(6/22) This summer's 144th Anniversary Gettysburg Civil War Battle Reenactment will be held on Friday, July 6, Saturday, July 7, and Sunday, July 8 at the Redding Farm, approximately three-miles north of the center of Gettysburg. For the first time, the Living History Village will feature a large Civil War Medical Area with 150 medical reenactors in various settings depicting numerous roles such as surgeons, nurses, hospital stewards, clergy, civilians, gravediggers, ambulance attendants, hospital cooks, Christian Commission, Sanitary Commission and other Civil War medical personnel as they perform their merciful but often gruesome tasks. Visitors will be able to view actual Civil War instruments in museum quality displays and examine the various types of weapons that caused such huge causalities in the Civil War. Children will be invited to participate by taking a soldier's medical exam and participating in company drill. They can then take the US or CSA Oath of Allegiance before they receive personalized enlistment papers to take home. Be sure to take time and visit the inaugural presentation of the largest Civil War medical living history area ever created.

The all-day events will feature five major battles and an Explosive Independence Day 144th Artillery Salute to all fifty states on Saturday and Sunday. Two of the five engagements will be the exciting cavalry battles "Custer's Trap" Battle of Hunterstown and "The Wolverines & Virginians." Each day will include field demonstrations, live mortar fire demonstrations, continuous living history programs in the two large Activities Tents including ladies period dress, Civil War music, and presentations by the Generals. Other programs will include period religious services, Civil War photography and several authentic Civil War weddings. Visitors are invited to shop in the very impressive "Sutler Row" where they will discover period styles and wares or walk through the military camps to experience 1860's military life and talk to these living historians.

The 144th Anniversary Gettysburg Civil War Reenactment will stimulate all of your senses. The smell of black powder, the echo of thundering hooves, the boom of cannon fire, the rebel yells of charging Confederates and ladies in period dress strolling down Sutler row will make those dusty old history books come alive. This is an event that will both entertain and educate from the time the site opens at 8:30 am until after the last battle ends. A variety of delicious food and beverages will be available for your enjoyment. Bring the family, come early and stay late. General admission tickets and general admission tickets with grandstand seating are both available. The grandstand seating for Saturday and Sunday normally sell out in advance so call early for reservations. Tickets and complete event information may be obtained online by logging onto the Annual Gettysburg Civil War Battle Reenactment website at www.gettysburgreenactment.com or by calling the Gettysburg Anniversary Committee at 717-338-1525.

The Gettysburg Anniversary Committee (GAC), local organizers of the annual Gettysburg Civil War Battle Reenactment, have announced that the Sergeant Eric McColley Scholarship Fund will be one of the beneficiaries of this year's event. The Gettysburg Times is co-sponsoring this community effort to increase the scholarship endowment that benefits local students in memory of the Gettysburg Marine who was killed in a helicopter crash while on an anti-terrorism mission in North Africa. Each year the Gettysburg Anniversary Committee chooses several local preservation causes for monetary presentations. In addition to the McColley Scholarship, GAC has announced a portion of this year's 2007 event proceeds will also benefit the Adams County Historical Society and the Daniel Lady Farm preservation effort.

The McColley Scholarship is slated to be presented annually to a Gettysburg High School student who intends to pursue a public service career in the military, law enforcement, fire service, emergency medical services, or similar careers. Eric McColley was a 2000 graduate of Gettysburg High School. The inaugural McColley Scholarship presentation was made at the school on May 29 to Zach Sites and was attended by members of McColley’s helicopter squadron from New River, North Carolina.

"It is an honor and a privilege to support this worthy cause that honors Eric’s memory while benefiting local youth who have a desire to serve the public" said Event Operations Manager Randy Phiel. "This initiative also has special meaning to me because my family was privileged to know Eric personally through our association with the Boy Scout Troop 73 and from my daughter’s involvement in the YWCA & Gettysburg High School Swim Team. To make something positive happen for the community from this tragic event is a tribute to Eric and the McColley family". According to Phiel, a visual display at the Reenactment Patriotic Tent will provide information to the public regarding the scholarship. The scholarship will also be mentioned each day as part of the 144TH Commemorative Artillery Salute honoring veterans past and present. The presence of U.S. Marines or ROTC students is anticipated.

