Union "Casualties" at Table Rock-November 1863

Gettysburg Greg

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Joined
Jun 6, 2010
Location
Decatur, Illinois
weaver2.jpg


This is probably the best known of Weaver's November 1863 series of images depicting Union soldiers laying among the rocks of Devil's Den pretending to be casualties. Here they are sprawled out in front of Table Rock with the Valley of Death and Little Round Top visible to the right. Weaver's ruse was so successful that even today this image can be found on the internet captioned as actual Gettysburg casualties. Notice the rock in the background just to the right of Table Rock has a bush growing on top of it. In my modern photo, you can see that this rock became the base for the 4th Maine's monument
 
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Good stuff.

The verbiage was previously posted by Pam in an old CWTpost on this Weaver Photo.

This view was taken by Peter S. Weaver, on November 11, 1863. It is looking northeastward toward Little Round Top from Devil's Den. It depicts 9 Union soldiers posing as dead on the Gettysburg battlefield with Doctors Lyford (standing at left) and Chamberlain (standing at right) looking over this staged scene of carnage. One of the posed dead is Musician Jacob Shenkel, Co. L, 62nd Pennsylvania Infantry. He is lying below the man with the wide brimmed hat (Dr. Chamberlain). During the battle, Shenkel helped to attend to the wounded. He was among those ordered to stay behind in Gettysburg after the battle, and in the nearly 5 months he remained there, he served as hospital attendant, first at the 5th Corps field hospital, and then at the general hospital at Camp Letterman. He was one of those who witnessed President Lincoln deliver his immortal Gettysburg Address during the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery, Nov. 19, 1863. This view is the earliest known photograph to depict both Devil's Den and Little Round Top which makes it a very important image in the study of the Gettysburg battlefield! Weaver's original series was produced on large plate negatves; the smaller versions were contemporary copies made by local area photographers.

Doctors Chamberlain and Lyford, the standing men in this view, operated the embalming firm of Drs. Chamberlain & Lyford.

Source: Early Photography at Gettysburg, by William A. Frassanito.

Most people have never heard of Jacob Shenkel. I bet he had some interesting stories to tell! I have always wondered if Chamberland and Lyford used this photo to "drum" up business for their embalming business.
 
As for Dr. Chamberlain: Alfred J. Rider, postmaster for the 107th Ohio, was detailed by Dr. James A. Armstrong of Philadelphia, the surgeon in charge of the 11th Corps hospital on the George Spangler farm, to bury the dead and take their effects, turn the same over to him and record their names in a book. Rider buried Brig. Gen. Armistead in the Confederate part of the cemetery on the Spangler farm; his body was disinterred four months later and embalmed by Dr. Chamberlain of Philadelphia. (Bachelder Papers, II:1127-1128)
 
Good stuff.

The verbiage was previously posted by Pam in an old CWTpost on this Weaver Photo.

This view was taken by Peter S. Weaver, on November 11, 1863. It is looking northeastward toward Little Round Top from Devil's Den. It depicts 9 Union soldiers posing as dead on the Gettysburg battlefield with Doctors Lyford (standing at left) and Chamberlain (standing at right) looking over this staged scene of carnage. One of the posed dead is Musician Jacob Shenkel, Co. L, 62nd Pennsylvania Infantry. He is lying below the man with the wide brimmed hat (Dr. Chamberlain). During the battle, Shenkel helped to attend to the wounded. He was among those ordered to stay behind in Gettysburg after the battle, and in the nearly 5 months he remained there, he served as hospital attendant, first at the 5th Corps field hospital, and then at the general hospital at Camp Letterman. He was one of those who witnessed President Lincoln deliver his immortal Gettysburg Address during the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery, Nov. 19, 1863. This view is the earliest known photograph to depict both Devil's Den and Little Round Top which makes it a very important image in the study of the Gettysburg battlefield! Weaver's original series was produced on large plate negatves; the smaller versions were contemporary copies made by local area photographers.

Doctors Chamberlain and Lyford, the standing men in this view, operated the embalming firm of Drs. Chamberlain & Lyford.

Source: Early Photography at Gettysburg, by William A. Frassanito.

Most people have never heard of Jacob Shenkel. I bet he had some interesting stories to tell! I have always wondered if Chamberland and Lyford used this photo to "drum" up business for their embalming business.
Great details, thanks to @Wallyfish and @pamc153PA .
 
Shenkel was born 1/1/40 in Pittsburg and died 8/14/27 in East Liverpool OH.

he and his wife Annie had 10 kids. Jacob is buried in the Riverview Cemetery in Columbiana Co., OH
 
Shenkel was born 1/1/40 in Pittsburg and died 8/14/27 in East Liverpool OH.

he and his wife Annie had 10 kids. Jacob is buried in the Riverview Cemetery in Columbiana Co., OH
Historian Timothy Brookes is presenting a program about Jacob Shenkel at Beaver Creek State Park's Pioneer Village on June 8th. Can't wait to learn all about Shenkel.
 
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