Heather
Searfoss
6-25-2015
Ethnography
Assignment
“That we here highly resolve that
these dead shall not have died in vain. That this nation under God shall have a
new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, and for
the people shall not perish from this earth” is an empowering quote from the
Gettysburg Address describing the sight of the landscape after the Battle of
Gettysburg from President Abraham Lincoln. For this paper I decided to research
the Battle of Gettysburg and it impact it leaves on us Pennsylvania natives because
it is a cultural and historic event that each Pennsylvania native knows by
heart and I find the history of this particular event fascinating. It is not so
much the event overall that leaves the impression but the details from within
that tell the true story and leaves the greatest impact.
As I mentioned earlier, Pennsylvania
natives are fluent in knowledge when it comes to Gettysburg because it is
within the heart of the state and those who have relatives that either live in
the city or fought in the famous battle show their patriotic pride religiously.
The city of Gettysburg thrives with the spirit and historic fascination of the
Civil War with the colors Union Blue and Confederate Gray lining the streets
corners everywhere. The neighborhood is a rustic version of the 1800s with a
modern twist because of the new technology and array of automobiles that flow
through the city streets each day. Many of the automobiles belong to tourists
who come to frolic in the vast history Gettysburg has to offer. Modern scholars
however, try to grasp this spirit with academic writings and complicated words
to describe the energy and the landscape of the city of Gettysburg. According
to author Joseph Pierro “No visitor can help but notice the seemingly
schizophrenic nature of the Gettysburg battlefield” (Pierro, 2004) and that is
true because the landscape consists of multiple hills and valleys. It makes
scholars and even tourists curious as to how the two massive armies were able
to fight without confusion or getting lost for that matter because Gettysburg
was woods and miles away from huge cities during the 3 days battle. Regardless,
scholars still recognize Gettysburg as one of the greatest battles ever fought
as Cambridge Journal states “Waterloo Eclipsed!!” (Patterson 1982) which means
that the battle was insignificant compared to this incredible battle fought on
American soil. And it is on this soil that locals appreciate and stand in awe
of the battlefield’s glory.
“It is a sight to see when you watch
the battle unfold before your eyes; it is as if history comes alive in a split
second” said local observer Alex Hagadorn after watching the reenactment of the
Battle of Gettysburg for the first time. It is silent as the cannons erupt and
loud cheers are raised with each order to attack the enemy. The town locals are
unaffected by the sounds of bursting cannon fire because it becomes synonymous
with everyday life and most of them would be standing in attendance at the battlefield,
anyway. Most arrive with cameras in hand and a hat on top to protect themselves
from the burning summer sun imagining how the actors feel wearing their tight,
cotton uniforms in the blazing heat. The crowd stands in awe as the actors
raise their weapons and fire one round and then another within a matter of 5
minutes. The actors push forward as some of their comrades fall from being
struck by the never-ending gunfire. The fighting concludes with a silent and
respectful meeting of the two army generals to symbol the ending of a gruesome
battle. The Battle of Gettysburg has ended. As a Pennsylvania native me, I have
visited Gettysburg and I’m always in awe by the beauty of the landscape, but
I’ve lacked the opportunity to watch the reenactment for myself. But, it is the
effect of such an event that makes spectators and locals want to come back and
see history come alive again and again.
Since the Battle of Gettysburg and
the reenactments leave Americans in a state of shock and surprise because of
how brutal and significant they were to the building of our country, we begin
to wonder what the events really meant and how significant they truly were. The
Battle of Gettysburg lasted three grueling days from July 1st-July 3rd,
1863. The North was a breath away from losing the Civil War and this one
stronghold stood in the way of the North being slaughtered by the Confederate
Army. Previously before the war-turning battle, the Confederate Army had
conquered at the Battles of Bull Run and the Battle of Chancellorsville. The
two battles were huge victories and were perfect for leading the Confederate
States of America to victory in the Civil War. But, what does the Battle of
Gettysburg mean for the Union Army? In, short terms it meant they had to win at
all haste despite the 7,000 casualties suffered throughout the battle. It meant
that Ulysses S. Grant did not just have to make decisions, but otherwise make
smart ones and critical ones. With the help of the landscape around the town of
Gettysburg, the Union Army was able to surprise the Confederate army with
numerous attacks and use the large hills such as Cemetery Ridge to their
military advantage. The battle was a huge victory for the Union Army and it
turned the course of the war along with the Battle of Vicksburg not long after.
But, what did the Battle of Gettysburg mean to America? What does it mean to
Pennsylvania locals today?
Well, the Battle of Gettysburg
turned the Civil War in favor of the Union Army with the help of the landscape
and the tactics used by Ulysses S. Grant and other Union officers. It is
because of the Battle of Gettysburg the country witnessed the horror of warfare
firsthand and it grew by learning new ways to provide hospitality to the
wounded soldiers and to rebuild the country from the ground up. The ways in
which citizens could witness the horrors were through the use of photographs
and if they were in a town that was geographically close to where a battle had
occurred. Unfortunately, for the citizens of Gettysburg they were in the midst
of war crossfire between two massive armies. The Battle of Gettysburg left a
huge impression on Abraham Lincoln that he delivered the famous speech the
Gettysburg Address on the battlefield to commemorate those gave their lives for
this great cause. It is also Abraham Lincoln who decided to turn the Gettysburg
Battlefield into a national park and cemetery so that others could experience
the impact for themselves. But, how does the Battle affect Pennsylvania locals
today?
The battle affects Pennsylvania
locals by providing them with a deep respect for Civil War history because
shops that sell memorabilia and souvenirs are scattered throughout Central
Pennsylvania. The reenactment of the historic battle gives tourists and locals
a chance to escape the history books and witness the historic event before
their eyes. It provides us as Americans the knowledge to understand how the
military was conducted during the 19th century and gives us a little
taste of the experiences locals had as they witnessed the battle unfold in
their own backyard. I have visited the battlefield multiple times throughout my
life and it never ceases to amaze me how organized and slick the Union Army was
in its fight to conquer the Confederate Army and search for victory in the
Civil War. I adore history and the spirit and interest showed by the tourists
and local community gives you a sense of patriotism and unity. It is amazing
how one battle can unite a state and most importantly an entire country simply
because it helped end slavery and end the oppression of African Americans
throughout the United States of America.
The Battle of Gettysburg was a
supreme triumph for the Union Army in 1863. Over 150 years after the battle
commenced, it stills ceases to capture the attention of the country and charm
students in their history classes. The research I have conducted for this
project is important because when students are learning about the birth and
growth of the United States, the Battle of Gettysburg is a critical turning
point. It prevented the United States from becoming two separate countries and
prevented the threat of slavery from becoming an everlasting issue. It is also
important to learn about this battle because it can help students understand
the philosophies of citizens during the 19th century and can help
answer questions as to why the Confederate Army did not conquer and why Ulysses
S. Grant chose the tactics he did? It provides students also with a taste of
military history and how the armed forces were handled during the late 19th
century. The reenactments of the battle provide an in depth view of the
military strategies used at the time and allows citizens to have a better
understanding of the conditions soldiers faced in the midst of battle. To help
students and Americans better understand the Battle of Gettysburg, it would be
easier to introduce them to artifacts from the time period and parchments
written from witnesses of the battle. This can give a well-rounded approach
when learning about this historic battle. In the end, the history of the Battle
of Gettysburg and the reenactments leave
spectators awe-struck and students begging for more, but only those who lived
through it know the whole story.
