I had found a cemetery on a deadend road. It was a beautiful little cemetery and full of history. It's called (the name is actually bigger than the cemetery) the Lower Marsh Creek Presbyterian Church Cemetery. I forget the name of the road its on, but it goes back through a farm and then dead ends right at the cemetery. I've been there several times and have yet to see another soul.
The reason I went there was because I was looking for the grave of Alexander Dobbin. I was able to find it. When you go into the cemetery, its about in the middle but all the way down towards the farm. He is buried there with two wives and a child or two. The stones are made of slate and the wording is etched into it. Considering that he died at the beginning of the 1800's, I find it amazing that you can still read them.
But it the search for Rev. Dobbin, I stumbled across the grave of someone that I hadn't thought about and was shocked to see: Ephraim Whisler. Now, you ask, who is Ephraim Wisler??? Well, if you are familiar with the battle of Gettysburg, Ephraim Whisler's house played an important role. His house is where the first shot of the battle was fired from. If you go to his house today, there is a small obelisk-type monument in the side yard dedicated to the First shot.
Ephraim Whisler had heard the noise of troop movements and he went outside to see what was going on in his front yard. As he reached the road, a cannonball hit the road right in front of him and it splattered dirt all over him. It was such a shock to him, that he had a heart attack. He died on August 11, 1863.
To find his grave surprised me immensely. I hadn't really thought about him much. I knew the story of the first shot. I knew the story of how he died. And I knew that the park owned the house. What I didn't know was his age. I was always of the belief that he was much older. It came as quite a shock to learn how old he really was.....he was in his early 30's.
This cemetery has many graves of men who fought in wars throughout the history of our nation: the Revelutionary War, the Civil War, WWI, WWII, etc. It still has burials today. I have to believe that this is one of the earlier cemeteries in the area. I know for a fact that it pre-dates Evergreen and the National Cemeteries. Walking around in there is like walking through the history of this nation.
Now, everyone always wonders about "ghost stories". Has anything weird ever happened to you? Spending so much time in cemeteries, I haven't had anything weird happen....except at this one. One day I was walking through, looking at the graves and thinking. Now, you have to understand that this cemetery is in the middle of no where. There is a farm down the road a couple of hundred yards, but that is it. There is nothing else in the area. Nothing! Well, while I was standing there looking at the headstones, I suddenly smelled cigar smoke. I know the smell of cigar smoke because I HATE the smell of cigar smoke. It lingered around two or three of the graves. I looked up, thinking maybe someone was nearby, but no one was around. I walked about 5 yards away and the smell dissipated. I still didn't think anything of it until I started to walk past where I had originally smelled it and there it was again. Very distinct. I walked about 5 yards or so past it again but on the other side and again it was gone. Hmmmmm. Strange. I haven't smelled that smell again and I really wish I had paid more attention to whose grave I was at....but I have no idea who was there. It makes me sad, now that I think about it. Someone was reaching out to me and I have no idea who.
This is definitely one of those places that you have to keep coming back to over and over again. I have a list of cemeteries that I like to visit and this one is at the top of my list.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Cape Hatteras
I thought that today I would write a little bit about some of my trips down to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. When I had gone down there (and its been a few years now) I didn't know much more about the Civil War than the basics so to say that I was a little surprised to find out that there was a ton of Civil War history down there is an understatement.
I'm not so much a fan of the northern end of the Outer Banks....places like Nagshead, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk. It's too touristy for me. So I sort of "zone out" until we hit Cape Hatteras National Seashore. This is MY country. When you have to drive 20 miles just to get to the next "town" and that "town" is lucky to have a grocery store I am in heaven. That's when I started noticing "the signs".
The Signs are fairly small and they usually point down some off the beaten path road and they will usually say something like "Civil War Marker" with an arrow. Cool! Now, if it had been one or two signs, I probably could have convinced the family to stop at all those signs....but there were more....lots more.
Now what could possibly have happened on that thin strip of land that juts out into the ocean. The strip of land ranges anywhere from a mile to a couple hundred yards wide. But it goes on forever.....100+ miles. The sound, which is between the Island and the Mainland isn't very deep. I've seen windsurfers way out in the sound, fall off their boards and when they stood up, the water was up to their waists. So, they couldn't have had any kind of naval battle. Hmmm. Just what took place down there???? Well, I've done research. I LOVE research!
I found this on the internet and found it very interesting: The Civil War saw Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in the center of conflict. The Confederate army wanted to destroy the lighthouse to prevent the Union ships benefiting from it, and naturally the Union forces wanted to protect the lighthouse. After several battles in 1861, defeated Confederate troops retreated with the lighthouse's Fresnel lens. In 1862, the tower was relit with a second-order Fresnel lens, and then upgraded the following year with a first-order lens. The tower was severely damaged in the war, and after peace was restored to the country, the Lighthouse Board determined it would be less costly to build a new lighthouse, 600 feet to the north, rather than repair and refit the existing one. The original Cape Hatteras Light was destroyed in a blast of dynamite, and the Fresnel lens it had most recently housed was shipped to California for use in the Pigeon Point Lighthouse. http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=356
There is a book out called "Touring the Carolina's Civil War Sites" by Clint Johnson that looks to be a good read. I quickly went over it on Google books and it looks interesting. Another book that I have to add to my list (and is that list ever long!!!).
One day I am going to return to The Outer Banks and when I do, I am going to take a picture of every single one of those markers. I am determined to find out exactly what took place, where it took place, who was involved and how it ended. I know that one of the inlets was a good place for ships to use in order to reach the mainland....so that is why the Confederates didn't want the Union forces to be able to approach....but what else happened??? Hmmmm....one day I will know!
I'm not so much a fan of the northern end of the Outer Banks....places like Nagshead, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk. It's too touristy for me. So I sort of "zone out" until we hit Cape Hatteras National Seashore. This is MY country. When you have to drive 20 miles just to get to the next "town" and that "town" is lucky to have a grocery store I am in heaven. That's when I started noticing "the signs".
The Signs are fairly small and they usually point down some off the beaten path road and they will usually say something like "Civil War Marker" with an arrow. Cool! Now, if it had been one or two signs, I probably could have convinced the family to stop at all those signs....but there were more....lots more.
Now what could possibly have happened on that thin strip of land that juts out into the ocean. The strip of land ranges anywhere from a mile to a couple hundred yards wide. But it goes on forever.....100+ miles. The sound, which is between the Island and the Mainland isn't very deep. I've seen windsurfers way out in the sound, fall off their boards and when they stood up, the water was up to their waists. So, they couldn't have had any kind of naval battle. Hmmm. Just what took place down there???? Well, I've done research. I LOVE research!
I found this on the internet and found it very interesting: The Civil War saw Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in the center of conflict. The Confederate army wanted to destroy the lighthouse to prevent the Union ships benefiting from it, and naturally the Union forces wanted to protect the lighthouse. After several battles in 1861, defeated Confederate troops retreated with the lighthouse's Fresnel lens. In 1862, the tower was relit with a second-order Fresnel lens, and then upgraded the following year with a first-order lens. The tower was severely damaged in the war, and after peace was restored to the country, the Lighthouse Board determined it would be less costly to build a new lighthouse, 600 feet to the north, rather than repair and refit the existing one. The original Cape Hatteras Light was destroyed in a blast of dynamite, and the Fresnel lens it had most recently housed was shipped to California for use in the Pigeon Point Lighthouse. http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=356
There is a book out called "Touring the Carolina's Civil War Sites" by Clint Johnson that looks to be a good read. I quickly went over it on Google books and it looks interesting. Another book that I have to add to my list (and is that list ever long!!!).
One day I am going to return to The Outer Banks and when I do, I am going to take a picture of every single one of those markers. I am determined to find out exactly what took place, where it took place, who was involved and how it ended. I know that one of the inlets was a good place for ships to use in order to reach the mainland....so that is why the Confederates didn't want the Union forces to be able to approach....but what else happened??? Hmmmm....one day I will know!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Just Who Was Israel B. Richardson Anyway?
I did some searching. Afterall, if Hancock replaced him in the Battle of Antietam, I think I should know a little bit about his predecessor. As a Hancock "stalker" (as I have been called), I need to know all things Hancock and if anyone who had anything to do with him. So I did some searching.
Here are some facts that I learned about him: He was born on December 26, 1815 in Fairfax, Vermont (its a small town about halfway between Burlington and St. Albans....another Civil War related town that I have been to). He attended West Point and was graduated in 1841. Now this is interesting because Hancock graduated in 1844....so they probably knew each other at the school. I'm not sure how involved seniors would have been with freshman (plebes) but they may have known each other from classes or even barracks or whatever. He was given the nickname of "Fighting Dick" because once out on the battlefield he fought just as hard as his men. One thing that I saw repeatedly about him, was that he was quoted as saying "I would never put my men somewhere that I wasn't willing to go." I wish all leaders felt that way. He recruited and organized the 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry. And was made the Colonel of that infantry. Now, at this point you are probably saying, how did he go from Vermont to Michigan???? Good question. This is all I know, somehow, he made his way down from Vermont and settled in Pontiac, Michigan. It was at a point after he resigned from the Army in the 1850's. He must have either been stationed in the area or traveled through the area and grew to like it, so it became home.
