October 04, 2013

It turns out that hot summer days are ideal for traipsing the battlefield --- if you guard against ticks and other nasty pests, that is --- and that some gems are just waiting to be discovered. Here’s a new look at Gen. Meade’s headquarters from this past August. The first photo shows the Lydia Leister farm much as it looked in July of 1863, save for the monument in the right background (6^TH Pennsylvania Cavalry). You can catch a glimpse of the Leister barn at far center left.

The next photo shows the headquarters marker located on Leister property. Sadly, the white picket fence at left “ain’t what she used to be”, as evidenced by the broken section that’s just sort of lazing in the sun. Fun trivia: The gray-roofed barn in the far left distance is the Peter Frey barn. The very tall monument at the farthest right center is probably the United States Regulars memorial.

 

**HONORED TODAY**

PVT. JOHN PATRICK SHIRLEY

Co. F, 3^RD South Carolina Infantry

Born November 18, 1840 --- Died July 03, 1863 at age 22

Pvt. Shirley suffered a battle wound at Fredericksburg in December 1862 before coming to Gettysburg. Somehow he managed to rejoin his regiment in time for the 1863 campaign, which was to his detriment. His death at Gettysburg left his wife Fanny a widow and his children William, age two, and John Robert, age one, fatherless. 


(c) 2013 Skies of Blue and Gray