Tennessee at Gettysburg

The Tennessee monument at Gettysburg is one of my favorite monuments on the battlefield. I don't know why, but I really like the "feel" that I get for this particular monument. On the front are three Tennessee soldiers and this saying: "Valor and Courage were virtues of the three Tennessee Regiments." Also, the base is 16 feet long....Tennessee was the 16th state in the Union and the base is shaped like Tennessee. All....very cool.

On the back of the monument it says:

The Volunteer State

This memorial is dedicated to the memory of the men who served in the 1st (PACS), 7th, and 14th Tennessee Infantry Regiment Archer's Brigade Heth's Division 3rd Army Corps Army of Northern Virginia. They fought and died for their convictions, performing their duty as they understood it.

It then goes on to give some statistics about the casualties. But I have a few questions about this monument. I've tried to find answers but so far....nothing. 1st....What is a PACS? All I've been able to find out is that the 1st Tennessee was a provisional regiment. Well, that would explain the "P"...but what does the rest of it mean? 2nd...."performing their duty as they understood it"....huh? I realized that this monument is a more recent monument...placed on the field in the last 20 years or so....but what is this supposed to mean. Performing their duty as they understood it????? Duty was VERY important to the men of the Civil War era. They did what they had to do for their country. But to supplement that with "as they understood it" makes no sense. They did what they HAD to do....whether it was understood or not. But why was that added? It almost makes it sound like they were wrong but didn't realize that they were wrong. These men did what THEY felt was right....regardless of how people feel today. These 7 words are really bothering me. Maybe I'm reading more into it than I should....but it just doesn't sit well with me and I need to find some answers.

Regardless of what the monument says, I will always admire the three regiments of the state of Tennessee. They can be proud of who they were and what they did.

Winter Encampment 1863-4

In studying the Civil War and the service of my Great Great Grandfather, Peter Stroup, I noticed that in 1863 a winter encampment was set up at Brandy Station. In June of 1863 the largest cavalry battle in the United States took place at Brandy Station....and this was the first engagement in the Gettysburg Campaign. But what about the winter encampment? It kind of reminds me of the winter encampment at Valley Forge. So I went straight to the wayside marker in Brandy Station, VA to find out just what happened. Here is what it says:

On the night of December 1, 1863, following its unsuccessful advance against Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia during the Mine Run Campaign, a cold and tired Army of the Potomac withdrew across the Rapidan River and returned to Culpeper County.

On these fields and throughout most of Culpeper and part of Fauquier Counties, 100,000 Union soldiers set up a massive winter encampment that disrupted the lives of local residents.

Union commander Maj. Gen. George G. Meade ordered that the army establish its camps in an enormous oval-shaped configuration. As protection, an outer ring of cavalry pickets stretched around the army, backed up by an inner line of infantry.

Supplies from Alexandria, Virginia rolled down the Orange and Alexandria Railroad into Brandy Station, the army's principle supply depot, and to Ingalls Station, 1.2 miles to the north.

The encampment, which lasted from December 1, 1863 to May 4, 1864, was described by one soldier as a time "when the shattered regiments regained form and fair; when the new men learned the ways of the old, and caught the spirit of the organization they had entered....and the new body, thus composed, was to be thrown into one of the most furious campaigns of human history."

"A man could walk for miles and never leave the camps around Brandy Station." Anonymous Union Soldier

"A few weeks ago it was a wilderness; now it is a city of log huts, hardly a tree to be seen." 126th New York Soldier.

One thing that bothers me about this whole thing (although the army had to have an encampment for the winter) but it says that it "disrupted the lives of local residents. Living here in Gettysburg and understanding what the civilians had to put up with....just for a three day battle, I can't imagine what it must have been like for the people who lived in Brandy Station. Was there enough water, food, wood, space? Were the residents forced to "help" feed the soldiers? How many homes might have been broken into and ransacked? These are all questions that I would love an answer to....but may not actually receive. This was a tough time for everyone involved. It's a shame we don't hear more about these poor civilians.

Meade's Pipe Creek Plan

Anyone who has spent time studying the Battle Of Gettysburg, is well aware of the Pipe Creek Circular. This was the plan that George G. Meade had for the Union army. In essence, he planned to have the AoP fall make to the Pipe Creek (which is about 10 miles south of Gettysburg) and to use the natural defenses in the area for the battle. Unfortunately, for Meade, the plan never came into play.

I was in Middleburg, MD the other day and saw a wayside marker (so I had to stop and take some pictures of it). I transcribed what the marker said and thought I would share it here:

Meade's Pipe Creek Plan

On June 29, 1863, Union General George G. Meade ordered the Army of the Potomac to Pipe Creek to counter any move toward Washington or Baltimore by General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and to engage it in battle. Meade was uncertain of Lee's strength or location.

The Federal left flank rested here at Middleburg, the center at Union Mills and the right at Manchester. From Westminster, located 6 miles south of Pipe Creek, roads fanned out to every important point along Meade's line: through Middleburg; through Frizzellburg and Taneytown; through Union Mills and then forking with one leading to Littlestown and Gettysburg and the other to Hanover and to Manchester. Although Meade had studied the area on maps, on the ground he had only examined the western portion from Taneytown to Middleburg.

On July 1, General Henry J. Hunt, Meade's Chief of Artillery, reconnoitered the entire line, the only general officer to do so. He was very favorably impressed with its possibilities as an "offensive-defensive" position. Events that day at Gettysburg, however, would preclude it ever being used.

One thing that I noticed in this was that Westminster almost sounds like Gettysburg. The road network that led into Westminster is almost like the 11 major roads that led into Gettysburg. I thought that was an interesting point. I'm not a huge fan of Gen. Hunt's, but I did find that his being impressed with the line meant something to Meade and it sort of means something to me. Meade used his men for guidance and it seems that he was making some good decisions....too bad that circumstances seemed to get in his way. Well....that's what makes a good general....adjusting plans according to the circumstances.

Middleburg is a nice little town. I also drove quickly through New Windsor, MD that day. They have a little park in the center of town that had a wayside marker....but absolutely no parking. One of these days, I'm going to get back down there and read that marker. I would love to know what New Windsor had to do with the Civil War!