Now, at the Battle of Antietam, he attacked the enemy at the Sunken Road. During this fighting, he was wounded by a spent shell fragment. So many men were wounded this way. I don't believe that direct hits were as common as the indirect hits. The wound wasn't considered life threatening but infection set in and eventually it led to pneumonia and he ended up dying on November3, 1862 in the Pry House. If the Pry House sounds familiar, it was the house that McClellan used as his headquarters during the Battle of Antietam.
General Richardson sounds like an interesting guy. I really do need to find out a bit more about him, but I'm glad I got to know him a bit better. There is a Civil War Round Table in the Pontiac, Michigan area that is named after him. If a group of this caliber is naming itself after this gentleman, then he must have been a really good guy. Sounds like more research is needed!
Here are some facts that I learned about him: He was born on December 26, 1815 in Fairfax, Vermont (its a small town about halfway between Burlington and St. Albans....another Civil War related town that I have been to). He attended West Point and was graduated in 1841. Now this is interesting because Hancock graduated in 1844....so they probably knew each other at the school. I'm not sure how involved seniors would have been with freshman (plebes) but they may have known each other from classes or even barracks or whatever. He was given the nickname of "Fighting Dick" because once out on the battlefield he fought just as hard as his men. One thing that I saw repeatedly about him, was that he was quoted as saying "I would never put my men somewhere that I wasn't willing to go." I wish all leaders felt that way. He recruited and organized the 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry. And was made the Colonel of that infantry. Now, at this point you are probably saying, how did he go from Vermont to Michigan???? Good question. This is all I know, somehow, he made his way down from Vermont and settled in Pontiac, Michigan. It was at a point after he resigned from the Army in the 1850's. He must have either been stationed in the area or traveled through the area and grew to like it, so it became home.
Now, at the Battle of Antietam, he attacked the enemy at the Sunken Road. During this fighting, he was wounded by a spent shell fragment. So many men were wounded this way. I don't believe that direct hits were as common as the indirect hits. The wound wasn't considered life threatening but infection set in and eventually it led to pneumonia and he ended up dying on November3, 1862 in the Pry House. If the Pry House sounds familiar, it was the house that McClellan used as his headquarters during the Battle of Antietam.
General Richardson sounds like an interesting guy. I really do need to find out a bit more about him, but I'm glad I got to know him a bit better. There is a Civil War Round Table in the Pontiac, Michigan area that is named after him. If a group of this caliber is naming itself after this gentleman, then he must have been a really good guy. Sounds like more research is needed!
Ike's retirement home
Living here in Gettysburg, I often drive past the Eisenhower farm and think nothing of it. But somehow, today, I realized that a former president of the United States and the former Allied commander of WWII lived HERE in MY town. How many people in the United States can say that?
Dwight D. Eisenhower spent a lot of time here prior to actually moving here. During WWI, he was in charge of the Tank Corps that had a camp on the spot where Pickett's Charge took place. This Tank Corps encampment changed the landscape of the ground where Pickett's, Trimble's, and Pettigrew's men charged across that field. They flattened some of it out, built small ridges at other areas, and just destroyed the ground so that what we see today is not necessarily the ground those brave men marched across. But Ike was there!
He also came back several times as a visitor before actually purchasing a house/farm here. There is also a famous picture of his class of cadets sitting on the steps in front of Christ Lutheran Church....and there is Eisenhower, right in the middle of them.
One of the park rangers has told me that Eisenhower had "caught the bug" that so many of us have. That horrible disease that gets into your blood and no matter what you do, it won't die. That disease that makes you return time and time again to this hallowed ground. What is it? I don't know but I know that I have a fatal case of it. I figure that this disease is going to kill me yet. But its also comforting to know that there are thousands of people out there that have it and there were thousands that had it before I was even born.
The Eisenhower farm is a beautiful piece of property at the corner of Pumping Station Road and West Confederate Avenue. At the time of the battle it was the Pitzer farmhouse. The Eisenhower's more or less torn down the house that was on the farm (except for a small section that was still stable) and rebuilt that house to what you see today. Former President Eisenhower also rebuilt that farmland. The ground was so devastated that nothing would grow on it....but using his techniques, he rebuilt it and made that ground able to grow crops. He also had his prized Black Angus Cows.
Too often people move to other areas and instead of improving the ground and the community, they tear it down. President Eisenhower improved everything he did. Or so it seems to me. I have to congratulate him on a job well done in the improvements that he made to his farm. Today the farm is open to the public. You need to go to the Visitors Center and catch a shuttle from there (the Eisenhower's wanted the farm to remain a working farm and didn't want a huge parking lot made on the ground....so that's the reason for the shuttle service). The trip over is well worth it! Walking the ground is a wonderful way to step back in time. The house is the way Mamie left it.....straight from the 1950's.....although she died in the 1970's. Seeing the putting green or the BBQ area or the skeet shooting range or any number of other things on that ground is a great way to spend an afternoon. I highly recommend it to anyone who even has a remote interest in the Eisenhower's. A great time to visit is at Christmas when the house is decorated!
Although I haven't spent much time there, I have gone a few times and its something that any visitor to Gettysburg should consider. To understand Eisenhower, is to understand his obsession with this place.
Dwight D. Eisenhower spent a lot of time here prior to actually moving here. During WWI, he was in charge of the Tank Corps that had a camp on the spot where Pickett's Charge took place. This Tank Corps encampment changed the landscape of the ground where Pickett's, Trimble's, and Pettigrew's men charged across that field. They flattened some of it out, built small ridges at other areas, and just destroyed the ground so that what we see today is not necessarily the ground those brave men marched across. But Ike was there!
He also came back several times as a visitor before actually purchasing a house/farm here. There is also a famous picture of his class of cadets sitting on the steps in front of Christ Lutheran Church....and there is Eisenhower, right in the middle of them.
One of the park rangers has told me that Eisenhower had "caught the bug" that so many of us have. That horrible disease that gets into your blood and no matter what you do, it won't die. That disease that makes you return time and time again to this hallowed ground. What is it? I don't know but I know that I have a fatal case of it. I figure that this disease is going to kill me yet. But its also comforting to know that there are thousands of people out there that have it and there were thousands that had it before I was even born.
The Eisenhower farm is a beautiful piece of property at the corner of Pumping Station Road and West Confederate Avenue. At the time of the battle it was the Pitzer farmhouse. The Eisenhower's more or less torn down the house that was on the farm (except for a small section that was still stable) and rebuilt that house to what you see today. Former President Eisenhower also rebuilt that farmland. The ground was so devastated that nothing would grow on it....but using his techniques, he rebuilt it and made that ground able to grow crops. He also had his prized Black Angus Cows.
Too often people move to other areas and instead of improving the ground and the community, they tear it down. President Eisenhower improved everything he did. Or so it seems to me. I have to congratulate him on a job well done in the improvements that he made to his farm. Today the farm is open to the public. You need to go to the Visitors Center and catch a shuttle from there (the Eisenhower's wanted the farm to remain a working farm and didn't want a huge parking lot made on the ground....so that's the reason for the shuttle service). The trip over is well worth it! Walking the ground is a wonderful way to step back in time. The house is the way Mamie left it.....straight from the 1950's.....although she died in the 1970's. Seeing the putting green or the BBQ area or the skeet shooting range or any number of other things on that ground is a great way to spend an afternoon. I highly recommend it to anyone who even has a remote interest in the Eisenhower's. A great time to visit is at Christmas when the house is decorated!
Although I haven't spent much time there, I have gone a few times and its something that any visitor to Gettysburg should consider. To understand Eisenhower, is to understand his obsession with this place.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
The Feisty General
Feistiness is a trait that I like in people. Why? Not sure. But when I look back at the Civil War or any time period in history, the feisty people are the ones that I am drawn to. Gettysburg had its share. But there is one Confederate general who just embodies feistiness....right or wrong, you can't say that he wasn't....and that general is Isaac Trimble. Now there is that famous scene in the movie "Gettysburg" where he goes in and tells General Lee how he offered Ewell to take a division and "Take that hill", etc. Did that really happen? Not sure....but there may or may not have been a witness to the situation. This is just full of suggestions....but no one really seems to know just what really happened. I've added a bit from a book about him.
Trimble accompanied Ewell during the whole of July 1, giving unsolicited advice with the receipt of every order from Lee and at every turn in the road. Trimble's close association with Ewell ended at a stormy meeting in the late afternoon, after the retreat of the Union Eleventh Corps and after Ewell had received Lee's order to take Cemetery Hill "if practicable" but avoid a general engagement. Trimble then buzzed excitedly, "General, don't you intend to pursue our sweep and push the enemy vigorously?" According to Trimble's later recollection, Ewell only paced about, cited Lee's order not to bring on a general engagement, and looked confused. Trimble urgently advised taking Culp's Hill, which he saw as the key to the whole Union position. "Give me a division," he said, according to one witness, "ans I will engage to take that hill." When this was declines, he said, "Give me a brigade and I will do it." When this was declined, Trimble said, "Give me a good regiment and I will engage to take that hill." Ewell snapped back, "When I need advice from a junior officer I generally ask for it." Trimble warned that Ewell would regret following his suggestions for as long as he lived, threw down his sword, and stormed off, saying he would no longer serve under such an officer.
