A visit to Gettysburg will take you back in time, where you can
almost hear the ghosts of the civil war soldiers and, louder still,
the cannons still bursting in air.

The immense area must be covered by bus or private car. Get a map
at the information centre and then follow the route around the
site. When you arrive at a site that you want to take a closer look
at there are plenty of parking areas or simply stop the car on the
side of the road as they have wide shoulders. Each battlefield has
a plaque explaining the regiments that fought there, and details
such as the dates and the number of casualties. You will be moved
by the number of huge monuments dedicated to the soldiers from each
state and by the passionate wording and sheer numbers of dead from
the various battles.

After viewing these monuments and (through a local guide) hearing
or reading about what took place there, you can almost feel what it
must have been like to be a young soldier thrown into battle, only
to be slaughtered by the other side. It really brings home the
horrors of war and the incredible courage of the men fighting them.
The fact that now these places are lovely and peaceful fields that
have been preserved in their memory is moving. Unfortunately
though, not all the fields are being saved as the modern world is
slowly crowding in on the area. Motor vehicle dealerships and
commercial buildings are taking over some of the fields there,
which is an absolute shame.

You can also spot wild life in some spots, like a group of deer
that we came across. The deer are so used to the cars that they
won't stop before crossing roads. So you have to drive slowly
and carefully, especially when turning corners. In a particularly
graphic field, there is still an old house that was bombed during
one of the battles and still has a large hole in the front, which
clearly shows the dangers of living in the area at the time. A
guide explained that in a nearby field there was basically a total
slaughter of the soldiers and the field was littered with bodies,
and the stench could be smelled for weeks. There are also tales of
ghosts being seen in the area at night as well as strange noises.

So for a truly moving experience and a lesson on one of the more
unflattering periods in American history, visit Gettysburg,
Pennsylvania.