GETTYSBURG, Pa. -- Hundreds of spectators and thousands of reenactors gathered in Gettysburg for the 154th Annual Gettysburg Civil War Battle Reenactment. Rain or shine, the battle went on, and it poured on them for a short time, but then, the sun came out and the Yankees and Confederates reenacted the first day of bloodiest battle in North American history, despite the heat and the threat of protests.
The threat of Antifa protesters also lingering in the back of some minds. This licensed battlefield guide had a message for anyone against seeing a confederate flag.
"We're just doing history here, just telling people story what happened in this country at the greatest battle in this half of the world. So it'd be kinda hard to do that without flags," said Jim Pangburn, a Licensed Battlefield Guide.
"It is a part of history. It's not a celebration of one side or the other at this time. It is a Memorial. It is a sign of those times," said Preston.
The Annual Gettysburg Civil War Battle reenactment a tribute to the 1863 battle that took more than 51,000 casualties in just three days.
The reenactment will continue now through Monday, July 3rd.