On July 2, Trimble stood by in his status as major-general-at-large.
On July 3, two of Hill's division which Lee had earmarked for the climactic charge on the enemy center were without commanding generals. For the attack, Lee assigned Trimble to command Pender's division, where senior Brig. Gen. "Little Jim" Lane had been in charge since Maj. Gen. Dorsey Pender had been wounded the previous afternoon. Trimble probably saw his two attacking brigades for the first time when he and Lee rode along their lines that morning. Trimble's men were put in the third line behind the two lines of Heth's division (now commanded by Brig. Gen. Johnston Pettigrew). Pettigrew's and Trimble's brigades were on the left of Pickett's division, jumping off from a line between McMillan's Woods and Spangler's Woods on the west slope of Seminary Ridge.
During the grand assault in mid-afternoon, which became famous as Pickett's Charge, Trimble rode on his mare Jinny. As he crossed the Emitsburg Road, a bullet smashed his ankle, also wounding his horse. Trimble sent a message to Lane to take charge of the division, which was by then a jumbled mass of men, each following a flag and fighting on his own hook.
This would be Trimble's last moment of active rebellion. He was carried away, and the lower third of his leg was amputated at a farmhouse in the rear. Surgeons warned that infection would set in if he were moved in an ambulance, so Trimble chose to stay and be taken prisoner. He spent the next year and a half in Northern hands, then was exchanged in February 1865. Lee surrendered before he could return to the field. Taken from Larry Tagg's book, "Generals of Gettysburg"
Trimble was 61 years old when he arrived at Gettysburg and he didn't have a command, but it says a lot (or maybe Lee was just sick of him) that General Lee gave him a command later in the battle. Again, questions abound....just no answers. This is just one of those things that makes you wonder.
Trimble accompanied Ewell during the whole of July 1, giving unsolicited advice with the receipt of every order from Lee and at every turn in the road. Trimble's close association with Ewell ended at a stormy meeting in the late afternoon, after the retreat of the Union Eleventh Corps and after Ewell had received Lee's order to take Cemetery Hill "if practicable" but avoid a general engagement. Trimble then buzzed excitedly, "General, don't you intend to pursue our sweep and push the enemy vigorously?" According to Trimble's later recollection, Ewell only paced about, cited Lee's order not to bring on a general engagement, and looked confused. Trimble urgently advised taking Culp's Hill, which he saw as the key to the whole Union position. "Give me a division," he said, according to one witness, "ans I will engage to take that hill." When this was declines, he said, "Give me a brigade and I will do it." When this was declined, Trimble said, "Give me a good regiment and I will engage to take that hill." Ewell snapped back, "When I need advice from a junior officer I generally ask for it." Trimble warned that Ewell would regret following his suggestions for as long as he lived, threw down his sword, and stormed off, saying he would no longer serve under such an officer.
On July 2, Trimble stood by in his status as major-general-at-large.
On July 3, two of Hill's division which Lee had earmarked for the climactic charge on the enemy center were without commanding generals. For the attack, Lee assigned Trimble to command Pender's division, where senior Brig. Gen. "Little Jim" Lane had been in charge since Maj. Gen. Dorsey Pender had been wounded the previous afternoon. Trimble probably saw his two attacking brigades for the first time when he and Lee rode along their lines that morning. Trimble's men were put in the third line behind the two lines of Heth's division (now commanded by Brig. Gen. Johnston Pettigrew). Pettigrew's and Trimble's brigades were on the left of Pickett's division, jumping off from a line between McMillan's Woods and Spangler's Woods on the west slope of Seminary Ridge.
During the grand assault in mid-afternoon, which became famous as Pickett's Charge, Trimble rode on his mare Jinny. As he crossed the Emitsburg Road, a bullet smashed his ankle, also wounding his horse. Trimble sent a message to Lane to take charge of the division, which was by then a jumbled mass of men, each following a flag and fighting on his own hook.
This would be Trimble's last moment of active rebellion. He was carried away, and the lower third of his leg was amputated at a farmhouse in the rear. Surgeons warned that infection would set in if he were moved in an ambulance, so Trimble chose to stay and be taken prisoner. He spent the next year and a half in Northern hands, then was exchanged in February 1865. Lee surrendered before he could return to the field. Taken from Larry Tagg's book, "Generals of Gettysburg"
Trimble was 61 years old when he arrived at Gettysburg and he didn't have a command, but it says a lot (or maybe Lee was just sick of him) that General Lee gave him a command later in the battle. Again, questions abound....just no answers. This is just one of those things that makes you wonder.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
My Travels up a Mountain
Back in March, a friend of mine and I climbed a mountain to find a signal station. I didn't realize that when she said, "Climb a mountain", she meant "CLIMB A MOUNTAIN". When I saw the mountain I realized that this was the craziest thing she had ever dragged me along to do and it was, by far! This is why we are known as the "Lucy and Ethel" of the battlefield.
Well, we arrived at the Grotto in Emmitsburg, Md and walked through the Grotto until we came to a hidden little bridge that crossed a small creek and led to a trail up the mountain. The little bridge is sealed off....so we had to walk across the creek, which wasn't too bad. Then we went up the mountain.
The trail that leads up there is a sunken road, more or less. It was easy finding the trail and staying on it but the real problem were the leaves. The leaves came up to our knees. Because of this, we couldn't see what was UNDER the leaves...boulders, holes, etc. This made walking this part of the trail very treacherous. Also, it was like walking through a foot of snow....not easy for moving. This part of the trail is fairly steep and with the leaves, I was pretty much breathless after a couple of hundred yards. But it gets easier. What we found out was that this was the hardest part of the trail.
We continued up the trail and eventually you get out of the sunken road and end up on just a plain mountain trail....nothing fancy....just a trail. Thankfully, someone had marked it with red paint and we were able to follow the paint. The path became less steep, although you will still walk uphill. This went on for what seemed like forever. It took us about an hour to walk up to the top of the mountain. At one point we saw a sign that told us the lookout was 1 mile ahead. I really didn't think that I could go another mile, but I really don't think it was a mile....a couple of hundred yards, maybe. But, who knows, we had NO idea how far we had gone.
Well, we finally reached Indian Lookout. Now, what was the significance of Indian Lookout? It served as a Signal Station during the Battle of Gettysburg. The view from up there was magnificent. We could see forever. We were told that you could see Little Round Top, Big Round Top, the Peace Light, and all sorts of things from up there. The more we stood and looked, the less we saw. I have no idea where these things were. But when we got back, one of the pictures that was taken was examined and sure enough, you COULD see all that. Now we have to go back up there and see just where all this was.
I feel for those poor men who had to climb all the way up there in order to use it as a signal station. What a climb that was for those poor men! But, I'm sure they were used to it. We certainly weren't.
The climb back down the hill was about half the time it took to get up there. There are all sorts of trails at the top of that mountain and unless you know exactly which trail you came up to it from, you can easily get lost. We started to go the wrong way, but soon straightened ourselves out. One good thing to do is mark the trail when you reach the top because the red paint doesn't start appearing until about 100 yards down. It's really easy to get lost up there.
Overall, I'm glad I went up there. It was quite the walk and my feet hurt so bad that when I got home I couldn't even have my blankets on my toes. But despite the pain, I would do it again....but only in the wintertime and with LOTS of water with me.
Well, we arrived at the Grotto in Emmitsburg, Md and walked through the Grotto until we came to a hidden little bridge that crossed a small creek and led to a trail up the mountain. The little bridge is sealed off....so we had to walk across the creek, which wasn't too bad. Then we went up the mountain.
The trail that leads up there is a sunken road, more or less. It was easy finding the trail and staying on it but the real problem were the leaves. The leaves came up to our knees. Because of this, we couldn't see what was UNDER the leaves...boulders, holes, etc. This made walking this part of the trail very treacherous. Also, it was like walking through a foot of snow....not easy for moving. This part of the trail is fairly steep and with the leaves, I was pretty much breathless after a couple of hundred yards. But it gets easier. What we found out was that this was the hardest part of the trail.
We continued up the trail and eventually you get out of the sunken road and end up on just a plain mountain trail....nothing fancy....just a trail. Thankfully, someone had marked it with red paint and we were able to follow the paint. The path became less steep, although you will still walk uphill. This went on for what seemed like forever. It took us about an hour to walk up to the top of the mountain. At one point we saw a sign that told us the lookout was 1 mile ahead. I really didn't think that I could go another mile, but I really don't think it was a mile....a couple of hundred yards, maybe. But, who knows, we had NO idea how far we had gone.
