150 years ago it begins to get interesting

For the last couple of years I have been using an iPad app called Civil War Today.  It is a very interactive APP for people interested in the progress of the Civil War - beginning yesterday, the Civil War becomes especially interesting.  The Civil War started in April of 1861 and the APP allows you to follow the developments day by day. The South was making a major assault into Pennsylvania that culminates in the Battle of Gettysburg which is over the Fourth of July.   It may be the low point in the war for the North.   The Governor of Pennsylvania (Andrew Curtin) called for 60,000 militiamen to be upped into service to defend the state.  General Jubal Early was in Gettysburg and took over the town.   Hooker at this time was in Maryland but heading north. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia was also heading north.  At this point in the war there had been 138,000 Northern casualties and 159,000 Southern ones.   The City of Carlisle had been evacuated.

What has always impressed me about the period is how primitive life actually was.   All of the casualties on those hot summer days, including all of the farm animals that were killed had to be removed from this small little town by physical effort.    Remember that this was a Pennsylvania summer and there were thousands of casualties in this relatively small and rural area.

The picture at the left shows Confederate troops in front of the house of one resident of Gettysburg.   It is a truly remarkable time in our history.   The APP brings this time alive through pictures, discussions, letters, newspapers of the time and even games.   It was one of the best APPs I have bought.