William's Avenue Tree Cutting

Here in Gettysburg, the National Park Service is in the process of trying to restore the landscape to the way it was in 1863. In doing this, they are cutting down wood lots that weren't here at the time of the battle and replanting wood lots that were here. For those of us who are students of the battle, this has been an eye opening experience. It's bringing the battle ground back for us to study intensely.

The area that is being cut right now is along Williams' Avenue on Culp's Hill. From what I have been able to see, this has been a major cut. BUT the park has the area blocked off....not from just vehicular traffic, but also from foot traffic. So trying to get back there to see just what is happening is almost impossible.

I started to wonder why no one could be back there. Here are a few thoughts that I have had. 1) its dangerous. With trees falling down, I'm sure they want to make sure that no one gets caught under one of those large trees. 2) relic hunters. Relic Hunting is strictly prohibited in the park. With the trees being uprooted and the ground disturbed, I'm sure that relics are popping up all over the place. Culp's Hill was the scene of some of the most horrific fighting. I'm sure there are tons of relics out there.

This view will be great....except for one small problem. Private property between where the tree cuttings are taking place and the Baltimore Pike. All those trees in between are not coming down. So that leaves this question: What's the point? There are other areas that should be done....but aren't getting done. I'm not sure. But I do know that what has been done (as far as one can see) looks great and I can't wait for the roadway to open up so that I can see just what has been done.

The Morning

Yesterday morning, I was out of the house by 5:45 am with my goal of being on the battlefield as it opened at 6. Well, because I literally live right down the road from the battlefield, I arrived about 10 minutes early....but I was there. So at 6am, I parked my car at the parking lot for Little Round Top and as it was still dark out, I made my way, very slowly to the top.

Just as I arrived at the top of the hill....which isn't a very far walk, but in the darkness, it seemed like forever, the first rays of the sun were starting to flicker in the sky. One thing that I did notice in the darkness was that it was going to be a very foggy morning. I love the fog.

So, as the first rays were appearing and the ground was starting to lighten up, I pulled up a rock and sat to enjoy the show. From the top of Little Round Top, you can't see the actual sunrise, but you can see the affects of it on the valley below....which was my goal for the morning.

As I sat there, I was able to listen to the birds, who seem to be louder right before the sun comes up (I wonder if its true or if it just seems that way). Occasionally a wild animal (gophers, rabbits, etc) would run from bush to bush....but nothing that I could really see. There's something about being on hallowed ground all alone in the early morning light.

The rays of sunlight showed just what I thought, a thick layer of fog right over the battlefield....but only over in the fields where Pickett's Charge took place. Directly in front of me it was just "ribbons" on fog laying over the field.

As I sat there taking in the beauty of the morning, I started thinking about the men who fought here. I wonder what their morning was like? Was it peaceful? Did they have fog? Then I thought about what it must have been like for them to fight out there: the heat of the day, the sun beating down on them, the noise, the sights of the dead and dying, the smoke. In the coolness of this particular morning, I wasn't able to feel what they felt or see what they saw, but the feeling of dread was something that started to build up inside of me. How did they do what they did? I really don't know if I could have done it. I don't know how they did it.

Looking down on Houck's Ridge, I thought about Smith and his battery trying to climb the hill to stop the Confederate advance. The hill they climbed looked so small and innocent. But once down on that hill, it proves to be steep and rocky. How did they ever get those guns up there? In the early morning, I could almost hear the men shouting as they pushed those guns up that hill.....the sounds of the cannons blasting.....the muskets shooting.....the wounded yelling.

I sat and thought these thoughts for a good 45 minutes before someone else showed up on the hill. I knew at that point that it was time to move on. The magic of the morning had ended. But to sit and almost feel as if transported back in time was a powerful thing for me to experience. I look forward to my next travel back in time.

Waynesboro, PA

I went on another excursion today. This time I ended up in Waynesboro....looking for more signs of the Civil War. The signs I was looking for was either literal signs or something, anything, that would say "The Civil War came here". Well, in the process, the only sign I found had this on it:

General Jubal Early's Confederate troops occupied Waynesboro June 23, 1863. Next day they marched by Mont Alto to Greenwood, or Black Gap, where, June 25, they were ordered by General Ewell to march to York.

That was quite the walk.....Greenwood to York. It had to be about 35 miles. I feel so sorry for these guys who had to walk from place to place....their poor feet!

In wondering around Waynesboro (which was named for General Anthony Wayne from the Revolutionary War), this was the only sign that I had located. I really thought that there might be more. Robert E. Lee passed through this town during the retreat from Gettysburg. There was nothing around that would signify this. Even though Waynesboro was more or less on the border of Pennsylvania and Maryland (much like Gettysburg), this town was very much Pro-Union (much like Gettysburg). This is all that I've been able to find out about this town. Its a shame....a town full of history and very little out there.

I picked up a map of the "Civil War Trails" in Maryland from a Visitors Center in Maryland. This map has listed on it every Civil War marker in Maryland. So in the next few weeks, months, and/or years, I plan to see each and every one of these markers. As I locate these markers, I plan to post what the markers say and what the terrain (if it played an important part) was like or whatever I notice in these spots.

6th Wisconsin on July 1, 1863

I love to read first hand accounts of the battle (any battle) because you get a real feel for the intensity and emotions involved in the fighting. Besides which, they also tell you the little things that the history books don't tell us. Below is a bit of what Rufus Dawes had to say about the fighting on July 1, 1863 in Gettysburg.

"I marched by the right flank double-quick toward the point indicated. Before reaching a position where I could be of service, the enemy had succeeded in turning the flank, and, flushed with victory was pressing rapidly in pursuit of our retreating line, threatening the rear of....Meredith's Iron Brigade, engaged in the woods on the left. I filed to the right and read, to throw my line in front of the enemy, and moved by the left flank forward in line of battle upon his advancing line. My men kept up a steady double-quick, never faltering or breaking under the fire, which had become vary falling. When my line had reached a fence on the Chambersburg turnpike, about 40 rods from the line of the enemy. I ordered a fire by file. This checked the advance of the rebels, who took refuge in a railroad cut. The Ninety fifth New York and Fourteenth Brooklyn [which had withdrawn from their original position between Hall's Battery and the woods] here joined on my left....

