Gettysburg 2005

        In September 2005, the troop visited Gettysburg National Military Park in Adams County, Pennsylvania.

        The battle of Gettysburg, which took place during 1-3 July 1863, is considered to be the pivotal battle of the American Civil War.  For three days, 150,000 soldiers of the United States Army of the Potomac and the Confederate States Army of Northern Virginia fought in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  The task of the Army of the Potomac was to keep itself between the Army of Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C.  The goal of the Army of Northern Virginia was to take the war to the residents of the northern States and thereby cause the residents of those states to call for an end to the war and allow the southern States to leave the United States and form their own country.  The Army of the Potomac was commanded by Major General George Gordon Meade.  The Army of Northern Virginia was commanded by General Robert E. Lee.  The battle of Gettysburg ended on 3 July 1863 when the assault by over 13,000 Confederate infantrymen, known as "Pickett's Charge," was repulsed by the Army of the Potomac, costing the Army of Northern Virginia more than 6,000 dead and wounded.  The battle itself resulted in more than 51,000 casualties, dead and wounded, from both sides and ended the last offensive action taken by any Confederate States army during the war. 

        The York-Adams Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America has established the Gettysburg Historic Trail programme whereby Scouts can earn a badge and medal by hiking and learning about the battle of Gettysburg and the surrounding area.  The five programme elements are:  1)  The Visitor Center/National Cemetery; 2) The Billy Yank Trail; 3) The Johnny Reb trail; 4) The Eisenhower National Historic Site; 5) The Historic Gettysburg Trail.  Troop 461 has traveled to Gettysburg on an annual basis for the past several years, affording our Scouts and leaders the opportunity to complete at least two parts of the Gettysburg Historic Trail.

        The National Park Service operates a campground for youth groups known as "McMillian Woods" where groups such as Boy Scout troops can camp inside the park at no charge.  The campground is located off of Confederate Avenue in the park about a quarter mile from the Virginia monument and the location of "Pickett's Charge."  The location of McMillian Woods provides a convenient base from which to tour the battlefield or to take the historic walk section of the Trail through the town of Gettysburg.  This year, we did the historic walk through the town of Gettysburg and also toured the Eisenhower Farm, which was the home of President and Mrs. Dwight D. Eisenhower following his Presidency (1953-1961).  The Eisenhower Farm abuts the Gettysburg National Military Park.

        Saturday saw our group take the historic walk through the town of Gettysburg.  During that walk, we saw the train station where President Abraham Lincoln arrived to dedicate the national cemetery in November of 1863 where he delivered his famous "Gettysburg Address."  Also during the walk we observed some homes and buildings in Gettysburg that still bear scars of the damage that was inflicted during the battle, including one home that still has a cannon shell embedded in its wall.  The day turned out quite nice for walking and everyone had a good time.  Naturally, some of the adult leaders decided to take a nap once they returned from the hike.  Taking a nap in camp can be a dangerous thing when there are people with cameras around, as Jerry Kulp discovered later on.

        Not everyone had to go on the historic walk.  Those Scouts and leaders who had already accomplished that part of the Gettysburg Historic Trail were given the option of staying in camp and working on advancement or helping prepare the evening meal.  Some Scouts, however, decided to do some spur-of-the-moment metalworking with items found around the fire ring.  The evening meal was roast beef and vegetables made in dutch ovens.  The members of the troop have recently re-discovered dutch oven cooking and enjoy the ease with which the meal is cooked and the easy clean up once the meal is finished.  However, some of us like to linger over good food and take advantage of our lighted dining area.  The lighted kitchen area also provides a convenient gathering place for the Scouts and leaders after dark where they can play games or work on advancement.

        Of course, what would a camping trip be without the nightly campfire?  Following the evening meal and clean up, most of us enjoyed simply sitting around the campfire, swapping stories, telling jokes, or just watching the fire as it burned.  Several hours sitting in the woods by a campfire on a pleasant evening with friends can be much more relaxing and stress-relieving than watching television or walking the mall.

        On Sunday, plans called for breakfast and packing up camp before heading off to tour the Eisenhower Farm, the second portion of the Gettysburg Historic Trail that we did that weekend.  Naturally, a necessary part of packing and getting ready to head off for the day's activities is packing the troop trailer.  Getting all of the troop gear, especially our dining canopy, back into the trailer is somewhat of a science.  Fortunately, our Scoutmaster, Harold, knows where everything has its place and makes sure that everything is in its place before we lock up the trailer to head out. 

        Once that necessary chore was finished, the rest of our troop and personal gear was packed up and we headed to the Visitor's Centre to purchase our tickets for the Eisenhower Farm.  A visit to the Eisenhower Farm is like a step back into the late 1950s and early 1960s.  The furnishings of the farmhouse and kitchen are of that ear and reminded some of our leaders of things that they saw in their parents' or grandparents' kitchens when growing up.

This page last updated on Friday, 25 November 2005