“It’s time to wake up…” Jeff roused me about 7:00 this morning and I had a decision to make. Was I going to get more sleep or was I going to get up to see some guys on horses? I was tired. I’ve been going to bed later than usual and waking up earlier than usual AND doing Insanity and I was tired. Watching guys on horses didn’t sound like something worth getting out of my comfy bed for. Did I mention I was tired?
I then asked myself what I would prefer to remember – sleeping in for another hour or watching a cavalry Civil War reenactment on our friend’s property? I knew the answer and I reluctantly pulled myself out of bed.
Our friends have a beautiful piece of property outside of our little town, which is actually a bit north of Gettysburg. The reenactments happen about two miles from their house and one of the cavalry divisions (Buford’s, I think) asked if they could ride through their property to get to the reenactments. The park service estimates that 200,000 people will be flooding our area over a few days, so I have no desire to sit in traffic, walk a great distance, fight the crowds in the heat to experience artillery barrages and bayonet charges. I would do that for awesome antiques, but not for this sort of thing. So, a private cavalry demonstration was a perfect way for me to experience it.
The family who owned the house and property invited about 50 people, so it was a nice, relaxed atmosphere. We all hung out in the backyard on blankets, lawn chairs and porch steps…waiting for the cavalry to come out of the woods and through the corn field.
We talked about it later in the car at how fearful residents of this area must have been, knowing that soldiers were converging on their little town. Should they stay? Should they leave? What would be safest for their family? What would happen to their homes, crops, livestock and land? It’s a feeling and a fear that’s so foreign to me as I sat on a blanket, waiting to take pictures. It was thought provoking.
Finally we heard some rustling in the trees and caught site of horse legs through the underbrush and out they came…
…150 fully dressed Union cavalry.
They set up in formation in the backyard…right in front of us. Maybe 15 feet away.
…and they gave three cheers for the family who let them cross their property. (I think that was my favorite part.)
While all of that was going on, four scouts stood guard, watching for the enemy.
Then, they rode off down the road…
….circled around the field and got into formation again.
…and then rode off to join the battle.
I’m so glad I decided to get out of bed. It was really an amazing site to see. And, of course, so much more than just some guys riding horses.
Happy July 4th! May we never forget the struggles our country went through in order to become the nation it is today.
73 Responses
Wow. I never put Independence Day and the Civil War together like that before. It just really makes you realize freedom isn’t free. Powerful.
Thanks.
Well, the battle of Gettysburg happened over the July 4th week, so that’s why they are put together around here. I think the battle of Fredericksburg was over July 4th as well, only a year earlier.
Being from Georgia and North Carolina, my entire family would have been on the other side and probably wouldn’t have thought the sight of the Union soldiers would have been as beautiful as your pics have made them. I’m so proud of my ancestors for standing up for their beliefs and so very proud of our country for surviving thru such a horrific period. Thank you so much for posting these pics, I’m so glad you got out of bed, 🙂 . Hope you have a wonderful Independence Day and maybe one day I’ll get up there to meet you!
My entire family fought for Virginia, including a great, great, great grandfather who marched in Pickett’s charge. One of my other great grandfather’s was given a decanter as a wedding gift from Robert E Lee.
NO WAY!!! I sure hope someone in your family still has that decanter. That is amazing!!!
I teared up looking at these pictures. I’m very patriotic and seeing these men in their uniforms and on horses gave me goose bumps … and teary eyes.
I’m so glad you shared these pictures with us. Independence Day isn’t just about hot dogs and cook outs. I hope people will stop and remember why it is that we are a FREE nation… at least for now.
My Father, and several uncles served in WWII… and there is a reason why they are known as “the Greatest Generation”. The Civil War pitted brother against brother.. and was the most costly of all our wars as far as casualties go.
I can’t thank you enough for sharing these pictures. I want to wish all your readers a Happy INDEPENDENCE Day, and a reminder that Freedom is NOT Free.
Thanks so much!
Yeah, isn’t that cool? The decanter is still at my Opa’s house, but they lost track of which one it was, so it’s in a collection of 5 glass decanters.
I also have a bucket of miniballs my Opa collected around Petersburg as he built houses. He would often find them when they were digging the foundations.
This looks like an amazing opportunity! We almost went to Gettysburg today, but home projects called ;(
Checking in from the hot desert of AZ. Love the green grass and trees. Ahhhhh….. Gorgeous pictures!!
That is AMAZING! I am glad you got out of bed too, I got chills just looking at your pictures (which are beautiful, by the way)! Thank you so much for sharing, I have been to Gettysburg once and it is a beautiful place and a very important part of our history. Have a very happy 4th of July!
Thought provoking indeed..in your head you think about what history “looks” like, and then you see these beautiful shots and realize that this is what this specific thing probably looked like. It is very surreal, but an awe striking thing to see, almost as if you were back in time. Thanks for the opportunity to witness a little piece of history!
What an awesome, awesome sight and experience! I love our nation’s history, and you & I live in one of our nation’s richest regions for that! I hope the rest of your holiday was just as great – thanks for sharing!
Very spectacular Marian – I’m so very glad you got out of bed to take those amazing pictures! It’s funny because my Dad and his good friend Ken drove down from Northern Ontario, Canada to be a part of the 200,000 people converging on your historic little town to remember the battles and why they were fought.! Ken’s a huge history buff – my dad is decidedly not, but he saw a friend in need of a traveling buddy and off he went! I know he’ll learn a lot and enjoy the celebration.
As a huge fan of both your blog and your work, I loved this post, as did my husband and son as they analyzed the photos! My sister and her family live right in Leesburg(1 mile down from Lucketts) and my 8 year old is a Gettysburg fanatic, so we always stop in your neck of the woods as we travel through on 81. We actually just went through yesterday on our way home to Syracuse and spent a lot of time talking about what it must have been like for those families who had to make the decision to stay or leave everything. I can’t even imagine the emotions they must have felt. Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Thanks for sharing this great moment in history with us. Having been to a reenactment here in Virginia I can not tell you how amazing it is to watch. The dedication of the reenactors is unbelievble. It is an awesome way to bring history to life, especially a part of history so important to our nation. Glad you had that discussion in the car, too. We have often had similar discussions, wondering if we would have been able to sacrifice as they did. What a great way to spend the 4th!
Thanks for sharing – wonderful photos! Back when I worked in an antiques shop, I used to have the most interesting conversations with civil-war reenactors who were shopping for just the right period details. Fascinating hobby
Wow, never really thought about the people who’s land was so close by. It must have been really frightening for them. We have such a sense of security in our own homes. How enlightening to think about their situation.
Happy Holiday to you! I enjoyed hearing about your day and looking at the photos. I myself am a horse rider and owner of a handful, and in any spare time we have that’s our choice of entertainment! There’s something special about loading your saddle bags up and hitting the trails for hours, by ourselves or with a group of friends we always have a great time!! And it never fails, at some point in the day my mind wonders back in time to what it must have been like to travel by horseback. Wether it be a cowboy, an outlaw, or a soldier, or families traveling for days across states to establish homesteads, I’m in awe of them and all they must have went through so that we could be here today. I’m sure the “simpler times” some refer to, really weren’t simple at all!! (My bottom can vouche for that after a day in the saddle!) God Bless them all!! Happy 4th of July!!!
Thanks for sharing those pictures with us. That was wonderful! Wish we all could have experienced it first hand! Happy 4th! Lori Lucas
I was at a conference near DC this week and stayed for some sightseeing. My friends and I got up early and headed out to Mt Vernon for the festivities there. I am so glad we went as it reminds me of why we are free. it was a long day, but worth it. Your adventure looks amazing.
Reading your post gave me goose bumps. I just finished a historical fiction novel this morning that took place during the war. As a mother of boys I often wonder what the mothers of all the young soldiers must of went through. Very thought provoking. I’m glad you decided to not sleep in. Thank you for sharing your beautiful pictures and experience with us.
Happy 4Th
The idea of going to Gettysburg for the 150th anniversary sounded appealing to me but the reality of dealing with the crowd was a bit overwhelming, so we went to Gettysburg for the very first time a few weeks ago instead. It is an amazing sight. I also wondered what the locals must’ve thought as all these soldiers arrived in their town. Thanks so much for posting these pictures!