The men of the whole line moved forward upon a double-quick, well closed, in face of a terribly destructive fire from the enemy. When our line reached the edge of the cut, the rebels began throwing down their arms in token of surrender. Adjt. Ed. P. Brooks, with promptness and foresight, moved a detachment of 20 men in position to enfilade the cut from the right, when the entire regiment in m front, after some murderous skirmishing by the most desperate, threw down their arms....

The loss sustained by my command in this charge was not less than 160 men killed or wounded.

[O.R., XXVII, Part 1, pp. 275-6]

So Far From God

I'm currently reading the book "So Far From God" by John S. D. Eisenhower. This book is about the Mexican War. Why would I talk about a Mexican War book when I'm writing about the Civil War? Well, the Mexican War plays an integral part in what happened in the American Civil War and that was why I felt compelled to read a book about this war.

In my studies of the American Civil War, I have come across (repeatedly) accounts of the participants also being in the Mexican War. Most of the officers on both sides fought down in Mexico: Lee, Grant, Meade, Longstreet, Armistead, Hancock and the list goes on and on. Not only were the majority of leaders West Point graduates - using West Point techniques - but these men were also employing tactics that they learned in the war with Mexico.

While reading biography after biography I keep seeing the same battles come up: Churubusco, Chapultepec, Veracruz, Mexico City, Molino del Rey. So now, its time to start to learn about these men and what they did before the Civil War. I asked quite a few people for recommendations on a book that would give me a good overview of the war without getting into the nitty gritty. I really don't want to study it THAT intensely....just a good idea of what happened. This book was recommended by at least 4 people....so I figured it was the book for me.

The beginning of the book gets into the political situation of the nations involved: the United States, Mexico, and Britain. I'm not much of a political historian...but sometimes, you have to understand the political background in order to understand the war. This is one of those times. It seems that the fighting was over the annexation of Texas. I knew the story of the Alamo and how the men were killed...but never put it together with what was happening at the time with Mexico. Its funny how you start putting things together and suddenly you have one of those "AHA" moments. This is how I've been feeling as I read this book. Suddenly American history is starting to make sense....not the history itself but the events that seemed to weave itself among other events.

For anyone who is interested in the Civil War, I recommend this book. Its a good way to give yourself a background on the generals and what they were thinking and what they were doing. This book is an easy read. Not having a lot of background on the Mexican War (except for bits and pieces from biographies that I've read), I'm understanding this war and that's always a good thing.

Wildlife

Not only do I enjoy walking the battlefield and getting a sense of the history of the place, but I also enjoy watching the wildlife that seems to peek out from every corner of the park. I started out paying attention to the birds. I was never a "birder" but one day I happened to see a "red, white, and black" bird. In my mind I thought it was quite possibly one of the most majestic birds I had seen on the Gettysburg battlefield....it was almost patriotic (well, it would have been had the black been blue). I spent a few weeks trying to track down what that bird was, and then my sister gave me a bird book and I discovered that what I had seen was a red-headed woodpecker. Throughout my travels on the battlefield, I have seen a total of 5 different kinds of woodpecker.....including the humongous Pileated....a number of times (actually almost daily). The variety of birds in the park is almost more than my poor head can keep up with. Once when I was giving a tour down at the Ball's Bluff battlefield, we were standing on the bluff overlooking the Potomac River when we saw a Bald Eagle soaring high above the river, searching for what I assumed was his lunch.

Also down at Balls Bluff, I have seen black snakes (ick), turtles, squirrels and many other critters roaming the field. My favorite episode as a guide down there was a tour I gave to 7 Cub Scouts. Now these boys were 6 and 7 years old. They found a black snake sunning itself on the path and they ran up to it and just stood and watched it for quite a while....until the snake said "enough!" and went on his way. About 10 minutes later, one of the boys, who had been using a walking stick, starting screaming at the top of his lungs and threw his stick away from him. We ran over to see what was going on and it turned out he had an ant on his stick. This was the same boy who was practically laying on the ground to see the snake. I will never forget that day.

But on the Gettysburg battlefield I have seen just about everything: deer, ground hogs, squirrels, chipmunks, skunks, cats, dogs, foxes, box turtles, snapping turtles and even a bear. Probably one of the most famous creatures living on the field is an albino fox. I've seen him twice. Most people see him once. He shows himself every once in a while....and when you see him, you are almost certain that its a ghost fox....but its not....he's just albino. When you see him, you almost join this little "club" of people who have seen him.

The bear wasn't actually on the battlefield...it was in town....but the town is part of the battlefield. He ran across the street right behind my car and scared me to death. He went down an alley past the 7-11 and headed straight for the Majestic Theatre. Never has a wild animal scared me more. What was a bear doing in downtown Gettysburg? It was a cold morning and I figure that he was heading to the 7-11 for a coffee to warm up. In the newspaper, it was reported that he was seen fleeing away from Gettysburg past the Peace Light.

My point to all this is that despite what happened on the battlefields, it is also a haven to those creatures who are being pushed out of their natural habitats by development. We need to save our battlefields so that future generations will get to see and study what those that lived before us did...but we also need to save this open space for the creatures that lived here long before we did.

The Corn Exchange Regiment

There are a couple of monuments on the fields of Gettysburg that catch my attention. These belong to the 118th Pennsylvania Regiment....also known as the Corn Exchange Regiment. Why the Corn Exchange? Well, as it turns out, the Corn Exchange in Philadelphia actually financially backed this regiment.

There are three two monument to this regiment. The one is at the loop on the Stony Hill and the other one (shown here with the Trostle Farm in the background) is on Wheatfield Road near Sickles Ave. The third monument is a little off the beaten path in that it is located on Big Round Top but on the Old Veterans trail (not the switchback path).

The 118th Pennsylvania was organized in May, 1862 and participated in most of the major battles from Antietam (The Maryland Campaign) all the way through to Appomattox in April 1865.

The reason I'm thinking about this regiment is because the other morning I was out walking around the loop, looking at monuments and taking pictures and realized that I had never walked out to the monument. Now, its not that far from the road, but because of the loop and issues with parking, I just never bothered to walk over and look at it. So the other morning, at 6:30 am, I did it. I walked over and checked it out and was really impressed with the image of the soldier on top. Now, to look at a monument in the morning is completely different than looking at a monument at any other time of the day. First, the sun was just coming up so the monument took on a reddish glow on its eastern side. But we can't just notice the colors but the sounds in the background also. The Rose Farm has a bunch of Black Angus cows roaming in the area and while standing and reading the monument, all I heard were the cows mooing. I also heard many birds chirping and woodpeckers doing their thing.

