Horse Tours of Gettysburg

Much of the Gettysburg battlefield looks as it did during the three-day battle in 1863 that helped turn the tide of the Civil War. What better way to get a sense of the action than to experience the landscape in the same way many Civil War officers did: on horseback. 

Horse Tours of Gettysburg is one company that takes riders of all skill levels — even total beginners — for a two-hour tour of the battlefield. Licensed guides who have passed a rigorous test on every aspect of the battle accompany riders and provide accurate, detailed commentary on this pivotal Civil War battle. 

On the ride I took one sunny October morning, our guide, Truman Eyler, painted a compelling picture of what happened on the ground we were covering. We saw the Confederate army’s position on Seminary Ridge as well as where the Union army stood to face them on Cemetery Ridge. We saw scattered farmhouses and buildings that once stood here in 1863, as Eyler explained how the battlefield’s rolling topography offered shelter from enemy fire and as well as how farm fences served as obstacles to foot soldiers’ advances. 

Personal stories are also a big part of the tour experience. Eyler told one about Union Gen. Daniel Sickles, who disobeyed direct orders and led his troops to a place where they fell under Confederate fire, imperiling the Union army’s efforts. Perhaps the most sobering sight on the tour is the field where the infamous Pickett’s Charge took place. Here, 12,000 Confederate infantry members charged over the fields only to be cut down by Union cannon and rifle fire. Eyler’s description of the aftermath, in which the cries and groans of the wounded and dying could be heard from some distance, is particularly compelling. 

Visitors can always take a walking tour of the grounds and see the sights, but there is something far more immersive and awe-inspiring about seeing the battlefield on horseback. 11 Lincoln Square, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325, 717/476-7428, confederatetrails.com