February 25, 2013

The George Rose family would never again encounter horrors such as they witnessed during the battle of Gettysburg.  What started out as a beautiful farmstead on idyllic fields bordering a small, unassuming town ended up as a collection of blood-stained and hallowed spaces that somehow seemed to hold in the agonies of the dead. The property was used as a Confederate field hospital and was later happened upon by Union soldiers as well. Many of the Southern dead were initially buried at the Rose farm before being taken south for reburial. It must be wondered if all these hapless men were indeed removed. Many were from Georgia and South Carolina and participated in the attack against Stony Hill, which lies just beyond the infamous “Bloody Wheatfield.” The stone Rose barn, which must have been lovely, burned about seventy years after the battle. Unfortunately, many if not all of its harrowing stories have been lost forever.

**HONORED TODAY**

LT. COL. ALEXANDER DANIEL CALLCOTE

Co. K, 3^rd Virginia Infantry

Born June 1830 --- Died July 03, 1863 at age 33

Lt. Col. Callcote already had an impressive military career beneath his belt by age 21, having attended the Virginia Military Institute, yet his prewar labor involved civilian service. His residence was probably Isle of Wight County, Virginia. He farmed and worked as a teacher until he readied himself to go to war. Lt. Col. Callcote was probably killed during the Pickett-Pettigrew-Trimble Charge on July 3^rd and was originally interred near Emmitsburg Road. It’s likely that he was removed to Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, though there is no marker for him there. He may be one of the “unknowns.” He married first, Harriet Hancock, and there were two children. The elder was named Mattie. With his second wife, Mary Elizabeth “Mollie” Cofer, Lt. Col. Callcote had no children.


(c) 2013 Skies of Blue and Gray