John Scott Adams Seminar
The Peach Orchard: Point of Decision
May 18 & 25, 2013

A full-day program consisting of a half-day indoor and half-day battlefield tour, with Licensed Battlefield Guide Ralph Siegel, discussing The Peach Orchard:  Point of Decision.  Held May 18, with a repeat program being offered May 25, this event begins at 9 a.m. in the Ford Education Center located in the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center.  Lunch is on your own.  Bus departs around 1 p.m. for the battlefield tour and returns around 4 p.m.

The fight for the Peach Orchard on July 2nd was an accident that set the outcome of the battle. Meade had never intended for it to be a part of his defense, and Lee had never intended for it to be the focus of his attack, yet this is precisely how it unfolded. As the fight begins, first with artillery, then with vast infantry columns on the assault, it becomes a chaotic and crackling battle story with the bloodiest three-hours fighting of the entire battle, perhaps of the entire Civil War. Explore the dramatic action at the level of the regiments and of the batteries – all of it under the shadow of a debate raging for 150 years about the decisions made by Dan Sickles and James Longstreet.

The classroom seminar will break down the battle action in close sequence, followed by a narrated walk on the field to relive the events.

Registration deadline for this event is May 3, 2013.  Open to members and non-members, the cost of the event is $70 members and $95 non-members.  To register for this event or for more information, please contact Ann Swade, aswade@gettysburgfoundation.org, 717-339-2148.