Gettysburg

Last week Ross took us on a day trip into Pennsylvania to a town called Gettysburg which became famous in 1863 as the battleground for the American Civil War. This was considered the turning point of the civil war between the Confederate southern states and the Union northern states and as a result had the largest number of casualties in the civil war approx 51000 dead, injured or missing.

It was a thought provoking day especially when you stood on the field and looked out for a mile where the Union soldiers once stood watching a mile wide line of 12000 soldiers heading towards them into battle.

This battle scene was captured in a magnificent Cyclorama oil painting which we saw in the museum which is Americas largest painting. The circular room gives you feeling that you have been dropped into the battle looking at the devastation happening all around you.

Once again this round the world trip has reminded me of how privileged my life is and makes me ponder the question what if these wars had turned out differently. Which leads me onto a book recommendation from Ross called What If: The World's Foremost Military Historians Imagine What Might Have Been