Gettysburg Leadership Experience

Gettysburg Leadership Experience Day One
Thursday, March 16, 2023
Submitted by: Eli Svaty

Our first morning in Gettysburg, PA greeted us with partly cloudy skies and cool temperatures, a stark contrast to the windswept days experiencing our National Service seminar in D.C.

Jeffrey Harding, our guide, played his harmonica on the bus as we traveled to our first stop: Cemetery Ridge. For most in the group, these were our first steps on the physical battlefield that weighs so heavily in our history. Despite the growth of the country, despite the modern amenities we all enjoy, the reality of that battlefield and the significance of that place is still very much alive. In silence, we listened as our guides discussed what took place there and what we would be experiencing over the next few days. In the distance, a woodpecker could be heard attending to a tree. 

From Cemetery Ridge, we loaded the bus and drove the short distance to the Gettysburg Museum. A short introductory film provided additional historical context for us. This was followed by an experience at the cyclorama painting titled “Battle of Gettysburg” by the French artist Paul Philippoteaux. The Gettysburg Cyclorama is 377 feet long, 42 feet high and weighs 12.5 tons. It was powerful to see this recreation on canvas, but nothing could prepare us for the experience of walking these same fields and hills over the next two days. 

The museum was ours to explore for the next hour, having to share it only with one or two school groups. This afforded us the time to move slowly, read carefully, and absorb the importance of those artifacts and the lives that were sacrificed only a few miles to the west. 

We left the museum and loaded the bus for a tour of the battlefields. Up to this point, our experiences in Gettysburg had been limited to the town square, museum, and cemetery ridge. Personally, seeing the layout of the town, the roads, and the battlefields, completely changed my perspective of the battle. The springtime tour prior to leaves and crops allowed us panoramic views of the monuments, the artillery, and the hallowed grounds. Everything seemed so close as they drove us through the first positions chosen by Buford and the advantage afforded him by the higher ground and the seminary’s cupola. But as we drove, we were continually reminded of the lives that were lost on this very ground and the efforts that were made to preserve this land and its memories. 

It’s impossible for a Kansan to not feel pride knowing that our own President Eisenhower had such a strong connection to that place. His farm and ranch there makes for an idyllic refuge. 

Lunch was back at the hotel. We were served a garden fresh salad with grilled chicken, shrimp, and steak. Our appetites exceeded their expectations. 

The afternoon brought our first dedicated leadership training of the Gettysburg experience: Anticipatory Leadership. Using the historical context of day 1 of the Battle of Gettysburg, we learned and discussed the importance of the high ground. Our key battlefield figure was the Union General John Buford. Following the classroom work, we returned to the battlefield to walk the grounds of that first day’s fighting. We looked down the road on which the Confederate Army approached, we stood amongst the “Witness Trees” near where General Reynolds was killed, and we talked about the decisions that were made by both sides that day, and the impacts those had on the battle and our country’s history. 

Our homework for the evening was to consider our own organization’s “high ground.” What positions our organization to succeed? What needs to be done today in preparation for tomorrow?

Dinner that evening was served at the Dobbin House. While the emphasis of these few days was on the American Civil War, this particular home’s history preceded these events.  Built in 1776 by Reverend Alexander Dobbin, this building served as his family’s home and religious school. It was also a safehouse for the Underground Railroad. In 2023, it served as our gathering place. After an assortment of delicious appetizers, dinner included options for a grilled filet, grilled chicken, or crab cakes. We were joined by several battlefield guides as well as the leadership academy’s instructors. 

Following dinner, we shared our takeaways, emphasizing the importance of that day’s learning as well as the juxtaposition of Gettysburg with Washington D.C. and our learning there. For many in the group, this evening’s takeaways hit differently than usual. 

Many chose to walk the few short blocks back to the town square and the Gettysburg Hotel. The evening was crisp and clear, and our conversations reflected the gravity of the day’s experiences and the impact that this program was having on our lives.