On the way back to Syracuse from Washington DC, we passed by Gettysburg and decided on a whim to visit this National  Military  Park  and National Cemetary.  It was late afternoon and the weather was slightly chilly, with the sun setting, just the perfect time to visit the Gettysburg Battlefield and cemetery.  

       We caught part of a presentation by a National Park Ranger who was telling the story of the Brian House.  He was very knowledgeable and very pleasant and answered all questions from the small group of visitors.  We drove around and stopped at the State of Pennsylvania Monument, the Soldiers National Monument, Virginia Monument.  I later learned there are 1,328 monuments, markers and memorials at the military park.  We only stopped at a few.  I had the chance to reread the Gettysburg Address at the state of Pennsylvania Monument.

       It was very sad to gaze upon rows and rows of graves in the cemetery and reflected on the death of these thousands of men in a war between the North and the South, the Union and the Confederate armies.  It reminded me of the war of Vietnam, South versus North, brothers against brothers.  There are still many wars going on in many countries and many parts of the world and millions are suffering.  Morose ideas that I always got from visiting cemeteries.