I remember Johnstown before it went to pot. In the 70s and early 80s it wasn't a bad place. My paternal Grandmother lived in Hornerstown. We lived in a little farming community about 30 miles east. Every summer I spent a week or three painting. Landscaping and fixing stuff up for Gramma. You could walk anywhere you wanted without looking over your shoulder.
I'm a country boy, so I couldn't wait to get home to my guns and cars, but it was a nice town.
Nowadays you go armed and stay in condition yellow...
Terry, I'm sure you know the history as well as I do, but for the others.
Longstreet never had orders for a daylight attack at Gettysburg. On July 2nd his corps wasn't completely there yet, and on the 3rd the supporting artillery wasn't in place until after noon for "Pickett's Charge".
That was cooked up by Early and Pendelton after Lee had died and Longstreet became a (gasp) Republican! But if you do a little reading you'll find that both Early and Pendelton had good reason to look for a scapegoat.
Gettysburg's importance in the war is far overrated by most folks. The best Lee could ever have accomplished was a small tactical victory. Serious damage to the AOP just wasn't possible after he allowed himself to be drawn into battle there, and with Vicksburg fixing to fall, I don't think a big victory would have helped much. The Civil War was lost in the west. Lee was powerless to stop that, Gettysburg or not.
I love the place. As Shelby Foote said, "when you walk it, the ground talks to you".
But it wasn't the changing point. Look to Antietam and Shilo for that.
7mm