Somehow, while listening to the early morning sounds, observing the lighting, and seeing the intricate details of the monument, it made my whole excursion over to this monument a really special time for me. There is nothing quite like experiencing the battlefield in the early morning but somehow its so much better when the sun just comes up.

I know that with the fighting that the men did on the Stony Hill and Wheatfield areas, they didn't experience the peace that I felt on that morning, but being there and seeing what the soldiers saw (Although changed by 146 years of development) it made that morning a bit different. Sometimes we don't stop and really think about our ancestors, our predecessors to this life....the men who molded our history. But standing on the field, when no one else is around, and listening to the sounds and seeing the sights, it brings the reality home.

One of the these days, I'm going to have to pick up a book about this regiment and follow them throughout the Civil War. Oh....my book list is getting longer by the minute!

Uniontown, MD

In my quest to know "All-Things Hancock", I decided to take a little trip on Sunday and ended up in the Uniontown/Frizzellburg, MD area. Before I get into anything here, lets see what Gen. Hancock has to say about this in his Official Report:

"On the morning of the 29th [June], orders were received for the corps to march at 4 a.m. and move to Frizzellburg. An accident delaying the delivery of the order, the command was not in motion until 8 a.m.

At 10 p.m. the command was halted for the night 1 mile beyond Uniontown, having accomplished with its entire train a march of over 30 miles. Frizzellburg was not reached, owing to its being considerably farther from Monocacy Junction than indicated by the maps.

At Uniontown, I ascertained that Stuart was at Westminster with a heavy force of cavalry and a number of guns, which information I communicated to the major-general commanding.

The Corps remained in camp at Uniontown on the 30th.

On the morning of July 1, the command marched to Taneytown, going into bivouac about 11 a.m."

I drove down to Frizzellburg, Md (about 10 minutes outside of Westminster) and was shocked at the sight of the town. When I say its a little town, I'm not kidding. This town consists of, maybe, a dozen homes that are in poor shape and that's about it in Frizzellburg.

I then drove on to Uniontown. One thing that you will notice on this drive is the rolling farmland. As I drove along, I could see why Hancock was told to bivouac his men in this area. If I was leading 20,000 men to battle, this would definitely be the place I would stop for a rest....lots of space.

Uniontown is a little bit bigger than Frizzellburg and in much better shape. They actually have a church and a store. The store is more like a store/post office/gathering place. When I first saw it, it reminded me of Ike Godsey's store on "The Walton's". And right in the center of town was a wayside marker talking about the 2nd Corps encampment.

The encampment was actually about a mile south (?) of town on a horse farm called "Babylon". If you look around, you can figure out why Hancock stopped the movement of his men and told them to rest here. After 14 hours of marching, when you find an area that is clear enough and large enough to hold your men, you stop. And this is the area where he stopped.

They stayed here for a little over a day before moving on to Taneytown (which is about a 20 minute drive from here).

One thing that I noticed in the O.R. that I posted above....this says something about the man that Hancock was: He says "an accident delaying the order". At no time did he blame anyone for the accident or the delay. I have never read anywhere what had happened to delay the order....only that it was delayed. Only General Hancock seems to know the story and it has died with him. He was in a position to place blame on someone....and all he says is "an accident delaying the order". I like that. He never places the blame....just states that it happened....and lets move on. This is probably why he was so revered by his men. But this is just one of my thoughts.

Now back to Uniontown, Md. I suggest for anyone who has any interest in the events leading up to the Battle of Gettysburg, stop by one of the many Maryland State Information Centers (there is one on Rt. 15 just south of Pennsylvania) and get a map of Maryland that shows the Gettysburg campaign. Its extremely enlightening.

Alexander Schimmelfennig

Was he or was he not a coward???? That's the question that seems to come up in any conversation dealing with this man. Let me explain why this question seems to come up all the time.

During the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, the XI Corps was routed from the area around today's Barlow Knoll (yesteryear's Blocher Knoll). In their frantic retreat, the I and XI Corps tried to get through the crowded and confusing streets of Gettysburg on their way to Cemetery Hill. Some of the men were able to head straight down the streets but for the most part, due to Confederates shooting at them, the soldiers were forced to head down alley's, through backyards, anywhere that they could get away from the bullets and safely reach the Hill. General Schimmelfennig was no different. As he was heading down one street, he noticed Confederates in his rear and in front of him, so he headed down an alley. Unfortunately, there was no way to get out of this alley, so he climbed a fence and ended up in someones backyard. There he found a woodshed and was able to hide in there until the battle was over. Mrs. Garlach was the resident where this woodshed was located and she accidentally found the general in there. So the first day, she was able to sneak some food and water out to the general but then he was on his own after that because she couldn't sneak out there any more without being caught.
The General was there until the town cleared on July 4th.

People believe that his hiding in that wood shed was a sign of cowardice...that he should have gotten up off his butt and walked out into the town and headed for Cemetery Hill, praying that he didn't get captured. If he did get captured, then he would have been with some of his own men in the prisoner of war camp. But......

A general isn't supposed to be captured. A general is supposed to do whatever he deems necessary to NOT be captured. If one were to be captured, it was quite possible (and probable) that his imprisonment would be ten times worse than anything a private would go through. And forget about being paroled. Keeping a general off the battlefield was high priority.

What could General Schimmelfennig do? If he did walk out of that woodshed, he could have been picked off by the sharpshooters on Cemetery Hill (his own men) or he could have been picked off by the sharpshooters located throughout the town (the other side) or he could have been captured. Of the three options (and its most likely that one of them would have happened), none of them were feasible. So, there sat General Schimmelfennig....in the woodhouse....for three whole days.

My own opinion is that, although he was in a tough situation, he did the right thing. If he had been imprisoned or killed, how would he have been of any use to the army in future battles? He may not have been a hero at Gettysburg, he did buy himself some time which is precisely what he needed to do at that time. He didn't desert....he merely hid out. Sometimes, we have to do things that look bad at the time and may cause us to look bad, but in hindsight, it was probably the best option. I believe that this is what happened to the general and in hindsight, we may say some mean things about him for hiding out, but we also don't have minie balls buzzing our heads either.

