The Road to Gettysburg

Expedition Details

Step into one of the most defining chapters of American history on an in-depth exploration of the pivotal Civil War battles that raged just hours from the nation’s capital. Trace the strategies of legendary generals as they moved from Frederick to Harpers Ferry and on to Pennsylvania. In the company of a war historian, stroll across serene landscapes that once saw epic battles, from the evocative cornfield at Antietam to the sweeping meadows of Gettysburg.

Trip Highlights

Visit the newly restored President Lincoln’s Cottage, where Abraham Lincoln and his family spent summers during the Civil War.
Delve into the tactical successes and errors that defined each battle, as well as the human stories of those who fought or witnessed them, with a renowned war historian.
Explore the colorful history of Harpers Ferry, first attacked by John Brown in 1859 and later by Stonewall Jackson in 1862.
Relive Pickett’s Charge—one of the most legendary military maneuvers in U.S. history—on the very fields where it took place.

Itinerary - 7 Days

Day 1 — Washington, D.C.

Arrive in Washington, D.C. and check into our hotel in time for a welcome dinner.
Mayflower Hotel (D)

Day 2 — Washington, D.C./Frederick, Maryland/Shepherdstown, West Virginia

Most summers during the Civil War, President Lincoln and his family retreated to a cottage a few miles north of the White House to find sanctuary. Today, the recently restored property offers a rare and intimate view of the president’s family life. Take a private tour of the cottage before traveling north into Maryland, following the footsteps of Union soldiers as they pursued the Confederate Army in September 1862. Walk the fields outside Frederick, Maryland where a copy of General Robert E. Lee’s famous Special Order 191 detailing his battle plan was accidentally dropped and later discovered by a Union soldier. Learn about the Battle of South Mountain, a three-pronged attack that gave the discouraged Union Army of the Potomac a short-lived victory over Lee’s forces. Settle into our hotel in Shepherdstown this evening.
Clarion Hotel (B,L,D)

Day 3 — Harpers Ferry/Antietam

Just as Lee’s forces succumbed at South Mountain, his Major General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson captured the Union garrison at Harpers Ferry, strategically situated at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers. Spend the morning exploring this historic town, site of abolitionist John Brown’s infamous raid in 1859, as well as the important Civil War battle. Then trace the action north to Antietam. With more than 23,000 casualties—more than seven times the number of Americans killed or wounded on Omaha Beach during the invasion of Normandy—the Battle of Antietam, or Sharpsburg as it was known to the Confederates, has the grisly distinction of being the single bloodiest day in American history.
Clarion Hotel (B,L,D)

Day 4 — Antietam/Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Return to Antietam to walk the hallowed ground of the West Woods, and step into tiny Dunker Church, which served as a medical station for the Confederate Army while the battle raged all around. See the Pry House, battle headquarters of commanding Union General George B. McClellan; and continue with interpretive stops at Bloody Lane, Burnside Bridge, and Antietam National Cemetery. Stop for lunch at a private home that was occupied by soldiers during the months after the battle, and hear a talk on the uniforms, equipment, and weapons used by the infantry of the North and the South. Late this afternoon, travel to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Check into the 18th-century Gettysburg Hotel in the heart of the historic district.
Gettysburg Hotel (B,L)

Day 5 — Gettysburg

In the early days of July 1863, the rolling hills of Gettysburg saw one of the most dramatic battles in history. Beginning with a small cavalry skirmish and ending with Pickett’s Charge, the Battle of Gettysburg is thought by many to be the turning point of the war. Today, follow the events of Day One, when the two armies clashed along Chambersburg Pike, and Union General Reynolds counted among the casualties on McPherson’s Ridge.
Gettysburg Hotel (B,L)

Day 6 — Gettysburg

Recount the last two days of the battle as you explore pivotal sites such as Seminary Ridge, Culp’s Hill, Little Round Top, and the Wheatfield. Stroll along Cemetery Ridge, where Union forces maintained an unwavering line of defense, and gaze over the vast, open fields on which the Confederates led their final, fateful assault, known thereafter as Pickett's Charge. Walk in the footsteps of Pickett's Virginians from Spangler’s Woods through the fields to the coppice known as the “highwater mark” of the Confederacy. Gather tonight for a farewell dinner.
Gettysburg Hotel (B,L,D)

Day 7 — Gettysburg/Washington, D.C.

After breakfast return to Washington, D.C. for individual departures.
(B)

View Larger

National Geographic Expert

Edwin Bearss

Edwin Bearss Edwin C. Bearss is one of America’s foremost Civil War historians. Ed served as the chief historian for the National Park Service for more than a decade before becoming the director’s special assistant for military sites. He has helped recover a lost Union gunboat; located two long-forgotten Confederate forts; and conducted detailed field studies in Vicksburg, on battlegrounds near Richmond, and at Eisenhower’s Farm at Gettysburg. The author of the National Geographic book Fields of Honor: Pivotal Battles of the Civil War, Ed has received numerous awards in history and battlefield preservation. In 1990, he was featured on Ken Burns’ acclaimed PBS series The Civil War.