Well, we finally reached Indian Lookout. Now, what was the significance of Indian Lookout? It served as a Signal Station during the Battle of Gettysburg. The view from up there was magnificent. We could see forever. We were told that you could see Little Round Top, Big Round Top, the Peace Light, and all sorts of things from up there. The more we stood and looked, the less we saw. I have no idea where these things were. But when we got back, one of the pictures that was taken was examined and sure enough, you COULD see all that. Now we have to go back up there and see just where all this was.
I feel for those poor men who had to climb all the way up there in order to use it as a signal station. What a climb that was for those poor men! But, I'm sure they were used to it. We certainly weren't.
The climb back down the hill was about half the time it took to get up there. There are all sorts of trails at the top of that mountain and unless you know exactly which trail you came up to it from, you can easily get lost. We started to go the wrong way, but soon straightened ourselves out. One good thing to do is mark the trail when you reach the top because the red paint doesn't start appearing until about 100 yards down. It's really easy to get lost up there.
Overall, I'm glad I went up there. It was quite the walk and my feet hurt so bad that when I got home I couldn't even have my blankets on my toes. But despite the pain, I would do it again....but only in the wintertime and with LOTS of water with me.
The Sunken Road
Now, to go back to Antietam. I took a bit of a walk on the Sunken Road/Bloody Lane Trail. Unfortunately, I didn't have too much time because I really wanted to go back to the VC to do a battlefield tour with a ranger (which I highly recommend to anyone who happens to be in the park on a day that they are offered).
The Bloody Lane happens to be the area where Hancock fought. And being a HUGE Hancock fan, I HAD to go and check it out.
I went to the Mumma farm and cemetery before I got over to the Sunken Road. The farm had a fair amount of school kids running around the yard with Signal Corps flags....so I never got to the farm itself. I'm guessing that these kids were learning about the Signal Corps and how the messages were delivered. This, in and of itself, is a very interesting topic that I will have to talk about some day. Some of the signal stations are in very obscure areas and I have been to a few of them....so I will talk about them soon. But the cemetery was awesome. I love old cemeteries. It's not very big and there are probably a 1-200 people buried in it, but when you start to look at the names, there are quite a few names that are familiar to anyone who has studied the battle. The day that I was there I ran into 2 other people heading into the cemetery to take a look around. So I had it all to myself prior to the others heading in. I can't remember how many trees are in the cemetery but I know that with the trees and the the hilltop, there was a constant breeze. The cemetery is completely surrounded by a beautiful stone wall. It's just a nice little cemetery. As I was leaving, that was when I ran into the other couple.
From there, I went on to the Sunken Road. This old farm road is very deceptive. The first time I went into it, I was shocked at how "sunken" it really is. I stood in the middle of it and the sides were actually over my head. This was a complete surprise to me because in all the pictures I've seen of it and the way it looked from the sides, I didn't think it was that deep. But it is! I'm looking at my map of the different regiments involved. I didn't realize how many actually fought there. On the Union side, they had: 4NY, 108NY, 7WV, 132PA, 5MD, 130PA, 8OH, 1DE, 14CT, 14IN. Then on the Confederate side, it was: 30NC, 4NC, 14NC, 2NC, 6AL, 5AL, 12AL, 26AL. Its odd looking at some of these regiments and seeing those same guys at other battlefields. Some fought at Gettysburg, others fought at Chancellorsville, and the list goes on and on. Some of these guys fought each other repeatedly on the battlefield....but in different places. I think about these things often. Did they recognize the same guys? If they saw a guy, battle after battle, and finally he fell, did they feel bad for him or where they glad? Just what went on in the heads of these men?
I wonder about some of the leaders. Quite a few of these men never made it to Gettysburg. But one that intriques me a bit is Israel B. Richardson. I'm going to have to check out his biography. I guess one of the reasons that he intriques me is because Hancock took over after he was wounded.
There are so many things that I need to look up....and so little time. One day I might scratch the surface!
The Bloody Lane happens to be the area where Hancock fought. And being a HUGE Hancock fan, I HAD to go and check it out.
I went to the Mumma farm and cemetery before I got over to the Sunken Road. The farm had a fair amount of school kids running around the yard with Signal Corps flags....so I never got to the farm itself. I'm guessing that these kids were learning about the Signal Corps and how the messages were delivered. This, in and of itself, is a very interesting topic that I will have to talk about some day. Some of the signal stations are in very obscure areas and I have been to a few of them....so I will talk about them soon. But the cemetery was awesome. I love old cemeteries. It's not very big and there are probably a 1-200 people buried in it, but when you start to look at the names, there are quite a few names that are familiar to anyone who has studied the battle. The day that I was there I ran into 2 other people heading into the cemetery to take a look around. So I had it all to myself prior to the others heading in. I can't remember how many trees are in the cemetery but I know that with the trees and the the hilltop, there was a constant breeze. The cemetery is completely surrounded by a beautiful stone wall. It's just a nice little cemetery. As I was leaving, that was when I ran into the other couple.
From there, I went on to the Sunken Road. This old farm road is very deceptive. The first time I went into it, I was shocked at how "sunken" it really is. I stood in the middle of it and the sides were actually over my head. This was a complete surprise to me because in all the pictures I've seen of it and the way it looked from the sides, I didn't think it was that deep. But it is! I'm looking at my map of the different regiments involved. I didn't realize how many actually fought there. On the Union side, they had: 4NY, 108NY, 7WV, 132PA, 5MD, 130PA, 8OH, 1DE, 14CT, 14IN. Then on the Confederate side, it was: 30NC, 4NC, 14NC, 2NC, 6AL, 5AL, 12AL, 26AL. Its odd looking at some of these regiments and seeing those same guys at other battlefields. Some fought at Gettysburg, others fought at Chancellorsville, and the list goes on and on. Some of these guys fought each other repeatedly on the battlefield....but in different places. I think about these things often. Did they recognize the same guys? If they saw a guy, battle after battle, and finally he fell, did they feel bad for him or where they glad? Just what went on in the heads of these men?
I wonder about some of the leaders. Quite a few of these men never made it to Gettysburg. But one that intriques me a bit is Israel B. Richardson. I'm going to have to check out his biography. I guess one of the reasons that he intriques me is because Hancock took over after he was wounded.
There are so many things that I need to look up....and so little time. One day I might scratch the surface!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Memorial Day Thoughts
Well, yesterday was Memorial Day. I spent the day in Gettysburg. They had the annual Memorial Day parade at 2:00 with a ceremony in the National Cemetery shortly thereafter.
The weather was wonderful. It was warm but not too warm. Actually, the sun was hot but when it went behind a cloud, the air was kind of cool. So, those of us who weren't smart enough to get a spot in the shade, fried in the sun. To say that I'm sunburned would be an understatement. But then I was in the sun for three hours straight.
The one thing about the parade in Gettysburg is that it is always full of reenactors. Gettysburg is the only town, that I know of, that a person can dress in period clothes, walk down the street, and have people completely ignore them. This goes for Civil War period, WWI, WWII, or anytime. People are so used to seeing it, that they don't see it any more. But seeing these guys (and girls) in the parade usually gives me goosebumps. The Remembrance Day parade has many, many more of these folks, but this parade is really good.
Afterwards, we headed for the National Cemetery and got a seat under a tree so that we could watch the ceremony. The gentleman who spoke (and for the life of me, I can't remember his name) was a former director of the FBI and CIA. He had ancestors who fought in the Civil War. He spoke these members of his family and how they helped to shape this nation. After he spoke, they had a 21-gun salute and someone played Taps. Very sad.
Memorial Day has become a day for picnics and not about remembering the men and women who gave their lives so that we could have picnics or come and go as we please or say what we want. If these people hadn't fought for our freedoms, where would we be today. I shudder to think about it. All I can say, and it isn't much, is THANK YOU!
The weather was wonderful. It was warm but not too warm. Actually, the sun was hot but when it went behind a cloud, the air was kind of cool. So, those of us who weren't smart enough to get a spot in the shade, fried in the sun. To say that I'm sunburned would be an understatement. But then I was in the sun for three hours straight.
The one thing about the parade in Gettysburg is that it is always full of reenactors. Gettysburg is the only town, that I know of, that a person can dress in period clothes, walk down the street, and have people completely ignore them. This goes for Civil War period, WWI, WWII, or anytime. People are so used to seeing it, that they don't see it any more. But seeing these guys (and girls) in the parade usually gives me goosebumps. The Remembrance Day parade has many, many more of these folks, but this parade is really good.
Afterwards, we headed for the National Cemetery and got a seat under a tree so that we could watch the ceremony. The gentleman who spoke (and for the life of me, I can't remember his name) was a former director of the FBI and CIA. He had ancestors who fought in the Civil War. He spoke these members of his family and how they helped to shape this nation. After he spoke, they had a 21-gun salute and someone played Taps. Very sad.
