October 14, 2013

The good news: During my August trip to Gettysburg, I finally got around to touring Little Round Top and stepping inside the “castle” dedicated to the 44^TH and 12^TH New York. I’d been wanting to visit what has always been one of my favorite battlefield spots and take in the vibes of a warm and sunny summer day.

 
The bad news: It was over 90 degrees, and I just didn’t have it in me to climb the steps to the top of the castle :-) I just kept imagining that I would go up there, stand out in the blazing sun, and fall over, or at least get my skin burned to a crisp. So I had to content myself with standing *inside* the castle and taking artsy photos!

The first and second photos show the plaque featuring Gen. Francis Barlow. Either the bronze is wearing away, or people have been rubbing Gen. Barlow’s shoes and nose for “good luck” like they do on the statue of Col. Patrick O’Rorke just outside the castle monument. The third photo shows the view from inside the castle.

**HONORED TODAY**

SGT. JAMES DAVID MANSFIELD

Co. B, 24^TH Virginia Infantry

Born March 23, 1842 --- Died July 03, 1863 at age 21

When 19-year-old James enlisted in the Confederate army in May of 1861, he had a large family to kiss him goodbye. A little over a year later he received news that must have staggered him: Not only had his brother John died in June 1862, but his brother Henry had come home from the army with a bout of diphtheria that took his life. these sorrows would have been hard enough to bear, but there was more. James’ little sisters Emma, age 14, and Rebecca, age 12, also died of diphtheria. 

All four deaths took place in June except for Rebecca’s which was on the sixth of July. Sgt. Mansfield had but five months to mourn before another brother, Samuel, was killed in battle in December 1862. At twenty-one he had outlived five siblings . . . but his time would sadly come at the battle of Gettysburg, where he fell during the Pickett-Pettigrew-Trimble Charge.


(c) 2013 Skies of Blue and Gray