I told the MOD Squad I was a' goin' to Gettysburg today and was taking my camera and my piece of chalk. So, what do you really know about the Gettysburg Battlefield? Where are these markers, places, other? (Fegan, Mr. Park Watch. If you know, don't let on.)Put your answers on a word document then, cut and paste them into a response.

1. Let's start off with this easy one:


That Confederate on the fence with that big knife kills me.

2. A little harder but still fairly simple:



3. Not so easy:


4. Really simple, you don't even have to get out of your car for this one:


5. Very easily found but not many folks know it's there. I got 7 ticks walking through the grass to get to it:


6. Very few know where this is:


7. And a Merry Christmas to you too! Whoever you were that put this in the rock.


8. We all know abut "Devils Den" but, where's this and what's it called?
There was poison ivy everywhere! (and more ticks)

9. So where's this and what makes the unit different?


The ticks were so bad, I left the park. So,these photo's are from my albums.

10. What do these to photo's have in common?


11. Where do these two monuments sit side by side?


12. Who's famous butt sat on that same rock my daughter is sitting on? (It's amazing what you can do with a computer)


13. Gotta' go to church to get this one:


14. Rumor has it, this was the first monument placed on the field, but, it's not the original:


15. No longer flowing. A famous photographer, "encountered his first dead Rebel," here:


16. "Inscrïption at Gettysburg." My son was 4 and had a broken foot.


17. This rock has an interesting name because of what is said to puddle on it's surface:
 

--Last edited by grumpydave on 2007-06-17 17:57:28 --

Dave,

I've spent a good bit of time on the Gettysburg Battlefield, but I have no clue where that mural is located.  

Bill, Here's a hint since, you are a mod and all. Technically, it's on the battlfield.  

--Last edited by grumpydave on 2007-06-17 18:00:35 --

I have been to Gettysburg twice.  Once during the 135th circus and saw nothing of the battlefield.  The other time was literally passing through and that’s exactly what we did.  I am looking forward to going again and this time actually having time to see something.  These pictures are neat.

Hurrumph. What, no takers? Wussies.

Dave,

Unfortunately I have yet to visit Gettysburg. Great pictures though.

If I had to guess though, I would say the mural is around the new visitors center they are building. Or am I thinking of a different battlefield?  

--Last edited by toptimlrd on 2007-06-20 12:19:03 --

All right, I give up...

#1.  On July 1st, Col. Coster and his brigade, were posted to hold Cemetery hill.  As the 11th Corps was being driven from the field, Coster, on his on accord moved his men to the brickyard, just north of town, supported by Heckman’s Battery of 6 light 12 pounders on his left.  Lined behind a rail fence, they were almost immediately flanked by the on rushing Confederates. However, the few moments, his brigade bought allowed many men form the 11th Corps to escape to Cemetery Hill to fight another day. Coster, lost about half his strength in killed and captured or wounded. The remainder of his boys returned to the cemetery on the run, also to fight another day. The mural and the monuments to the regiments of Coster’s Brigade are on the back of a warehouse at the end of Coster Avenue (of course), just off North Stratton Street, where the brickyard once stood. The mural was just in the last three years restored.

#2.  The monument to Sergeant Hummiston is also on North Stratton Street, just at the entrance to the Gettysburg Fire Company, on the right, just before you cross the railroad tracks. Hummiston’s story can be read from the tablet in the picture. There is a picture of his grave included which is of course, in the NY plot of the National Cemetery.

#3.  Travel on the “loop” to the Stony Hill at the west end of the Wheatfield. Park in front of the famed Irish Brigades monument with its large Celtic cross and Irish Wolf Hound. Looking directly at the cross, turn around, cross the road and just behind the 5th Michigan’s monument you will find this plaque.  The Massachusetts monument is just a little bit further up the road on the left.

#4.  Merwin’s marker isn’t hard to find, it’s one of 5 markers to the 27th Connecticut and her men. If you’re driving on the Wheatfield road, heading from Little Round Top towards the Peach Orchard, as soon as you get to the Wheatfield on your left start looking. The marker is about 18 inches high and its right along the road.

#5.  This rock was carved by the men of the 40th New York to mark the spot where they fought on the evening of July 5th. Go to Devils Den. The 40th NY’s monument is up the road towards the Wheatfield on the Little Round top side, just after the “t” in the road. A white marble deal, a soldier crouching behind some rocks. Walk to the Devils Den side of the monument. Turn around and look down. The rock is about 18 inches high, about 5 feet away from the base of the monument directly in between the NY monument and the road.

#6.  A. L. Coble of the 1st North Carolina planted his colors in this exact spot on July 2nd when the confederates took control of the breastworks on lower Culp’s Hill. Go past the Culp Farm and park in the little stone wall surrounded parking area near Spangler’s spring at the base of Culp’s Hill. Follow the path directly to your front. Watch where it cuts down into the rocks to the right. Coble’s carving is in the first big grouping of rocks, on the slope of a really big rock that faces Culp’s Hill.

#7.  Go to Smith’s Battery at the top of Devil’s Den. The carving is in a rock almost directly (well at 1 o’clock) from the wheel  on the right most gun. It’s rumored one of the many stone masons involved in the construction of monuments on the field is responsible for this graffiti. Pare’ Noel means Merry Christmas in French.