Memorial Day has become a day for picnics and not about remembering the men and women who gave their lives so that we could have picnics or come and go as we please or say what we want. If these people hadn't fought for our freedoms, where would we be today. I shudder to think about it. All I can say, and it isn't much, is THANK YOU!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Horse Artillery.....Calef's Battery
I was out and about on the battlefield this morning and was reading some of the monuments and markers. I came across this one for Calef's Battery and it led to some questions for which I have found some answers. This is a rare feat for me! Here is what the marker said:
Army of the Potomac
Cavalry Corps
Second Bridgade Horse Artillery
Battery A Second U.S. Artillery
6 3 inch rifles
Lieut. John H. Calef Commanding
June 30 Arrived in the evening from Emmitsburg and took position on the Chambersburg Pike.
July 1 Advanced with the First Division Cavalry Corps. The right and left sections on the
Chambersburg Pike. The centre section under Sergt. Chas. Pergel posted here with the
First Brigade First Division Cavalry Corps and assisted in repulsing an attack of the
Confederate Infantry. This section having been withdrawn joined the Battery in the rear and
again advanced with left section and relieved Battery B First Maine Artillery on
Chambersburg pike in the afternoon but was soon compelled by a front and enfilading fire to
retire. Rejoined the Battery in position with the Cavalry on the left in front of Cemetery
Ridge and remained during the night.
Casualties Wounded 12 men
13 horses killed
One of my questions was this: What exactly is horse artillery? Well I went to Wikipedia. I know, I know, Wikipedia isn't exactly accurate but I figured how badly could they screw up a definition? But after reading what they had listed as a definition, I now understand just what it is. Here is what Wikipedia says horse artillery is: a type of light, fast-moving and fast-firing artillery which provided highly mobile fire support (especially to Cavalry units).
Ah-ha! It provided highly mobile fire support for Cavalry units. Well, they were supporting John Buford's Cavalry. Light, fast-moving.....well, 3-inch ordnance rifles were some of the smaller cannons used. Now it is all making sense. If I were a Cavalry commander I would certainly want something of this caliber for my use.
Question #2: If Charles Pergel was in command of 2 of the 6 guns and his men were down near where the present day Doubleday statue is located, who was in charge of the remaining 4 guns located out on the Chambersburg Pike? Well, I looked very carefully through Noah Andre Trudeau's book "Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage" and he says that John Roder was in charge of those guns. So, while Calef was placing Pergel's guns, Roder was commanding the other 4 guns.
Question #3: Why were the guns separated? Let's get the answer directly from John Calef: "It was part of General Buford's plan to cover as large a front as possible with my battery (his only artillery) for the purpose of deceiving the enemy as to his strength." So, now I know why the guns were spread out. Makes lots of sense now. John Buford really did know his battle strategies and this just proves that he had a plan.
Now when I head out to the battlefield and I read the signs and monuments in regards to Calef's Battery, I will understand more about why they did what they did....because now I have the answers!
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Day's Hill
There is a little known knoll/hill in Gettysburg that involved some important action. I've heard a couple of park rangers refer to this hill as "Day's Hill". This hill is along Crawford Avenue before you get to Devil's Den. When you drive on Ayres Avenue, you actually are on top of it when you reach the loop.
This hill is an unimposing hill, almost meadowlike in appearance. No trees, rocks but not boulders of the magnitude of Devil's Den (although its only a couple hundred yards from the Den), and lots of grass. Was this the way it looked in 1863? Not sure as I haven't seen actual pictures of that area. But I daresay that this is probably what it looked like on July 2, 1863.
Now the reason I really noticed this hill was because my Great Great Grandfather, Peter Stroup was with the 98th Pennsylvania. To make a long story short (and I should probably dedicate a post just to what the 98th did in Gettysburg) the 98th got "removed" from their Corps (the 6th) and ended up on the northern end of Little Round Top. While the fighting was going on in the Wheatfield, General Samuel W. Crawford grabbed some US Regulars (under the command of Hannibal Day) and the "disconnected" 98th PA and took them directly towards the Wheatfield. They went up Day's Hill and stopped at the stone wall. Burbank's US Reg were in front of them and made it to the edge of the Wheatfield. But with all these men, they were able to push the Confederates out of the Wheatfield. Now the Union men never made it into the Wheatfield, so it became no-man's land. That was the end of the fighting in the Wheatfield because darkness settled in on them and there was nothing else they could do.
This little unimpossing hillock/knoll or whatever you want to call it ended the fighting for that evening and didn't give the Confederates a victory in the Wheatfield. But the Yankees didn't win either....so it was a draw. What would have happened if the Confederates had gained the Wheatfield? I don't know and I won't try to guess. I have enough trouble understanding what really did happen....so understanding what COULD have happened, just isn't something I try to bother myself with.
I drove by there this morning and saw Gen. Crawford looking towards that little hill with his hands on that flag staff and thought, "If Gen. Crawford thought it was important, then I think its important."
This hill is an unimposing hill, almost meadowlike in appearance. No trees, rocks but not boulders of the magnitude of Devil's Den (although its only a couple hundred yards from the Den), and lots of grass. Was this the way it looked in 1863? Not sure as I haven't seen actual pictures of that area. But I daresay that this is probably what it looked like on July 2, 1863.
Now the reason I really noticed this hill was because my Great Great Grandfather, Peter Stroup was with the 98th Pennsylvania. To make a long story short (and I should probably dedicate a post just to what the 98th did in Gettysburg) the 98th got "removed" from their Corps (the 6th) and ended up on the northern end of Little Round Top. While the fighting was going on in the Wheatfield, General Samuel W. Crawford grabbed some US Regulars (under the command of Hannibal Day) and the "disconnected" 98th PA and took them directly towards the Wheatfield. They went up Day's Hill and stopped at the stone wall. Burbank's US Reg were in front of them and made it to the edge of the Wheatfield. But with all these men, they were able to push the Confederates out of the Wheatfield. Now the Union men never made it into the Wheatfield, so it became no-man's land. That was the end of the fighting in the Wheatfield because darkness settled in on them and there was nothing else they could do.
This little unimpossing hillock/knoll or whatever you want to call it ended the fighting for that evening and didn't give the Confederates a victory in the Wheatfield. But the Yankees didn't win either....so it was a draw. What would have happened if the Confederates had gained the Wheatfield? I don't know and I won't try to guess. I have enough trouble understanding what really did happen....so understanding what COULD have happened, just isn't something I try to bother myself with.
I drove by there this morning and saw Gen. Crawford looking towards that little hill with his hands on that flag staff and thought, "If Gen. Crawford thought it was important, then I think its important."
And to think I drove right through it.....
Well, after doing tons of research and getting my hands on the book "Guide to the Battle of Antietam" by Jay Luvaas and Harold W. Nelson, I find that I drove right through Turner's Gap on my way home from Antietam. Apparently its on Alt. Rt. 40 (the National Road) just a few miles east of Boonesboro. I now wish that I had spent more time looking at signs and less time feeling tired.
I found a little bit of Gen. George B. McClellan's Official Report where he talks about Turner's Gap. Here is what he had to say:
"The South Mountain range near Turner's Pass averages perhaps 1000 feet in height, and formas a strong natural military barrier. The practicable passes are not numerous and are readily defensible, the gaps abounding in fine positions. Turner's Pass is the more prominent, being that by which the National Road crosses the mountains. It was necessarily indicated as the route of advance of our main army." O.R. XIX, Part 1, pp. 24-27
If you are on Alt Rt 40 and go west through Middletown, its about 3 miles away. When you turn onto Bolivar Road and look up 40, you can see it. I suppose that I will have to take a trip back down and check this out.
There are just a few things that I really know about what happened at Turner's Gap:
1) Colquitt's Brigade was there (D.H. Hill's Division, Jackson's Corps)
2) It was Hooker's objective
3) Union losses: 328 killed
1463 wounded
4) Confederate losses: est. 3000 men
5) John Gibbon's Brigade (the Iron Brigade) concentrated on this area
6) The fight took place on September 14, 1862
There are so many other things that I need to find out. Why was the fight there? Which regiments fought there? What really happened? Which directions did they come and go? and the list goes on and on. As I find this stuff out, I will post it, but until then, these questions are being placed out there for the universe to answer!
I found a little bit of Gen. George B. McClellan's Official Report where he talks about Turner's Gap. Here is what he had to say:
"The South Mountain range near Turner's Pass averages perhaps 1000 feet in height, and formas a strong natural military barrier. The practicable passes are not numerous and are readily defensible, the gaps abounding in fine positions. Turner's Pass is the more prominent, being that by which the National Road crosses the mountains. It was necessarily indicated as the route of advance of our main army." O.R. XIX, Part 1, pp. 24-27
If you are on Alt Rt 40 and go west through Middletown, its about 3 miles away. When you turn onto Bolivar Road and look up 40, you can see it. I suppose that I will have to take a trip back down and check this out.
There are just a few things that I really know about what happened at Turner's Gap:
1) Colquitt's Brigade was there (D.H. Hill's Division, Jackson's Corps)
2) It was Hooker's objective
3) Union losses: 328 killed
1463 wounded
4) Confederate losses: est. 3000 men
5) John Gibbon's Brigade (the Iron Brigade) concentrated on this area
6) The fight took place on September 14, 1862
There are so many other things that I need to find out. Why was the fight there? Which regiments fought there? What really happened? Which directions did they come and go? and the list goes on and on. As I find this stuff out, I will post it, but until then, these questions are being placed out there for the universe to answer!
