GETTYSBURG, Pa. — "It's impossible. The soldiers couldn't have done it that fast," Matt declared, shaking his head.
Following our battlefield guide's instructions, Matt and his sister, Reggie, had just tried to repeat the complicated steps Civil War soldiers took to load and fire their cannons during the three-day Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863.
The soldiers were able to fire three times a minute; Matt and Reggie couldn't come close. But as we toured Gettysburg National Military Park that afternoon, listening to guide Ed Guy's stories about the soldiers and the battle, we gained a new understanding of the men who had given their lives in the Civil War and of the enduring power of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.
Lincoln gave that two-minute speech on Nov. 19, 1863, at the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery, built on 17 acres to provide proper graves for the thousands of Union soldiers killed in the battle there.
"... We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; ... that this government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth," he said.
Immediately afterward, historians say, Lincoln turned to a friend and pronounced his speech "a flat failure," but his brief remarks made Gettysburg an enduring symbol of soldiers' sacrifice.
Gettysburg, just 78 miles from Washington, D.C., was the site of the three-day battle that turned the tide of the Civil War in favor of the Union Army. On these peaceful Pennsylvania farm fields, more than 51,000 men were killed or wounded-more than in any other battle fought in North America before or since. Now a National Military Park, the battlefield includes more than 1,300 markers and monuments and nearly 400 cannons and artillery pieces.
Gettysburg plans special events around the anniversary of the battle. (Next July marks the 130th anniversary of the battle.) Write to the Gettysburg Travel Council, 35 Carlisle St., Gettysburg, Pa. 17325; 717-334-6274, for information about battle re-enactments that may be planned as well as accommodations and other attractions, including the nearby Eisenhower farm.)
A few days later, the kids gained an initial understanding of an earlier period in American history by visiting George Washington's home, Mt. Vernon, just 16 miles south of Washington, D.C.
Just as the historians do at Gettysburg, those who oversee Mt. Vernon work hard to make a visit appeal to children. In conjunction with the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Camp Fire Clubs, Mt. Vernon has devised a Historic Trail Hike. Youngsters who complete the trail around the grounds and answer questions in the booklet provided free at the entrance (just ask for the Scouts' Historic Trail Guide) are eligible for a patch they can use on their uniforms.
The questions are devised to encourage grade-schoolers' interest in George Washington. At Mt. Vernon on weekdays through March 12, colonial crafts will be demonstrated by skilled craftsmen dressed in period attire. They will include a blacksmith, Continental soldier, candlemaker and a military surgeon. Schools in the area are encouraged to bring children on field trips during this time.
Our kids had more fun outside, exploring the extensive gardens and grounds, looking at the kitchen and visiting Washington's tomb than seeing the meticulously restored rooms of the mansion (though they were impressed with the four-poster bed in which Washington died). It didn't matter how many historic details they got right, I figured. Just being there helped make George Washington real for them.
Besides, Mt. Vernon, whose 1 million visitors each year make it the country's most popular historic home, is a beautiful place to spend an afternoon. (Mt. Vernon is open every day of the year. For more information, write to the Mt. Vernon Ladies' Association, Mt. Vernon, Va. 22121; 703-780-2000.)
At Gettysburg, we didn't have to work that hard to keep the kids interested. Our guide, Ed Guy, an artist and amateur historian, had plenty of stories that kept them involved and asking questions.
Hire a guide
Battlefield guides, licensed and supervised by the National Park Service, may be requested at the Visitor Center year round. They charge $20 for a two-hour tour, though ours stretched at least an hour longer. In spring and summer, park rangers also offer guided walks of the cemetery and battlefield. Ranger-run campfire chats are a particular hit with junior visitors in the summer.
Matt loved the story of the dog Sally, the mascot of a Pennsylvania regiment, the only dog honored with its own battlefield statue. The dog refused to leave its master who had fallen on the battlefield and was killed there, by their sides.
The kids enjoyed climbing on the rocks at Big Round Top and Little Round Top, where Union soldiers waited for the Confederate attacks. They listened intently as the guide described the lives of some of the soldiers who are buried in the cemetery.