Dying Father at Gettysburg

[Barrycdog]

Expired Image Removed

 

[Tom Elmore]

It was said the vultures did not return to Gettysburg until several months after the battle. Perhaps the intense cannonading drove them away. A few rooting hogs made things uncomfortable for wounded soldiers near the Wheatfield, but most farm animals in the area had been killed as food or incident to the fighting.

 

[Patrick H]

It's a pretty disturbing image. No doubt about it. However, I think it's not nearly as disturbing as what an observer might have actually seen while walking the battlefield.

 

[judi]

Nothing said but am sure that is to be Amos Humiston who died at Gettysburg holding a picture of his 3 children.

 

[Allie]

Oh those ravens. I will never look at ravens the same way again since the time I noticed several dozen birds of prey and vultures circling over a patch of woods near my home and made a joke to my husband that I wondered who was dead back there. Turns out, Lorenzen Wright, an ex-NBA player, was lying dead in a field after being murdered, and there was a manhunt looking for him. I don't follow local news much and didn't know about it until they found him two weeks later. I don't know why the police didn't think to look at the sky. It was obvious something was back there, I just assumed it was a deer.

It's even in the Bible - where the eagles gather, that's where the body is. In modern times it's easy to forget what would have been a regular sight the morning after a battle.

 

[reading48]

Nothing said but am sure that is to be Amos Humiston who died at Gettysburg holding a picture of his 3 children.

Good analogy, and a good eye....Judi

 

[Just Jim]

Artistic license as Humiston died in town. There is a marker where they found his body. Next to present day fire station.

 

[FarawayFriend]

Here is the story of Amos Humiston:
http://www.historynet.com/amos-humiston-union-soldier-who-died-at-the-battle-of-gettysburg.htm

and there is a song about him and the photo on Youtube:

 

[Just Jim]

One of my favorite items in my C.W. collection is one of those CDVs used in 1863 to raise money for the orphanage. The two buildings used for the orphanage still stand next to the National Cemetery and Amos's grave is visited each time I visit Gettysburg. One of the buildings became the Soldiers National Museum which is now closing down after 50 years of operation.