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.

Double Canister at Ten Yards

There are monuments all over Civil War Battlefields that have unique things incorporated into them. This happens especially at Gettysburg. There are quite a few. This one in particular is for Andrew Cowan's First New York Independent Battery near the Angle and the Copse of Trees.

There is almost always a significant story behind these unique inclusions. Read a book about Pickett's Charge and you're likely to come across the experiences of Cowan and his battery ramming the barrels with two rounds of canister and letting loose at the overflow of Confederate soldiers that swarmed the area. Some even got as close as ten yards, hence the words "Double canister at ten yards" being engraved on this monument.

A Bend in the Trees

The replanting of the peach trees at the Peach Orchard has been an ongoing process at Gettysburg National Military Park. I'm pretty sure the National Park Service ended up planting the peach trees a second time due to some form of a disease the trees picked up. I could be wrong, though.

This photograph was taken about two years ago. So, the trees look a lot bigger if you've visited the battlefield recently. One thing you'll notice is that when the wind blows all of the trees bend at the same angle. It's a fascinating site to take in. You can also notice the importance of the terrain that the orchard sits on. Much higher ground than the swampy land to the east that the Federal III Corps held before venturing out this far, spreading itself thin and thus exposing it's flanks.

The original orchard by Joseph Sherfy was much more expansive at the time of the battle. Possibly two or three times the size that it is today.

The Swale

When I first read Stephen Sears' book, Gettysburg, I was intrigued upon reading about the plight of Alfred Iverson's North Carolinians on the first day of fighting. It explained that the brigade was pretty much surprised by the I Corps troops of the Federal Army waiting behind the stone wall just on the edge of Shead's Woods. The Union fire was extremely effective and for cover the Confederates took refuge in a dip in the ground, otherwise known as a swale.

My next trip to Gettysburg pitted me on a search to find this swale in front of Oak Ridge and Shead's Woods. I followed the park avenue towards the stone wall that the Union troops under John Robinson used for cover and then I saw it. "Son of a bitch" were the words that came out of my mouth.

Today, the stonewall is partly obscured by rows of golden corn, but from the right angle you can see the huge dip in the ground where the desperate Confederates sought cover from the blistering fire.

"Unwarned, unlead as a brigade, went forward Iverson's deserted band to its doom. Deep and long must the desolate homes and orphan children of North Carolina rue the rashness of that hour."

In the Distance

There are few spots on the Gettysburg battlefield in which both Round Top hills are a dominating presence. Especially if you're south of town. This was taken along the northern portions of Seminary Ridge looking southeast.

I also found it fascinating that the fence line found its way into the middle of this photograph. Remarkably, this was taken in the afternoon, but the infamous Gettysburg fog still makes an appearance and adds depth to the picture.

Turn That Cannon

I think that this is one of my really cool shots from around the Cemetery Ridge and Bloody Angle area. This is taken right at the bend in the stone wall and under the tree that adorns it. I figured that getting a very in-depth shot looking down the line was a  great way to imagine units composing Webb's Philadelphia Brigade, as well as the Vermont monuments in the background, as they would have been during the Confederate artillery barrage and during the infantry assault that followed.

The infamous "Copse of Trees" also peaks through a few of the monuments. Some argue that it was the Confederate objective during the Pickett's Charge assault, but others claim that the true prize was Cemetery Hill. That's another story in itself.

Before the Texans Faltered

The infamous gate at the top of the Triangular Field just west of Houck's Ridge and Devil's Den. As far as I know, the stones used on the field's borders are original from 1863. Not entirely sure, though. The body that was part of the staged sharpshooter photographs was found just over the ridge to the left. There are multiple paths that head to that exact spot.

Troops from Henry Benning's Georgians and Jerome Robertson's Texans stormed through the woods in the background (as well as to the right of the ones depicted) and rolled the Federal line in front of Devil's Den. Those Union troops were commanded by John Hobart Ward. The Confederate deployment for the second day's assault outflanked the Union brigade on Houck's Ridge.

Elements of the Texas brigade were very successful up until this point in the war. After outflanking units of Ward's brigade, for the first time in the war they would begin to be pushed back as they began to climb the slope of Little Round Top.