Vignette 'The Shultz House'

virginiaworm

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Last time I was in Gettysburg I headed out of town on West Middle Street, towards the Fairfield Rd and the First Day's battle fields. I stopped opposite of the Shultz House. I had not known previously that the house
originally belong to Herman Haupt. He was a West Point grad and became a General for a short time during the war. An Engineer and RR man, he was in charge of Military RR's for the Union. Apparently did a good job.

So, before I ramble on... I thought I could make a post out of this 'stop' along Seminary Ridge. Since the home itself is private I parked near the Seminary and walked a bit. It is 250 yds South of the Seminary building.

5 reasons to stop and visit the area of the Shultz House. OK, maybe 6...

1. The building itself still has 2 cannonballs stuck in it. It originally belonged to Gen. of Railroads Hermann Haupt an interesting guy. It belonged to the Shultz family during the battle. It's location on the South end of the first days activities makes it 'an off the beaten path' place to investigate.

2. In front of the Shultz house is the 'second' monument to the 149th Pa. Also known as the Company D monument. It marks where the company that formed the Provost guard was located when they tried to rejoin the regiment. A last stand took place here late in the afternoon. Rarely visited in my opinion.
Esteemed CWT member Pamc153pa already has a previous insightful post about the 149th on the first day mainly near the center of the First Corps line, but also includes the monument to Co. D and Shultz house in a pic
Learn more. http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/149th-pa-at-gettysburg.90596/

3. Buford's Cavalry. Do we need an excuse to talk a little more about Gambles brigade? They protected
the left flank of 1st Corps once they pulled off the line at McPhersons Ridge. They were still quite active in the afternoon here. Gambles dismounted troopers were in position near the Stone wall west of the house.
You'll have to refer to a map, but this area's fighting was very interesting as Lanes brigade in the final push of the afternoon maneuvered to outflank the Federals. Directly in front of you facing west down the Fairfield Road a piece would be the area that E Wittenberg, another CWT poster, points out Pettigrews Brigade formed a hollow square earlier around 1pm prior to the final push. For more info on Lanes Brigade and Pettigrew's 1pm approach. see : http://civilwarcavalry.com/?p=3578

4. 'Brecks Battery' is diagonal across the road intersection from the Shultz house. Brecks??
I did not realize they are referring to Reynolds battery in the Gottfried and Laino map books. Reynolds was previously wounded and turned over the battery. Interestingly he did stay with the battery for a period as they fell back to this position. One section was sent north by Wainright (Wilbur's) to the Cashtown rd.
I did not know that. This battery is I think the farthest left flank battery with Calefs during the final afternoon attacks of Lane, Perrin, Scales. Wainright is present here a good bit. This is where Wainright confuses Seminary and Cemetery locations! He keeps batteries here past the point they should have fallen back....because he did not know Seminary and Cemetery were two different locations. Good reading.
Brecks 2 sections will actually move northward when relieved to hook up with Wilburs section and they will attempt to move to the rear on the Chambersburg pike. I believe 1 tube is lost when all its horses are shot down.

5. General Rowley. I believe the area South of the Seminary near the Shultz House was the area the staff of Rowley gathered and spent much time not directing 3rd Division. Unlike General Robinson North of the Chamberburg Pike who moved his brigades rather well... Rowley appears to have left much of the decision making to Doubleday who was supposed to be in charge of 1st Corps. Rowley on July 1 has controversy swirling around him by his actions. Some accuse him of being drunk. Good reading if you have time.

6? Just trivia. But just a few houses down from the Shultz house is Red Patch. Built after the war by General Collis who was not present for the battle due to typoid fever. See 114th Pennsylvania Infantry, known as Collis’ Zouaves. A MOH winner. From what I was told in my first tour at Gettysburg many years ago by Col Sheads... 'this cottage was quite the party place back in the day'. I always smile a bit when I go by there. Party on General...


In Summary...

On the First Days battlefield, if looking at the Union 1st Corps activity many visitors gravitate towards the very active center of the line near the Chambersburg Pike, McPhersons woods and the RR cut. Rightly so as it was a hot place to be. I myself spend a lot of time examining the Right of the 1st Corps line with Cutler and Robinson positions north to the Mummasburg Rd.

I think the underrated and 'off the beaten path area' of July 1 is the area South of the Seminary. The left flank of the 1st Corps. There is quite a bit of good reading on this portion of the field.

I would like to see if there are anymore items that others can think of that would illuminate some of the activities here on this Southern portion of the Day 1 line. Possibly more info on individuals or Regiments of Biddles Brigade. For example the 151st Pa's stand, or Wilbur's section in its advanced position on the McPherson farm? Any comments on Rowleys performance are welcomed.
 
Last time I was in Gettysburg I headed out of town on West Middle Street, towards the Fairfield Rd and the First Day's battle fields. I stopped opposite of the Shultz House. I had not known previously that the house
originally belong to Herman Haupt. He was a West Point grad and became a General for a short time during the war. An Engineer and RR man, he was in charge of Military RR's for the Union. Apparently did a good job.

So, before I ramble on... I thought I could make a post out of this 'stop' along Seminary Ridge. Since the home itself is private I parked near the Seminary and walked a bit. It is 250 yds South of the Seminary building.

