October 24, 2014

Being a self-proclaimed Gettysburg artillery buff, it always bothered me that there were cannon down in the woods to the right of West Confederate Avenue near the McMillan House that I’d never visited. How could that be? I knew many of the batteries by name and had walked out to many of them, but this battery, hidden behind an old stone wall in Schultz Woods, had eluded me. I chose a crisp autumn day to remedy that sad situation. As I walked, a whirlwind of yellow leaves flew all around, giving the short journey a rather solemn feel.

I think this picture is the purest example of Gettysburg in the fall. I like the contrast of warm autumn colors, the rocks scattered here and there, the oranges and yellows of October. The darkness of the 3-inch ordnance rifle and its plaque are in harmony with the dark rocks and trees, while the beautiful house called Red Patch, once home to Col. Collis of the 114^TH Pennsylvania, can be seen across the road at left.

**HONORED TODAY**

PVT. WILLIAM WESLEY VAUGHN

Co. H, 53^RD Georgia Infantry

Born May 05, 1830 --- Died July 14, 1863 at age 33

Pvt. Vaughn, husband of Catherine and father of Mary Martha A. (born 1859), Frances Elizabeth Adelia (born 1860), and William Cornelia (a daughter, born 1862), enlisted in May 1862. There is no record of his burial and it is possible he still lies on the battlefield at Gettysburg.


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