This Mathew Brady photograph, often titled “Three Rebel Prisoners at Gettysburg,” was likely shot on July 15, 1863. The location is Seminary Ridge, north of the Krauth House, which is out of sight on the right. Ziegler’s Grove on Cemetery Ridge is the group of trees in the right background. The single tree in the left background is near the Evergreen Cemetery Gatehouse on East Cemetery Hill. Private Alexander P. Alcorn of Battery B, Pennsylvania Light Artillery, commanded by Captain James Cooper, was buried on Seminary Ridge, north of the Krauth House. This view, courtesy of the Library of Congress, was taken facing southeast circa July 15, 1863.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Deb Novotny is a retired American History Teacher from Gettysburg High School. She has been a Licensed Battlefield Guide since 1975 and serves on the board of the Evergreen Cemetery Association. She is the host for our series on Evergreen Cemetery, Gettysburg’s civilian cemetery.
To contact Licensed Battlefield Guide Deb Novotny, please click here to reveal her email address.
See the previous parts to the Evergreen Cemetery tour here
In today’s post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Deb Novotny describes the deaths of some members of Cooper’s Battery B, Pennsylvania Light Artillery. Two of the members of Cooper’s Battery who died during the battle are buried in Evergreen Cemetery.
This map shows the location of where our Evergreen Cemetery videos were produced. Videos #1-#56 were shown in our previous Evergreen Cemetery posts. Video #57 was taken near the position of Cooper’s Battery on East Cemetery Hill. Video #58 was taken near the Evergreen Cemetery Gatehouse. Videos #59-60 were taken at the graves of two members of Cooper’s Battery in Evergreen Cemetery. This map was created facing north at approximately 9:30 AM on Saturday, December 3, 2011.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Deb Novotny is the host for our series on Evergreen Cemetery. She is standing on East Cemetery Hill near the first monument to Cooper’s Pennsylvania Battery, which was dedicated circa August, 1880. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, December 2, 2011.
In Video #57 (Videos #1-#56 were shown in our previous Evergreen Cemetery posts) Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Deb Novotny is standing on Cemetery Hill. She explains what happened to Battery B, Pennsylvania Light Artillery (Cooper’s Battery) on July 2, 1863. This view was taken facing southwest to east to south at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, December 2, 2011.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Deb Novotny is standing on East Cemetery Hill by the first monument to Cooper’s Battery (erected in 1880). The equestrian monument is to Major General Winfield Scott Hancock (dedicated 1896). Behind the Hancock monument is the Evergreen Cemetery Gatehouse (erected in 1855). The artillery pieces mark the position of Cooper’s and later Rickett’s Pennsylvania batteries. The monument with the cannon tube on top is the 1889 monument for Cooper’s Battery. To the left of the taller Cooper’s Battery monument is the monument to the 4th Ohio Infantry Regiment (dedicated in 1887). This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, December 2, 2011.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Deb Novotny is standing in the far left reconstructed lunette of Cooper’s Battery (and later Rickett’s Battery). A Confederate artillery shell, probably fired from Benner’s Hill (visible as part of the sunlit ridge in the background, exploded under a gun from Cooper’s Battery located in this lunette. The explosion of the shell mortally wounded Private James McCleary. This view was taken facing east at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, December 2, 2011.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Deb Novotny is standing by the next gun to the south marking the position of Cooper’s Battery. Rickett’s Battery replaced Cooper’s Battery at this location during the artillery bombardment of July 2, 1863. A soldier from Rickett’s Battery, found a hand in the lunette which we showed you in the previous picture. He claimed that he buried the hand in the lunette where Deb is now standing. Stevens’ Knoll/McKnight’s Hill is in the left background. The Gettysburg Battlefield Museum is in the center background. In the right background, the gray and white structure is the McKnight House along the Baltimore Pike. On the far right is the Comfort Inn. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, December 2, 2011.
Licensed Battlefield Guide Deb Novotny is standing by the pump at the rear (west side) of the Evergreen Cemetery Gatehouse. Private James McCleary of Cooper’s Battery was brought to the well at this location after he was wounded on July 2, 1863. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, December 2, 2011.
In Video #58 Licensed Battlefield Guide Deb Novotny is standing near the pump behind the Evergreen Cemetery Gatehouse. She explains that the wounded of Cooper’s Battery were brought here and one might have died here. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, December 2, 2011.
This photograph shows where the pump is located in relation to the Gatehouse. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, December 2, 2011.
Deb Novotny is standing in the Civil War Soldier section of Evergreen Cemetery. On the left is the headstone for James McCleary. On they right is the headstone for Alexander P. Alcorn. They were both mortally wounded/killed at the Battle of Gettysburg, and they were both members of Cooper’s Pennsylvania Battery. This view was taken facing west at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, December 2, 2011.
In Video #59 Deb Novotny is standing in Evergreen Cemetery in the section for Civil War soldiers. She explains how Alexander P. Alcorn was mortally wounded on July 1, 1863 and eventually buried in Evergreen Cemetery. This view was taken facing west at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, December 2, 2011.
Deb Novotny is kneeling by the headstone of Alexander P. Alcorn in the Civil War Soldier section of Evergreen Cemetery. Alcorn was mortally wounded on the afternoon of July 1, 1863 when he and three others were limbering up their gun in preparation to fall back to Cemetery Hill. This view was taken facing west at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, December 2, 2011.
A closer view of the headstone of Alexander P. Alcorn in the Civil War Soldier section of Evergreen Cemetery. Alcorn was first buried at the Krauth House on Seminary Ridge. This view was taken facing west at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, December 2, 2011.
Deb Novotny is kneeling by the headstone of James H. McCleary in the Civil War Soldier section of Evergreen Cemetery. McCleary was mortally wounded on the afternoon of July 2, 1863 when a Confederate shell exploded beneath his artillery piece on East Cemetery Hill. This view was taken facing west at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, December 2, 2011.
In Video #60 Deb Novotny is standing in Evergreen Cemetery in the section for Civil War soldiers. She explains how James H. “Jimmie” McCleary was mortally wounded on July 2, 1863, how many body parts were amputated, and where he first might have been buried. This view was taken facing east at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, December 2, 2011.
A closer view of the headstone of James H. McCleary in the Civil War Soldier section of Evergreen Cemetery. McCleary was first buried at White’s Church on the Baltimore Pike. This view was taken facing west at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, December 2, 2011.
This Mathew Brady photograph shows Cooper’s Battery near Petersburg, Virginia on June 21, 1864. Captain James Cooper is pictured near the center of the photograph with his arms in front of his body. The third individual to the right of Cooper, with his hands in his pockets, is the photographer Mathew Brady. This view, courtesy of the Library of Congress, was taken facing northwest on June 21, 1864.
If you can find it for a decent price, the best book on Evergreen Cemetery is by the current Superintendent of the Cemetery, Brian Kennell. It is titled Beyond the Gatehouse: Gettysburg’s Evergreen Cemetery. For ordering information from Amazon (again probably not the best price), click here.
Cannoneers, To Your Posts! by Frank Piatek is the definitive work on Cooper’s Battery at Gettysburg. For ordering information, click here. This image was copied facing north at approximately 4:00 PM on Saturday, December 3, 2011.
is the definitive work on Cooper’s Battery at Gettysburg. For ordering information, click here. This image was copied facing north at approximately 4:00 PM on Saturday, December 3, 2011. To see other posts by Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides, click here.