Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Gar Phillips is the host for our series on the 2nd United States Sharpshooters. He is standing by the marker for Ward’s Brigade on Houck’s Ridge. This image was taken facing east at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, June 10, 2011.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Gar Phillips is our host for a series on the 2nd United States Sharpshooters. Gar is a retired police officer from Columbus, Ohio (25 years on the force), and has been a Licensed Battlefield Guide since 2006. He still lives in Ohio. Gar’s first visit to Gettysburg was 25 years ago and he was “hooked.” He had to come back every year on what his wife called Gar’s “Annual Mecca to Gettysburg.”
To email Licensed Battlefield Guide Gar Phillips, click here to reveal his email address.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Gar Phillips introduces us to the series on the 2nd United States Sharpshooters and shows where they were first deployed at Gettysburg.
This map shows the location of where our United States Sharpshooters videos were produced. Videos #1 was taken by the Ward Brigade marker on Houck’s Ridge. Video #2 was taken along the Emmitsburg Road east of the Eisenhower Farm. Videos #3 was taken on Seminary Ridge/Warfield Ridge overlooking the Samuel Bushman Farm. This map was created facing north at approximately 7:00 PM on Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Gar Phillips is pointing out where the 2nd United States Sharpshooters fit into the organization chart of Ward’s Brigade. This view was taken facing east at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday June 10, 2011.
In Video #1 Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Gar Phillips is standing on Houck’s Ridge near the for Ward’s Brigade. He introduces himself and shows where the 2nd United States Sharpshooters were placed in the area of Big Round Top. This view was taken facing southeast to south to southwest at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday June 10, 2011.
Colonel Homer R. Soughton (1837-1902) commanded the 2nd United States Sharpshooters during the Gettysburg Campaign. He was born in Quebec, and lived in Vermont when the American Civil War began. He appointed a Captain in the 16th Vermont Infantry on September 25, 1861, and transferred to Company E of the 2nd United States Sharpshooters on November 9, 1861. He was promoted to Major on September 17, 1862. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on June 24, 1863. He was promoted to Colonel on January 19, 1864. He was wounded on May 10, 1864 at Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia and captured at Petersburg, Virginia on June 21, 1864. He was paroled on December 15, 1864. He was mustered out on January 23, 1865. At the time of his death he was Superintendent of the Barre Branch of the Central Vermont Railway. This image was taken circa the 1860s and is courtesy of the Library of Congress.
Licensed Battlefield Guide Gar Phillips is standing by Emmitsburg Road in the area of the Eisenhower Farm (out of sight on the right). The Third Corps and the 2nd United States Sharpshooters used this road as they approached Gettysburg. This image was taken facing southwest at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday June 10, 2011.
In Video #2 Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Gar Phillips is standing by the Emmitsburg Road. Gar relates a story of when the 2nd United States Sharpshooters marched up this road towards Gettysburg they had an encounter with a civilian from the Gettysburg area. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday June 10, 2011.
Gar Phillips is standing on Warfield Ridge/Seminary Ridge. The white barn in the right background is the Samuel Bushman Barn. The brick house is the Bushman House. The white barn in the distance, below Big Round Top is on the Slyder Farm. Little Round Top is in the left background. This image was taken facing southeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday June 10, 2011.
In Video #3 Licensed Battlefield Guide Gar Phillips is standing on Warfield Ridge/Seminary Ridge near the Bushman Farm. He explains that sharpshooters were not looked at very well by some other members of the military, and shows where the 169 members of the 2nd United States Sharpshooters deployed on the Bushman and Slyder Farms. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday June 10, 2011.
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