Researching Civil War Gettysburg
The idea for "Two Girls" began with a trip to the Gettysburg battlefield I took with my family about five years ago. I started to wonder how the Civil War affected the lives of ordinary citizens, especially girls and women. I wanted to write about a different side of the war--beyond the generals and battles. So I think of this book as "Gone With the Wind" meets "Killer Angels."
After I finished a draft, I returned to Gettysburg to "fact-check" everything. I came upon a living history site! It was Remembrance Day, the annual commemoration of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and the town was full of thousands of visitors spirited there from the 1860s. There were parades and reenactments, and the sound of fife and drum (and bagpipes) from the battlefields. Here are some photos from that memorable weekend.
There is also a MAP OF THE BATTLE at the bottom of the page. Click to enlarge.
Go to "For Readers" and click on "Links" for some interesting Civil War websites.
Looking toward Culp's Hill from Cemetery Hill
Dapper soldiers
Women and girls on parade
Colorful Zouave regiment on the march
A ragtag regiment of "butternuts"--what the rebels were called due to the color of their uniforms
Gettysburg street scene
Weikert house, where the real life Tillie Pierce (the inspiration for my character Lizzie) stayed during the second day of the battle
Lizzie's view from Little Round Top, day two of the battle
Confederate reenactors at Spangler's Spring, where Lizzie and Rosanna have a picnic
Abraham Trostle's barn, with hole from cannonball still visible
I looked into this store window and did a double-take, went inside and found myself the only person there in modern clothing!