5 reasons to stop and visit the area of the Shultz House. OK, maybe 6...

1. The building itself still has 2 cannonballs stuck in it. It originally belonged to Gen. of Railroads Hermann Haupt an interesting guy. It belonged to the Shultz family during the battle. It's location on the South end of the first days activities makes it 'an off the beaten path' place to investigate.

2. In front of the Shultz house is the 'second' monument to the 149th Pa. Also known as the Company D monument. It marks where the company that formed the Provost guard was located when they tried to rejoin the regiment. A last stand took place here late in the afternoon. Rarely visited in my opinion.
Esteemed CWT member Pamc153pa already has a previous insightful post about the 149th on the first day mainly near the center of the First Corps line, but also includes the monument to Co. D and Shultz house in a pic
Learn more. http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/149th-pa-at-gettysburg.90596/

3. Buford's Cavalry. Do we need an excuse to talk a little more about Gambles brigade? They protected
the left flank of 1st Corps once they pulled off the line at McPhersons Ridge. They were still quite active in the afternoon here. Gambles dismounted troopers were in position near the Stone wall west of the house.
You'll have to refer to a map, but this area's fighting was very interesting as Lanes brigade in the final push of the afternoon maneuvered to outflank the Federals. Directly in front of you facing west down the Fairfield Road a piece would be the area that E Wittenberg, another CWT poster, points out Pettigrews Brigade formed a hollow square earlier around 1pm prior to the final push. For more info on Lanes Brigade and Pettigrew's 1pm approach. see : http://civilwarcavalry.com/?p=3578

4. 'Brecks Battery' is diagonal across the road intersection from the Shultz house. Brecks??
I did not realize they are referring to Reynolds battery in the Gottfried and Laino map books. Reynolds was previously wounded and turned over the battery. Interestingly he did stay with the battery for a period as they fell back to this position. One section was sent north by Wainright (Wilbur's) to the Cashtown rd.
I did not know that. This battery is I think the farthest left flank battery with Calefs during the final afternoon attacks of Lane, Perrin, Scales. Wainright is present here a good bit. This is where Wainright confuses Seminary and Cemetery locations! He keeps batteries here past the point they should have fallen back....because he did not know Seminary and Cemetery were two different locations. Good reading.
Brecks 2 sections will actually move northward when relieved to hook up with Wilburs section and they will attempt to move to the rear on the Chambersburg pike. I believe 1 tube is lost when all its horses are shot down.

5. General Rowley. I believe the area South of the Seminary near the Shultz House was the area the staff of Rowley gathered and spent much time not directing 3rd Division. Unlike General Robinson North of the Chamberburg Pike who moved his brigades rather well... Rowley appears to have left much of the decision making to Doubleday who was supposed to be in charge of 1st Corps. Rowley on July 1 has controversy swirling around him by his actions. Some accuse him of being drunk. Good reading if you have time.

6? Just trivia. But just a few houses down from the Shultz house is Red Patch. Built after the war by General Collis who was not present for the battle due to typoid fever. See 114th Pennsylvania Infantry, known as Collis’ Zouaves. A MOH winner. From what I was told in my first tour at Gettysburg many years ago by Col Sheads... 'this cottage was quite the party place back in the day'. I always smile a bit when I go by there. Party on General...


In Summary...

On the First Days battlefield, if looking at the Union 1st Corps activity many visitors gravitate towards the very active center of the line near the Chambersburg Pike, McPhersons woods and the RR cut. Rightly so as it was a hot place to be. I myself spend a lot of time examining the Right of the 1st Corps line with Cutler and Robinson positions north to the Mummasburg Rd.

I think the underrated and 'off the beaten path area' of July 1 is the area South of the Seminary. The left flank of the 1st Corps. There is quite a bit of good reading on this portion of the field.

I would like to see if there are anymore items that others can think of that would illuminate some of the activities here on this Southern portion of the Day 1 line. Possibly more info on individuals or Regiments of Biddles Brigade. For example the 151st Pa's stand, or Wilbur's section in its advanced position on the McPherson farm? Any comments on Rowleys performance are welcomed.

Nice post!

I love the Shultz house, but it's at a lousy spot if you want to look it over, unless, like you did, you park and walk to it. I usually park in the gravel pull-off in front of what I call a Confederate Row--all of the brigade plaques lined up across the street from the Armory. And the 149th monument there at the corner--same thing, terrible spot unless you want to get run over. It took me ages to get a good photo of it.

Those of us who were lucky enough to take Eric Wittenberg's Buford tour in June visited the site of Gamble's brigade here, and got to hear Eric's explanation "live," so to speak. It was an area I wasn't familiar with until then.

A few years ago, after the NPS cleared the field there, they uncovered previously undiscovered Confederate earthworks. You can find them by looking for the tall weeds from north to south about the middle of the field, from woods to woods. I've walked the length of them, and it's neat, since there aren't many remaining original works on the battlefield.
 
Shultz House:

This Seminary Ridge battlefield home was built in 1837 by Herman Haupt. It was named Oakridge by Haupt. It would serve as his young family's residence until he sold it in 1852. Today, it is known as the Shultz House after the family who resided in it during the Battle of Gettysburg. The home was expanded in 1898 with the Queen Ann Victoria features being added. The home is still a private residence today.

image.jpg
 
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