Existing comment:
Battlefield Landmarks -- South and West:
"Being satisfied from the reports received from the field that it was the intention of the enemy to support with his whole army the attack already made, and the reports of Major-Generals Hancock and Howard on the character of the position being favorable, I determined to give battle at this point; and, early in the evening of the 1st, issued orders to all the corps to concentrate at Gettysburg..."
-- Maj. Gen. George G. Meade, USA, Commander, Army of the Potomac
(1) Big Round Top: This rocky, wooded hill marked the extreme left flank of the Union line on July 2, the second day of the battle. Union troops seized Big Round Top on the evening of July 2, although by that time it had little strategic value.
(2) Little Round Top: Scene of heavy fighting on the afternoon of July 2 when Longstreet's Confederate First Corps attempted to turn the Union left flank on Cemetery Ridge. Site of one of six Union signal stations posted on the three-mile-long battlefield. The rocky crest afforded unobstructed views of the battlefield.
(3) Pennsylvania Memorial: Gettysburg National Military Park's largest monument, and one of the most prominent landmarks. It stands near the center of the 2nd and 3rd days' fighting. Inscribed on its bronze tablets are the names of 34,530 Pennsylvania soldiers who participated in the battle.
(4) Gettysburg National Cemetery: Established one month after the battle, this cemetery contains the remains of 3,512 soldiers killed at Gettysburg. President Abraham Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg Address at the cemetery's dedication on November 19, 1863. The tombstones visible from here are actually in Evergreen Cemetery, and older cemetery located just in front of the National Cemetery.
(5) Lutheran Theological Seminary: Founded in 1826, it's the oldest Lutheran Seminary in the United States. During the battle, lookouts from both armies were posted in its cupola. The building also served as a hospital. Just beyond the seminary lies McPherson Ridge where the battle opened July 1. |