Great post. I am from the South and had ancestors who fought on both sides. I am far away now, and really appreciate your post. God Bless America!
Wow goes pictures are stunning! I’m so glad you got out of bed too! Must have been surreal to see in person, as it would have happened back then. Thank ou for sharing! Happy fourth!
Yes, thanks again for getting out of bed. The pictures were amazing!!! Feel free to sleep in tomorrow.
Awesome pictures. Thank you for getting up and taking those pictures and sharing them with us. 🙂 Would love to have been there.
Those pictures were amazing! They gave me chills and tears. These folks are so dedicated and they help to keep our history alive.
I hope your boys enjoyed their day. I know they are young, but I am sure it was exciting for them to see. You live in such a history rich area. Many things happened on the land you walk on. Our men and women gave so much.
Thank you for sharing these lovely pictures!
Blessings…
Thank you so much. So much to think about and be thankful for. Not only past history, but the work that goes into keeping history relevant. It’s no small feat to have that many horses and riders in formation. The pictures were wonderful, I’m glad you went.
Hi Marian. Thanks for this great post and wonderful photos. Last year on our way to New England, we spent two nights and a day in Gettysburg where we went to the museum and took the self-paced auto tour. I would have loved to go back this year, but we were told how busy it would be. When we took the tour it brought us to tears. When you stand over those battlefields, you can almost hear the thunder of the horses and the screaming of men as they just basically waited to die. We always see reenacters on horses, but most of the soldiers didn’t even have horses and fought the other side face-to-face on foot. Most people don’t realize what that battle did to this little farming town…the soldiers’ blood ran over the fields and stained the soil for years to come. They ran out of room to store all the amputated limbs, nevermind bodies. We saw the monument to the 41st regiment out of Brooklyn, NY, which was my great, great granfather’s regiment (he survived), and marveled at the stories of what they went through. I can’t even imagine what it was like to coordinate so many different regiments coming from so many different states. I am a Yankee by birth and a Southerner by heart, having spent half my life in each area. What I was most proud of was the fact that the men on both sides of fence were portrayed as the heros that they were. There were no ‘bad guys’, but just men who were doing what they were told and what they thought was best. Gettysburg, PA does this country proud. It is an awe-inspiring place to visit and offers a great homage to those who fought and died there. We would like to go back just tospend a whole day in the museum. Thanks again for making a visit possible this holiday! Sue
I have never really been a “morning” person, so I can empathize with your conflicted thoughts, but what wonderful memories your family will have of this day! (I was also thinking how cool it would be to convert one of those photos to b/w or sepia tones, frame it and incorporate it into the decor of one of your rooms…)
Thanks for sharing such a unique experience with us!
Thanks for sharing the pictures. It brought tears to my eyes thinking of all the brave men who have died for our country. Which helps explain why we like collecting their stuff!
Thank you, Marion – these pictures are really beautiful. I imagine that these scenes are something you will always remember. I bet your boys loved it. Thank you for sharing it to remind us how many, many people have fought for freedom in our beloved, young country.
Relating to your comment about a great-great-grandfather and a decanter from Robert E. Lee, I hope that it still remains in your family. It made me reflect on how important it is that we use and preserve pieces of history. It all comes back to “‘tiquing,” as my three-year-old calls is it. Antiquing is essential for retaining the stories of our country. Not to mention that it keeps us all giddy when we go after bits of history. And makes it easier to explain to our husbands when we haul it home…)
Happy Fourth of July!
Thank you for sharing these! My bf is involved with a reenactment in our area & it’s always great to see photos from other areas. My greatgreatgreat grandfather was from Pennsylvania fought in the area, while the other side of my family was mustered out here in Illinois.
Thanks for sharing, Marian! My husband would have loved to be there. He is a war history (any war that the US fought) buff. 🙂
Wow, I rarely comment but just had to for this post! This was amazing and wonderful to read and see a piece of our nations history that we only read in history books in school!
This really puts it into perspective and gives a feel for what it must have been like for families when they saw this happening for real!
Thank you for getting up to go to this instead of sleeping in so this could be shared with all of us!!!
