April 9, 2014

Okay, I know everyone has probably seen more than their fair share of Gettysburg snow pictures, but I had to post these (1) because they were taken recently and I’m still missing Gettysburg with a vengeance, and (2) come on, it’s artillery! Nobody ever gets tired of artillery photos, do they? (At least I don’t). The cannon in question is a “false Napoleon”, originally built as a Model 1841 Field Gun. This particular piece dates from 1861. If you peer into the distance you can see a variety of landmarks including the McPherson barn, Reynolds’ Woods, and Route 30 / Chambersburg Pike.

If you really want to be a detective, a few monuments are visible along Reynolds Avenue, which runs from left to right just below the woods. The “rounded top” monument belongs to Battery L, 1^ST New York Infantry. Note the tiny artillery pieces alongside it. There are a few headquarters markers, and the tall black monument (barely visible, between the branches of the tree to the left) is Gen. Doubleday’s headquarters marker. The tall square marker below and to the right of the McPherson barn is probably the 1^ST Corps marker. Also, I’ve heard, though I can’t confirm, that the orange roof seen just behind the barn belongs to the Herr Tavern complex.

**HONORED TODAY**

PVT. BYRON WELCH

Co. I, 1^ST Minnesota Infantry

Born 1838 --- Died July 02, 1863 at age 25

Pvt. Welch was born in Connecticut and enlisted in May 1861. At one point he supplemented his stint as a soldier by acting as a wagoner, and friends spoke very highly of him. Little is known of his life, but it is known that he died in the 1^ST Minnesota’s great and terrible charge, and he was later buried at Gettysburg’s National Cemetery.


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