Gettysburg Town Square

Today the town of Gettysburg sits, as it always has, on the intersection of several major highways, like a spider at the center of a web. In the summer of 1863, at the height of the Civil War, Confederate and Union soldiers caught in that web would find themselves fighting one of the bloodiest battles of history. In just three days the battle of Gettysburg resulted in over 46, 000 American casualties -- 7,863 dead and 27,224 wounded.

Meant to relieve the battle-weary southern states and resupply Confederate soldiers with bounty from rich northern farms, General Lee’s northern campaign became the most decisive turning point of the Civil War. Nearly a third of Lee’s officers were killed, captured, or wounded. Abandoning the Pennsylvania Campaign, the South retreated and for the remainder of the war Lee planned no more strategic offensives into northern territory.

On July 1st 1863 the battle began. The two armies, led by General Lee (CSA) and General Meade (USA), collided in the low ridges to the northwest of town. Buying time until reinforcements could arrive, Union cavalry and infantry forces laid out defenses on Herr’s Ridge, McPherson’s Ridge, and Seminary Ridge. Stronger Confederate forces attacked from the north and west collapsing Union lines and sending the soldiers retreating to the hills south of Gettysburg, taking the battle along the web of roads through the town itself. This quilt square takes its inspiration from those historic streets. From the intersections of highway and history that make up the town of Gettysburg.

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