Gettysburg 150 - July 2

The morning of July 2 had me prowling around the Union encampment at the Pennsylvania Monument.  The camp was so large my camera simply couldn't catch it all.

Evocative of a Winslow Homer painting, these two zouaves lounge on the grass.

I caught this pipe peeking from underneath a tent.

This Second Corps lieutenant seems to be enjoying himself...

as is this one.

Ready for a hot day's campaigning.

Looking slightly skeptical, this young rebel showed up in the yankee camp.

picturesque photo opportunities were everywhere.

This young woman was portraying a member of the U.S. Sanitary Commission.

An old campaigner taking a nap.

Artillery firings were provided by a regulation sized six-gun Union battery comprised of three rifles and three smoothbore guns.

Sgt. Thomas from the Pry House Medical Museum at Antietam forms up with his zouave unit.

I am pictured here ready to lead my loyal minions into battle.

The Federals advance in line of battle and...

deliver a withering volley of fire.

My next assignment was a battlefield hike entitled "Sickles Line Under Attack" led by Rangers Chris Gwinn and Dan Welch.  I don't know if I've mentioned it but Chris is an alum of Antietam National Battlefield where he was a seasonal for two summers.

I opted to go with Dan's group as I've only heard him give a presentation once before and like Chris he does a really good job of interpretation.  

Chris and Dan formed up the group  and vamped with good natured banter and answers to

 preliminary questions.

The hike split into two groups and there were perhaps 150 participants in each.

There was a light rain for a portion of the hike but the audience was undeterred, though umbrellas 

were deployed.

The hike ended at the iconic Trostle barn.  What was really good about this program is that it went beyond the simplistic analysis of Sickles presented by so many dime-store historians.  Chris and Dan really dug in to the complexities of the issue.  It was a great hike, delivered by two exceptional rangers.

Toward evening I covered the "Voices" presentation.  This simple program - just six performers on a very small stage reading from the letters of battle participants - was my very favorite program of many outstanding events.  It was elegantly simple, and simply superb.

The jolly roadie was a one-man operation and briefed me about what was going to take place on stage.

A happy and casual audience arrived early on this particularly pleasant evening to enjoy

 this small program.

Local media were on hand to cover the program.

All the young actors looked great and had wonderful stage presence.

They were also a group of very fun young people.

A last minute sound check was made.

Ranger Angie Atkinson provided the narrative thread for the program.

The actors were introduced...

and the performers began

The audience spanned generations and all were very attentive.

The actors read from the letters, diaries, and other written accounts of soldiers and civilians caught up in the Battle of Gettysburg.

Michael, my colleague from the social media team gathered footage.  He is a 

particularly talented young man.

The evening sky was a mix of sunshine and gray clouds making for a very dramatic backdrop.

The audience showed their appreciation through sustained applause.

And then the coolest thing happened; the very moment the program ended...

a magnificent ranbow appeared beyond the stage.

What a curtain call!

And what a fantastic day.

From way north of Boonsboro (and apparently fairly near Oz),

Mannie