Gettysburg's Umbrella Man

Gettysburg Greg

First Sergeant
Joined
Jun 6, 2010
Location
Decatur, Illinois
On my last trip to Gettysburg, I tried to match the 1889 photograph of General Chamberlain with other 20th Maine veterans posing with their monument on Little Round Top. I initially had trouble getting properly oriented because the monument appears the same from all four sides and I could not find a matching rock or landmark. Finally, I looked more closely at the fella on the very left leaning on his umbrella, "Umrella Man". I could see he was against a rock next to the monument that had wide vertical crack with a small horizontal crack intersecting it. Once I was able to locate this unique feature, the rest of the frame fell into place. Below is the original image along with my matching modern view on which I have pointed out the unique intersecting cracks with arrows. Thanks, Umbrella Man.
UM post1.jpg

UM post2.jpg
 
Nice work, Greg. Speaking of umbrellas ... (John C. Shaler, History of Hampton Battery F, Pennsylvania Artillery) June 26 [1863]. During the day I saw two umbrellas, the only ones I think I ever saw in the army. One belonged to a fancy little captain of a wagon train. He should have been cashiered for carrying it. The other belonged to a diminutive drummer boy and was, I suppose, the gift of some anxious friend, mother or sister perhaps. He should have been at home selling newspapers, instead of out wading through the mud.
 
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