#8.  Go to Big Round Top. Park in the parking area directly across the steps that start the path to the top of the big mountain. The “Devil’s Kitchen” is located just down the path to your front, between Big round Top and Devil’s Den. It was the scene of heavy skirmishing on both July 2nd and July 3rd.

#9.  The monument to the 98th PA is located on the North Slope of Little Round top. As you are coming down the road from the top of LRT, on your left you will see a black cast iron soldier standing, the 98th’s monument is almost directly behind him, down the slope towards the Wheatfield. The 98th was the only Veteran Volunteer Regiment at Gettysburg. Its left companies participated in the charge through the “Valley of Death” with the Pennsylvania Reserve regiments. They, “just couldn’t keep back.”

#10.  First a couple of notes. The monument is for the 116th PA on the Stony Hill at the Wheatfield. The grave is for Sergeant Charles T. Gardner of the 110th Pennsylvania. Research has shown through casualty reports, the unit on his gravestone should read 110th PA. At least he rests with other Pennsylvanians in the National Cemetery.  Anyway, the story goes, Saint Clair Muholland the commander of the 116th PA, and His adjutant, Major Nevin were walking the ground to their front after the Irish brigade had taken the Stony Hill from Kershaw’s men planning a defense. Nevin, noticed this young sergeant, lying dead with a peaceful smiling look on his face, shot through the head. Nevin being an amateur artist, put his vision to pen and it eventually ended up on the 116th’s monument at Gettysburg. The 110th Pa had previously held the ground where the 116th now stood and, the only  Sergeant that was killed in the area was, Charles T. Gardner. So, there he lies immortalized in stone. With to this day, a peaceful look on his face. BTW, that is the only Federal monument on the entire field that depicts death in any way. And, the 116th only had 67 men engaged at Gettysburg. The other 80,(147 total present for duty) listed on the monument, were detached, guarding Confederate prisoners.

#11.  The monuments to the 14th Connecticut and the 13th New Jersey are both on the Bliss Farm property between the Federal and Confederate lines (Confederate side of the Emmittsburg road. Big time Small unit actions there on July 2nd and 3rd.

#12.  “You sure can see a ways from here Lawrence.” Yea, that’s the rock Jeff Daniels was sitting on during that scene. The background, with no trees, was put in by computer.

#13.  As the battle raged on Day 1 and casualties mounted, both armies worked to identify suitable locations to treat the wounded and comfort the dying. With the Confederates pushing the men in blue back through the town, buildings that the Union had commandeered for such purposes would change hands. On Chambersburg Street in Gettysburg stands the Christ Lutheran Church which initially appeared well suited to serve as a hospital and shelter the Northern wounded. Reverend Horatio S. Howell, chaplain for the 90th Pennsylvania Infantry, aided with the caring for the casualties of his regiment in this house of peace. As he was exiting the building, a Confederate soldier demanded that he surrender and turn over his sword. He did not, and was shot on the steps of this church. [35] No one knows with any certainty if the soldier who pulled the trigger knew that the officer that he saw belonged to the chaplaincy, but the men of the 90th Pennsylvania were incensed.  

http://www.brotherswar.com/Gettysburg-1v.htm

#14.  Marker where Strong Vincent was taken after he was shot(in the groin, ouch!). It’s on the back side of Little Round Top, just behind the castle that is the 44th NY’s monument. The original marker was broken in half 15 years ago when some vandal decided he had to have it. It now rests in the Erie Public Library.

#15.  Menechy’s spring is located very near the 33rd Mass. Monument at the base of Cemetery Hill, by Marino’s shop and Military Museum. It is the place Alexander Gardner noted he saw his first dead Rebel.

#16.  David Atchison was a Captain in the 140th Pv. Him and many of his school mates from Westmoreland County,  joined up at the President’s call for 300,000 more. Atchison, loved dearly by his friends and fellow members of the regiment, met his fate during the withdraw from the Stony Hill. His body was taken by the members of his company and buried near this rock. With only a hammer and nail, they carved this inscrïption so his parents might come to the field and find his body, which they did returning it home.  Park somewhere along the road that runs at the base of Little Round Top between the hill and the Wheatfield. Turn around and walk towards the Wheatfield road. Cross the road and walk down the farm lane, directly across. Stay to the left of the house and buildings until you come to the edge of the woods. Turn left, stay along the edge of the woods, you should be walking parallel to the Wheatfield road towards the Emmittsburg road. As you approach the end of the woods, start looking to your right. The stone is just inside the “corner” of the woods where it hits the field. This ground can be swampy even during the driest summer. You can also come in from the Trostle farm. A little further but just as swampy. It’s neat to stand there and think how this is where the troops forced out of the Wheatfield rallied. And, how Capt. Atchison’s friends must have felt as they lay him in a soldier’s grave.


Musta' been to hard for ya!

This is sorta along the same lines.  Have any of you seen the Trailhead Graphics topo map of Gettysburg?  If so, how do you like it?

http://www.trailheadgraphics.com/

I have one of their maps of Shiloh.  The Shiloh versions shows where all of the monuments are.  The map is water resistant, has contour lines, proper military map colors, and an order of battle on the reverse side.  The Shiloh map is well worth the asking price of $10.95, which includes shipping.  

Thanks for the explanation.  I hope to see all of these places some time next summer.  

--Last edited by Curtis Makamson on 2007-06-20 19:25:31 --