Gettysburg Tour, Oct 18, 2011

Today is an exciting day, at 10 am we are meeting Stuart Dempsey, our private guide, for a basic tour of the battlefield, PLUS a special tour of the the 73rd OVI, the unit my great grandfather, Jeremiah C. Woodyard fought with. 

Here Stuart is talking about the battle that occurred on July 1, 1863, the battle’s first day.

Here is how battle strategy looks when drawn in the sand and gravel.

Here he is describing the events from Little Round Top.

Now for the 73rd’s participation.  This photo was taken back when there was not a housing development in the area.   The area beyond the horse and wagon and the shed is the area where the 73rd’s fighting occurred.  

Here we are walking up to the ridge (stop sign) that would be the center of fighting on the 2nd, 3rd, and part of the 4th.  The fighting went back and forth for the occupation of this ridge.   What an awesome walk!

Stuart also gave us a Fall 2008 copy of the Blue & Gray magazine.  This publication contains a couple of articles he wrote about the 73rd’s action in Gettysburg.   I am so excited to really study those articles.

What a super tour!

Gettysburg, Part 2, Oct 17, 2011

Little Round Top, Devil’s Den, and a Cemetery Walk were on tap for today.  While driving to Little Round Top Bob noticed the “Oil” indicator light came on, so  in the parking area, he added a quart of oil.  If we can carry enough coolant and oil, we can probably nurse the 1993 Explorer with 210,000 miles for a few more months, let’s hope we can.

General Warren surveying the landscape from Little Round Top, and sees Confederate movement on Day 2, then signals for Union troops which plays out with heavy fighting in this area.

Devil’s Den area from Warren’s vantage point.

While we were on Little Round Top we saw this activity on the hill above Devil’s Den, so we walked over.  This cannon had been refurbished and was being placed back where it belonged.

These folks were watching very intently while they placed this cannon.  Later we talked to them and they are reenactors (artillery-notice the short jackets).  They were part of a group who had been to another reenactment this past weekend and were going to be spending the week here in Gettysburg just being tourists.  They were certainly full of information.

Then it was time to head to the National Cemetery for a tour.

We learned that the probable site of Lincoln’s Gettysburg  address site is in the nearby City Cemetery.  We were told the mausoleum in the center of this photo was the probable site of the platform from which Lincoln and Everett spoke.  The graves you see here now, were not there then.

Mr. Lincoln                                       Soldier’s National Monument

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Surrounding this massive monument are concentric circles of graves with the heroes of this battle.  Each state has their section with the number of graves.

 

Our guide asked us all to find a grave of an UNK or Unknown soldier (from our state of interest or any state) and pay our respects as he will never have any family look up his grave.  This grave is from an Unknown Ohio Hero, may he Rest In Peace.

William McVey was in the same Regiment and Company as my great grandfather,  73rd Ohio Co H.

 

 

Now, who is George Nixon, his great grandson became the 37th President of the United States.  Read about his story here, here (start at page 11), and here.  George was also in the 73rd Ohio, but in Company B.

 

This is the largest oak leaf I have ever seen.  I think it is a Northern Pin Oak, but not sure.

Cousin visit–October 16, 2011

About an hour from Gettysburg Bob’s second cousin Pam and her husband Larry live, so today we take a road trip to visit with them. It has been over 30 years since we last saw each other.

We enjoyed a great lunch with them along with lots and lots of visiting.

Then back to their home for some more visiting. Before we left, their son Matt, his wife Mindy and their son came by for a visit after a soccer game.

Tomorrow more exploration of Gettysburg.

Gettysburg, Part 2, Oct 15, 2011

Today was to be a day of visiting several living history demonstrations and a battlefield walk.  We first stopped at the
Western NY Chapter of the US Sanitary Commission.  Up until today I had no idea this commission even existed.  This appears at Wikipedia “The United States Sanitary Commission was an official agency of the United States government, created by legislation signed by The President of the United States of American, Abraham Lincoln  on June 18, 1861, to coordinate the volunteer efforts of women who wanted to contribute to the war effort of the Union states during the American Civil War.” 

