Gettysburg

The loss of life in such a small place is saddening. Gettysburg was a part of a horrible, yet necessary war. I learned so much about the battle and the people who fought in it.
The first two pictures are for Mr. Jones and any other musicians out there. These instruments were played by bands, and were the pride of their regiments.
Buckles and pins were a major way of telling who and where you were from. Some belt buckles even saved soldiers life's.
The Civil War divided many families, including the presidential one. Mary Todd Lincoln's father was actually a Confederate surgeon. A poor girl actually had a Confederate husband and a Union father. In some cases brothers were actually fighting brothers!
Both the North and South had reasons to start and end the war. Both sides had interesting demands from the other.
The pictures of all the men were only a few lost at Gettysburg. There were so many deaths throughout the war. All the numbers are staggering.
Amazingly only 1 civilian died at the Battle. Her name was Ginnie Wade. Her sister and niece lived in no mans land and she refused to leave them. She made it through a few days of battle, then while making bread was shot in the back.Civilians that lived in Gettysburg took up arms, too. An elderly man came and fought through the whole battle and sustained many wounds, yet kept fighting.
To be able to describe everything about Gettysburg is impossible, and being able to see this history was a once in a lifetime experience.