Gettysburg

1863: “We Arrived At Gettysburg”

/ Sarah Kay Bierle / 4 Comments

18 November 1863, Wednesday

We started from Washington to go to the Consecration of the Soldiers’ Cemetery at Gettysburg. On our train were the President Seward Usher & Blair: Nicolay & Myself: Mercier & Admiral Reynaud; Bertinatti & Capt. Isola & Lt. Martinez & Cora: Mis Wise: Wayne McVeagh: McDougal of Canada and one or two others. We had a pleasant sort of a trip. At Baltimore Schenck’s staff joined us.

Just before we arrived at Gettysburg the President got into a little talk with McVeagh about Missouri affairs… Continue reading →

At Gettysburg: John Adams’s Great-Grandson

/ Sarah Kay Bierle / 1 Comment

In 1780, John Adams wrote, “”I must study Politicks and War that my sons may have the liberty to study Mathematicks and Philosophy. My sons ought to study Geography, natural History, Naval Architecture, navigation, Commerce and Agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study Painting, Poetry, Musick, Architecture, Statuary, Tapestry, and Porcelaine.”

Ironically, his descendant – Charles F. Adams, Jr. – had to study war and volunteered to fight in the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry during the Civil War. Present at Gettysburg and fighting during that campaign, he continued his family’s traditional commitment to upholding the federal government and value of freedom. Continue reading →

1863: “The Town Is As Full As Ever Of Strangers”

/ Sarah Kay Bierle / Leave a comment

July 13 [1863]

This day has passed much as yesterday and the day before. The town is as full as ever of strangers, and the old story of the inability of a village of twenty-five hundred inhabitants, overrun and eaten out by two large armies, to accommodate from ten to twelve thousand visitors, is repeated almost hourly. Twenty are with us tonight, filling every bed and covering the floors. Continue reading →

Tea With Sarah: Let’s Talk About Gettysburg…

/ Sarah Kay Bierle / 2 Comments

Good afternoon, it’s time for tea!

If this was a real tea, we’d be sitting on the bluffs overlooking the ocean and old artillery battlements at Old Fort MacArthur since I’m at a living history event. It’s blazing hot so ice tea is the drink of choice and no cookies – because I’ve been eating healthy these last couple weeks. Want a carrot?

Since I’m surrounded by military living history encampments, let’s talk some military history. This week (July 1-3, to be exact) marked the 155th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg – sound like a good topic? Let’s get this conversation started… Continue reading →