Geography Gettysburg Battlefield

gettysburg battlefield lithograph map showing union , confederate positions.

(john b. bachelder)



southwest view of sherfy farm (right background) pennsylvania monument observation deck, 1 of 6 on battlefield: 3 on towers (warfield ridge), oak ridge, culp s hill), 1 on little round top, & 1 on closed cyclorama building.



the lincoln address memorial (top left) in gettysburg national cemetery. 2 small flanking markers 3rd ny artillery monument (foreground) indicate breadth of unit s position.


topography

the battle began on west @ lohr s, whistler s, school-house, , knoxlyn ridges between cashtown , gettysburg. nearer gettysburg, dismounted union cavalry defended mcpherson s ridge , herr s ridge, , infantry support arrived defend seminary ridge @ borough s west side. oak ridge, northward extension of both mcpherson ridge , seminary ridge, capped oak hill, site artillery commanded area north of town. prior pickett s charge, 159 guns stretching in long line peach orchard oak hill open simultaneously .

directly south of town gently-sloped cemetery hill named 1854 evergreen cemetery on crest , 1863 gettysburg address dedicated gettysburg national cemetery. eastward culp s hill , steven s knoll. cemetery hill , culp s hill subjected assaults throughout battle richard s. ewell s second corps. cemetery ridge extends 1-mile (1.6 km) south cemetery hill.

southward cemetery hill cemetery ridge of 40 feet (12 m) above surrounding terrain. ridge includes angle s stone wall , copse of trees @ high-water mark of confederacy during pickett s charge. southern end of cemetery ridge weikert hill, north of little round top.

the 2 highest battlefield points @ round top south higher round summit of big round top, lower oval summit of little round top, , saddle between. round tops rugged , strewn large boulders; devil s den west. [big] round top, known locals of time sugar loaf, 116 feet (35 m) higher little companion. steep slopes heavily wooded, made unsuitable siting artillery without large effort climb heights horse-drawn guns , clear lines of fire; little round top unwooded, steep , rocky form made difficult deploy artillery in mass. however, cemetery hill excellent site artillery, commanding of union lines on cemetery ridge , approaches them. little round top , devil s den key locations general john bell hood s division in longstreet s assault during second day of battle, july 2, 1863. plum run valley between houck s ridge , round tops earned name valley of death on day.

borough areas of military engagements

the area of military engagements during battle included majority of 1863 town area , current borough area. broadest regions of borough military engagements combat area of union retreat while being pursued on july 1, burg s area on artillery rounds fired. confederate artillery fired oak hill southeastward onto retreated union line extending east-to-west culp s hill west side of cemetery hill, , union artillery on cemetery hill fired on railway cut (including wiedrich s battery ~5 pm). smaller engagements in town included federals remaining in/near structures after retreat (e.g., wounded soldiers not willing surrender). largest engagement within current borough @ coster avenue (north of 1863 town) in s division defeated coster s brigade. town held confederate provost , used snipers after dawn of july 2 (e.g., brickyard behind mccreary house, john rupp tannery on baltimore st, , church belfry). confederate skirmish line @ breckenridge street faced federals on cemetery hill, , ~7 pm july 1, confederate line of battle had been formed on east , west middle streets .

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