The Truth Or Not

As a volunteer for the National Park Service at Gettysburg for a few years, I ran into one question over and over again. I know that many people would come up to me and ask me questions just to try to "trick" me, but quite often they couldn't. But this one question, although not a "trick" had a tricky answer. And what was that question? It was this: Is it true that the eqestrian statues had to have two hooves off the ground if the general was killed, 1 hoof off the ground if the general was wounded and all four on the ground if they got out unscathed?

This is a difficult question to answer because the answer is "It's a myth but its true." Huh??? Well, let's look at the different equestrian statues on the field (and, yes, I do include the Virginia monument as an equestrian statue....although some don't). There are a total of eight equestrain statues: Reynolds, Lee, Longstreet, Sedgwick, Meade, Slocum, Howard, and Hancock.

The only statue that has two feet on the ground is General Reynolds out on Chambersburg Pike. And yes, he was killed here at Gettysburg (on July 1). When the sculptor was asked about why he did it, his response was that he wanted to see if it could be done.....and yes, it can be done. Its been there for 100+ years and its still going strong.

The only statue that has 3 feet on the ground is the Hancock equestrian statue. Hancock was wounded on July 3 during Pickett's Charge.

Lee, Sedgwick, Meade, Slocum, and Howard all have their horses set firmly on the ground with 4 feet. All these men survived the battle without getting themselves wounded or killed.

Now, as you can see, the story is holding up. But then there is the Longstreet monument (and as much as I'm trying to stay away from this, I have to say it: I HATE that monument.....I have NEVER seen a more disrespectful monument to a great general before and that thing needs to GO!!!!). The Longstreet equestrian monument not only has the horse (is it a horse or a carousel pony????) standing on 2 feet, but it also has this poor animal standing on the top of one foot, while the other one is in the air. Longstreet was never wounded nor killed at Gettysburg. Although, some say his reputation was killed here.

So, if this holds true, how can we call it a myth? Easy....when talking to the sculptors, they all acknowledged that at no time did anyone EVER tell them about this "so-called" rule and they just did what they wanted to. But when stopping and looking at each of the statues, its easy to see that it COULD be planned...but it never was. It was an accident.

So the answer to the question is easy.....It's a myth but it could be true.

Early Photographers

We can know what the battlefields of yesterday looked like thanks to the work of early photographers. These were the men who followed the armies around and took pictures of the battlefields right after the battles. Thanks to these men, we have a photographic log of what the aftermath of these battles did to the civilians who lived in the area. I'm not just talking about Gettysburg, but I'm talking about just about every battlefield (particularly the later battles in the Civil War).

Two of the many photographers that we can thank are Mathew Brady and Alexander Gardner. Although, I believe that at one time Gardner worked for Brady, both of these men followed the armies and documented the aftermath of battle after battle (particularly the large battles). Mathew Brady didn't take the pictures himself, but had a staff of men who worked for him that took the pictures.

Here in Gettysburg, we had a few that became quite well known for their photos. Some of those being Levi Mumper, the Tyson Brothers, William Tipton and others. Tipton took pictures of most of the monuments as they were being placed so that today we have early pictures of these monuments. This is a good thing because quite a few of the monument had changes made to them over the course of time, and we get to see just what they looked like at the beginning.

We can also thank men like William Frassanito who took those pictures and found the spots where they were taken and put them into books so that people like you and I can go back and locate the spots.

Where would we be today without these men? I know for a fact that the way the park looks today (Gettysburg) and the way that they are pushing for the park to look relies HEAVILY on these pictures. Would we know that Little Round Top had a few trees on the west side but mostly was bare? Would we know that Munshowers Hill even existed? What about the foliage on Oak Hill? How about the approach of the Alabamians? These are all things that we can see today thanks to the pictures that were left for us.

I often think about the millions and millions of pictures that are taken on the field today. Will we one day depend on those pictures to understand the history of the park? When I took 2000 (no exaggeration) pictures of the Old Visitors Center being torn down, will those pictures come in handy as a documentation of what happened for those couple of weeks in early 2009? I'm having a love affair with my camera, and I can only thank the early pioneers of photography for the seeds they planted in my mind and the minds of many, many others who do the same things!

The Rose House

Quite often as people stand in the Peach Orchard, they will look to the south and see an old stone house with blue/green shutters. And these same people will comment about how beautiful it is. I should know....I'm one of them. This was the George Rose farm. The barn fell down years ago and from what I understand, the Park has saved the remnants....for what? I'm not sure....I doubt they will ever rebuild it...but who knows.

George Rose bought the farm a few years prior to the battle at Gettysburg. His brother, John, farmed the land. John had a gentleman who lived on the farm with him and they shared the responsibilities of the farm.

Included in this farm, was a 26 acre wheatfield (yes....THE Wheatfield) and a wooded area which today is know as Rose Woods. There is also a run that crosses the land that is called (are you ready for this?!?!?) Rose Run!

During the battle, the fighting from the Peach Orchard spilled over onto this land. Kershaw and Wofford crossed it to get to the Wheatfield. Anderson was on the south end of the field and brought his men up to the Wheatfield.

Alexander Gardner took many pictures of the dead on this land in the days after the fighting. And from these photo's we can know just what the land looked like 146 years ago.

Today, when you go out on these fields, the main thing you are going to see is the Black Angus Cows that roam in the pasture. But with a keen mind and "backwards" eyesight, looking onto those fields you can see the fighting, the dead, and dying. And it's not unusual. Many people see it.

One of my favorite places to sit and read is on deTrobriand Avenue.....next to the cows and besides the woods. The birds chirp, the cows moo, and in the far off distance, you can hear the sounds of muskets, cannons, men yelling, and the Rebel yell.....listen....you can hear it too!

The Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War

The Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War was formed in 1861 after the horrible Union defeat at Ball's Bluff. The Committee had to blame someone for the defeat so the blame was placed on the leader who never even set foot on the battlefield: Charles Stone. After the Committee was formed, the Union leaders ALWAYS had the Committee looking over their shoulders, searching for mistakes.

