Gettysburg Semester 2009 - Gettysburg, Day Two

This week, we were lucky to be joined by John Rudy and Cathy Bain, who have helped us immensely over the course of the semester with everything from getting this blog running to helping us with more personal problems. After they joined us at the Appleford, we met up with John Archer at Seminary Ridge.

We began our day with a discussion of the advantages of Meade’s interior lines and possession of strategic positions on the morning of July 2 in contrast with Lee’s longer line and the troubles he had with communication and reinforcement as a result. Mr. Archer then explained the infamous Longstreet at Gettysburg issue as well as the problems with and consequences of Sickles’ decision to alter his line of battle. We then made our way to the Peach Orchard, where we learned about the salient and the bloody action there. (I should mention here that both Cathy and Dr. Guelzo gave me blankets at this point because I can’t handle any cold whatsoever, for which I truly thank them!) We were also treated to the beginning of a debate between John Archer and Dr. Guelzo that would amusingly span the day – did Wright’s brigade break through the Philadelphia Brigade’s position on Cemetery Ridge?

After the Peach Orchard, John Archer discussed the Wheatfield, Devil’s Den, and spent little time talking about Little Round Top. (We’ve all read The Killer Angels. And seen Gettysburg.) We then made our way to the Trostle Farm, where Sickles suffered a leg wound that would lead to amputation – and allegedly enjoyed a cigar while he was carried away from the field. In another perhaps tasteless Gettysburg Semester tradition, we imitated Sickles’ loss of leg while Dr. Guelzo reenacted the general’s reaction to the injury by smoking a cigar.

As soon as we finished a delicious but coma-inducing lunch at the Pike, we went to Benner’s Hill and Mr. Archer explained the artillery battle that raged between the batteries there and those under Colonel Wainwright. We then made our way to Culp’s Hill, where we compared several photographs taken after the battle fromWilliam Frassanito’s books to the sites we were seeing. We also discussed the harsh and bloody fighting here – and were given the evidence by looking at a small burial pit near the 2nd Maryland monument. Our final stop was Cemetery Hill, and once again, Mr. Archer and Dr. Guelzo explained the importance of that position in the battle. Next week, we will return to Gettysburg for a tour of the Third Day and the town of Gettysburg itself with Scott Hartwig and John Heiser.