Battle of Gettysburg - the Relics, Artifacts & Souvenirs

The Battle of Gettysburg ended, but what was left behind, was unimaginable, 51,000 casualties (23,000 Union and 28,000 Confederate). Private residences took in and cared for these suffering soldiers. Without these caring townspeople, the death rate would have increased tremendously. The soldiers realized that they were part of history in the making. As in any momentous event, the participants sought some kind of remembrance from the battle, something they could gaze at in their twilight years and reminisce about being part of such an historical event. Be it a button, a bullet, canteen, photograph, letter, or even a handful of the sacred soil