~Terry
Wow! Not my thing either but the pictures were beautiful and gave me a chill. Lucky for you to experience that.
Thank you so much for posting your pictures! It was so nice to be able to share in something so impressive and so far away (from Utah)!
Thank you!
What a wonderful experience! Lucky you! Beautiful horse flesh too.
It must have been so exhilarating to hear the sounds, the huffing and pounding of hooves so close! Wow. Thank you *so* much for sharing the photos with us. Your post was a blessing.
Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I live in a small town outside Nashville, TN and there is a place here called Stones River National Battlefield. Every time I go through it on my way to another town, I get chills and can only imagine what it must have looked like during war. I know it was an amazing site to see those men and horses and so awesome that General Lee gave your great grandfather a decanter for a wedding gift!
Lucky you! My guys have tromped over many a battle fields over the years, imagining what happened as they recite the history to each other. Sometimes, I just stay in th car. Gettysburg is a favorite battle to study because of all the amazing leaders who were there from both sides. A pivotal battle of the war.
Thank you for sharing that!
Thank You, Thank You for sharing these wonderful pictures!! My husband will be thrilled to
see them when he gets home!! We were hoping to get there in June or July but were unable
because we were waiting for our fourth grandchild to arrive!! She was born on July 2.
What a special experience to be in a friends yard( as we say in the northeast) You are very thoughtful to share them. We visited Gettysburg just after the new museum was opened, it was by chance our trip happened then, pretty area!!
Handsome Hubby and I were vacationing in southern California over the 4th and visited a small garden that held a war memorial. The surrounding wall was embedded with replicas of hand-written letters from particular individuals who fought in different US wars. Although all brought tears to our eyes, one was particularly poignant. It was from a runaway slave to his wife. It began “Der Wife” and told how he was currently fighting for the north and was sure the war would free her. He wanted to “no if [she and the] little one” still lived in the same cabin or if they had been sold. It was chilling. Adding this memory to the pictures of the reenactment on property near your home is very moving to say the least! Thank God for the numerous sacrifices that have been made by so many in order that all of us in this country may enjoy such magnificent freedoms.
Thank you. My daughter was just visiting in Gettysburg prior to business in DC so we’ve talked a bit about this commemoration. I’ve seen re-enactments. There was a civil war fort on the Grapevine pass leading to LA so I’ve taken kids there for a field trip. But your photos today made it real. How many boys died. Both sides. On American soil. Our own war. As Civil wars go on in Syria and Egypt…and I felt sad for the mothers…the ravages of that war…never fully have we recovered. Yet my daughter’s early morning photo of the peace filled serene field does not shout it’s story of 150 years ago, lest we forget and repeat. Thank you for helping me remember. And pray we do not repeat.
Great photos! I love reenactment of war. Hope the day wasn’t too hot. We went to one and the crowd was dropping over from the heat. Have a fun weekend!
Amen! Thanks for sharing….
What an amazing experience! Your photos are stunning! I think maybe we can see where your love of blue and green comes from. 🙂
Glad you got up to take the wonderful pics for us! I live near St. Charles, Mo., home of where Lewis and Clark started out on their exploration. We have a small “encampment” every year on the spot that they left from, but I’ve never watched the reenactments. I did hear a story once that those who do the war reenactments pay for everything themselves, and if they are part of the “horse brigades” it can be very expensive, as you can imagine. But thankfully they love the history of it all, and share it with us. We should never forget what our ancestors did for love of country. Bless them!
Thanks for posting all the photos. My husband & I were thinking about making the long 9-10 hour drive to visit with our girls but we weren’t able too. Our hay for our horses had to be cut, dried, flipped & then baled during this few days of no rain. We did manage a beach day on the 4 th on Lake Huron though. So happy again that you posted some (and got out of bed for it).
Liz
That was so cool! Thanks so much for sharing that! And you are right- what a scary time that must have been for people- seeing a calvary come in and having to decide to stay or leave and the uncertainty of it all.
