Stretched Thin

Francis C. Barlow was said to have ruled like a tyrant, according to the men under him in the XI Corps at and along the way to Gettysburg. Also, one of my favorite monument stories I caught word of while watching a ranger battle walk on Youtube was the way in which the one for Barlow was placed atop the knoll that now bears his name in the great plain of Gettysburg. I don't remember whom it was exactly, but they he made the attendees take note the angle in which Barlow was forever facing. He's looking in the direction of Oak Hill. Most likely in the direction of George Doles Geogian's forming their battle line just to the northwest and paying no mind to what might lie to his northeast.

We all know what happened. Confederates under Jubal Early stacked Barlow's thin line on its right flank and proceeded to roll it. This led to the collapse of much of the Federal line which went all of the way to Seminary Ridge in the West. Apparently Barlow's men cared for him so little that they saw fit that his monument forever faced in the wrong direction for all-time.

I'm not sure how much validity that argument holds, but if you look at early troop placements after Barlow arrived on the field, they do sort of extend from both his left and right as he stands on the field today. I'd say that the state of New York had something to do with this monument being on the battlefield than his men ever did. Still some interesting food for thought. This photograph is one of my favorites that I personally snapped on my most-recent trip last August. Barlow has turned up in quite a few famous photographs and paintings in and based on the entire war. The former link has Barlow showing off his famous checkered shirt. One of my all-time favorite pictures.