Generals Reynolds and Buford at the McPherson Barn

Gettysburg Greg

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In this fanciful painting, General Buford is seen with General Reynolds at the McPherson Barn on the morning of July 1st, 1863. Although a very interesting representation, I have been informed by the author who literally wrote the book on Buford at Gettysburg, Eric Wittenberg that this meeting never occurred here. As I understand it, Reynolds and Buford were never at this location together. However, it does and makes a nice then and now comparison.
 
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Just about the time you mentioned our esteemed @Eric Wittenberg , I was already asking wha-wha-what is THIS?? I had never read of such meeting, and it seems for good reason :smile: However, it is really neat to be able to definitively recognize a familiar place even in a painting! (Meaning that I don't have to consult any auxiliary brains to place this location)
 
I don't mean to pile on, honest. My first thought was " Isn't everything a little calm for any time Buford and Reynolds could have encountered each other, anyway? Wasn't " the Devil being paid " ? ( sorry, Buford couldn't have put it better without swearing )
 
My opinion, not so much impossible to have occurred, but there is no documentation claiming they were here together, whereas, the meeting at the Seminary is well documented.

I believe that there is some documentation that indicates that after their meeting at the seminary, they went off together to survey troop placement on McPherson Ridge. However, McPherson Ridge can be seen behind the barn at the left, along the tree line in Greg's picture. As I said in my previous post, it would seem unlikely that the generals would have put themselves in such danger by being so far in advance.
 
I tell my students all the time not to look at historical art not as art, but as opinion papers. ...not that I'm a genius breaking new ground here... They were made and are made to sway people to see or believe something in "their" way.
 
So tell me, is it impossible that Buford and Reynolds were together at that spot?

Not that it's impossible but there is no evidence that Reynolds moved that far forward until his death in Herbst Woods (which appears in the background of the painting). Even the location of his death isn't that far forward, although it is close.

Ryan
 
I believe that there is some documentation that indicates that after their meeting at the seminary, they went off together to survey troop placement on McPherson Ridge.
I believe Lt. Calef wrote of Buford & Reynolds riding out on the road toward his position after their meeting at the Seminary. I will have to look for the source as I could find it with a quick search. Reynolds also personally placed Hall's battery later, so I think he was out near the McPherson barn at some point before he was killed even if not with Buford.
 
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