New Battle at Gettysburg

There is a new battle being fought at Gettysburg, a battle against vandals. What makes people do these things? It is repugnant and disgraceful!

Vandals damaged monuments and removed parts of sculpture at the Gettysburg National Military Park in the third such incident in a little over a year.

Two bronze sculptures honoring New York and Pennsylvania soldiers were dragged from their places, and a sword is missing from a sculpture honoring Massachusetts infantry, park spokeswoman Katie Lawhon said Thursday.

The bronze head of an artilleryman figure was removed at the New York monument, she said. The vandalism occurred late Wednesday or early Thursday.

You can read the rest of the story here.

Gettysburg National Military Park:

Gettysburg National Military Park is located 50 miles northwest of Baltimore, the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania was the site of the largest battle ever waged during the American Civil War. Fought in the first three days of July 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg resulted in a hallmark victory for the Union "Army of the Potomac" and successfully ended the second invasion of the North by General Robert E. Lee's "Army of Northern Virginia". Historians have referred to the battle as a major turning point in the war, the "High Water Mark of the Confederacy". It was also the bloodiest single battle of the war, resulting in over 51,000 soldiers killed, wounded, captured or missing.


Image: Enlisted Men's Tent

These items in the tent were typically used by two enlisted Union soldiers in a field camp. The enlisted men's tent depicts food and cooking utensils, cards, pipe, rubber blanket, and other items.

The rubber blanket spread on the ground was a prized piece of equipment for G.F. Wiltshire, 4th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry. He used it as a waterproof ground cloth or poncho.
The hook lying on the large cooking pot is a ramrod bent to serve as a pot hook. It was found in a Civil War fire pit near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.

Near the front of the tent is a package of hardtack in its original heavy waxpaper wrapping.

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