- Joined
- Dec 30, 2019
Now that the crops have been harvested from the farm fields on the Gettysburg Battlefield, visitors can see many things that have been hidden all summer. One item recently caught my eye while giving a tour. I thought I saw a stone that was much too perfect a cube to be a random piece of rock. Upon closer investigation, it proved to be a flank marker. Specifically, it purported to be the Right Flank marker for the the 120th NY, located in about the middle of a field east of the 120th's monument on Sickles Avenue where it passes east of the Klingle House.
The Left Flank marker is located at the edge of Sickles Avenue just south of the regiment's monument. In the below photo the Left Flank marker is near the road and the Right Flank marker is out in the field. The camera is looking east toward Cemetery Ridge.
However, if these flank markers are in the right place, then the 120th NY would be facing in a generally northerly direction. Certainly, they were faced in a generally southerly direction and engaged with Barksdale's Mississippians. Therefore, it appears that the flank markers for the 120th NY are reversed. Incidentally, the casualty reports, suggest that they fought with some stubbornness, as they lost nearly 48% of their strength.
The Left Flank marker is located at the edge of Sickles Avenue just south of the regiment's monument. In the below photo the Left Flank marker is near the road and the Right Flank marker is out in the field. The camera is looking east toward Cemetery Ridge.
However, if these flank markers are in the right place, then the 120th NY would be facing in a generally northerly direction. Certainly, they were faced in a generally southerly direction and engaged with Barksdale's Mississippians. Therefore, it appears that the flank markers for the 120th NY are reversed. Incidentally, the casualty reports, suggest that they fought with some stubbornness, as they lost nearly 48% of their strength.