Knocking Around Gettysburg on a Summer Afternoon

Something of a history buff, every few years I like to drive up to the Gettysburg Battlefield where Robert E. Lee's second invasion of the north got repelled. Each time I go, I find my impressions are a bit different.

I'm still awed by the tremendous loss of life there. That never changes. The battlefield tactics and generals who never took a bullet don't interest me anymore. Seeing a bunch of cannons and brass plaques hardly excites me. Instead, I feel sadder as I turn older. Christ, will we ever learn?

Stroll out to Lee's equestrian statue where he met the remnants of Pickett's shattered command in retreat. The spooky place gives me chills. Or the boulder garden known as the Devil's Den where sharpshooters (a.k.a. snipers) played a lethal game of paintball. Eerie. I always shudder there.

Gettysburg used to have a nice small town look and feel. That has given way to the commercial development hydra. That's to be expected, I suppose. Same thing happened in my hometown. Maybe I've seen everything there is at the Gettysburg Battlefield. Going back will just be a redundant experience for me.

By Ed Lynskey
Twitter: @edlynskey
Author of Lake Charles
"Definitely recommend you take a fictional journey to Lake Charles."
Elizabeth A. White's Musings of an All Purpose Monkey