Query On Gettysburg

[observator]

While looking at memorial of Col Richard Thompson 12 NJ

LTC Richard Swain Thompson (1837-1914) - Find a...

Civil War Union Army Officer. He served during the Civil War as Lieutenant Colonel and commander of the 12th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry. At the Battle of Gettysburg he led one of the regiment's costly yet successful charges on the Bliss Farm.

www.findagrave.com

It mentions that this Regiment faught at the "Bliss Farm"
Was this battlefield on the 1st days fighting?

 

[JerryD]

While looking at memorial of Col Richard Thompson 12 NJ

LTC Richard Swain Thompson (1837-1914) - Find a...

Civil War Union Army Officer. He served during the Civil War as Lieutenant Colonel and commander of the 12th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry. At the Battle of Gettysburg he led one of the regiment's costly yet successful charges on the Bliss Farm.

www.findagrave.com

It mentions that this Regiment faught at the "Bliss Farm"
Was this battlefield on the 1st days fighting?

Third day, for the most part. It was a farm located between the two lines that was being used as a sharpshooter/picket location. It was located right by the path of Picketts Charge and is no longer standing.

 

[rpkennedy]

@JerryD has it right. The fighting at the Bliss farm took place from late on July 2 until the buildings were burned by members of the 14th Connecticut late in the morning of July 3.

Ryan

 

[121st PA Vols]

Might be of interest to some of you that part of the access way to the barn or 'bank' is still there. Hence being called Bank Barns, at least in the Gettysburg area they are.

Bliss farm site on the Gettysburg battlefield, with photos and map

The Bliss farm site on the Gettysburg battlefield. Several monuments mark the site of the farm buildings, burned during the battle.

gettysburg.stonesentinels.com

 

[JerryD]

Might be of interest to some of you that part of the access way to the barn or 'bank' is still there. Hence being called Bank Barns, at least in the Gettysburg area they are.

Bliss farm site on the Gettysburg battlefield, with photos and map

The Bliss farm site on the Gettysburg battlefield. Several monuments mark the site of the farm buildings, burned during the battle.

gettysburg.stonesentinels.com

I did not know this! Thanks for the info.

 

[observator]

its about center of Picket charge!

 

[JerryD]

its about center of Picket charge!

Its actually about the middle of the NC troops.

 

[infomanpa]

Might be of interest to some of you that part of the access way to the barn or 'bank' is still there. Hence being called Bank Barns, at least in the Gettysburg area they are.

Bliss farm site on the Gettysburg battlefield, with photos and map

The Bliss farm site on the Gettysburg battlefield. Several monuments mark the site of the farm buildings, burned during the battle.

gettysburg.stonesentinels.com

Right. There is still a bank without the barn.

 

[Tom Elmore]

Elements of the 12th New Jersey made two charges against the Bliss buildings, once on July 2 and once on July 3:

Four companies under Captain Samuel B. Jobes (of Company G) helped captured the barn and 92 prisoners around 5:15 p.m. on July 2.

Five companies under then Captain Richard S. Thompson (of Company K) charged and briefly held the house and barn at 7:30 a.m. on July 3, capturing a Confederate major and four (enlisted) men, but sustaining a loss of two officers and 25 men as casualties.

See also:

Smyth’s 12th New Jersey Reaches the Bliss Barn on the Morning of July 3 | Gettysburg

Five companies of Posey's 16th Mississippi move to the front. Active skirmishing and limited artillery exchanges continue between the opposing forces. Five companies of Smyth's 12th New Jersey advance and capture the Bliss barn under heavy fire, but soon withdraw before a looming counterattack...

civilwartalk.com

 

[observator]

I came across a account of a Maine soldier at Gettysburg who saw a burned barn with corpses..did he mean the Bliss Barn? What CS Unit was in it? Any known casualties?

 

[Tom Elmore]

I came across a account of a Maine soldier at Gettysburg who saw a burned barn with corpses..did he mean the Bliss Barn? What CS Unit was in it? Any known casualties?

One burned barn with corpses was the Sherfy barn, which reportedly accidentally burned under Union artillery fire on July 3 and consumed those within, including wounded Zouaves. The Bliss barn was intentionally set ablaze by Union soldiers on July 3 so that it could no longer be used as an elevated platform by Confederate sharpshooters - anyone in the barn on that occasion was supposedly already dead since the wounded (Union or Confederate) would have been removed beforehand.

 

[mwalker6043]

I came across a account of a Maine soldier at Gettysburg who saw a burned barn with corpses..did he mean the Bliss Barn? What CS Unit was in it? Any known casualties?

July 5th the 20th Maine encamped on the Sherfy farm.

 

[observator]

And the Sherfy farm.was located..? Rebuilt???

 

[rpkennedy]

And the Sherfy farm.was located..? Rebuilt???

The Sherfy farm is about 300 yards north of the Peach Orchard on the west side of the Emmitsburg Road. The house survived but the barn burned to the ground on July 3 when it was struck by an explosive shell. Those unfortunate wounded who could not get out died in the fire. The barn was rebuilt after the battle.

Ryan

 

[CavRTO]

Might be of interest to some of you that part of the access way to the barn or 'bank' is still there. Hence being called Bank Barns, at least in the Gettysburg area they are.

Bliss farm site on the Gettysburg battlefield, with photos and map

The Bliss farm site on the Gettysburg battlefield. Several monuments mark the site of the farm buildings, burned during the battle.

gettysburg.stonesentinels.com

Bank barns are pretty common in PA.