Recollections from the Battle of  Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg on July 1-3, 1863 has been considered by many historians as a major “turning point,” in the Civil War.

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“The field of battle is a sight never to be forgotten,” wrote Sergeant George Bowen of the 12th New Jersey regiment. The killing and wounding war has been going on now two years and most men had lost all innocence about life or death. Many were concerned about their loved ones at home, when the next meal was coming from, will it rain again tonight, certainly only a growing number of them were thinking of their best buddy, or their captain whom had been killed that day. Sgt. Bowen had seen the revolting aftermath of carnage enough, the dead mules and horses, the men, or what was left of them, scattered about the ground. He had seen enough, but could not ever get accustomed to the huge amount of slaughter scattered across miles and miles of the battlefield.

 

“The sight and sound were terrible, no one can give an idea of what is was like, the pain and misery of those poor fellows whom we shot down only a few hours ago-it is a heartbreaking sight” Lt. Colonel of the 2nd South Carolina regiment, wrote to his wife after Gettysburg, “it was the most shocking battle that I have ever witnessed.” His mental scars of the battle never left him and never truly healed.”

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Gramm, Kent. Battle: The Nature and Consequences of Civil War Combat. Tuscaloosa, 2008.