In this video, Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Bellamy began our tour of sites associated with Edward Cross. We are near Uniontown, Maryland, approximately twenty miles southeast of Gettysburg. Cross’ Brigade, which was part of the Second Army Corps camped in this area on June 29th and June 30th. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Friday, December 26, 2008.
This map shows the location of the first four videos, and the route to Gettysburg taken by Winfield Scott Hancock’s Second Army Corps on July 1, 1863. White Star #1-2 shows the first two videos. Then the blue lines show the route from Uniontown to Taneytown, and to the Round Tops South of Gettysburg. Cross and his brigade marched approximately 20 miles on July 1st. This map was created at approximately 1:00 PM on Wednesday, December 31, 2008.
Our location is approximately one and a half miles west of Uniontown. Uniontown is located on the other side of the ridge in the background. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Friday, December 26, 2008.
The Maryland State Historical Marker at the site of the Second Corps camp near Uniontown. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Friday, December 26, 2008.
In this video (Video #2), Rich explains some of the highlights of the early life of Edward Cross. This view was taken facing south at approximately 3:00 PM on Friday, December 26, 2008.
Cross went to build steamboats in Canada in 1848. While he was a mine owner and leading expeditions against the Apaches, he became acquainted with Captain Richard S. Ewell, future Confederate corps commander during the Gettysburg Campaign.
In Video #3 we have briefly jumped ahead to the 5th New Hampshire Monument at Gettysburg where Rich explains the formation and record of the 5th New Hampshire. Rich later wanted to make sure that the Union regiments that got closest to the stone wall at Marye’s Heights during the Battle of Fredericksburg were the 5th New Hampshire, the 53rd Pennsylvania, and the 69th New York. He had misspoke in the video and said the “81st New York and one other Pennsylvania regiment.” This view was facing southeast at approximately 9:45 AM on Saturday, December 27, 2008.
Here are the flags of the 5th New Hampshire Infantry Regiment. They are on display at the Hall of Flags in the New Hampshire State House in Concord.
Colonel Edward Cross was wounded thirteen times during the American Civil War. His first two wounds came at the Battle of Fair Oaks on June 1, 1862. Wound #1: Shot in the left thigh. It was a severe wound which would keep him out of action for two month. Wound #2: He was hit with three buckshot in the left temple, but the wound was not considered severe.
Following the Battle of Fair Oaks he went home to New Hampshire to recover. This photograph shows him seated in the front of a group of people with a light colored cane. This image was taken while he was recovering in the summer of 1862.
At the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862, Cross suffered wounds #s 3, 4, and 5. Wound #3: Two bits of artillery shell in the left cheek. Wound #4: One “bit” of artillery shell in the right eye. Wound #5: A while later (after the first two wounds) he was hit in the right arm. None of these wounds were considered serious enough to keep him away from the regiment.
At the Battle of Fredericksburg, on December 13, 1862, Cross suffered wounds 6-11. Wound #6: Shell fragment hit him in the chest. Wound #7: Another shell fragment knocked out two teeth. Wound #8: Another shell fragment hit him in the forehead. Wound #9: Another shell fragment hit him over the right eye. Wound #10: Another shell fragment hit him in the back of the hand. Wound #11: “Still later” another shell fragment hit him in the left leg. His wounds were serious and he would not return to duty until the middle of March, 1863.
Cross was not wounded at the Battle of Chancellorsville in May, 1863. At the Battle of Gettysburg, he would receive wounds 12 and 13. Wound #12: “Slight” wound in the head. Wound #13: A few minutes after the head wound he received a minie ball in the abdomen. This was his final, fatal, wound.
We are at the Taneytown, Maryland Memorial Park. The Army of the Potomac’s Second Corps left Uniontown, Maryland early that morning and marched seven miles to Taneytown on July 1, 1863. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 4:00 PM on Friday, December 26, 2008.
The Second Corps reached Taneytown around noon on July 1, 1863. This view was taken facing south at approximately 4:00 PM on Friday, December 26, 2008.
While at Taneytown, Second Corps commander Winfield Scott Hancock received orders to hurry to Gettysburg and take charge of the Union forces there. General John F. Reynolds had been killed, and General Meade trusted Hancock to find out if Gettysburg was a good place for the Union Army to fight a battle. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 4:00 PM on Friday, December 26, 2008.
The Second Corps continued marching 13 more miles from Taneytown to Gettysburg on July 1, 1863. Cross’ Brigade stopped east of the Round Tops along the Taneytown Road. Rich is standing on Howe Avenue. Wright Avenue extends behind him to the west. We are showing you this picture because when we filmed here the next day it was foggy, and the Round Tops could not be seen. This view was taken facing west at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, December 26, 2008.
In this video (Video #4) Rich describes the arrival of Cross’ brigade, and gives us the brigade organization. This view was facing west at approximately 9:45 AM on Saturday, December 27, 2008.
We have arrived on Cemetery Ridge near the Hancock Road. We are by the 148th Pennsylvania Regiment’s monument that marks their location for July 3, 1863. This view was taken facing west at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, December 26, 2008.
Although this marker shows their position for July 3, 1863, it is a good spot to see the length of Caldwell’s Division’s line on July 2nd. Caldwell’s line stretched from the Pennsylvania Monument to the north… This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, December 26, 2008.
… to the George Weikert Farm buildings to the south. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, December 26, 2008.
This map shows the location of videos 3, 5, and 6 all taken at Gettysburg National Military Park. Video 4 is out of sight to the south on Wright/Howe Avenue. This map was created at approximately 6:00 PM on Wednesday, December 31, 2008.
In this video (Video #5) Rich explains the relationship between Cross and the 148th Pennsylvania. He realizes that at one point in the video he should have said the “81st Pennsylvania” instead of “82nd Pennsylvania.” This view was facing west to north to south at approximately 9:45 AM on Saturday, December 27, 2008.
In this video (Video #6) Rich explains how Caldwell’s Division was formed on Cemetery Ridge the afternoon of July 2, 1863. He states that Caldwell had a premonition of his death but of course he meant Cross, not Caldwell. This view was at first facing to the east and looking at the New York Auxiliary Monument before swinging around to other parts of the compass at approximately 9:45 AM on Saturday, December 27, 2008.
Here is a closer view of the sheet that Rich was showing in the last video. It shows the manner in which Caldwell’s Division was placed on Cemetery Ridge the afternoon of July 2, 1863.
See our previous posts on Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides:
Gettysburg Guide Room: The Final Days on March 8, 2008.
Lights Out at the Electric Map on April 13, 2008.
New Guide Room at the New Visitor Center on April 19, 2008.
New Association of Licensed Battlefield Guide Office and Library Opens on August 25, 2008.
Evergreen Cemetery Headstone Damage with LBG Deb Novotny on October 20, 2008.
Camp Letterman Part 1 with LBG Phil Lechak on November 15, 2008.
Camp Letterman Part 2 with LBG Phil Lechak on November 17, 2008.
Gettysburg Artillery Part 1 with LBG George Newton on November 21, 2008.
“Mammy’s Little Baby Loves Guided Tours” with LBG Charlie Fennell on November 23, 2008.
Bucktails on McPherson’s Ridge Part 1 with LBG Rich Kohr on November 26, 2008.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Exam 2008 on December 6, 2008.
Gettysburg Hawk Hunting with Licensed Battlefield Guide Dave Weaver on December 14, 2008.