The " Log House "

[JEB]

Maybe somebody can help me out here .

I've got a private tour next month with the relatives of Corporal Thaddeus S. Smith who served in the 35th Pennsylvania Infantry( 6th Pennsylvania Reserve ).

He was one of six men that charged a " log house " that concealed a nest of snipers . All six men were awarded the Medal of Honor .

Obviously this group is going to want to visit the log house . I can't find it . Could it be the Timber's Farm ? Doubtful . I can't seem to find it on any maps or any mention of it other than in this particular incident .

Its got to be somewhere in the Devils Den area because thats where the Union troops were getting shot . Thats all I can figure out thus far . Please Help !

 

[Eagle eye]

JEB…If its the same event that I'm thinking of the building was burned down so the Rebel sharpshooters couldn't use it again. I'm at work but I'll try to help you out when I get home… the building should show up on some period maps of Gettysburg … if I can't find anything just take everyone to the Visitor Center & ask a Guide… that's their job & they love helping people get connected to their ancestors past at Gettysburg.

 

[Eagle eye]

JEB… try this link…

http://www.gettysburg.stonesentinels.com/PA/6PaRes.php

Will show where their monument is located.

 

[JEB]

Thanks Eagle eye .

I'm still at a loss on the whereabouts of the log house . No way it was near the monument in the Wheatfield .

Coddington says the regiment spent time on the summit of the north shoulder of Little Round Top . I'm assuming they were taking fire while waiting for Caldwell and Sweitzer's troops to make it to safety and clear the field of fire . Perhaps thats when Col Ent called for volunteers ? So if the regiment was where Coddington says it was the log house could have been an out building of the Weikert Farm ?

Charles Hanna's GETTYSBURG MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS adds to my confusion . He claims the Union troops being shot by the snipers were " near Devil's Den " . The volunteers had to attack over open ground against a fortified postion manned by Confederates who had proven themselves " deadly accurate sharpshooters " . Hanna calls their attack " a suicide mission ".

 

[reading48]

Confusing, it states a voluntary group charged a small log cabin near D/D housing Confederate sharpshooters....I have never heard this story.
The monument to the 35th is to the North on Wheatfield road West of Crawford Ave. Today's conditions it is, an open field with patches of dense woodlots before reaching D/D. Near where Col. Cross was mortally wounded.... West of Houcks ridge area...Below that area is the triangular field....
If memory serves me right ??????

 

[reading48]

The recipients were ...Chester Furman....John Hart...Wallace Johnson..George Mears...Levi Roush and Thaddeus Smith.

 

[JEB]

I still have no clue .

 

[War Horse]

I can't think of a location near DD that fits. I do know from the tours I've taken the Farnsworth house was used by confederate snipers that killed many Union soldiers. On your visit take a look at the side of the building you can still see over 100 miny ball holes in the two story house. However that's no where near DD.

 

[pamc153PA]

Might be the G.W. Weikert farm just beyond the bottom of the Triangular Field (opposite end from the top of DD). This 4 acre tract was owned by a son of George Weikert whose farm is over near the PA monument. At the time of the battle, there was a house and a barn. In 1868, Weikert sold the farm to John or James Timbers, a free black man. It was he who owned the property when the first survey of the battlefield was being made, so even though Weikert owned it at the time of the battle, it's named the Timbers farm because of this. I haven't heard or read if this was a log house, though.

Somewhere I have a photo of the G.W. Weikert farm. I'll post it if I can find it.

 

[pamc153PA]

Here's the photo of the G.W. Weikert farm, a.k.a. The Timbers farm. The pic is taken from LRT, with the top of Devil's Den in the foreground and the Weikert farm beyond (below the pale field of some crop). However, looking at it now, I don't see a "log house."

 

[pamc153PA]

Thanks to Judi, who went sleuthing and found a reference to the G.W. Weikert farm/Timbers farm as having a log house. I think it might be this reference, which says that John Timbers, after he bought the farm in 1868 added to the "small log house."

http://books.google.com/books?id=-3...page&q=the timbers farm at gettysburg&f=false

 

[JEB]

Thank you everybody .

It can't be The Timbers farm .

The main reason being it was located SO far behind the Confederate lines July 2nd (400 yds west of Devils Den ) it could have never served as a sharpshooters nest .

The location has to be near " the summit of the north shoulder of Little Round Top " where the regiment was located when volenteers were called for .

 

[Bob Velke]

Despite the confusing reference to Devil's Den in the MOH citations, the "log house" was the original John T. Weikert house, according to LBG Gary Kross. It was to the northwest of the current John T. Weikert house and barn (which are to the north of the intersection of Wheatfield Road and Crawford Ave.) in what is now woods and less than 200 yards north of the 6th PA Reserve monument. As the 6th PA Reserves were attempting to advance on the Wheatfield, they were taking sniper fire from their rear which prompted the charge from the six volunteers. According to Gary, the foundation of the original log house can still be found in those woods.

 

[Old Hickory]

I'm not sure I can help, or add confusion here. At the time of the battle, Timbers rented a small farm from Rose, bordering Rose's woods almost due West of Devil's Den about 500- 600yds, and about 400-500yds S-SW of the Wheat Field. It's now overgrown, but a rough foot path leads to it from "The Loop". Nothing there but some foundations now.

I've not seen any marker near the Timbers farm indicating the 6th Reserves took any action there and doubt if sharp shooters could have engaged Union troops from it's location. If anything Timbers farm could have served as an aid station for Confederate wounded.

I do believe Bob is correct in stating it was the J. Weikert house. The citation for the medals makes no mention of the owner of the building/buildings and Pfanz does not mention the incident other than notes in his book.