December 16, 2013

Another Tale From the Wheatfield

When I finally walked *into* the Wheatfield this past November after twenty-one years of merely looking from a distance, I discovered you can see many things in all directions. This particular shot shows Rose Woods (at least that’s what is to the left . . . I’m not sure if the trees at center and right are of the same woodlot), Sickles Avenue (running to the right), DeTrobriand Avenue (shown a center, curving around the monuments), the edge of Stony Hill, and the distant lands of the George Rose farm. There was a stone wall here at the time of the battle, later replaced by the current wall running along the left side of the photo. And of course, there are a good many monuments to identify.

Working our way from right to left, the brigade marker at far right shows the position of the 1^ST  Brigade (Graham’s) of the 1^ST Division (Birney’s) of the 3^RD Corps (Sickles’). (That’s a mouthful). In the distance, to the right of the marker, we can see the 8^TH New Jersey Infantry monument. To its left is a marker for the 3^RD Brigade (Burling’s) of the 2^ND Division (Humphreys’) of the 3^RD Corps (still Sickles’).

Then we have a stop sign, which I’m pretty sure wasn’t here during the time of the battle :-) Still going toward the left, we have the 115^TH Pennsylvania Infantry (which is actually the monument furthest along on the road), the 4^TH Michigan Infantry, the 17^TH Maine Infantry, and the 62^ND Pennsylvania Infantry. The 17^TH Maine and comrades held the original stone wall against the Georgians in Rose Woods. “Underneath” the 17^TH Maine in this photo is yet another brigade marker, this one for the 2^ND Brigade (Sweitzer’s) of the 1^ST Division (Barnes’) of the 5^TH Corps (Sykes’).

Two flank markers can also be seen toward the center left of the photo. I believe I remember reading (though I could be wrong) that at the time of the battle, the portion of field now on the opposite side of Sickles Avenue was considered to be part of the current Wheatfield, or perhaps was another wheatfield owned by the same family.

**HONORED TODAY**

PVT. GEORGE WASHINGTON HARRISON

Co. I, 11^TH Georgia Infantry

Born 1843/1844 --- Died July 20, 1863 at age 19/20

Pvt. Harrison sustained injuries to his abdomen and leg on the second of July and died eighteen days later. (At least one family record says he died September 20). A physical description states he was over six feet tall and worked as a farmer. Pvt. Harrison was later buried at Richmond’s Hollywood Cemetery. He had been his family’s only son (until a half-brother was born in 1870).


(c) 2013 Skies of Blue and Gray