Following Alexander Gardner at Devils' Den (Graphic!)

Gardner on Little Round Top
2b2093astonebreastworkslrtsummit140thny1863110.jpg


During our most recent September to Remember visit to the battlefield, during the Little Round Top presentation, I took the opportunity to wander away where I was rewarded by my discovery of the marked location for another of Alexander Gardner's photographs, the one above of Union Breastworks on Little Round Top.

DSC05154.JPG


They appear on the NPS sign above; below, their location can easily be discerned from Gardner's photo, taken from almost the same spot.

DSC05155.JPG


The Famous Rose Farm Photos Showing Confederate Dead
Gettybattle0630Gettysburg-RoseFarm01-jpg.JPG


Last year I had been thwarted in my efforts to find the exact location of the famous group of Gardner's photos like the one above showing dead Confederates laid out for burial, but this time I actually almost literally stumbled across the spot while taking a side drive on the NPS auto tour through the Rose Woods on the southwestern edge of the Wheatfield.

DSC05190.JPG


Another somewhat dim NPS sign seen above alongside a small pull-over at the edge of the woods indicated that the searched-for spot was located in the clearing just across the fence; below, a better look at it.

DSC05186.JPG


DSC05187.JPG


I didn't bother climbing over the fence or attempting to locate the "exact" angles or locations where Gardner had made his photos from, lacking as I did this time a copy of Frassinito's book. The view above seems to be looking in the opposite direction from Gardner's photo below; the current line of trees appears to be in the same location as in the historic photos.

30198d31b313868b4fb3ce9a994b8a7f--gettysburg-battlefield-wheat-fields.jpg


The view below is merely in the opposite direction as my one above and likely shows (again seen from the opposite direction) the area seen in the first of Gardner's Rose Farm photos at the top of this entry.

DSC05188.JPG


This pull-over also featured the unit marker for Kershaw's Brigade, to which the fatalities featured in the photos, or at least some of them, may have belonged. The clearing is in the background just across the fence from the marker.

DSC05189.JPG
 
Last edited:
Gardner on Little Round Top
View attachment 161229

During our most recent September to Remember visit to the battlefield, during the Little Round Top presentation, I took the opportunity to wander away where I was rewarded by my discovery of the marked location for another of Alexander Gardner's photographs, the one above of Union Breastworks on Little Round Top.

View attachment 161230

They appear on the NPS sign above; below, their location can easily be discerned from Gardner's photo, taken from almost the same spot.

View attachment 161231

The Famous Rose Farm Photos Showing Confederate Dead
View attachment 161238

Last year I had been thwarted in my efforts to find the exact location of the famous group of Gardner's photos like the one above showing dead Confederates laid out for burial, but this time I actually almost literally stumbled across the spot while taking a side drive on the NPS auto tour through the Rose Woods on the southwestern edge of the Wheatfield.

View attachment 161237

Another somewhat dim NPS sign seen above alongside a small pull-over at the edge of the woods indicated that the searched-for spot was located in the clearing just across the fence; below, a better look at it.

View attachment 161233

View attachment 161234

I didn't bother climbing over the fence or attempting to locate the "exact" angles or locations where Gardner had made his photos from, lacking as I did this time a copy of Frassinito's book. The view above seems to be looking in the opposite direction from Gardner's photo below; the current line of trees appears to be in the same location as in the historic photos.

View attachment 161239

The view below is merely in the opposite direction as my one above and likely shows (again seen from the opposite direction) the area seen in the first of Gardner's Rose Farm photos at the top of this entry.

View attachment 161235

This pull-over also featured the unit marker for Kershaw's Brigade, to which the fatalities featured in the photos, or at least some of them, may have belonged. The clearing is in the background just across the fence from the marker.

View attachment 161236
Those are great pictures James. Wish I had been there with you.
 
rose t&N.jpg
Gardner on Little Round Top
View attachment 161229

During our most recent September to Remember visit to the battlefield, during the Little Round Top presentation, I took the opportunity to wander away where I was rewarded by my discovery of the marked location for another of Alexander Gardner's photographs, the one above of Union Breastworks on Little Round Top.

View attachment 161230

They appear on the NPS sign above; below, their location can easily be discerned from Gardner's photo, taken from almost the same spot.

View attachment 161231

The Famous Rose Farm Photos Showing Confederate Dead
View attachment 161238

Last year I had been thwarted in my efforts to find the exact location of the famous group of Gardner's photos like the one above showing dead Confederates laid out for burial, but this time I actually almost literally stumbled across the spot while taking a side drive on the NPS auto tour through the Rose Woods on the southwestern edge of the Wheatfield.

