Gettysburg, PA - May 24, 2004 -- Booming cannons, thundering hooves, shouted commands and the smell of campfires and black powder will fill the air just southwest of Gettysburg on July 2nd, 3rd & 4th, 2004. This year's event will be held just three miles from downtown Gettysburg on the beautiful Yingling Farm, filming site for the Civil War movie epic "Gettysburg." The reenactment site, bordering the western edge of the Gettysburg National Military Park, overlooks the historic Sachs Mill Covered Bridge, Eisenhower Farm and Little and Big Round Top.

This year's event will do more than bring those dusty old history books back to life when reenactors converge on Gettysburg to reenact six major battles over the Independence Day weekend. Event organizers will continue their tradition of donating a portion of the proceeds to historic preservation. This year three local preservation organizations have been chosen as the event's beneficiaries. The Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association has been doing noteworthy work in restoring and preserving the Daniel Lady Farm on the Hanover Road for several years. The National Trust for Historic Gettysburg is spearheading restoration and preservation of the Tillie Pierce Home on Baltimore Street and hopes to eventually open the home to the public as an interpretive center. The Seminary Ridge Historic Preservation Foundation's goal is to preserve the Old Dorm, Schmucker and Krauth House, restore historic fences and rock walls in the area and create a twelve station self guided walking tour on Seminary Ridge. All three of these organizations have significant objectives that are worthy of public and private support.

The theme for this year's event is "Crossroads of Destiny" with two battles on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The First Day action on Friday includes Thundering Hell - East Cemetery Hill and The Great Battle Begins depicting engagements on the East Cemetery Hill and McPherson Ridge. On Saturday, Longstreet Attacks and Clash of the Eleventh Corps re-create several significant actions on the southern portion of the battlefield and action by Howard and Barlow along the Harrisburg Road in the northern area of the battlefield. The event concludes on Sunday with cavalry charging and countercharging during Sunday morning's East Cavalry Field Battle, followed by a Cavalry Grand Review, and the extraordinary High Water Mark - Pickett's Charge with impacting pyrotechnics and a large cannon barrage.

The event will feature all-day Living History Demonstrations of the Civil War Period such as Camp Life, Civil War Music, Ladies Period Dress, Religion, Medicine, Signal Corp, Cooking and many other continuous interpretive demonstrations. There will be a Living History Village and two Living History Activities Tents providing continuous educational and entertaining programs.

The traveling salesman of the Civil War, "Sutlers", known for their white hospital tents, will display and offer for sale an extensive array of authentic and high quality period merchandise such as reproduction uniforms, dresses, clothing, weapons, sarsaparilla, molasses, cookies, furniture, artwork, collectibles and other items. Old-fashioned 141st event commemorative bottles with ice cold sarsaparilla and handmade kettle corn will be available along with a large variety of delicious food and beverages. The Gettysburg reenactments are known for some of the best "Sutler Rows" seen anywhere in the country each year.

Each day this family event will be action packed with full-scale battle reenactments that include large infantry, cavalry and artillery units. Adults and children alike will be thrilled by the thundering re-creation of the events that occurred at Gettysburg. Full-scale cannons, galloping horses and the piercing authenticity of musket volleys, and extensive pyrotechnics will bring to life the intense sights, sounds and smells of this historic event that occurred 141 years ago.

Experience these Battle Reenactments, Civil War Field Music, Live Mortar Fire Competition and a Cannon Barrage each day. You can even attend a Civil War Religious Tent Revival Service on Saturday evening or Sunday morning. There will be several Civil War Weddings, each with reenactors actually exchanging their marital vows in a period tradition and setting. Stroll through the military camps and talk to these living historians to experience civil war camp life first hand. The Living History Villages and Living History Activities Tents will have a continuous variety of programs from the time the gates open until the end of the action packed day.

A popular "Gettysburg" movie and reenactment favorite, actor Patrick Falci will be attending this year's event and will be one of numerous guest speakers in the Living History Activities Tents. Falci will be re-creating his "Gettysburg" role of General AP Hill. He recently worked on the set of "Gods and Generals" as an actor and historical advisor to Director Ron Maxwell.

Bring the family and spend the entire day. Gates open at 8:30 AM. Advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended for limited-unobstructed, reserved seating. Spectators purchasing advance tickets are entitled to early purchase and multi-day discounts; admission is higher at the gate. There is no charge for parking. Youth, group and tour bus rates are available. Call 717-338-1525 for rate information. There will be a wide assortment of delicious food and beverages available. Bicycles, pets, backpacks, coolers and large parcels are prohibited on the event site.

Visitors may also experience last year's massive 140th Anniversary Reenactment through the nationally award winning video "Gettysburg - Three Days of Destiny" filmed at the Gettysburg 140th reenactment and available by using the following contact information. For tickets or more information regarding "The Gettysburg 141st Anniversary Battle Reenactment" call or write the Gettysburg Anniversary Committee: P.O. Box 3482, Gettysburg, PA 17325 - Phone: 717-338-1525 or visit www.gettysburgreenactment.com for a complete schedule.