Thoughts on West Confederate Avenue
Before I talk about my thoughts, I need to tell someone, anyone, whoever is out there, that my beloved Mom passed away on May 14, 2009. She was only 64 and died peacefully in her sleep. It was completely unexpected and I am having a very difficult time dealing with this loss. I live 2 1/2 hours away from my family and being here and not there, where everyone is having to pick up the pieces, I am here, in Gettysburg, trying to pick up the pieces in my life....alone. My thoughts have been anywhere but here. So....9 days after her death....I dedicated this post to my Mom!
Now, on to West Confederate Avenue. I drove through there yesterday morning around 7-7:30 am. My favorite time on the battlefield is the early morning hours. The park opens at 6am but due to my work schedule, the earliest I can hit the fields is around 7. While driving through, one thing that I notice, as I notice every morning when I drive through the park, is the lack of people. It's just me, my thoughts, and the battlefield. Occasionally I run across someone jogging or walking their dog, but they are obviously enjoying the solitude as I am.
I drove along the road noticing the cannon. Most of the cannon are still where they have been, but the barrels of these guns are missing. The reason? Well, the park is taking everyone of those cannons off the field and restoring them. They are doing a great job, too....but it seems to be taking forever. The cannons in the Wheatfield (belonging to Winslow's Battery) returned after a three year absence. Somehow, you just don't understand the magnitude of the cannonade when the guns are missing. But I applaud the park for restoring them and making them look great!
Another thing that I notice in my drive is the trees. I love forests and birds. While driving through, I look up through my sunroof and see the canopy of trees over me and can hear the birds singing. The birds always seem to sing loudest in the early morning hours...another reason I love the am. Woodpeckers abound in these woods and I could sit and watch them for hours. They are also quick to fly right in front of your car and I've seen a few in the road, after having been hit.
But the one thing that I notice most is the fogginess. Now, I realize that because some of the land that Pickett's Charge took place on is in low-lying areas and low-lying areas attract fog, but somehow the fog has a sadness to it. The sadness seems to be crying out for those who lost their lives that fateful day back in 1863. I can't help but wonder about that 19 year old from North Carolina, who left his mother and possibly a girl or the farm that won't be tended to. Or how about the 27 year old from Virginia who not only left behind his wife but those three little ones that their love produced. Who will be the one to pick up the pieces and help them carry on? And there are so many others.
I often wonder about these men. But when I drive around the park in the early morning, my thoughts return to those men, over and over, moreso than any other time of the day. Hmmmm...I wonder why.
Now, on to West Confederate Avenue. I drove through there yesterday morning around 7-7:30 am. My favorite time on the battlefield is the early morning hours. The park opens at 6am but due to my work schedule, the earliest I can hit the fields is around 7. While driving through, one thing that I notice, as I notice every morning when I drive through the park, is the lack of people. It's just me, my thoughts, and the battlefield. Occasionally I run across someone jogging or walking their dog, but they are obviously enjoying the solitude as I am.
I drove along the road noticing the cannon. Most of the cannon are still where they have been, but the barrels of these guns are missing. The reason? Well, the park is taking everyone of those cannons off the field and restoring them. They are doing a great job, too....but it seems to be taking forever. The cannons in the Wheatfield (belonging to Winslow's Battery) returned after a three year absence. Somehow, you just don't understand the magnitude of the cannonade when the guns are missing. But I applaud the park for restoring them and making them look great!
Another thing that I notice in my drive is the trees. I love forests and birds. While driving through, I look up through my sunroof and see the canopy of trees over me and can hear the birds singing. The birds always seem to sing loudest in the early morning hours...another reason I love the am. Woodpeckers abound in these woods and I could sit and watch them for hours. They are also quick to fly right in front of your car and I've seen a few in the road, after having been hit.
But the one thing that I notice most is the fogginess. Now, I realize that because some of the land that Pickett's Charge took place on is in low-lying areas and low-lying areas attract fog, but somehow the fog has a sadness to it. The sadness seems to be crying out for those who lost their lives that fateful day back in 1863. I can't help but wonder about that 19 year old from North Carolina, who left his mother and possibly a girl or the farm that won't be tended to. Or how about the 27 year old from Virginia who not only left behind his wife but those three little ones that their love produced. Who will be the one to pick up the pieces and help them carry on? And there are so many others.
I often wonder about these men. But when I drive around the park in the early morning, my thoughts return to those men, over and over, moreso than any other time of the day. Hmmmm...I wonder why.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
The Cornfield
While at Antietam on Tuesday, May 12, 2009, I took a walk on The Cornfield Trail. Its a 1.6 mile trail that takes you through the North Woods, East Woods, Cornfield, and Miller farm. It was a beautiful morning for a walk.
First thing, I got at the trail around 9 am. There was very little traffic on the battlefield. Through the entire walk, all I heard were the birds singing. I'm sure this was in direct conflict with what the soldiers heard that fateful morning of September 17, 1862.
The first stop was at the parking lot at Stop #2 on the Battlefield Tour. There was a sign there warning you to be aware of groundhog holes. At first I thought they were being a bit overdramatic about the holes, but soon learned that they were right. Those holes were not only large in circumferance but very deep also. If anyone were to fall in a hole, I'm sure that broken ankles or legs would be the result. So be aware of the groundhog holes. Through the entire trail I saw a dozen or more of them right on the trail. I saw about that many groundhogs, also....two of which were barely 8 inches long....just little babies out playing in the early morning sun. Very cute!
General Hooker of the Union army had placed his men in this area and was planning on taking the high ground where the Visitor Center is today. Once he got his men moving through that Cornfield he learned that taking that ground would not be easy....the Confederates were already there. Here at Atietam, General Hooker was in command of the I Corps. For the majority of the hike, you are following in Hooker's mens footsteps.
At stop #2 you are moving out of the North Woods. It has been replanted in recent years. Its good to see that the NPS is working on restoring the battlefield to the way it looked in 1862. Reminds me of what the NPS is doing in Gettysburg! From this point, if you are looking south (toward the VC), when you look to your left and to your right, the line of battle extended 1/4 mile on either side. These poor men were being fired on from cannons to their front and from the west. There were cannons set up on some high ground to the west which has come to be known as Nicodemus Heights (named after the farmer who owned the land). Little known fact, Nicodemus Heights is the same height as the Cornfield....but there are valleys in between. You can still see the Heights from the Cornfield, today.
Stop #3 has you walking along the East Woods. The park is planning to extend the woods farther south. Another thing that the park is doing to restore the battlefield. Its quiet and almost sad walking along this trail. But having the birds singing helps tremendously. This is the area where three brigades of the 1st Corps were to set out. The three brigades belonged to Duryea, Christian, and Hartsuff. Hartsuff was wounded so it took awhile for his brigade to get ready to move out. Duryea was ready and they took off at 6am. Christian panicked and ran for the rear. So his brigade was held up while they were waiting to figure out who was in charge. In the first thirty minutes of the fighting, Duryea was alone out there, and he lost almost half of this 1000 men. Some tough fighting. You can feel it as you walk along this trail.
Stop #4 takes you to the corner of the East Waoods and the Cornfield. The 12th Mass fought in this area. They moved through the corn only to be stopped by Harry Hays' Louisiana Tigers. These men have quite the reputation for being fighters! The 12th Mass lost 224 of 334 men (67% casualties). I really felt that out there in the field. The horrors of the battle still linger today.
At Stop #5, you are about to enter the Cornfield. This is the area where the Iron Brigade fought. These are the men I was most interested in learning about. Before I even set foot in the Cornfield, I got goose bumps. It was a lovely morning....not too warm, not to cold....the sun was out and I was standing in an open field, but I suddenly got very cold and was shivering for a second or two. As I walked into the field, I could almost feel the energy of the Iron Brigade as they stepped off to face their enemy. Very cool feeling....very sad feeling!
Stop #6 takes you to where the Georgians and Texans sat waiting for the Union soldiers to arrive. Col. Marcellus Douglas in command of the Georgian brigade was killed. John Bell Hood's Texans were waiting at the Dunker Church so that they could eat for the first time in 3 days, but got called out to await the approaching Union soldiers. Till all was said and done, the 1st TX lost 82% of their men in this battle.
At stop # 7, we see the area where Battery B, 4th US artillery was located. They had a 15-year-old bugler who, when he saw that most of the men were down, took it upon himself to start firing those guns. Johnny Cook, the bugler, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for this feat.
Stop #8 takes us to the Miller farm. Daniel Miller owned the land that the Cornfield was on. He left his property prior to the battle and when he returned, the farm was all but destroyed. Mr. Miller was fortunate, he put in a claim to the US government for $1237 and received $995 in return. Most civilians received nothing from the government.
At this point, you return to the parking lot, going through the newly planted North Woods.