Thank you for the great photos which I just shared with my husband. We are in San Francisco for a reunion of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots. My husband was a air cavalry pilot and his unit wore cavalry hats. He enjoyed seeing the soldiers with the cav hats and the marks on their flags . It started a conversation between us about all the sacrifices the cavalry has done through our history for our freedom. Thank you for the great post.
Wow, that is so cool. I love that people take the time to do reinactments such as that one and honour history in that manner. Your photos are fantastic!
awesome photos…thanks for sharing…I volunteer at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, IL so Gettysburg is a special place…if you are ever in the area stop by, you will not be disappointed…
I’m so glad you hauled yourself out of bed to take some pics for us. They are wonderful!
That must have been quite a show. Great pics, thanks for sharing. Not too often we’d get to see reenactments like that. What beautiful scenery. Hope it wasn’t too hot.
As usual I’m thinking about the practical angle, how hot do you think it must have been in those uniforms and all they had to wear. Phewy. Sure hope they all wore some really good antiperspirant/deodorant. lol It was hot enuf yesterday here in CO without any breezes, I can only imagine how hot it was there with humidity. Our humidity tends to be low but wasn’t so low yesterday.
Happy summer.
I’m sitting here crying. I cry when the national anthem is sung, so this would have ruined me if I were there in person. I love my country. Thank you so much for sharing this with us, and I’m also glad you decided to get out of bed!
Awesome! Thanks so much for sharing the pics! I enjoyed them so much…it must have been incredible to see in person!
My husband and I were reenactors for the first of two 150th Gettysburg Reenactments. Doc was a battlefield illustrator and sketched scenes of battles just like they did at the real battles. The illustrations were then sent into newspapers such as Harpers Weekly. This was our first reenactment and we plan on doing more so he can produce several illustrations. I would love to ride a horse around the battlefield as a few women did. There is a lot of walking!
How awesome, thanks for sharing!
Wonderful pictures! Thank you for getting out of bed and sharing them with all of us! I had goosebumps while viewing and reading about your private show!
Thank you again!
Thank you for sharing this story and pictures. My husband and I enjoyed them very much. All of those questions you talked about on the way home were the subject of our conversation, too. I visited Gettysburg when I was a child with my family. This brought back memories of that time.
As a Pa. girl myself, I would love the trek from DC to Gettysburg to watch the 150th anniversary reenactments, but the crowds and heat are too much. You really lucked out with a private viewing. The pics you posted were terrific and I could not help but notice the colors were your palette. Perhaps the artist that does the cows can do one of these reenactment pics for your husband. 😉
Great photos. Some of them look like oil paintings.
How lucky you were! It must have been spectacular. You’re right, one can only imagine what the residents of the time were feeling. It couldn’t have been an easy time.
AWESOME! thanks for sharing. I’ve always wanted to see Gettysburg.
Great pictures, thanks for sharing.
thank you so much, I so want to visit this part of our county. This without doubt increase that wish. Maybe for our anniversary next year…thank you again
You made such a wonderful point,what would I rather remember? It’s not the things we have but the memories at the end of our days that are so precious.Have a wonderful day Marion.
I grew up in a small western Pennsylvania town, married and moved to easter PA, lived in Dillsburg for awhile….just north of Gettysburg. Although now I am in the desert (reminding myself that God created the desert too!) Pennsylvania is in my blood!!
Thank you for this post. As I read and looked at the photos, I felt as though I was right there sitting on a blanket…anticipating the arrival of the calvary. The “rustling in the trees” the first “site of horse legs through the underbrush” So many emotions….and as you mentioned….the residents, so many years ago, what must they have felt.
Thank you!
Awesome photos! My sister used to take pictures at the re-enactments in Indiana. But, I think seeing your photos brings it into much better perspective. Totally, totally awesome! Thank you 🙂
Beautiful pictures! How wonderful that you got to experience that up-close and personal. I’m from southwestern PA, and we just returned home from 3 days in Gettysburg attending the reenactment over the weekend. It was awesome and so moving. Always stirs up strong emotions in me. Yes, there were large crowds, hours in traffic, high heat & humidity, but worth every minute of it. We love Gettysburg and always love returning there from time to time. It’s such a clean, friendly, beautiful area. I always think of you when I’m there and how fortunate you are to live in such a lovely town.
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