flanking manoeuver.

My mother still lives in No. VA so i was able to crash at her place overnight; the next day was a very short and sweet trip to Gettysburg, where i stayed at the Quality Inn next to Lee's HQ. I can definitely recommend staying there, as it's one of the few hotels within short walking distance to the field and other landmarks found in Map 1. Plus it has a great restaurant/brew pub next door (Appalachian Brewing Co).

http://www.thegettysburgaddress.com/index.htm

I also caught Antietam and Malvern Hill on the return trip back to NC; i must admit i really enjoyed Malvern Hill on the last day. I think what makes a trip a really great trip is when it teaches you about yourself... i found out that i REALLY like to just tour a battlefield by myself, with/without perhaps a pre-recorded tour on my iPod to help me 'see' things better. Malvern Hill was just like that - i was out there on a Monday afternoon and i had the field totally to myself for like 3 hrs. it was quite enjoyable and a great finish to my trip. i hope the team plans on meeting again in G'burg this year, as i'll definitely make the trip again.

maybe this time i'll re-visit Manassas...

[chantilly]

testing.... grrr, I just lost a great post, will do again, LOL

[chantilly]

Hi Little Powell, will abbreviate my advice to ya.... , the above replies are good by the way, LOL.

It depends on which way you go / time restraints. If you go I-77 to I-81 through the Shenandoah ( which will be beautiful that time of year ) , I highly suggest trying to sneak in Antietam ( it's my favorite ). If that is pushing it, you can definately hit the New Market Battleground, it's right on I-81 on ye way to G-burg, small, but real nice http://www4.vmi.edu/museum/nm/index.html .

If you go up the East coast I-95, Louie's advice is great, Jackson's shrine ( the old Guinea Station ) http://www.nps.gov/frsp/js.htm is right off the highway near Thornburg. Very small, but extremely powerful site to see. You could then head West and hit Chancellorsville/Wilderness on ye way to G-Burg. Another option is to go to Fredericksburg, the Richmond area, or Manassas for a day, then head West.

I hope I helped you more than confuse you ( sounds like Davinci , doesn't it ?? ) But ask away, I've been to most all of 'em.

[Little Powell]

Thanks everyone for your great replies! The trip is still a ways off, so were not exactly sure how many days we'll be gone yet, but we may be able to dedicate a whole extra day to another battle field. If so, we'll probably go with Antietam because I think it would be awesome to see the Bloody Cornfield, walk Bloody Lane, Burside's bridge etc. But if it turns out that we don't have an extra day, we'll do Manassas and/or Malvern Hill. Manassas simply because I'm so familiar with it from the Take Command games, but also Malvern Hill because that's another battle that I've always been interested in; such a bloody and tragic battle for the CSA..

Hey Louie Raider - One thing that is neat about touring a battle field is if you are already familiar with it from playing it in a game. Of course I'm very familiar with your excellent Antietam map from TC. Would you say it's pretty close to the real thing? Will I notice some familiar sites if/when I go there?

[dale]

If you do indeed plan on going up 95 and if by chance you are traveling in inclement weather you may want to stop and see the White House of the Confederacy and the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond. Both Jefferson Davis's Richmond residence and the MOTC will probably not be around much longer. The Medical College of Virginia is putting unbelievable pressure on them to be moved and there is talk of breaking apart the museum collections to be moved into five separate areas of the state. The Valentine museum is also within walking distance and is a great museum on the history of the City of Richmond. If you go about 8 blocks south to the James River there is the Canal Walk and the Tredegar Iron Works Armory. Lots of great places for a mid day meal down there as well in Shockhoe Slip. The Richmond Battlefields Museum of the National Park Service is on the East side of Richmond. On the south side of Richmond there is Pamplin Park (kind of neat for kids since it is an interactive Civil War park, and of course Petersburg and City Point.

You can also go online and get a Civil War Trails Map of Virginia. You can do a short driving tour that will be a reverse of the Seven Days Campaign that parallels route 295 around the east side of Richmond. It will take you from Deep Bottom (1864), Malvern Hill, Gaines Mill, Hanover Court House(all 1862) and Cold Harbor(1864). Then you can take the back roads to the Jackson shrine and on up to Fredricksburg.

[louie raider]

Little Powell wrote:

Hey Louie Raider - One thing that is neat about touring a battle field is if you are already familiar with it from playing it in a game. Of course I'm very familiar with your excellent Antietam map from TC. Would you say it's pretty close to the real thing? Will I notice some familiar sites if/when I go there?

as far as Antietam is concerned, it's somewhat close... but i'm convinced that there's still a bit of work to be done on that map, and i plan on revisiting it and upgrading it to WAR3DII levels. it's a personal thing - there are errors and i need to fix em for myself.

but with Gettysburg, i will always remember the first feeling when i approached my motel to check in, a sense of wierd deja-vu.... i was working hard on the McPherson's Ridge map at the time so i was very aware of the landmarks, terrain, etc. i chose to come up thru town and past the Lutheran Seminary and it was so odd to be IN my map!

i definitely hope that if you spend time on testing the 4 main maps, that you would have little problem visualizing where you are when you get to the real thing. MarkT led our group last year to pretty much all the main areas except for Cemetery Hill, so that part of the maps is not as 'visually verified' from personal observation... it just has actual data to go by.

[Little Powell]

Louie Raider wrote:

Little Powell wrote:

Hey Louie Raider - One thing that is neat about touring a battle field is if you are already familiar with it from playing it in a game. Of course I'm very familiar with your excellent Antietam map from TC. Would you say it's pretty close to the real thing? Will I notice some familiar sites if/when I go there?

i definitely hope that if you spend time on testing the 4 main maps, that you would have little problem visualizing where you are when you get to the real thing. MarkT led our group last year to pretty much all the main areas except for Cemetery Hill, so that part of the maps is not as 'visually verified' from personal observation... it just has actual data to go by.

Well from looking at war time photo's, and comparing them to places on your maps, the similarities are absolutely stunning.. I can only imagine what it will be like when I go to the real battlefield and feel like I have been there.. Can't wait! And the data you used for Cemetery Hill must be pretty darn accurate as well, again from comparing them to photos.

I hope I get to shake your hand someday sir; the maps are absolutely incredible!

Now, have I gotten everyone even more excited about this game?? :laugh:

[louie raider]

Little Powell wrote:

I hope I get to shake your hand someday sir; the maps are absolutely incredible!

thanks for the kind words; perhaps this summer we'll meet up there.

An excellent resource to catch up on the goings-on in Gettysburg was brought up by Amish John a while back: http://www.gettysburgdaily.com/. It's updated every day and it has excellent commentary on what's going on around the battlefield and in town. i've not only used it to double-check my map work but it's also been interesting to see how the NPS is trying to preserve the battlefield while 'Modern Progress' continues to creep in around its borders...