When I was little, there was still folks alive from the civil war era... So it didn't seem so long ago. During the civil war some of the generals were born around 1800... a mere few year since the birth of the country. So, it all didn't seen terribly so long ago. Now that I'm older, and the civil war was 150 years ago... Wow... It seems like it was ever so long ago. Now on the 150 year anniversary of the Battle at Gettysburg it,s hard to imagine how long ago it was. Last week we were traveling north through the Shenandoah Valley. Much like the Confederate Troops did 150 years ago. 75,000 men strong, heading north into Pennsylvania, which led to the famous Battle at Gettysburg. July 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, 1863. The north defended the high ground with 95,000 troops. The battle, and the casualties upwards of 50,000 combined for both sides, makes you realize the magnitude of the battle, the implications of the outcome. It's impact saved the union and influenced generations to come. It made us who we are today. Their sacrifice for what they believed in changed this country forever.
I was fortunate to grow up a mere 70 miles from Gettysburg and visited the battlefield many times... But then again I love history. It's also one of those rare places that I am drawn to... without explanation or logic, but strongly drawn to. Each new location explored was like an old memory revisited... But I'd never been there before ... Deja vu ... But that was an earlier topic on the blog.
