Giving tours on the battlefield on foggy days can be difficult. Your visibility is limited, and you cannot get the sweeping panoramas to show landmarks and large battle movements. This image shows the monument to the 74th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment on West Howard Avenue.This image was taken facing northeast at approximately 8:00 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

Licensed Battlefield Guides might frequently explain to visitors who have doubts of taking a tour as they drive out to the field that the fog simulates the smoke that hung over this area during the battle. This image shows the monument to the 88th Pennsylvania in the foreground, and the 83rd New York, which is the taller monument in the background along Oak Ridge.This image was taken facing south at approximately 8:00 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

And on these foggy days, a Licensed Battlefield Guide will frequently have to adjust their tour to concentrate on what visitors are able to see. Frequently the tour concentrates more on the monuments, and is more intimate with more personal stories and smaller battle actions. This image shows the top of the monument to the 88th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment.This image was taken facing northwest at approximately 8:00 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

Giving a tour on a foggy day, and especially a foggy day in the winter, gives a somber sense of gloom to anybody touring the field. This image shows Wheeler’s 13th New York Independent Battery along East Howard Avenue.This image was taken facing northeast at approximately 8:00 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

Giving tours on foggy days without the distraction of the beautiful scenery allows visitors and their guides to be more reflective. This image shows a correct 1863 battlefield fence near the monument to the 3rd West Virginia Cavalry (not seen) on Buford Avenue.This image was taken facing west at approximately 7:30 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

So far we have not had much snow in the Gettysburg area this winter. In fact on the day that we took these pictures, the high was around 50 degrees. This image shows a small run on the west side of Oak Ridge with Sheads Woods in the background.This image was taken facing southeast at approximately 8:00 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

On our morning stroll on the first day’s field we thought we would give you an opportunity to see a little of what we experienced. This image shows the monuments from right to left of the 75th Pennsylvania, the 26th Wisconsin, and in the distance at the curve, the 58th New York infantry regiments.This image was taken facing northeast at approximately 8:30 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

If you feel a little depressed by the lack of “life” or “color” in these pictures, we’re sorry. This was a battlefield. This image shows a gun from Dilger’s Ohio Battery and a tree that could probably be looking more alive along West Howard Avenue.This view was taken facing east at approximately 8:15 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

We’ll start at the Eternal Light Peace Memorial on Oak Hill, which is being refurbished.This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 7:00 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

The Peace Light project began in September, 2016 and hopefully it will be finished by this spring.This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 7:00 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

Maybe it’s the foggy background, but we were impressed with the Eternal Bonfire on the top. It seems stronger than in the past. We like it.This image was taken facing northeast at approximately 7:00 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

Leaving the Peace Light, we walked south along Buford Avenue where we saw the monument to the 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry on the left side of the road.This image was taken facing southeast at approximately 7:00 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

Here’s the back of the 9th New York Cavalry Regiment’s monument. Because how often do you get out and see the back of this monument? We are facing the general direction that the soldiers did on July 1, 1863.This image was taken facing northwest at approximately 7:00 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

Here’s the front of the monument to the 6th New York Cavalry Regiment.This image was taken facing southeast at approximately 7:15 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

The back of the monument to the 6th New York Cavalry Regiment. Again we are facing in the direction that the members of the regiment faced during the battle.This image was taken facing northwest circa July 6, 1863.

We wanted to show the monument to the 3rd West Virginia Cavalry Regiment mostly because of the fence in the background.This image was taken facing southeast at approximately 7:15 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

This is a correct Virginia “worm fence” or “sawbuck fence” from the 1860s. Notice the single rails that make an “X” for support at each angle of the fence. They are not too big.This image was taken facing southeast at approximately 7:15 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

Compare the previous fence to this fence located farther south on Buford Avenue, near the juction with the lane leading to the John Wills House. These fences are much taller and the pieces forming the “X” for support are the size of small telephone poles.This image created facing south at approximately 7:30 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

The National Park Service wants these “fences on steroids” to be constructed at this height so that it will be more difficult to visitors to try and climb over them. That is understandable, but they do not have the correct look for the 1863 battlefield.This image was taken facing southwest at approximately 7:30 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

We are now walking towards the junction of Buford Avenue and North Reynolds Avenue.This image was taken facing southeast at approximately 7:30 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

The monument to the 76th New York Infantry Regiment is located near the top of the ridge on North Reynolds Avenue.This image was taken facing southwest at approximately 7:30 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

We are walking towards Oak Ridge with Sheads Woods mostly hidden in the background.This image was taken facing southeast at approximately 7:30 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

Near the top of Oak Ridge is the marker to the position of the 95th New York Infantry Regiment at noon on July 1, 1863.This image was taken facing west at approximately 7:30 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