Here Bob is telling the story of how my great grandfather (who was here at Gettysburg) had received a sewing kit from a lady back in Athens County, Ohio (where he was from also), whom he sends a letter to later during the War thanking her for her gift, and then when he is discharged they eventually get married.  These sewing kits or “housewives”  sent to soldiers were one of the items that could have been provided by the Sanitary Commission.  They also worked as nurses, ran kitchens in Army camps, and provided places for the soldiers to rest areas for traveling soldiers.

Then on to the Ohio Valley Civil War Association Living History Demos.  It is amazing how much smoke one cannon firing once can make.  Did you know, the percussion from the cannon firing can even set off car alarms.

While we were visiting in camp, lunch was served, meat loaf (prepared with sausage), macaroni cheese and cooked cabbage.

Bob learning about the guns, (notice the fellow holding down the tent top, he was having a hard time as it was very windy today-gusts to 35 mph)

the artillery shells and the seven positions needed to fire a cannon. 

Here I am holding a 10 pound Springfield Rifle.  The gun that my great grandfather would have used during the Civil War.  I didn’t need help holding the rifle, but Park rules require the fellow keep a hand on the weapons when being shown to the public.

The Ranger program this afternoon was a Battle Walk on McPherson Ridge, Day 1 of the Battle.  The Park is clearing this area so we, the visitor, can see what it was like “then”.

This is what they call a “witness tree”, one that saw the battle.  Too bad these old soldiers can’t talk.

In Gettysburg for a week, Part 1, Oct 12-14, 2011

The Battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863

Thursday, Oct 13th, 2011

Cyclorama and Museum

A view (Pickets Charge) from the Cyclorama at Gettysburg, what an amazing painting. 360 degrees by 40’ tall, but it gives you the illusion of being able to see for miles.

The 34 stars of the United States Flag of 1861. “This flag includes the 11 states of the Confederacy. The US Government never recognized the right of the Southern States to leave the Union and their stars remained on the American flag throughout the war.”

Below is what they termed as “Lifesaving Lint”. “Woman on the home front scraped lint from linen cloth, twisted it into bundles like this and sent it to army hospitals. Surgeons used damp lint to cover wounds.”

Two bullets fused together as they met in mid air near Culp’s Hill.

This fence post was in the area of Pickett’s Charge. “The soldiers in Picket’s charge came under rifle fire as they approached the fences along Emmitsburg Road. Four bullets are embedded in this post.”

Since the concept of dog tags for the soldiers was about 50 years away, the soldiers came up with their own form of identification. Below is a wrist tag made by W. J Fisher. Others would stitch their name in their uniform or leave notes in their pockets.

We ended our Museum visit with an invitation to come and sit by me, what an interesting fellow.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Today we had three ranger led programs to attend and it was raining, but armed with umbrellas we head out.

First before the ranger programs, we were in search of the 73rd Ohio monument along with the R F and L F stones (right flank and left flank). My great grandfather Jeremiah C Woodyard possibly stood right where I am standing back on July 1-3, 1863, 148 years ago as he fought in this unit.

Right Flank marker and the Left Flank marker. Below I am pointing from the Left Flank market towards the Right Flank Marker which is the utility pole before you get to the stop light.

Our three ranger programs were excellent. This one was in the Devil’s Den area with Little Round Top in the background.

Then it was a challenge for Bob to give his full attention to the Ranger, with the rain and wind and an unruly umbrella.

Here we are getting the real scoop on Pickett’s Charge and the sun came out!!

Today we made arrangements for a private guided tour next Tuesday of the battlefield by a guide who had two ancestors who was also in the 73rd Ohio, so he knows that unit’s movements very well. Should be a great tour,I can’t wait.

Finding more roots, Oct 9-11, 2011

This time we are near Allentown, PA and now we are looking for Bob’s 4th great grandfather, where he is buried and where he lived. In the mid 1700’s he came to America and eventually opened a Tavern just before 1760.

The original tavern was a log structure, and was replaced with this stone structure in the 1871, long after Georg died and his son Abraham left with six children and traveled to NE Ohio where we had just been a few days ago.

We tried to do a rubbing of Georg’s stone, even went to an art store to purchase what we thought would work, but it did not. I also had brought some chalk to help with reading the stones. As you can see below, it really helps. I did wash off the chalk after taking the photos.