August 30, 2013

The Spangler house and barn seem so tiny on this shot!

On my recent Gettysburg trip I decided to get artsy with my camera. I have so many photos of the battlefield from over the years that it just seems wrong to keep taking a thousand shots of the same subjects, so I experimented with different framing methods and such. I particularly like this shot of the Henry Spangler farm through a fence along Emmitsburg Road. This was one of those battlefield farms I knew existed but had never taken notice of before.

The Henry Spangler farm --- not to be confused with the George Spangler farm, which Civil War enthusiasts can seasonally visit on guided tours only --- was begun nearly 200 years ago in the early 1820s. The house was already forty-three years old during the 1863 battle. Unfortunately, this is not the original Spangler barn. “Draw the Sword” says the first barn was partially destroyed during the battle after catching on fire like the Sherfy barn on Emmitsburg Road.

**HONORED TODAY**

SGT. ELIJAH MCKNIGHT

Co. F, 27^TH Indiana Infantry

Born February 22, 1839 --- Died July 03, 1863 at age 24

If you’ve ever visited the Spangler’s Spring area of Culp’s Hill, you might have noticed a granite monument perched atop a boulder, emblazoned with the words “27^TH Indiana Infantry.” In this regiment there was a young man named Elijah McKnight who had enlisted on August 07^TH, 1861. He was a farmer, described as having blue eyes, dark hair, and a light complexion, and as standing 6 feet 2 inches tall. When the 27^TH Indiana and 2^ND Massachusetts charged Confederate positions in a hopeless charge and were subsequently slaughtered, Sgt. McKnight was shot in the head and killed. He was first buried at the McAllister property and later reburied at the Gettysburg National Cemetery.


(c) 2013 Skies of Blue and Gray