Gettysburg battlefield: June 2009 Archives

There are more than 1,000 books that have been written on the Battle of Gettysburg, the majority (including my three) in the past 20-30 years. Yet, there remains a strong market for new material on the battle and campaign, or for fresh, creative approaches to present and interpret well known, time honored material. Pennsylvania Civil War authors J. David Petruzzi and Steven Stanley have succeeded on both counts with their excellent new book, The Complete Gettysburg Guide.

Blending some of the best maps and color graphics ever seen in a Gettysburg battlefield guidebook with crisp, concise and enjoyable text, Stanley and Petruzzi have generated what will surely come to be regarded as the ultimate Gettysburg overview and guide. Already scores of battlefield trampers have used this book to help them interpret what happened on the hallowed grounds of the Gettysburg National Military Park, as well as some obscure sites outside the park limits that the authors include in their well crafted series of automobile tours of the area.

Veteran National Park Service Ranger and author Troy Harman speaks to an enthusiastic crowd during his outstanding 2008 battlewalk of the seldom visited, seldom discussed fight on Brinkerhoff's Ridge along Hanover Road (Route 116) between the main Gettysburg Battlefield and East Cavalry Field. Photo by Scott Mingus for Cannonball.

The 2009 schedule has been announced by Katie Lawhon of the National Park Service.

Civil War reenacting and/or living history can be a rewarding (and expensive) hobby. I have known many reenactors and living historians over the past years who have spent more than $1000 on their gear, and that does not even count their weapon(s), which can run hundreds of dollars more. Throw in tents, camp supplies, and other possible expenditures, as well as participation fees, travel, food, etc. and the costs climb. I was lucky enough that someone gave me a living historian Union uniform, belt, forage hat, etc. that was no longer needed or wanted.

Perhaps the best thing of reenactments and living history presentations are the kids who attend, many of which (like my grandson) are wide-eyed at the chance to see (and talk with) the "soldiers," whether in blue, gray, or butternut.