Gettysburg Battlefield Tour

Following an excellent 22 minute film about the Gettysburg battle we then saw the circularama dramatized version of the battle. 

Then we went on the Gettysburg Battlefield Tour in which with a CD you are driven to the different sites of the three day battle. 

Gettysburg was the turning point of the American Civil War. General Lee had taken the Army of North Virginia into Union territory (Pennsylvania) hoping to surround Washington but eventually on the third day a frontal attack on the Meade’s Union Army they were beaten back and retreated. 

There were 70,000 men in the Confederate Army and 93,000 in Mead’s Union Army. Total casualties in the three days were 23,000 for the Union Army and as many as 28,000 for the Confederate Army.

What I found interesting about visiting this National Historic site is that it was within a few years of the end of the Civil War - which ended in 1865 - that survivors on both sides came to visit the site. Over the years 1300  memorials have been put up particularly from the individual states who were involved.  The audio tour was excellent and well paced.