Now before I get too far into this, lets review who the members of this committee were:
In the 37th Congress, it consisted of:
Benjamin Wade (R-OH) Senator
Zachariah Chandler (R-MI) Senator
George W. Julian (R-IN) Representative
John Covade (R-PA) Representative
Daniel W. Gooch (R-MA) Representative
Andrew Johnson (D-TN) Senator
Joseph A. Wright (D-IN) Senator
Moses Odell (D-MA) Representative
In the 38th Congress, it consisted of:
Benjamin Wade (R-OH) Senator - Chairman
Zachariah Chandler (R-MI) Senator
George W. Julian (R-IN) Representative
Daniel W. Gooch (R-MA) Representative
Benjamin F. Harding (D-OR) Senator
Charles R. Bucklew (D-PA) Senator
Moses Odell (D-NY0 Representative
Benjamin F. Loan (D-MO) Representative

These men seemed to loom over every battle, looking for mistakes so that they could take down whoever they THOUGHT made mistakes. This leads to a few questions:

Was McClellan as slow in real life as he was during the battle? or was he just double-checking himself?

Would the North have won faster if the Committee wasn't always there....watching?

Did Grant care what the Committee thought? Is this why he was able to bring the war to a close?

What about Sherman?

So many questions and so little answers. I often wonder what would have happened if the Committee hadn't been formed. The Civil War may or may not have been shorter. I can't really tell what was going on in the minds of the commanding Generals. And what did the committee deem necessary for them to butt into the process? Was it just a loss? Or did it have to be a HUGE loss? These are questions that have palgued for many years and I'm sure it has bothered historians throughout the past 145 years. I wonder just what was really going on behind those closed doors of the Committee.

Bayonets....what were they used for?

Bayonets! The word could bring fear into the hearts of the participants of the war...OR it bring some fond memories of things that bayonets were used for.

First and foremost, a bayonet was a weapon. It was the "knife like" extension for a musket and when attached to the end of the musket, it was used to rush into the enemy and inflict the most severe of injuries by stabbing them. When a commander ordered a bayonet charge, most of the time it was used as a psychological weapon and the other side skedaddled. On record, there were very few bayonet wounds throughout the whole Civil War (I think the number is around 900...but I could be wrong). In Gettysburg, the most famous Bayonet charge was issued by Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain while on Little Round Top. Whether that happened the way the "history books" say or not is not what I writing about, but there is plenty of controversy surrounding Chamberlain and the 20th Maine.

But there were other uses that the soldiers discovered for the bayonet. One of the more practical uses was as a candle holder. They would stabbed the pointed end into the ground and place a candle in the end that would attach to the musket. This way, they had candle light to use in the darkness so that they could write letters, play cards, or whatever else they would do to keep themselves busy between battles.

They also used the bayonet to roast meat. When they were lucky enough to actually get fresh meat, they would stick it on the pointed end of the bayonet and use it to roast the meat over an open fire (after all, they didn't have ovens).

They were also known to use these devices as tent stakes. By wrapping the ends of the tents around the bayonet and sticking it into the ground, it would keep the tent nice and taut while they were sleeping.

While, I'm sure there were other uses that I haven't mentioned. The one thing that we should keep in mind when it comes to these weapons and the men.....the men were given just so much stuff....and they could carry just so much....so they needed to make do with what they had. This was just one of the things that they carried with them that would come in handy in a pinch. I admire the ingenuity of these guys. I probably wouldn't have come up with some of the things that they did....but they were smart and when they used their heads, all sorts of things were possible. Maybe this is a lesson that we could use today.

Chinese in Gettysburg

I found an article about a Chinaman who was killed at the Battle of Gettysburg. We tend to think about the Germans and Irish who fought some (some directly off the boat) but we don't tend to think about the other nationalities who fought here. There were people here from all over the globe and unfortunately, we tend to forget about them. The Germans were thought of as being cowards (and I DO NOT subscribe to that theory....I believe the Germans of the XI Corps were put in a position where there was nothing they could do but retreat) and the Irish seemed to get a lot of glory (after all, we had the Irish Brigade). But do we ever consider who else might have fought here. Here is a New York Times article that I found a few weeks ago. Some of the information is really hard to read so I wasn't able to include it, but I found the information that I could read really interesting. I hope you enjoy reading about John Tommy as much as I did.

CHINA AT GETTYSBURGH

Among the killed at Gettysburgh was a young Chinaman, known as John Tommy. He was attached to the First regiment Excelsior brigade, captain Price's company. John Tommy was the only representative of the Central Flowery Kingdom in the Army of the Potomac, and was widely known both from that circumstance and certain peculiarities of his own. John Tommy came to this country immediately after the breaking out of the war, and was induced to enlist in Gen. Sickles Brigade, at that time being raised in this City. He was then a mere lad, entirely ignorant of our language. Being bright, smart and honest, he soon became a favorite at Red Hook, Staten Island, and was at once the butt and wit of the whole regiment. Before he became located on the Maryland shore of the Potomac opposite Aquia Creek, in one of the reconnaissances on the south side of the river, Tommy was taken prisoner and soon became a lion in the Rebel camp. He was brought before Gen. Magruder who, surprised at his appearance and color, asked him if he was a mulatto, Indian, or what? When Tommy told him he was from China, Magruder was very much amused, and asked him how much he would take to join the Confederate army. "Not unless you would make me a Brigadier General," said Tommy to the great delight of the secesh officers who treated him very kindly and sent him to Fredericksburgh. Here Tommy became a great lion, and his picture was published in the Fredericksburgh papers. Subsequently, he was sent to Libby prison, Richmond, where he met his captain, Benjamin Price, who had been taken prisoner at Williamsburgh. After his parole, Tommy came to New York City where he employed his time in attending upon his sick and wounded comrades.........He had not been wounded up to Gettysburgh, but in Friday's fight, he was wounded by a shell, which tore off both legs at the thighs and he shortly bled to death. The company he was in went into the action with twenty-eight men, and lost twenty men to killed or wounded. Tommy's case is peculiar, as he was the only representative of the Empire of China in the finest army on the planet."

Canister Shot

I got to thinking about the effects of canister shot on the troops....both the side that was being shot at as well as the side that was doing the shooting. There had to be some sort of psychological effect on the men.