View attachment 161237

Another somewhat dim NPS sign seen above alongside a small pull-over at the edge of the woods indicated that the searched-for spot was located in the clearing just across the fence; below, a better look at it.

View attachment 161233

View attachment 161234

I didn't bother climbing over the fence or attempting to locate the "exact" angles or locations where Gardner had made his photos from, lacking as I did this time a copy of Frassinito's book. The view above seems to be looking in the opposite direction from Gardner's photo below; the current line of trees appears to be in the same location as in the historic photos.

View attachment 161239

The view below is merely in the opposite direction as my one above and likely shows (again seen from the opposite direction) the area seen in the first of Gardner's Rose Farm photos at the top of this entry.

View attachment 161235

This pull-over also featured the unit marker for Kershaw's Brigade, to which the fatalities featured in the photos, or at least some of them, may have belonged. The clearing is in the background just across the fence from the marker.

View attachment 161236
Great shots, James N. I always spend a lot of time in the Rose pasture when I'm in GB. I have located most of the camera positions. Here are a couple of then and nows using the photos you just posted.
vee1.jpg
 
View attachment 161255
Great shots, James N. I always spend a lot of time in the Rose pasture when I'm in GB. I have located most of the camera positions. Here are a couple of then and nows using the photos you just posted.
View attachment 161254
Yours are great shots too. Must be an eerie feeling walking the fields and standing in those spots where the soldiers were laid out for burial. Not sure I could make myself stand there.
 
Yours are great shots too. Must be an eerie feeling walking the fields and standing in those spots where the soldiers were laid out for burial. Not sure I could make myself stand there.


I must say that I never have felt more reverence than being on The Rose Farm in the area of The Split Rock. It is an awe inspiring experience that truely must be experienced by any Gettysburg fan. There are many markers that memorialize souls who died on the Battlefield. Fuller, Chapman, Merwin, Acheson, Palmer, Reynolds, etc.. However the historic photo locations of these unknown soldiers is especially touching. Obviously the Rocks of Gettysburg provide a conclusive anchor documenting the actual location of their moment they met death.

I previouly mentioned in this thread Jack Kunkle's Gettysburg photography book. It has better quality historic photos and more importantly provides GPS coordinates for the photo location. Using the photo numbers in the book, you can go to his website that has Google satellite maps pinpointing the photo location. It really is a superior tool for finding the photo locations. You do have to crawl over a fence and possibly dodge horses or cows and their droppings to get to this location. But it is such a rewarding experience.

From the Split Rock area, when the leaves are off the trees, you can see both Round Tops, The Rose Farm house, the Rose Woods and in the distance The Peach Orchard. And with a short walk you can be in The Wheatfield. What a wonderful spot to reflect on the brutality of those fateful 3 days in 1863. Photos are great, but you have to experience the location by actually being there. Absolutely magical. Please use these posts to motivate yourself to visit these locations.
 
I must say that I never have felt more reverence than being on The Rose Farm in the area of The Split Rock. It is an awe inspiring experience that truely must be experienced by any Gettysburg fan. There are many markers that memorialize souls who died on the Battlefield. Fuller, Chapman, Merwin, Acheson, Palmer, Reynolds, etc.. However the historic photo locations of these unknown soldiers is especially touching. Obviously the Rocks of Gettysburg provide a conclusive anchor documenting the actual location of their moment they met death.

I previouly mentioned in this thread Jack Kunkle's Gettysburg photography book. It has better quality historic photos and more importantly provides GPS coordinates for the photo location. Using the photo numbers in the book, you can go to his website that has Google satellite maps pinpointing the photo location. It really is a superior tool for finding the photo locations. You do have to crawl over a fence and possibly dodge horses or cows and their droppings to get to this location. But it is such a rewarding experience.

From the Split Rock area, when the leaves are off the trees, you can see both Round Tops, The Rose Farm house, the Rose Woods and in the distance The Peach Orchard. And with a short walk you can be in The Wheatfield. What a wonderful spot to reflect on the brutality of those fateful 3 days in 1863. Photos are great, but you have to experience the location by actually being there. Absolutely magical. Please use these posts to motivate yourself to visit these locations.
The motivation is already there. Don't have enough vacation days in a year to hit all the places I wanna go. I live in the Houston area and I've only been doing this a little over 3 years. The to-do list is still quite lengthy. :smile:
 
The motivation is already there. Don't have enough vacation days in a year to hit all the places I wanna go. I live in the Houston area and I've only been doing this a little over 3 years. The to-do list is still quite lengthy. :smile:

I hear you. I have been there a lot since 1966 and I still have a to-do list. Amazing that a 3 day battle can create such an extensive to do list. It becomes a live long hobby/passion. I hope you can visit often enough to keep pecking away at your list. Good luck.
 
