September 20, 2013

 My goal on every new Gettysburg trip is to take random photos of whatever artillery batteries I happen to be near, and this last trip didn’t disappoint. Some of my recent favorites feature the Albemarle (Virginia) Artillery located along West Confederate Avenue near the Tennessee State Memorial. I was walking back from the Tennessee monument --- a nice little path, definitely worth a quick trip --- and noticed these beauties, and of course, being a cannon freak, I had to stop a snap a photo. Or several.

The great thing about Gettysburg artillery is that it’s so accessible, and also that great care has been taken to mark the spots where batteries stood during the battle. I particularly like visiting West Confederate Avenue for this very reason . . . and for the fact that cannon are so plentiful. For a little trivia, the “meadow” shown at the right of the first photo is where many of Gen. Pettigrew’s men were positioned before the Pickett-Pettigrew-Trimble Charge. Except for the road, the view was probably much the same. The second photo shows a small portion of Cemetery Ridge in the background. Note the rock wall, one of many aesthetic features on the battlefield. On the third photo, both cannon I’ve photographed in this set can be seen.

 

**HONORED TODAY**

SGT. MOSES P. BROOKS

Co. H, 16^TH North Carolina Infantry

Born 1835 --- July 18, 1863 at age 28

Sgt. Brooks worked as a mechanic before the war and doubtless used his skills during his short and ill-fated tenure in the Confederate army. He was unmarried but was mourned by a large family, and years after his passing he was buried at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond. 


(c) 2013 Skies of Blue and Gray