OUR STAY AT THE MARY THOMPSON HOUSE

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  Over the next few days and weeks I will be taking you on a then and now tour of Gettysburg Pennsylvania. We are coming up on the 150th Anniversary of the battle. The battle started on July 1, and ended on July 3rd 1863. There were 51,000 casualties. Over 28,000 for the Confederates and 23,000 for the Union. The first day was a hard fought victory for the rebels. It not only involved fighting on McPhersons Ridge but the fighting became house to house as the Confederates pushed the Yankee's through town and up on to Culps Hill, Cemetery Hill, Cemetery Ridge, Little Round Top and Big Round Top. Although the first day was a victory for the rebels they would end up losing the next two days and the battle because of the tactical mistake of not taking Culps Hill when they had the chance on the first day. There would be other mistakes but this was in my opinion the greatest mistake. In 2003 we stayed at the Mary Thompson house on McPherson's Ridge which was Robert E. Lee's headquarters during the first day of the battle. The house is now a Bed & Breakfast.

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