General Hancock's Last Visit to Gettysburg

Gettysburg Greg

First Sergeant
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Decatur, Illinois
hancock final.jpg

General Winfield Scott Hancock visited Gettysburg for the last time in November of 1885 just three months before he died. He posed for photographs at his designated wounding site which he claimed was incorrect as well as at the High Water Mark in front of the Copse of Trees. In the then and now below, the General is seen standing at left center on the future Hancock Avenue in front of the Copse as it appeared just 22 years after the battle. Gettysburg battlefield historian John Bachelder is standing second from the left. The now shot is a similar view I happen to have taken, though not a perfect match to Tipton's 1885 photograph.
 
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Hancock is sixth from the left, correct?

Surrounded by the cream of the crop of the Gettysburg profiteers like Levi Mumper, operator of the Devil's Den photo studio, first from left; next to Bachelder, second from the left. Might take me a while to put some names in some of the other faces :wink:
 
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General Winfield Scott Hancock visited Gettysburg for the last time in November of 1885 just three months before he died. He posed for photographs at his designated wounding site which he claimed was incorrect as well as at the High Water Mark in front of the Copse of Trees. In the then and now below, the General is seen standing at left center on the future Hancock Avenue in front of the Copse as it appeared just 22 years after the battle. Gettysburg battlefield historian John Bachelder is standing second from the left. The now shot is a similar view I happen to have taken, though not a perfect match to Tipton's 1885 photograph.
I remember reading most especially that the high water-mark/Armistead stone was in the wrong place... Did Hancock indicate where these should have been? That spot gave me chills when I was there 8 years ago. My kids thought I was nuts for getting emotional but I'll never forget that place. I consciously felt nervous about where I stepped, like there were bodies on the ground.... Great pictures!
 
I remember reading most especially that the high water-mark/Armistead stone was in the wrong place... Did Hancock indicate where these should have been?

Hancock was dead by when those memorials were placed. Also, Hancock was injured and in a hospital during the part of Pickett's charge that Armistead broke through the lines, so he wouldn't have known.
 
However as per this article he knew that whatever markers placed by 1882 were in the wrong places. That's what I'm curious about because I'm certain I've read in other sources that the High Water-Mark stone is incorrectly placed .
 
However as per this article he knew that whatever markers placed by 1882 were in the wrong places. That's what I'm curious about because I'm certain I've read in other sources that the High Water-Mark stone is incorrectly placed .

How much time do you have? :wink:

Most of the markers at the battlefield are not precisely placed.

The "High Watermark" is Bachelder's fantasy, along with the Copse of Trees, and there were placed where he felt like it. There are zero contemporary accounts regarding those things.

At that particular area, for sure the Vermont markers are off. Across the Ridge the CSA brigade markers are even worse off.

Hancock would not have known that (he was not at the are at the time.) Also: just one day in one person's life. Getting back to that place 10+ years afterwards and try to identify stuff is an impossible exercise. But that's what Bachelder did. He was a painter, he did not know better.

PS. Cedar Rapids? Way Cool! Go Kernels! (Twins' fan here)
 
You must have read another post I made.
Yep. I've been in Cedar Rapids since I was little. Born up in the Twin Cities so I have been to quite a few Twins and Vikings games. Nice chatting with you!

I agree with everything you said except that Hancock couldnt have clearly remembered details from possibly the most critical and life-changing day of his life... As well, military guys remember that stuff on a higher level than we mere mortals. Plus I'm sure like many combat veterans when he was alone with his thoughts those moments were repeated in his mind vividly a million times
 
I agree with everything you said except that Hancock couldnt have clearly remembered details from possibly the most critical and life-changing day of his life... As well, military guys remember that stuff on a higher level than we mere mortals. Plus I'm sure like many combat veterans when he was alone with his thoughts those moments were repeated in his mind vividly a million times

Often, as Shakespeare has Henry V say, "With improvements" ;-)
 
I remember More than one documentary stating that both Armisted and Hancock were wounded only yards from each other. Yet those markers are at least a football field apart if I'm remembering correctly.

Yep, Hancock is a long walk down the road from Armistead. Hancock's marker feels out of the way from the main area you can easily miss it if your not looking for it.
 
What came to be called the Copse of Trees was a thin thicket that extended all the way to the wall. Somewhat larger than today but thinner.

Ryan
Here is a blow up that shows the Copse I made from Brady's panorama taken from Little Round Top. Open to interpretation of course, but it does appear to a grouping. Whether it runs to the wall is not clear.
brady1.jpg
 
Interesting i was unaware of that. So the reality today is that is only a piece of the original copse.

None of the trees that were there during the battle survive today. Supposedly the trees that are there today (according to the official guard stories) are the children and grandchildren of those trees.

Re: thickness. Winter is the best time to assess that. There are 8 or 9 trees depending how one counts. The "thickness" is primarily weeds and bushes in the spring to fall time.

The one other thing that is missing today and was there and can bee seen in the 1863 picture above, is a continuous line of threes from the Ziegler grove to about where the MN memorial is today. But, of course, that makes the "copse" much less distinguished from a mile and a half away and that does not go well with Bachelder's fairy tales, thus (other than the one at the ankle) the area was cleaned from trees
 
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fascinating stuff everyone. amazing the things still to learn. it's frustrating sometimes trying to piece together things when the field is so different now. that's why I love the T&N's they help a lot.
 
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