1913 Reunion T&N

[Gettysburg Greg]

On the right is a photograph probably from the 50th anniversary in 1913 showing a Confederate veteran sitting on a flank marker near the Arnold's Battery monument on Hancock Avenue. The carriage of tourists turning onto Webb Avenue has apparently stopped long enough to be included in the photograph. In the background is the famous Copse of Trees. Though surely just coincidental, notice that the spokes on the gun carriage in my modern photo match up perfectly with the 1913 photo.

 

[alexjack]

Any idea why the wall was higher in the older photo Greg?

 

[Gettysburg Greg]

Any idea why the wall was higher in the older photo Greg?

Park Ranger Chuck Teague addressed the difference in the height and I was a bit surprised at what he said, I would have thought that the higher wall seen in the 1913 pic was closer to the 1863 appearance, However, Chuck says: "The Angle today is manicured lawn, as it would appear in 1913, with some leveling having been done, not the rough ground experienced during the battle. The stone wall today is rough-piled stones along what was a boundary line, as it was in 1863. I personally think that is a good compromise. Carefully fitting the stones to build a waist-high wall would give a false impression of what it was like when Yankees defended it and Rebels crossed it."

 

[alexjack]

Ok thanks.

 

[MRB1863]

Though surely just coincidental, notice that the spokes on the gun carriage in my modern photo match up perfectly with the 1913 photo.

You have me wondering now...is it coincidence or perhaps the 1913 photo was used for reference???

 

[Tom Elmore]

Arnold's battery of six guns (except for one piece) pulled out towards the end of the cannonade preceding the charge, and the now vacant space was filled by the 14th Connecticut, which shifted left from behind the 1st Delaware, but they only had enough men to form a single line. It seems the 14th's soldiers took the few moments that remained to place loose stones back atop the wall. Here's what some of the participants had to say about that wall:

- "fallen stone wall" (Lt. John T. Dent, 1st Delaware, Official Report)

- "low stone wall" (William T. Seville, History of the First Regiment Delaware Volunteers)

- "low stone wall" (Maj. Theodore G. Ellis, 14th Connecticut, Official Report)

- "loose stone wall" and "wall built on a ledge of rocks" (Charles D. Page, History of the Fourteenth Regiment Connecticut Vol. Infantry)

- "low stone wall" (Maj. Dunn Browne's Experiences in the Army. Dunn Browne was the pen name of Capt. Samuel Fiske, 14th Connecticut)

- "wall a simple affair ... but the men crouched down by it as their only friendly shelter" and "piling a little the thrown down stones of the wall" (Chaplain H. S. Stevens, Souvenir or Excursion to Battlefields, by the Society of the Fourteenth Connecticut Infantry)

- "directly along the front of the guns ran a wall north and south composed of brownish ironstone" (Thomas M. Aldrich, The History of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Artillery"

 

[CheathamHill]

Love the before and after stuff..
Just for fun..I did a quick kinda rough little edit on an app on my phone and transported our veteran to the modern view so he can see that the hollowed ground..HIS hollowed ground... is still cared for and appreciated.

 

[Gettysburg Greg]

Love the before and after stuff..
Just for fun..I did a quick kinda rough little edit on an app on my phone and transported our veteran to the modern view so he can see that the hollowed ground..HIS hollowed ground... is still cared for and appreciated.

Interesting that you thought of this because I've done the same thing, but in B&W. Good job on the blend!

 

[Gettysburg Greg]

Arnold's battery of six guns (except for one piece) pulled out towards the end of the cannonade preceding the charge, and the now vacant space was filled by the 14th Connecticut, which shifted left from behind the 1st Delaware, but they only had enough men to form a single line. It seems the 14th's soldiers took the few moments that remained to place loose stones back atop the wall. Here's what some of the participants had to say about that wall:

- "fallen stone wall" (Lt. John T. Dent, 1st Delaware, Official Report)

- "low stone wall" (William T. Seville, History of the First Regiment Delaware Volunteers)

- "low stone wall" (Maj. Theodore G. Ellis, 14th Connecticut, Official Report)

- "loose stone wall" and "wall built on a ledge of rocks" (Charles D. Page, History of the Fourteenth Regiment Connecticut Vol. Infantry)

- "low stone wall" (Maj. Dunn Browne's Experiences in the Army. Dunn Browne was the pen name of Capt. Samuel Fiske, 14th Connecticut)

- "wall a simple affair ... but the men crouched down by it as their only friendly shelter" and "piling a little the thrown down stones of the wall" (Chaplain H. S. Stevens, Souvenir or Excursion to Battlefields, by the Society of the Fourteenth Connecticut Infantry)

- "directly along the front of the guns ran a wall north and south composed of brownish ironstone" (Thomas M. Aldrich, The History of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Artillery"

Tom, I love these first hand accounts, thanks. Just to add to the discussion, Tipton photographed this wall in 1882, just 19 years after the battle. Check out the pick for yourself, but it appears to me to be somewhat higher than seen in my modern photo. What do you think?

 

[nitrofd]

The 1882 pic looks almost waist high.

 

[Gettysburg Greg]

The 1882 pic looks almost waist high.

Here is how the wall was represented in the Cyclorama, at least waist high.

 

[Tom Elmore]

It appears more like chest high to that fellow in the 1882 image, who seems to be mimicking the stance of the soldier in the painting. Of course, the best sources are the actual participants of the battle. I notice none of them mention the height of the "low" wall, but if it was fallen down in places it would be of varying height along its length. If it had been chest high, Battery A's barrels would have barely cleared the top.

 

[7th Texas Mounted Rifles]

Cool thread.

Next time I make it to Gettysburg, I plan to try and do a 'Then & Now' for alot of the images out of this: