Paintball wars at Devil's Den?

[hoosier]

My wife asked me this evening if I had heard anything more about "the incident at Devil's Den."

I said I hadn't heard anything at all about any incident at Devil's Den.

She said she had heard on the radio yesterday that some kids got together and had a paintball fight down there, recently, leaving paint splatters all over the rocks, monuments, and markers. But she hasn't heard anything more since then. All I've heard about it is what she told me.

Question for those who live in Gettysburg - did such an incident actually take place? If so, can you tell us anything more about it?

[texascavcadet]

I hope not because that is very disrespectable to the people who died and fought!!


regards
garrett estey
11th texas cav

[mobile_96]

I've checked several sites and can not verify this story. However I did find this at CWi Interactive:
Historic Iowa Cemetery Badly Hit by Vandals

Unidentified vandals at the Greenwood Cemetery on Thursday night knocked over more than 70 headstones at the historic 150-acre graveyard and may have caused at least $100,000 in damages, police officials said Monday. (Offsite: Muscatine IA Journal)
Also hope the paint story is unfounded.
Chuck in IL.

[ole]

Unidentified vandals at the Greenwood Cemetery on Thursday night knocked over more than 70 headstones at the historic 150-acre graveyard and may have caused at least $100,000 in damages, police officials said Monday. (Offsite: Muscatine IA Journal)
Also hope the paint story is unfounded.

A few of these boys will grow up to be outstanding members of society -- a few will end up in prison. I hate to think that such a hateful, rotten act was that of youthful exuberance and thoughtlessness, but that's the way it looks. One would hope that a few of them will eventually recognize the gravity of their act and feel guilty for the rest of their natural lives.

Ole

[tomh]

hoosier,

I just spoke to LBG Truman Eyler and he confirmed the report that some of the monuments and markers were hit with paintballs in the area around DD. He did not know if the Den itself was involved but the report mentioned that it happened around noon. So much for the new hours affecting vandalism.

It seems that the incidents of vandalism definitely increase from late September through early November, and although there is no evidence to prove that there is a correlation with the return of students to the college I'll let everyone come to their own conclusions. Two years ago someone took a hammer to 5 monuments on Culp's hill and last year several bronze embellishments (sabers and at least one musket) were broken off monuments and stolen.

On a brighter note, the tree clearing on the southern part of the field is progressing at a remarkable rate. The area arond the Timbers farm was cleared last week, leaving only a small band of trees between the Slyder and Rose Farms and the Triangular field and DD. Now from Smith's Battery you can see (albeit through the remaining trees) all the way to the southern end of the CS line. I'll be taking some friends through that section of the field tomorrow and will try to get some new photos of the clearing (and any damage) to share with the group.

Later,
TomH

[FSPowers]

Total disrespect to both sides.

[hoosier]

TomH, I was sort of hoping you could tell us it was a totally unfounded rumor, but thanks for giving us the authoritative report.

I echo FSPowers' comment.

[larry_cockerham]

Me too. The only weapon against ignorance is education. Forward the troops.

[tomh]

Folks,

I'm pleased to note that I spent the afternoon in the southern end of the battlefield and there is very little evidence of vandalism. We had a good rain after the event and it seems to have removed most of the paint. I found one large rock at Devil's Den that had a very small green splash on an area protected from the rain. Same thing at Devil's Kitchen, one rock with a small green splash in a protected area. No sign of paint on any monuments or markers. Either the park staff was quick to respond or the rainstorm seems to have washed away any marks.

Walked the area of the Timbers Farm and the view is outstanding with the tree removal. I'll try to post some photos in the next couple of days. Now you can see Smith's Battery from the Timbers barn foundation, and the hill mentioned in Texas Soldiers' letters home is clearly visible.

Later,
TomH

[larry_cockerham]

Thank you, TomH for a bit of comforting news. Could it be that our kids are technologically advanced instead of being sensitive to history? At least someone, perhaps the paint manufacturer, was looking out for our ancestors.