80 comments on yesterday’s blog. WOW. I love it!
As promised, here’s more on my trip:
On Day 1 (before the sprained ankle), Jenni and I met with Gary and Marsha Roche, mentioned yesterday, at breakfast in the restaurant next door to the Gettysburg Hotel, where we stayed. (Here, the blog was interrupted by an insistent Yorkie wanting a walk out to the barn and back, with lots of dallying in between. 
) Gary and Marsha took us for a fascinating overview of the battlefield and many of the monuments. After that, we went to the Gettysburg Visitor’s Center (best gift shop on the Civil War circuit, in my opinion), where we watched a film about Lincoln’s visit four months after the battle, then took a look at the fabulous Cyclorama–an ENORMOUS painting of the battle, displayed in the round, with lifesize figures. Honestly, this painting looks almost three dimensional, so real that one could get lost in it!
On Day 2, as you know, I promptly sprained my left ankle while visiting the North Carolina monument. Later, we visited the famous Shriver House, our tour being led by Nancie Gudmestad, owner and director of this amazing structure. (Trust me, all those stairs were a challenge, but I wouldn’t have missed a second of this experience.) Some of the original furnishings remain in the house, and Nancie and her husband have done a marvelous job restoring the place to its original grandeur. In July of 1863, the home was taken over by Confederate troops, as were many other homes and farms in the area; here, sharpshooters occupied the attic, firing on Union soldiers as they entered the town. A few years ago, Nancie had a modern forensic scentist come in, and he used luminol, that substance the police employ to show hidden bloodstains under black light. According to Nancie, the light revealed great swathes of blood, proof that the boys in blue fired back, though it’s hard to imagine how they could have been so accurate, since there was only one small window and a couple of rife holes about eight to ten inches in diameter.
Later, we met with Deb Novotny, who, like Gary, is a Licensed Battlefield Guide. (This is no small accomplishment, since official guides have to pass rigorous exams.) Deb, who lives in a Civil War era house with eight soldiers buried out back, showed us around the National Cemetry, where Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address, and the ajoining Evergreen Cemetery, which is for civilians. I was limping a lot, so I didn’t see as much as I’d have liked, but Deb’s stories fascinated me.
In the afternoon, I spent some time with Sandy Pennesse and her aunt, Janet. Despite my battlefield injury, we managed to hike around to a number of Gettysburg’s wonderful shops, and then Sandy and Janet treated me to supper at the Dobbin House, a true landmark. (If you go there, be sure to try the baked sweet potato. :)) I had crab cakes that were, excuse the expression, to die for. If all that wasn’t enough, my friends showered me with gifts!
Day 3, I’m still pretty darn gimpy, as you can imagine. Fortunately, that day’s presentations were indoors, at Destination Gettysburg, where I was delighted to find these words on the reader-board by the entrance: Desintation Gettysburg Welcomes Linda Lael Miller. I got SUCH a kick out of that. Marsha brought in delicious sandwiches and cookies (look the other way, Weight Watchers) and Gary gave his fabulous presentation about the Medal of Honor and his very illustrious ancestor, as I mentioned yesterday. After lunch, John Fitzpatrick, also an LBG*, gave a wonderful Powerpoint talk on Lincoln at Gettysburg. Meeting John was very helpful for many reasons–including his expertise on the Irish Brigade, since one of my main characters is an Irish immigrant.
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Wow Linda! it sounds as if you not only had a fall, you had a ball, in spite of it.
Thanks for all this information.
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Good afternoon Linda, sorry about your ankle, but glad you had a great time. I went there in 8th grade on a field trip from my history class, I was very moved by it.
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The trip & the food sounds fabulous.
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What an experience for you!! I have never been there, but can almost feel the History through your words. There’s nothing like it, is there? Get well soon!!
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Well it sounds like you had a great time even if you springed you ankle. The Perryville battlefield is near where I live here in KY and they have a Reeactment I think in Oct. every year but I have never been. I should check it out sometime.
