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!