We are on Doubleday Avenue. Most of the woods on Oak Ridge are now behind the camera position. The taller monuments to the left of the road include from closest to farthest: 94th New York, 16th Maine, 107th Pennsylvania, and barely visible, the 11th Pennsylvania infantry regiments.This image was taken facing north at approximately 7:45 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

The National Park Service has placed metal poles besides small markers near roads and avenues so that if there is a major snow event, the snow plows won’t damage the markers/monuments.This image was taken facing northwest at approximately 7:45 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

There is a stone wall in front of the Doubleday Inn.This image was taken facing southeast at approximately 7:45 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

The stone wall is located on the east side of Doubleday Avenue.This image was taken facing northeast at approximately 7:45 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

Volunteers have been trying for years to get grass to grow around the 11th Pennsylvania Monument.This image was taken facing northwest at approximately 7:45 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

The monument was dedicated in 1889.This image was taken facing northwest at approximately 7:45 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

The monument is best known for Sallie the war dog at its base.This image was taken facing east at approximately 7:45 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

We think the 13′ tall statue at the top is pretty impressive also.This image was taken facing northeast at approximately 7:45 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

The monument to the 97th New York Infantry Regiment is not itself.This image was taken facing west at approximately 7:45 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

It is missing a rectangular section at the corner of the monument.This image was taken facing west at approximately 7:45 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

We are now looking north along Doubleday Avenue. From left to right is the monument to the 88th Pennsylvania Infantry, the monument to the 12th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, what’s left of the Oak Ridge Tower, and the monument to Brigadier General John C. Robinson.This image was taken facing northeast at approximately 7:45 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

Another popular monument with young visitors located in this area is that to the 90th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. The Oak Ridge Tower is in the right center background.This image was taken facing southeast at approximately 8:00 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

The monument shows a cannon ball which struck a tree. Two stories have been presented about the birds in the nest. One is that it is symbolic that “life goes on” despite the ravages of war. The other is that the cannon ball striking the tree knocked the nest to the ground. A soldier picked up the nest and placed it back in the tree.This image was taken facing south at approximately 8:00 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

The monument to the 13th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment is located near the bottom of the east slope of Oak Ridge.This image was taken facing south at approximately 8:00 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

The monument to the 74th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment is located on the curve of West Howard Avenue.This image was taken facing south at approximately 8:15 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

The monument depicts a fallen color bearer.This image was taken facing south at approximately 8:15 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

This is a tree along West Howard Avenue that we previously showed you near a gun of Dilger’s Battery I, 1st Ohio Artillery.This image was taken facing east at approximately 8:15 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

The position of Wheeler’s 13th New York Independent Artillery along West Howard Avenue.This image was taken facing southwest at approximately 8:15 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

The monument to the 82nd Illinois Infantry Regiment along West Howard Avenue.This image was taken facing southeast at approximately 8:15 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

Oh yeah, there were some Confederates at Gettysburg. This is the marker to Doles’ Georgia Brigade.This image was taken facing northwest at approximately 8:15 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

Talk about depressing, what about these utility lines still on the Carlisle Road?This image was taken facing southeast at approximately 8:15 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

If the Gettysburg Foundation is desperately looking for a cause to raise money…This image was taken facing northeast at approximately 8:15 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

…how about raising money to have these lines buried as they have done so well on other parts of the battlefield?This image was taken facing southeast at approximately 8:15 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

Sometimes when you look across these fields for signs of life…This image was taken facing north at approximately 8:15 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

…you find it.This image was taken facing north at approximately 8:15 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

We are walking along East Howard Avenue. From right to left: The 82nd Ohio, 75th Pennsylvania, 26th Wisconsin, and at the curve, and barely visible, the 58th New York.This image was taken facing northeast at approximately 8:30 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

Near Barlow’s Knoll is the Alms House Cemetery.This image was taken facing southwest at approximately 8:30 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

On Barlow’s Knoll is the monument to the 25th and the 75th Ohio Infantry Regiments.This image was taken facing southeast at approximately 8:30 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

Appropriately for the gloomy theme of this post, some dead flowers are resting on the monument.This image was taken facing southeast at approximately 8:30 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

Either we can’t hold our camera straight, or that flagpole is leaning.This image was taken facing east at approximately 8:30 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

The guns and marker to Bayard Wilkeson’s Battery G 4th United States Artillery overlook Rock Creek which is hidden by the woods at the bottom of the knoll.This image was taken facing east at approximately 8:30 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

The monument to the 17th Connecticut Infantry Regiment was dedicated in 1884.This image was taken facing southeast at approximately 8:30 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

The monument to Francis Channing Barlow is on the right. The smaller monument on the left is to the 25th and 75th Ohio Infantry regiments.This image was taken facing northwest at approximately 8:30 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

We are now leaving Barlow’s Knoll and heading home. The marker on the right is to Gordon’s Georgia Brigade.This image was taken facing northeast at approximately 8:30 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2017.