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So interesting! Never got to go there in school. Went to Jamestown and Williamsburg a lot! Lived near Bacon’s Castle for a good while , when in school. Lot of History there too. I always love History! My mom was Irish decent. My dad Cherokee. Thank you for these great blogs! Hope your ankle is well soon.
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I love these. I’m going to save for reference when we go!!
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Hey Linda with the last month u have had u deserve a few cookies..lol hope u r feeling a little better I think that little dog will make sure u not rest too much..lol my daughter will be 14 sept 1 and she just came home crying they gave her a paper about her EOG it is a test they give the kids at the end of the year grade and she was been doing well all year she was even gonna take some honors classes in august when she got into high school and now she got a 2 on her math and she needed a 3, I think they put far to much pressure of the kids for this test so I called to see if she could re-test and they said no and no summer school either, they don’t offer it, but the lady I talked to said well tell her not to worry that the grade isn’t for what she has done all year in fact she looked it up and said she has done well all year, my question THEN Y GIVE THEM THIS TEST ??? it is the end of the school year y stress them out? well please say a little pray for my girl, she loves to read and she loves math just not sure about this stupid testing thing, things sure have changed since I have been in school….. be well and take care sending love hugs and prayers always oxoxox
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Your trip continues to sound wonderful!
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Sounds like such a great time you had except for the sprained ankle. That sounds like a great vacation and something my kids would love. I love learning about history that way.
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Linda are we going to be getting any interesting books based on the Civil War area because of so I’m so there waiting to get my hands on one. Oh and I finally got my copy of The Marriage Mart today so I’m gonna be staying indoors because of the rain and reading about Bex’s little adventure WoooHooo
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Thanks for all the info, I fill like I got a good History lesson today, and enjoyed every minute of it.. now I am going to click on the rest of it. Very Interesting..
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I love Gettysburg , we went there several times when I was a kid.
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Sure makes me want to visit.
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You bring it a bit to life in your blog. Sure would like to see that attic, as well as the 3D life size painting! It all sounds like quite the adventure. Now get along Gimpy and get well
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Oh, how I wish I could have been there. In 1976 when I was there, we didn’t get any kind of tour and I wish we had.
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My Great-Grandfather was at Gettysburg. It was fun findiing
his name on the Pennsylvania monument . I never got to talk to my Grandfather to find out what it was like growing up during that time. He died in 1950 before my parents were married.
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Sounds like you enjoyed yourself.
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you must have gotten chock full of information
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Sounds like a good trip.
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I first went to Gettysburg with my sister who is a fellow Civil War buff and my cousin who just went along for the ride. I loved it so much I took the kids who also loved it. Glad you enjoyed the trip even with your injury.
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I now want to visit that area sooner then later. thank you for sharing.
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Enjoyed your blog today, nice trip you had & hope your ankle is better !
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THANKS for taking us along, loved it.
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Just finished the Marriage Season. It was a good read as always. On memorial day we were putting flags on all the veterans graves and we always double mark the one Civil War vet that is burried there. Thank God for all our VETERANS.
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I am so enjoying your blog as I will never get to Gettysburg. I hope that ankle is healing.
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Your trip sounds so amazing. Thank you for sharing and giving us your view of such an iconic city. I love going back through all of our American history. My husband and I are watching the series about Texas on the History Channel; quite fascinating on the battle of Sam Houston and Santa Ana. Sorry to hear you sprained your ankle and were limited on walking and hope you are continuing to heal each day. I’m sure your four-legged friends will be happy when you are back to full power.
Looking forward to hearing more about your trip. Happy day to all.
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Lindy, I am so happy to know that you are personally witnessing information about the Civil War. When you write about it…..it will probably fire your imagination and make it feel real.
Arlee
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I’m so glad you enjoyed your trip to my part of the world and enjoyed our crab cakes!! Just don’t try them more than a couple of hundred miles from there!! Just not the same. So sorry about your injury!!
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Makes you want to visit.
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How nice, gifts!
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Loved reading this!!