I must say that I never have felt more reverence than being on The Rose Farm in the area of The Split Rock. It is an awe inspiring experience that truely must be experienced by any Gettysburg fan... the historic photo locations of these unknown soldiers is especially touching. Obviously the Rocks of Gettysburg provide a conclusive anchor documenting the actual location of their moment they met death.

... You do have to crawl over a fence and possibly dodge horses or cows and their droppings to get to this location. But it is such a rewarding experience.

From the Split Rock area, when the leaves are off the trees, you can see both Round Tops, The Rose Farm house, the Rose Woods and in the distance The Peach Orchard. And with a short walk you can be in The Wheatfield. What a wonderful spot to reflect on the brutality of those fateful 3 days in 1863. Photos are great, but you have to experience the location by actually being there. Absolutely magical. Please use these posts to motivate yourself to visit these locations.

Wallyfish, this nicely summarizes my feelings about the locations I've featured in this thread too. Last year when I decided I wanted to try to locate these spots I didn't persist at the Rose Farm because I had only a vague idea where this was on the farm and for some reason I either didn't think or trust that it was accessible from the NPS drive. We went as far as the house itself before turning back, unsure of exactly in what direction to go. (Frassinito's maps are more like diagrams, and I'd never heard of this other source until now.) Indeed, it was muddy and we didn't know how far or where to look, so I rather quickly decided to maximize our time by going directly to my alternative choice, Devil's Den, with the satisfactory results shown here. Even so, this time I wasn't sure until I realized the Rose House could be glimpsed through the trees from this stop on Brooke Avenue, making this year's find the icing on the cake!
 
Last edited:
Wallyfish, this nicely summarizes my feelings about the locations I've featured in this thread too. Last year when I decided I wanted to try to locate these spots I didn't persist at the Rose Farm because I had only a vague idea where this was on the farm and for some reason I either didn't think or trust that it was accessible from the NPS drive. We went as far as the house itself before turning back, unsure of exactly in what direction to go. (Frassinito's maps are more like diagrams, and I'd never heard of this other source until now.) Indeed, it was muddy and we didn't know how far or where to look, so I rather quickly decided to maximize our time by going directly to my alternative choice, Devil's Den, with the satisfactory results shown here. Even so, I wasn't sure until I realized the Rose House could be glimpsed through the trees from this stop, making this year's find the icing on the cake!
Wallyfish, this nicely summarizes my feelings about the locations I've featured in this thread too. Last year when I decided I wanted to try to locate these spots I didn't persist at the Rose Farm because I had only a vague idea where this was on the farm and for some reason I either didn't think or trust that it was accessible from the NPS drive. We went as far as the house itself before turning back, unsure of exactly in what direction to go. (Frassinito's maps are more like diagrams, and I'd never heard of this other source until now.) Indeed, it was muddy and we didn't know how far or where to look, so I rather quickly decided to maximize our time by going directly to my alternative choice, Devil's Den, with the satisfactory results shown here. Even so, I wasn't sure until I realized the Rose House could be glimpsed through the trees from this stop, making this year's find the icing on the cake!
Split Rock.jpg
 
For those who have not been there in awhile, the NPS recently installed two turn style type access gates so you don't have to hop the fence anymore. People can get through but horses can't.


Great news. Getting too old for fence climbing. Where exactly are these gates? Every year access to the Split Rock area changes a bit. Last April, I had to walk a decent way north of the Split Rock to find an access point. I am going out again in early December and I hate wasting time attempting to find a place to scale the fence. Over the last 15 years or so, a visit to this area is a mandatory stop on every trip. Thanks for informing us of the gates.
 
Great news. Getting too old for fence climbing. Where exactly are these gates? Every year access to the Split Rock area changes a bit. Last April, I had to walk a decent way north of the Split Rock to find an access point. I am going out again in early December and I hate wasting time attempting to find a place to scale the fence. Over the last 15 years or so, a visit to this area is a mandatory stop on every trip. Thanks for informing us of the gates.
One is on the west side and the other south east side of the fence. If you are coming from the house, just walk along the fence line till you come to it. The other one from the Brooke Ave. side is near the split rock I think, I haven't used that one yet.
 
Back
Top