Before I get into that, I should explain what canister shot is: its a cylindrical tin can (picture a coffee can) filled with 27 cast iron balls (around the size of a golf ball) and packed with saw dust. When this is shot out of a cannon, the tin can would disintegrate and the balls would spread out like a shotgun blast. This was usually used when the troops were within 100 yards of the guns. This is basically an antipersonnel weapon.

So here are some things that I found in the Official Records about canister shot. Because these are from the O.R.'s it doesn't contain the emotions that a letter or diary would contain but it does show a bit of what was happening and what the men were feeling when being shot at or shooting with these shots.

Capt. James A. Hall.....2nd Maine Battery
"...I ordered the right and center sections to open upon this column with canister, and kept the left firing upon the enemy's artillery. This canister fire was very effective, and broke the charge of the enemy...." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 1, Pg. 359-60

Brig. Gen. J. B. Kershaw.....McLaw's Division
"...The numerous fences in the way, the stone building and barn [Rose Farm], and the morass, and a raking fire of grape and canister, rendered it difficult to retain the line in good order...." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 2, Pg. 368

Capt. James E. Smith.....4th NY Battery
"...Then I used canister with little effect, owing to numerous large rocks, which afforded excellent protection to their sharpshooters..." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 1, Pg. 588-9

Brig. Gen. J.B. Robertson......Hood's Division
"...As we aadvanced through this field for half a mile we were exposed to a heavy and destructive fire of canister, grape, and shell...." O.R. XXVII, Pt 2, Pg.404-5

Col. Edward L. Bailey.....2nd NH Infantry
"...experiencing a terrific fire of spherical case and canister from batteries in my front and on my right...." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 1, Pg. 573-4

Brig. Gen. Cadmus M. Wilcox.....Wilcox' Brigade
"...from the batteries on the ridge [Cemetery], ....grape and canister were poured into our ranks..." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 2, Pg. 618

Col. David Lang....8th FL
"...I moved forward, being met at the crest of the first hill with a murderous fire of grape, canister, and musketry...." O.R. XXVII, Pt.2, Pg. 631-2

Brig. Gen. A. R. Wright.....Wright's Brigade
"...the enemy rushed to this abandoned guns as soon as we began to retire, and poured a severe fire of grape and canister into our thinned ranks as we retired slowly down the slope into the valley below...." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 2, Pg. 623-4

Lieut. Freeman McGilvery......1st Maine Light Artillery
"...I ordered canister to be used on the low bushes in front, which compelled them to retire...." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 1, Pg. 882-3

Lieut. Edwin B. Dow.....6th Maine Battery
"....I soon discovered a battle line of the enemy coming through and take possession of the road to Taneytown, directly in my rear. I immediately opened upon them with spherical case and canister, and assisted by a section of Captain Phillips' (5th MA) battery, drove them back into the woods...." O.R. XXVII, Pt 1, Pg. 897

Brig. Gen. Harry T. Hays.....Hays' Brigade
"...Here we came upon a considerable body of the enemy, and a brisk musketry fire ensued; at the same time his artillery, of which we were now within canister range, opened upon us, but owing to the darkness of the evening, now verging into night, and the deep obscurity afforded by the smoke of the firing, our exact locality could not be discovered by the enemy's gunners, and we thus excaped. Wat in the full light of day could have been nothing else than horrible slaughter." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 2 Pg. 480

Col. Charles S. Wainwright....I Corps Artillery Brigade
"...As their line became fully unmasked, all the guns which could be brought to bear were opened on them, at first with shrapnel and afterward with canister...." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 1, Pg. 358

Brig. Gen. Henry J. Hunt.....Chief of Artillery, AoP
"...The batteries of the Second Corps on our right, having nearly exhausted their supply of ammunition, except canister, were compelled to withhold their fire until the enemy, who approached in three lines, came within its range. When our canister fire and musketry were opened upon them, it occasioned disorder, but still they advanced gallantly until they reached the stone wall behind which our troops lay..." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 2, Pg. 238-9

Maj. Gen. W.S. Hancock.....2nd Corps Commander, AoP
"...mowed down by canister from Woodruff's battery, and by the fire from 2 regiments judiously posted by General Hays in his extreme front and right and by the fire of different lines in the rear, the enemy broke in great disorder, leaving 15 colors and nearly 2,000 in the hands of this division...." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 1, Pg. 373-4

Maj. Charles S. Peyton....19th VA
"....from the point it had first routed the enemy, the brigade moved rapidly forward toward the stone wall, under a galling fire from both artillery and infantry, the artillery using grape and canister." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 2, Pg. 385-6

Gen Meade takes control

Yesterday I took a little drive down to Frederick, MD. In the process of reading George Meade's biography, I decided that it was time to find the spot where Meade was given command of the Army of the Potomac.

George Meade was the 5th Corps commander just prior to the battle at Gettysburg. Joseph Hooker was the commander of the Army of the Potomac. But Hooker had some issues with the army....Lincoln....and Halleck. So, thinking that he could get his own way, he threatened to quit, and it backfired because Lincoln accepted his resignation. But who to place in command? Meade was the best answer. Prior to Hooker's resignation, a bunch of generals had tried to convince Lincoln to get rid of Hooker and put Meade in command. Now the time had come and President Lincoln knew that the best man for the job was the same man that so many generals had recommended: George G. Meade. Meade was awaken at around 3am and told that he was now in command of the army....he wasn't asked if he wanted it, he was told that he wanted it....and he had no choice but to accept. So now George Gordon Meade is in charge and the Army of the Potomac is heading for a major battle. Meade is hoping for Pipe Creek, but little does he know that its going to be a little crossroads town in Pennsylvania called Gettysburg.

It's not a long drive from Gettysburg. I can be there in 30 minutes. I've been to Frederick many, many times, but never once did I ever try to find where Meade was given command. There's a monument down there and everything, but I never saw it before. So, yesterday was THE day to do it.

I hopped in my car knowing sort of the area in which it is located....but not having brought directions or an address or anything, I figured it was a long shot....but I was determined. So off I drove.

AND I found it! Its on a road that takes you back to a housing development, and its off to the side, but the minute I saw it, I knew that that was it! Its a large boulder taken from Devil's Den and cut down to size. Then they put some plaques on it commemorating Gen. Meade taking over the army.

As I stood there taking pictures and thinking about that fateful night, I wondered just what was going through Meade's head at that point. Would he be able to do it? Who was he up against? Would the other generals (who outranked him) work with him or against him? Today, we can look back with hindsight and see just what transpired and know that Meade was ok....but that night, he must have been extremely concerned.

