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Published on November 17, 2018

History Students Travel to Gettysburg National Military Park

Over November 10-11, 2018, students and faculty from the History Department traveled to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to visit the national military park. The students, enrolled in either Dr. Tucker’s Civil War & Reconstruction class or Dr. Balcerski’s Antebellum America, left Eastern in two Student Government vans at 7am and arrived in Gettysburg by 1:45pm. Then, the fun began!

The students attending included (in order from left to right): Kat Mazzacane, Jordan Butler, Omar Abdelsame, Allen Horn, Ailyn Dilone, Brianna Alessio, Jacquelin Bessette, Uriya Simeon, Cheyenne West, Zack Dubois, Gerry Denardi, Cassie Eppes, Dana Meyer, Dianiley Deslandes, Jacquelin Bessette, Olivia Barki, and Margaret Conroy (not pictured).
The students attending included (in order from left to right): Kat Mazzacane, Jordan Butler, Omar Abdelsame, Allen Horn, Ailyn Dilone, Brianna Alessio, Jacquelin Bessette, Uriya Simeon, Cheyenne West, Zack Dubois, Gerry Denardi, Cassie Eppes, Dana Meyer, Dianiley Deslandes, Jacquelin Bessette, Olivia Barki, and Margaret Conroy (not pictured).
Students pause for a much happier photo at Devil’s Den. Students pictured: Allen Horn, Omar Abdelsame, Jacquelin Bessette, Ailyn Dilone, Uriya Simeon, Olivia Barki, Dianiley Deslandes, and Margaret Conroy.
Students pause for a much happier photo at Devil’s Den. Students pictured: Allen Horn, Omar Abdelsame, Jacquelin Bessette, Ailyn Dilone, Uriya Simeon, Olivia Barki, Dianiley Deslandes, and Margaret Conroy.

First stop—the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitors for orientation to the battlefield. We learned that a direct lineal of Joshua Chamberlain (ME-20th Regiment) was leading special tours for Veterans’ Day.

After the Visitor’s Center, the group went to the famous Little Round Top, where the Union lines held on the second day of fighting. Next, the students headed down the hill to Devil’s Den. This unusual rock formation witnessed fierce fighting on day 2 of the battle. After the battle, photographer Alexander Gardiner staged some of his most famous photographs among these rocks.

The last stop on Saturday was the Wheatfield. The Wheatfield has been described as the bloodiest square mile of fighting in American history. There, students paid tribute to the all-Irish 20th Connecticut Volunteer regiment.

At the Wheatfield, student Gerri Denardi explains how to load a Civil War era cannon to students Margaret Conroy and Zack Dubois.
At the Wheatfield, student Gerri Denardi explains how to load a Civil War era cannon to students Margaret Conroy and Zack Dubois.

The next day, the morning tour started with Culp’s Hill. At the lookout tower at Culp’s Hill, the group viewed the entire battlefield. Confederate forces twice attacked the Union’s rear lines here, but they were unable to break through.

Students pictured: (standing): Cassie Eppes, Allen Horn, Omar Abdelsame, Kat Mazzacane, Jacquelin Bessette, Olivia Barki, Margart Conroy, Dianiley Deslandes, and Uriya Simeon; (kneeling): Cheyenne West, Brianna Alessio, Dana Meyer, Ailyn Dilone, and Zach Dubois
Students pictured: (standing): Cassie Eppes, Allen Horn, Omar Abdelsame, Kat Mazzacane, Jacquelin Bessette, Olivia Barki, Margart Conroy, Dianiley Deslandes, and Uriya Simeon; (kneeling): Cheyenne West, Brianna Alessio, Dana Meyer, Ailyn Dilone, and Zach Dubois
Pictured here: Cheyenne West pays respects to the 17th Connecticut Volunteer Regiment, mustered out of Bridgeport.
Pictured here: Cheyenne West pays respects to the 17th Connecticut Volunteer Regiment, mustered out of Bridgeport.

Special attention was paid to finding the monuments to Connecticut regiments. As part of the trip, students laid flowers on the monuments of the various Connecticut regiments to fight in the battle of Gettysburg.

Dr. Balcerski and Dr. Tucker lay a flower at the memorial to the 5th Connecticut Volunteer Regiment, mustered out of Hartford.
Dr. Balcerski and Dr. Tucker lay a flower at the memorial to the 5th Connecticut Volunteer Regiment, mustered out of Hartford.

From there, some students went shopping in town, while others visited the site of Lincoln’s famous “Gettysburg Address” at the Soldiers National Cemetery. By 1:45pm, the two vans were back on the road, returning to campus by 8:45pm.

Overall, the trip was a great success. Special thanks to drivers Gerri Denardi and Dr. Balcerski and most especially to Dr. Tucker for organizing the trip, feeding the troops, and ensuring every detail was perfect.

Written by Bradley Davis