November 03, 2014

One thing is for sure: Gettysburg is the connoisseur of foggy mornings (often stretching into foggy afternoons). On this first photo, you can see what sort of October weather we had to contend with. :-) The Lutheran Seminary’s “Old Dorm” stands at center, its famous old cupola still towering above Seminary Ridge. I can just imagine the men of the Iron Brigade (and many others) marching across this fabled ground.

Another place that seemed extra spooky with the fog was the Mississippi Memorial. Not only does the bronze of the monument stand out against the mist, but you can just see part of the Louisiana Memorial to the left of the closest tree. This is the area Barksdale’s Mississippians would have crossed before passing the Sherfy farm and heading for the Peach Orchard. (And, just because I love this stuff, the dark “circle” at far left center, beside the two-trunked tree, is a Model 1857 12-pounder Napoleon from Miller’s Battery.

**HONORED TODAY**

PVT. JOSEPH THOMAS PAYNE

Co. C, 38^TH Virginia Infantry

Born July 24, 1828 --- Died July 22, 1863 at age 34½

Pvt. Payne, a farmer from Laurel Grove, Virginia who enlisted in May 1861, died just two days before marking his 34^TH birthday. He left behind a wife, Delphia, and six young children, Reuben (age 9), Nancy (age 8), Rachel (age 6), Elizabeth (age 4), Emily (age 2), and a baby born either in 1862 or 1863, who sadly only lived until 1865. Pvt. Payne was buried at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond.


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