The more I read about him (and yes, I am almost finished that book), the more I like him. I like the fact that he was known to some as an "Old Snapping Turtle". I like that he was vulnerable but didn't let the others know it (only to his wife did he let his vulnerability show). I like that he was able to FINALLY bring a victory to the North. Meade was a very human person and only by studying him can we see just who he was and how he felt. Thank goodness his wife didn't destroy his letters so we CAN see the human side of this great man.

The Peach Orchard

I had this really strange feeling on Sunday evening that I needed to be out at the Peach Orchard early in the morning on Monday (thankfully I don't work Sunday nights so it was doable). So I woke up at 3:30 am, got a shower, and by 5:30 I left for the Peach Orchard. Well, the park doesn't open until 6:00 and considering I live right down the street from the Peach Orchard, I was a little early. So I hit McDonald's drive thru, got myself a sweet tea and headed down the road. It was another foggy morning. Only this time as I drove down Emmitsburg Road, I could see the tops of the monuments peeking out from the top.

There is just something about the battlefield just prior to the sun coming up. It's light out, but the mystique of the coming day and the freshness of the morning makes the battlefield seem so peaceful....the complete opposite of what it was. As I drove along, I could almost make out the men running across the road, in their charge of the Angle. But, alas, just my imagination run amok. Nothing new here.

I was still really early, so I turned down Millerstown Road and then headed out West Confederate Avenue (a road that is open 24 hours although you aren't permitted to stop). So I drove slowly down West Confederate Avenue with my windows rolled down listening to the cows and the birds. Just.....soooo peaceful!

By the time I reached the Peach Orchard, it was just about 6am so I figured how much trouble could I get into if I got there a couple of minutes early. Here is the really nice thing: I didn't see another car (except for those speeding past on Emmitsburg Road) for at least 45 minutes. The Peach Orchard was all MINE!!!! At least for a little while, anyway.

I grabbed a book that I had brought along, plus my ever present camera, and started to walk over to the southwest corner, right where the 2nd NH monument is located. I stopped to take pictures of the rising sun and the little peach trees and stopped occasionally to listen to the cows as they talked to one another. There is truly no other place in the world as peaceful as a battlefield....and isn't that an oxymoron???? But when you consider the death and destruction that took place on that little parcel of land, and what it all represents, it should be anything but peaceful, but it is.

I sat on the corner of the 2nd NH monument for a good 1/2 hour and read about what the 2nd NH went through out there. I had brought along Harry Pfanz's book on the second day. He is very descriptive of the struggle in that peach orchard. Although, as many times as I have read that book....or been on ranger programs and batttle walks.....or tried to understand just what happened there, I can never seem to get it. This battle confuses me more than any other part of the battle. I can tell you what happened on Culp's Hill or in the Wheatfield, but when it comes to the Peach Orchard, I'm more confused than ever. One day....I plan to understand....but until then I just have to take it a little bit at a time.

I spent such a great morning in my little piece of the battlefield....until people starting moving, then it was time for me to go. There's just something about the dew on the ground, the fog laying over the field, and the birds singing that makes me want to stay out there all day. Unfortunately it all ends....until the next day when it starts all over again!

Disciplining Reporters

Oh the things I'm learning about George Gordon Meade. This book that I'm reading is a bit fascinating. Apparently the thing about Historicus is heresay only. So, I'm still correct in my thoughts that no one knows who Historicus is. But I learned something new today in my reading. I'm no scholar on Meade which is why I'm reading this book....to learn a few things...and today I learned a new fact. Did you know that Meade disciplined a reporter who gave him an unfavorable review and ALL reporters got even with him?

By this time in the war, U.S. Grant had taken over control of all the armies of the north. He was traveling with Meade and the Army of the Potomac. So in June of 1864 a reporter by the name of Edward Cropsey started traveling with the army. Cropsey sent an article to his paper, The Philadelphia Inquirer, about the army stating that Meade was no longer in charge but Grant was....which was untrue. Grant gave Meade the overall plan....Meade implimented that plan. This is not unlike the way it was prior to Grant's promotion. This reporter got it all wrong and made Meade look like the bad guy for all the failures of the Army of the Potomac. Meade sent word to Gen. Halleck, who was still in Washington, about this whole situation and Halleck told Meade not to worry about it....they weren't paying any attention to what was being said in the newspapers. Meade should have left things go at this....but he didn't.

Meade was angry. He came up with a plan and while he was starting to impliment it, he let Grant know what he was planning. Apparently Grant just nodded in agreement. So Meade went on with his plan: He got two placards and placed them on the front and back of this reporter (for the life of me, I can't remember exactly what they said, but in essense they said that this man was a liar) and then sat him backwards on a horse. Then to parade him around the camps, they got a drummer and a bugler to lead the way. Humiliating in the least, I would say.

When word spread out amongst all the other reporters about what had happened (did anyone say "freedom of the press"?????), they banded together and decided that from that moment on they wouldn't give Meade any further press unless it was bad press. If something bad happened to the Army of the Potomac, Meade would be blamed, if something good happened to the army, Grant would get the credit. Meade was unaware of this and when he found out, he was livid.

Now, I like Meade, but I feel that he was dead wrong in this instance. Yes, reporters should get their facts straight. Yes, they should make sure they put the blame where it belongs and not just place it wherever they want. Yes, they should be held accountable for wrong facts. NO, Meade did not have the right to punish this man.

First of all, when Meade told Halleck about this report, Halleck told him to ignore it, as Washington was ignoring it. Second, there is a thing in the Constitution called freedom of the press. Now, I'm not stupid, if reporters are giving out false information, they need to be called on it. If it comes down to name calling or injuring a person's career, let the courts take care of it. If Meade really wanted to punish this guy, then he should have kicked him out of the army and told the newspaper that he didn't want him anywhere near the army....or face arrest. What Meade did to this man was unnecessary but creative. Its really kind of funny when you stop and think about it....and this man will forever be known as the guy who Meade punished.....and it was completely wrong. Sometimes we let our emotions get the best of us....and in this instance, Meade let his emotions get the best of him. But they didn't call him "Old Snapping Turtle" for nothing.