'Cry 'Havoc!', 1863 Gettysburg, PA

'Cry 'Havoc!' And Let Slip The Dogs Of War’

Samuel Gettys, one of the earliest area settlers, established a tavern in south-central Pennsylvania, at a crossroads, in the 1770s. He donated funding to the American Revolutionary cause and after the war he was land rich and cash poor. He sold his land to his son in 1786 and James Gettys laid out a 210-lot town with a central square and named it after his father. In 1800 Gettysburg became the county seat and by 1860 the town’s population hovered around 2,400 and included 186 “free” African Americans.

In 1863, at the midpoint of the Civil War, Union and Confederate forces focused on Gettysburg. The town’s importance revolved around its highly strategic location. It was 8-miles from the Maryland border, one of the first towns in the free North and it was at the center of ten roads, one of which led to Harrisburg, thirty-five miles away, the ground featured good defensive positions and it was east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Lee, fresh from a Chancellorsville victory, felt this was the time for an offensive into the North that would strike a blow at civilian morale and force Lincoln into peace negotiations. 

Lee moved his forces into Pennsylvania without knowledge that the Union army was already stationed there. His cavalry commander, J.E.B. Stuart, was to reconnoiter, guard the flank and safeguard the mountain passes as Lee’s troops moved north. Stuart went raiding and did not give advance information on the area’s Union presence. Lee’s troops encountered the Union troops on July 1, 1863 and the Battle of Gettysburg began. 

Lee’s forces numbered 70,100 and 93,700 men were under the Union command of Union Major General George Meade. Hundreds of civilians were forced to choose between fleeing and sheltering in place. Many African Americans fled, with good reason. In June of 1863 the Confederate cavalry crossed into the area and captured blacks, slave or free, and took them southward for sale. Any white person caught harboring a black person had their home burned to the ground.

Hundreds of civilians of all ages lived through the havoc and horror of that July in 1863. They found ways to survive and to serve. Their stories, those of the common citizen, are finally being told. Gettysburg has found ways to present their contributions in innovative and engaging ways within the authentic spaces where they took place.

A walking tour through Downtown Gettysburg provides an excellent overview of how and where the fighting occurred. Guides are licensed and tours can be adapted to cover topics that are of personal interest. Gbltg.com

The Battle of Gettysburg officially began on July 1 but in actuality an advanced guard marched into town on June 26 and during a brief encounter on Baltimore Pike a Union soldier was killed. On the morning of July 1, advance units of both armies met on the northwestern edge of Gettysburg. The Confederates pushed the outnumbered Union soldiers into the town itself and chaos ensued.

Gettysburg Beyond the Battle Museum will open to the public on April 15, 2023. Ken Burns has endorsed the museum and deemed it “spectacular”. The $11-million museum features 12 galleries featuring 1220 exhibits within 5,000 square feet and 5 short films are narrated by Stephen Lang. Tours begin with the natural history of the region and the earliest indigenous presence. The exhibit areas showcase a replicated Gettys’ Tavern, Mag Palm’s Rocking Chair, John Burns’ Rifle and eyewitness accounts of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. 

Gettysburg was the largest battle ever fought in North America and the Caught in the Crossfire Experience places visitors in a home trapped in the midst of the battle. This 360-degree immersive experience is so uncannily realistic that visitors hear the sounds, feel the movements and watch as their shelter is pierced with bullets. As you emerge from the basement of the home you find that it has been riddled with bullets. This museum is not to be missed. Tickets are timed and parking is free. GettysburgBeyondtheBattle.org

The Children of Gettysburg 1863 Museum is situated in what was the Rupp House. It was at the heart of the battle and the rear of the original structure housed Confederate soldiers. The museum is completely interactive and fun for all ages but of particular interest to grades K-5. In 4 major galleries the museum features the stories and activities of children during the battle and afterward. It is free for children under 12 with an adult. GettysburgFoundation.org

The Shriver House Museum and Ten-Pin Alley can be credited for originating the representation of civilian life during the Battle of Gettysburg. They were the first and continue to do an outstanding job of relating their story. The home was constructed in 1860. It was to have functioned as a tavern and bowling alley but the war intervened. The tour begins with a visit to the parlor as it looked pre-war and continues into a room that replicates the house’s destruction. A southern sniper’s nest is in the garret and on the lower level the tavern is on exhibit. ShriverHouse.org

Wonder Women’s Hidden Valor Walking Tour travels 1.7 miles and tells the stories of the women who served in many capacities in 1863. Many of these marginalized women have attained their place in history through inclusion on the tour. Stories of African American women, including Mag Palm are told. #getyourguide

Jennie Wade was born at 242 Baltimore Street but the Jennie Wade House Museum is located at 548 Baltimore. She left her home to tend to her sister who had just given birth. She was baking bread for the soldiers as a stray .58 caliber bullet came through the door and killed her. She was the battle’s single civilian fatality. The tour is self-guided and takes you throughout all the areas of the small duplex. Many of the furnishings are original and the bullet hole can be seen in the door. GettysburgBattlefieldTours.com/Jennie-Wade-House

 In 1774 Rev. Alexander Dobbin purchased 200-acres of land and in 1776 he brought 2 slaves into the area to help build his home. These enslaved were the first blacks in the area. Rev. Dobbin lived there, one of the oldest structures, with his wife and 19 children. The house passed to Dobbins’ son who added a second floor in 1825. Ironically this was done with the inclusion of a crawlspace because he was a stationmaster on the Underground Railroad. The hiding place can be seen on a tour. The Dobbin House Tavern is now an outstanding restaurant with 6 historic dining sections. Of special note are the 17-foot long chestnut bar and the 1750 Continental Flag.  The Gettystown Inn offers 9 guestrooms with period furniture. DobbinHouse.com

Brafferton Inn Bed & Breakfast, formerly the Codori House, is the first recorded deeded town property. The 1786 fieldstone house now hosts guest in 18 unique accommodations. No two rooms are alike and each offers special amenities. Gourmet breakfast is served each morning and homemade snacks are available during the day. www.brafferton.com

The Mansion House 1757 is one of the oldest taverns in America and in 1820 became a stop on the Underground Railroad. It features an excellent menu, great service and 6 restored rooms and suites with a chef inspired breakfast. The tavern served as Stuart’s headquarters and Lee is known to have dined there. Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower ate there often and Mamie continued to dine there after Ike’s death.MansionHouse1757.com

On July 3 Pickett’s Charge took place and ended in failure causing Lee to withdrew to Virginia on the 4th of July. Lee’s invasion of the North had been stopped. The people of Gettysburg were left with 22,000 wounded and dead and 3,000 dead horses. The Confederate wagon train of wounded stretched 17-miles. Many buildings in the town were used as hospitals. The last remains were found on the battlefield in 1996 and are interred in the Soldiers' National Cemetery as "Unknown Civil War Remains."

African American Basil Biggs returned home to discover 45 Confederates buried on his property. Biggs obtained a contract to exhume battlefield bodies and place them in coffins. Carrying 6 at a time in a wagon he reburied approximately 3,000 bodies. destinationgettysburg.com/stories-gettysburgs-black-citizens

President Abraham Lincoln presented his Gettysburg Address at the National Cemetery on November 19, 1863.

The “Return Visit” statue was placed in Lincoln Square in 1991. It is one of the most photographed statues in Gettysburg. The sculptor used casts of his hands and an 1865 cast of his face as models. Lincoln holds his hat aloft and inside you can see the mark of its maker. This is great photo op as well as a perfect ending to unique visit. #destinationgettysburg