Last year at the Patriotic Tent visitors were invited to sign a 25 foot banner and write messages of support for Gettysburg native Army Captain Joe Mickley’s combat platoon in Iraq. Mickley’s platoon sent a flag to GAC, which they had taken into combat mission in Iraq. The actual flag and a large photograph of Mickley’s platoon proudly displaying the flag immediately following their mission will be on display at the Patriotic Tent at this year’s event.

EVENT SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, JULY 6th

• 8:30 - Gates Open
• 9:00 - Meet Robert E. Lee - Tent 1, C.S. Infantry by Brandon Booth - Tent 2
• 10:00 - U.S. Generals - Tent 1, C.S.Generals - Tent 2
• 11:00 - Battlefield Photography - Tent1, Drum & Bugle Demo - Tent 2
• 12:00 - Gen'l A.P. Hill Patrick Falci - Tent 1, General Longstreet - Tent 2
• 1:00 - Talk with Mary Todd Lincoln - Tent 1, 46th PA. Brass Band - Tent 2
• 2:00 - Live Mortar Fire Demonstration Field
• 3:00 - Civil War Wedding - Tent 1, Pinkerton's - Civil War Spies - Tent 2
• 4:00 - US Christian Commission - Tent 1, 1860's Ladies Fashions - Tent 2
• 5:00 - Drum & Bugle Demo - Tent 1, Gettysburg Ghost Stories-Tent 2
• 6:00 - Battle: "Good Ground" Cemetery Ridge

SATURDAY, JULY 7TH

• 8:30 - Gates Open
• 9:00 - U.S. Generals - Tent 1, C.S.Generals - Tent 2
• 10:00 - Battlefield Photography, the Wet Plate Process - Tent 1, 46th PA. brass Band - Tent 2
• 11:00 - Battle: "Custer's Trap" Battle of Hunterstown
• 12:00 - Gen'l A.P. Hill Patrick Falci - Tent 1, General Longstreet - Tent 2
• 1:00 - CIvil War Wedding - Tent 1, 2nd South Carolina String Band - Tent 2
• 1:30 - Live Mortar Fire Demonstration (field); Independence Day Artillery Commemoration
• 2:00 - Pinkerton - Civil War Spies - Tent 1, Gettysburg Ghost STories - Tent 2
• 3:00 - 1860’s Ladies Fashions - Tent 1, Drum & Bugle Demo - Tent 2
• 4:00 - U.S. Christian Commission - Tent 1, Talk with Mary Todd Lincoln - Tent 2
• 5:00 - Battle: "The Thin Blue Line" Lost Lane
• 6:00 - Civil War Religious Revival Service - Tent 1
• 8:00 - Reenactors' Camp Dance - 2nd South Carolina String Band - Tent 1

SUNDAY, JULY 8th

• 8:30 - Gates Open
• 9:00 - Period Worship Service - Tent 1, Catholic Mass, Fr Pucciarelli, Fed camp - open to all
• 10:00 - Cavalry Battle: "Wolverines & Virginians" Rummel Farm/East Cavalry Field
• 11:00 - Live Mortar Fire Demonstration - Field
• 12:00 - General Longstreet - Tent 1, General A.P. Hill (Patrick Falci) - Tent 2
• 1:00 - Battlefield Photography - Tent 1, U.S. Christian Commission - Tent 2
• 2:00 - Battle "At the Wall" Pickett's Charge, Independence Day Artillery Commemoration
• 3:00 - Gettysburg Ghosts with Susan & Doug Stull - Tent 1

In addition, the 46th Pa Brass Band and other musical groups will be performing throughout the weekend