Time well spent: Gettysburg 2016

 

         After spending nine solid days at Gettysburg for the 2016 Civil War Institute and the traditional extra days walking and exploring the battlefield, some thoughts:

          This year’s Institute was primarily devoted to the Reconstruction era of US history, a subject Your Loyal Blogger has spent little time studying. Thus, the ideas were fresh and new. Scott Hartwig’s discussion of John Bachelder’s vision for Gettysburg and Bachelder’s tireless effort to complete an accurate presentation of what happened there was fascinating. Mark W. Summers’ presentation on the questions of Reconstruction was outstanding, a tremendous talk. Barbara Krauthamer spoke right after Summers and was also very effective.

          Megan Kate Nelson gets special mention. She gave three presentations in one day, having started the day with a case of laryngitis. Got ‘em all done.

          Your Loyal Blogger went on two tours of the battlefield at Gettysburg that simply could not have been better. The first, led by Christian Keller of the US Army War College explained the use of history, specifically the fight at Gettysburg, as a practical tool. Keller talked about how he leads Staff Rides with US military officers (and others). He talked about the strategical, operational and tactical level of planning and the use of the battlefield for those levels of planning. Leaders, Keller said, sometimes see what they want to see and react accordingly. He termed this “cognitive dissidence,” and used Union General Francis Barlow as an example to drive the point. On the first day of the battle, Barlow moved his men from their assigned position to an area of higher ground. Barlow was routed by the Confederates.

          The second tour was led by a favorite of this blogger, Susannah Ural of the University of Southern Mississippi. Ural led us down the path of the Fourth Texas Regiment during that unit’s attack toward Little Round Top on July 2, 1863. This was an absolutely tremendous opportunity. The idea was to follow a private named Val Giles along his way through the attack. Giles wrote home about the battle and Ural used his letters to make points along the way. She also paused to point out the path of the First Texas and explained how the attack’s path differed from the original plan.

          Truth be told, this writer has wanted to walk that specific area of the battlefield for years. Ural’s tour made it possible to walk the area while coming to a better understanding of it.

          This year’s CWI was tremendous. It was sold out and it did not disappoint.

          Next year’s Institute does not have a theme but the preview available at http://www.gettysburg.edu/cwi/ makes it obvious that it will be another great week.

          Ural will be there to discuss the Texas Brigade and two other presentations look very interesting: A panel discussing William Tecumseh Sherman and a talk by Earl Hess titled Rethinking Braxton Bragg. James Ogden, the historian at the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park, another favorite here, will give an overview of the siege of Chattanooga.

          Hope to see you there.

 

          Teaming with fellow Civil War buff Buck Weber, the search began for the location where Confederate General James Longstreet made what seems like an elemental blunder before the fighting started on July 2, 1863. Some of Longstreet’s men were moving behind Confederate lines toward their pre-attack location when they stayed into a position where they were visible to the small number of Federal Signal Corps soldiers positioned on Little Round Top.

          After discovering the potentially disastrous mistake, Longstreet ordered the men to retrace their steps and take another path toward the takeoff spot. This cost the Confederates several hours before the attack could start. Given how Confederate failure can be measured in a small number of minutes that day, this was an important spot to understand.

          Weber’s map reading skills led us to a raised spot along Blackhorse Tavern Road, not far from Hagerstown Road, where Round Top was visible. It was determined that minus some modern day trees, Little Round Top would also be within sight.

          Locating this spot helps you understand the scope of the distances involved in fighting a Civil War battle.

          Two areas of emphasis for the next visit to Gettysburg emerged during the week: Generate a better understanding of the locations Barksdale/Wilcox attack on July 2, 1863 and the fighting north of the Bloody Angle on that same afternoon.

 

          Thanks for reading.

Taking in the 2016 Civil War Institute with an old pal

         

         

          This week, a rare opportunity to walk the fields of Gettysburg with close friend and Founding Member of the Wall Gang, Bucky Weber. This trip is something we have talked about for years and now, thanks to the patience, understanding and humor of our wives we finally get to do it.

          Buck and I are both history buffs although I think he has been interested in the American Civil War longer than I. He has visited Gettysburg once before, just one day in a severely limited capacity, and has longed to return. I am so pleased that we got to go together.

          Mrs. Leeway and I have visited Gettysburg annually for eight years. This is the sixth year for me at the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College, a tremendous, 5-day conference featuring some really great presenters. The theme of this year’s CWI is Reconstruction.

          One part of my CWI experience this year will be a tour with brilliant Civil War historian Susannah Ural. We’ll follow the steps of the 4^th Texas Infantry at Little Round Top. It just doesn’t get much better than that.

          Funny thing this year: I worked in New Jersey this past weekend and drove by the Gettysburg cutoff on the way home today. We’ll drive back there Wednesday but this time we’ll TAKE the cutoff.

          Darn right.

          Amy and I have two restaurants we like it Gettysburg and the three of us will make our pilgrimages this year. Regan and Erik plan to come down to see us Sunday and we’ll probably hit the pub GarryOwen (sic) on that day.

          My battlefield equipment: Heavy walking boots, a large-billed sun hat, jeans, lots of sun screen and bug repellant, dark glasses and photo gear. One very light windbreaker in case of rain (it’s usually a warm rain in June, so I use the windbreaker to protect my camera). Oh, I usually bring the map, too.

Maps of the battlefield are available at the Visitors Center and I get one for every visit in order to mark various vantage points. Multiple batteries for each camera, a monopod and a tripod. My gear fits in one large camera bag. I have walked all over the battlefield with that bag.

I usually arrive at a battlefield with a detailed plan for my field walks but this year my plan is to go where my buddy wants to go, since it is really his first visit. We’ll look at his check list, plan a route and go. We have Wednesday afternoon/evening and all day Thursday at the battlefield. The CWI starts Friday afternoon and runs through Tuesday. Another day and a half on the battlefield after that before we head home.

One thing I’d like to show Bucky, if there is time: The location where the Maryland regiment of Union soldiers defended Culp’s Hill against the charge of the Confederate Marylanders.

Mrs. Leeway is smarter than Mr. Weber and I. She spends much of our Gettysburg stays in the air-conditioned hotel room, sometimes venturing across the hotel parking lot to the movie theater or to the outlet mall. There is very inexpensive public transportation that stops at our hotel roughly every hour. She’ll join us for the ice cream social at the CWI and for the big dinner on the final night of the Institute.

Hard to explain how excited Amy and I are about Bucky’s visit and our trip to Gettysburg. One thing for sure, we’ll all be posting on various platforms. Hope you can look us up.