I found this walk to be highly emotional. Maybe I know too much about what these men experienced so I could feel it better. Maybe the ghosts of the past are there making sure that we experience what they felt. All I know is that I plan to do this walk again and when I do, I will definitely be looking for the goose bumps and chills that I experienced this time. Hopefully, I will be revisited by the ghosts of the men who fought so long ago on the horrific day in September of 1862.
First thing, I got at the trail around 9 am. There was very little traffic on the battlefield. Through the entire walk, all I heard were the birds singing. I'm sure this was in direct conflict with what the soldiers heard that fateful morning of September 17, 1862.
The first stop was at the parking lot at Stop #2 on the Battlefield Tour. There was a sign there warning you to be aware of groundhog holes. At first I thought they were being a bit overdramatic about the holes, but soon learned that they were right. Those holes were not only large in circumferance but very deep also. If anyone were to fall in a hole, I'm sure that broken ankles or legs would be the result. So be aware of the groundhog holes. Through the entire trail I saw a dozen or more of them right on the trail. I saw about that many groundhogs, also....two of which were barely 8 inches long....just little babies out playing in the early morning sun. Very cute!
General Hooker of the Union army had placed his men in this area and was planning on taking the high ground where the Visitor Center is today. Once he got his men moving through that Cornfield he learned that taking that ground would not be easy....the Confederates were already there. Here at Atietam, General Hooker was in command of the I Corps. For the majority of the hike, you are following in Hooker's mens footsteps.
At stop #2 you are moving out of the North Woods. It has been replanted in recent years. Its good to see that the NPS is working on restoring the battlefield to the way it looked in 1862. Reminds me of what the NPS is doing in Gettysburg! From this point, if you are looking south (toward the VC), when you look to your left and to your right, the line of battle extended 1/4 mile on either side. These poor men were being fired on from cannons to their front and from the west. There were cannons set up on some high ground to the west which has come to be known as Nicodemus Heights (named after the farmer who owned the land). Little known fact, Nicodemus Heights is the same height as the Cornfield....but there are valleys in between. You can still see the Heights from the Cornfield, today.
Stop #3 has you walking along the East Woods. The park is planning to extend the woods farther south. Another thing that the park is doing to restore the battlefield. Its quiet and almost sad walking along this trail. But having the birds singing helps tremendously. This is the area where three brigades of the 1st Corps were to set out. The three brigades belonged to Duryea, Christian, and Hartsuff. Hartsuff was wounded so it took awhile for his brigade to get ready to move out. Duryea was ready and they took off at 6am. Christian panicked and ran for the rear. So his brigade was held up while they were waiting to figure out who was in charge. In the first thirty minutes of the fighting, Duryea was alone out there, and he lost almost half of this 1000 men. Some tough fighting. You can feel it as you walk along this trail.
Stop #4 takes you to the corner of the East Waoods and the Cornfield. The 12th Mass fought in this area. They moved through the corn only to be stopped by Harry Hays' Louisiana Tigers. These men have quite the reputation for being fighters! The 12th Mass lost 224 of 334 men (67% casualties). I really felt that out there in the field. The horrors of the battle still linger today.
At Stop #5, you are about to enter the Cornfield. This is the area where the Iron Brigade fought. These are the men I was most interested in learning about. Before I even set foot in the Cornfield, I got goose bumps. It was a lovely morning....not too warm, not to cold....the sun was out and I was standing in an open field, but I suddenly got very cold and was shivering for a second or two. As I walked into the field, I could almost feel the energy of the Iron Brigade as they stepped off to face their enemy. Very cool feeling....very sad feeling!
Stop #6 takes you to where the Georgians and Texans sat waiting for the Union soldiers to arrive. Col. Marcellus Douglas in command of the Georgian brigade was killed. John Bell Hood's Texans were waiting at the Dunker Church so that they could eat for the first time in 3 days, but got called out to await the approaching Union soldiers. Till all was said and done, the 1st TX lost 82% of their men in this battle.
At stop # 7, we see the area where Battery B, 4th US artillery was located. They had a 15-year-old bugler who, when he saw that most of the men were down, took it upon himself to start firing those guns. Johnny Cook, the bugler, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for this feat.
Stop #8 takes us to the Miller farm. Daniel Miller owned the land that the Cornfield was on. He left his property prior to the battle and when he returned, the farm was all but destroyed. Mr. Miller was fortunate, he put in a claim to the US government for $1237 and received $995 in return. Most civilians received nothing from the government.
At this point, you return to the parking lot, going through the newly planted North Woods.
I found this walk to be highly emotional. Maybe I know too much about what these men experienced so I could feel it better. Maybe the ghosts of the past are there making sure that we experience what they felt. All I know is that I plan to do this walk again and when I do, I will definitely be looking for the goose bumps and chills that I experienced this time. Hopefully, I will be revisited by the ghosts of the men who fought so long ago on the horrific day in September of 1862.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Destination - Antietam
Well, I made it to Antietam on Tuesday. I left my house at 6am with the hopes of finding Crampton's Gap before I made it to the battlefield (which opened at 8:30). I drove all over Rt. 67 and never found a sign or anything for the gap. This was a huge disappointment for me. But on I went and eventually found myself at the Visitor Center by 8:45. I was shocked at the number of cars in the parking lot at that time....it was about half full.
I went into the VC to pay the fee...for one person, it's $4.oo...for a family its $8.00 and the pass is good for three days. I don't mind paying for admission to a battlefield because I know that the money is going for a good cause. Antietam is so pure that I know that money will be used to help keep the purity of that ground.
I talked to one of the volunteers at the park and he was telling me about the different walking tours and then gave me the brochures on two of them: The Cornfield and The Bloody Lane. So off I went in search of the Cornfield. I learned a lot about the 6th WI and 1st TX on this tour and will talk about that in a later post. The path was 1.6 miles long and went around and through the Cornfield. It took me about an hour to walk it. I stopped along the way to take pictures of flowers and butterflys. I saw two little baby groundhogs at one point. Then on the way back I got some good shots of sheep...who seemed to want their pictures taken.
I then got back into my car and went on the driving tour. The tour takes you through the North Woods, East Woods, Cornfield, West Woods, Sunken Road (Bloody Lane) and Burnsides Bridge. To talk about each stop would cause me to go on forever. For some reason, when I reached Burnside Bridge I got goose bumps. Hmmmmm.
I was also able to take part in a small section of the Bloody Lane tour. But I had to get back to the VC by 1:00 so that I could go on a battlefield tour with a park ranger. I like how they do these tours. We met at the observation room in the VC and the ranger talked to us for about half an hour about the events that led up to the battle. We all went out to our cars and we followed the ranger to the Cornfield. The ranger was a gentleman named Mike Gamble and he was really interesting. He's a retired teacher and you can tell because he can tell a story in an interesting and exciting way. I thoroughly enjoyed this tour. We then moved on to the Sunken Road. Again the story of the events were explained to us in a very thorough and interesting way. The third stop was at Burnside Bridge. The day was getting very long and I had an hour+ drive home, so I never made it to that part of the tour.
Now, there were three things that I was looking for information on and here is what I found out about each:
1) 6th Wisconsin: They fought in the Cornfield. They came from the north heading south. This particular regiment in the Iron Brigade actually fought along side the Hagerstown Pike. They fought against William Starke.
2) Winfield Scott Hancock: He fought at the Sunken Road. When Richardson was killed, Hancock took over. He was told to hold his men at the Sunken Road. So he really didn't do too much at this battle.
3) 98th Pennsylvania: They moved all over Pleasant Valley. Not sure what was really happening there, but there seemed to be a lot of confusion with their commander Darius Couch. I was able to locate Pleasant Valley. Rt. 67 runs right through the Valley. As I drove through the area, I kept wondering if I was at the same location that my great great grandfather, Peter Stroup, was at 146 1/2 years ago.
Overall, I had a great day and can't wait to head back down!
I went into the VC to pay the fee...for one person, it's $4.oo...for a family its $8.00 and the pass is good for three days. I don't mind paying for admission to a battlefield because I know that the money is going for a good cause. Antietam is so pure that I know that money will be used to help keep the purity of that ground.
I talked to one of the volunteers at the park and he was telling me about the different walking tours and then gave me the brochures on two of them: The Cornfield and The Bloody Lane. So off I went in search of the Cornfield. I learned a lot about the 6th WI and 1st TX on this tour and will talk about that in a later post. The path was 1.6 miles long and went around and through the Cornfield. It took me about an hour to walk it. I stopped along the way to take pictures of flowers and butterflys. I saw two little baby groundhogs at one point. Then on the way back I got some good shots of sheep...who seemed to want their pictures taken.
I then got back into my car and went on the driving tour. The tour takes you through the North Woods, East Woods, Cornfield, West Woods, Sunken Road (Bloody Lane) and Burnsides Bridge. To talk about each stop would cause me to go on forever. For some reason, when I reached Burnside Bridge I got goose bumps. Hmmmmm.
