Monumental Art May Be Gettysburg's Best-Kept Secret
These works of art on the Gettysburg Battlefield are hidden gems that many visitors never see.
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Hello, Friends!
As someone lucky enough to call Gettysburg home, I’ve walked (and ridden on horseback) the battlefield more times than I can count.
I’m still struck by the stunning beauty of the monuments that stand watch over this historic ground.
While they were built to honor the bravery and sacrifice of those who fought here, many are also true works of art.
In this week’s newsletter, I’m sharing a few of my favorite monuments—not just for their meaning, but for their craftsmanship and detail.
Let’s take a walk through the battlefield together.
Gettysburg Battlefield Beauties
There are so many beautiful monuments on the Gettysburg battlefield that are works of art. Here are just a few!
Photos from top left: The 74th PA Infantry on the north side of Gettysburg. General R.E. Lee at the top of the Virginia Monument. General Buford, west of town at sunset, and the Mississippi monument along Confederate Avenue.
Hidden Gems
The “tree monument” on Oak Hill represents the story that a soldier replaced a bird nest that had been knocked from a tree during heavy fighting. The second picture is Sallie, the famous mascot of the 11th PA Infantry.
Local Tip: You won’t see Sallie from the road. She’s on the opposite side of the Pennsylvania Infantry monument.
Friend To Friend Monument
The Friend to Friend Masonic Memorial depicts the "Armistead-Bingham incident,” in which Union Army Captain Henry H. Bingham assisted wounded Confederate Brigadier General Lewis Addison Armistead after Pickett’s Charge on July 3, 1863.
Both men were Freemasons.
This is the North Carolina Monument on Confederate Avenue. I never get tired of staring at the detail of this monument. It depicts a wounded officer pointing the way forward to the enemy, while a veteran and younger comrade lead a color bearer in the charge.
Insider Fact: North Carolina provided 14,147 men to the Army of Northern Virginia at Gettysburg, the second largest state contingent after Virginia.
Planning a visit to Gettysburg? Read this book! 👇
This state had more than 6,000 casualties, which was about 40 percent of the men engaged. North Carolina also had the largest number of casualties at Gettysburg from any Confederate state and represents more than one fourth of all Confederate casualties in the battle.
I hope you enjoyed this quick look at some hidden gems in Gettysburg.
Have you been to the Gettysburg Battlefield? Do you have a favorite monument?
☛🕰️ Old Word of the Week: Twattle
Definition: (verb) To gossip or chatter idly; to talk nonsense.
Time Period: 16th–18th century
Used in a sentence:
“I came to hear tales of battle and bravery, not to sit by the fire while they twattle about their neighbor’s hens.”
Answer to Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: Congratulations to those who answered that the slave cabins were made out of Tabby Concrete!