I was also able to take part in a small section of the Bloody Lane tour. But I had to get back to the VC by 1:00 so that I could go on a battlefield tour with a park ranger. I like how they do these tours. We met at the observation room in the VC and the ranger talked to us for about half an hour about the events that led up to the battle. We all went out to our cars and we followed the ranger to the Cornfield. The ranger was a gentleman named Mike Gamble and he was really interesting. He's a retired teacher and you can tell because he can tell a story in an interesting and exciting way. I thoroughly enjoyed this tour. We then moved on to the Sunken Road. Again the story of the events were explained to us in a very thorough and interesting way. The third stop was at Burnside Bridge. The day was getting very long and I had an hour+ drive home, so I never made it to that part of the tour.
Now, there were three things that I was looking for information on and here is what I found out about each:
1) 6th Wisconsin: They fought in the Cornfield. They came from the north heading south. This particular regiment in the Iron Brigade actually fought along side the Hagerstown Pike. They fought against William Starke.
2) Winfield Scott Hancock: He fought at the Sunken Road. When Richardson was killed, Hancock took over. He was told to hold his men at the Sunken Road. So he really didn't do too much at this battle.
3) 98th Pennsylvania: They moved all over Pleasant Valley. Not sure what was really happening there, but there seemed to be a lot of confusion with their commander Darius Couch. I was able to locate Pleasant Valley. Rt. 67 runs right through the Valley. As I drove through the area, I kept wondering if I was at the same location that my great great grandfather, Peter Stroup, was at 146 1/2 years ago.
Overall, I had a great day and can't wait to head back down!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Things I think about
I spend the majority of my time at work thinking. I have a job that doesn't require too much work....not sure if that's good or bad. Anyway, I have lots of time to think. I've been thinking a lot about the Civil War and some of the men who fought in it.
One of the things that I wonder about is how these men were able to do all the walking that was required of them. Now, my great great grandfather fought in the Sixth Corps (by the time they got to Gettysburg he was in the Sixth Corps). Prior to actually arriving in Gettysburg, they had walked from Westminster, MD all the way to Gettysburg.....around 32 miles....and they did it all in one day! Now, I'm not old and I'm not young but I find this interesting. I can walk about 3 or 4 miles before my feet start screaming at me. I'm wearing shoes designed for walking and my feet still hurt. How could these guys walk in their brogans and still be able to march 32 miles? I find this totally amazing.
Now there are a couple of things to keep in mind: a) these guys that lived in the 1800's did a lot more walking than we do in the 21st century. They didn't have cars like we do, so they either used a horse to get where they were going or they walked. b) after all marching as much as they did for the first two years of the war, I'm sure that their feet were pretty much numb. So, I'm sure that they were able to handle it much better than we would be....but it still just makes me think.
Just some ramblings on a spring morning....still anticipating my journeys for the summer. I plan to go down to the Fredericksburg/Chancellorsville area in June. I'm really looking forward to that because of all the battlefields in the area. Besides Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, there is also Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Brandy Station, Kelly's Ford, Cedar Mountain, and other minor spots. I'm not sure 1 1/2 days will be enough to hit the tip of the iceberg, but I'm sure going to try. I was down at Chancellorsville and the Wilderness in March for about 3 hours. I took pictures of all the signs and then read them at home. It wasn't a great trip but it got me interested in what I was going to be looking for when I went down overnight. Standing in the spot where Stonewall Jackson was shot was so intense. I can't really explain it, but the feeling that overtook me was almost more than I could handle. I look forward to more of those type of experiences. It should be an exciting trip!
One of the things that I wonder about is how these men were able to do all the walking that was required of them. Now, my great great grandfather fought in the Sixth Corps (by the time they got to Gettysburg he was in the Sixth Corps). Prior to actually arriving in Gettysburg, they had walked from Westminster, MD all the way to Gettysburg.....around 32 miles....and they did it all in one day! Now, I'm not old and I'm not young but I find this interesting. I can walk about 3 or 4 miles before my feet start screaming at me. I'm wearing shoes designed for walking and my feet still hurt. How could these guys walk in their brogans and still be able to march 32 miles? I find this totally amazing.
Now there are a couple of things to keep in mind: a) these guys that lived in the 1800's did a lot more walking than we do in the 21st century. They didn't have cars like we do, so they either used a horse to get where they were going or they walked. b) after all marching as much as they did for the first two years of the war, I'm sure that their feet were pretty much numb. So, I'm sure that they were able to handle it much better than we would be....but it still just makes me think.
Just some ramblings on a spring morning....still anticipating my journeys for the summer. I plan to go down to the Fredericksburg/Chancellorsville area in June. I'm really looking forward to that because of all the battlefields in the area. Besides Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, there is also Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Brandy Station, Kelly's Ford, Cedar Mountain, and other minor spots. I'm not sure 1 1/2 days will be enough to hit the tip of the iceberg, but I'm sure going to try. I was down at Chancellorsville and the Wilderness in March for about 3 hours. I took pictures of all the signs and then read them at home. It wasn't a great trip but it got me interested in what I was going to be looking for when I went down overnight. Standing in the spot where Stonewall Jackson was shot was so intense. I can't really explain it, but the feeling that overtook me was almost more than I could handle. I look forward to more of those type of experiences. It should be an exciting trip!
My anticipated trip to Antietam
I decided last week that it was time to take another trip down to Antietam. The day that I had decided to go was a horrible day for it.....it had rained for about a week straight....and I figured that I should put off my trip for a few days. So, after checking the weather and my work schedule, I decided to go on Tuesday May 12, 2009. Its supposed to be sunny and in the high 60's. Perfect weather for a battlefield stomp.
In anticipation for my trip (hmmm....its only an hour from here, so is it considered a "trip"???) I started going through my books and on the internet, looking for maps and information on the Battle of Antietam. There are three things that I am most interested in finding information on:
1) Winfield Scott Hancock. Hancock is my hero of the Civil War....as such, I look for all things Hancock. I know that he was at Antietam. He fought at the Sunken Road. But I need to know more.
2) 98th Pennsylvania. My great great grandfather fought in the 98th PA and I like to find the areas in which he fought battles. However, I don't think I'm going to find out too much about him at Antietam - he was with Darius Couch, who seemed to have gotten lost and just moved his men back and forth through Pleasant Valley. I need to find out more about this.
3) 6th Wisconsin. For some reason, I have become obsessed with the 6th WI and Rufus Dawes. He has written a wonderful book (Service with the 6th Wisconsin) that details so much of his life throughout the Civil War. This is a book that I HIGHLY recommend to anyone with a passing interest in the life of a Civil War soldier. I know that they fought in Miller's Cornfield, where some of the most intense fighting took place. One of my goals for this trip is to locate more of the areas where the 6th Wisconsin fought.
I'm looking forward to my trip to Antietam. Today, I will go over all my maps....making copies and putting them together in a folder so that when I arrive tomorrow everything will be ready to go. I need to get more batteries for my camera and then will log my trip in pictures. I know that there are walking tours of the Cornfield and the Sunken Road and plan to do both of those. Plus there are quite a few other paths that can be taken. Depending on how much time I have, I will do as many as I possibly can. I've never been to Antietam in the spring and am looking forward to seeing what it looks like at this time of year.
While I'm down in the Sharpsburg area, I also plan to hit the Crampton's Gap and Turner's Gap areas. I've never gone looking for them or even know what might be marked and what might not be marked, but I will go looking. This should be an exciting trip!
In anticipation for my trip (hmmm....its only an hour from here, so is it considered a "trip"???) I started going through my books and on the internet, looking for maps and information on the Battle of Antietam. There are three things that I am most interested in finding information on:
1) Winfield Scott Hancock. Hancock is my hero of the Civil War....as such, I look for all things Hancock. I know that he was at Antietam. He fought at the Sunken Road. But I need to know more.
2) 98th Pennsylvania. My great great grandfather fought in the 98th PA and I like to find the areas in which he fought battles. However, I don't think I'm going to find out too much about him at Antietam - he was with Darius Couch, who seemed to have gotten lost and just moved his men back and forth through Pleasant Valley. I need to find out more about this.
3) 6th Wisconsin. For some reason, I have become obsessed with the 6th WI and Rufus Dawes. He has written a wonderful book (Service with the 6th Wisconsin) that details so much of his life throughout the Civil War. This is a book that I HIGHLY recommend to anyone with a passing interest in the life of a Civil War soldier. I know that they fought in Miller's Cornfield, where some of the most intense fighting took place. One of my goals for this trip is to locate more of the areas where the 6th Wisconsin fought.
I'm looking forward to my trip to Antietam. Today, I will go over all my maps....making copies and putting them together in a folder so that when I arrive tomorrow everything will be ready to go. I need to get more batteries for my camera and then will log my trip in pictures. I know that there are walking tours of the Cornfield and the Sunken Road and plan to do both of those. Plus there are quite a few other paths that can be taken. Depending on how much time I have, I will do as many as I possibly can. I've never been to Antietam in the spring and am looking forward to seeing what it looks like at this time of year.
While I'm down in the Sharpsburg area, I also plan to hit the Crampton's Gap and Turner's Gap areas. I've never gone looking for them or even know what might be marked and what might not be marked, but I will go looking. This should be an exciting trip!
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