Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Denny Forwood continues our series on Gettysburg Dental stories. In today’s post, his first story is of Major Joshua G. Palmer, a dentist from Urbana, Ohio. Palmer was a member of the 66th Ohio Infantry Regiment when he was killed on the east slope of Culp’s Hill. This view was taken before July 3, 1863.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide and Dentist, Dr. Denny Forwood, continues our series of Gettysburg related dental stories. In our first dentist post, he gave us a general background of Civil War dentists, and told us specific stories related to the Blocher Farm, and Lewis Paine (Lewis Powell). In today’s post he takes us to Culp’s Hill, Wright Avenue, and the Rose Farm for some stories related to dentistry.
Dr. Forwood was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1946. He was raised in Towson and Reisterstown, Maryland. Denny graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 1968 with a degree in Microbiology. He graduated from the University of Maryland Dental School in 1972. Dr. Forwood served in the United States Navy from 1972-1974 at the Naval Hospital in Newport, Rhode Island. At that facility he treated hospital patients/hospital staff, and those attending the Navy War College. He has a practice of General Dentistry in Frackville, PA from 1974 to the present.
This map shows the locations of the videos in this series. Video #1 was shot on Chambersburg Street near Christ Lutheran Church. Video #2 was shot north of town near the intersection of Howard Avenue and the Carlisle Road. Video #3 was filmed near the Florida State Monument on West Confederate Avenue. Videos #s 4-5 were shot on Culp’s Hill. Videos #s 6-7 were taken on Wright Avenue, and Videos #s 8-9 were taken on the Rose Farm. This map was created facing north at approximately 9:00 PM on Tuesday, May 26, 2009.
Dr. Denny Forwood is standing near the monument to the 66th Ohio Infantry Regiment on the east slope of Culp’s Hill. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, May 15, 2009.
Joseph Palmer was standing on the left (east) side of the 66th Ohio, farther down the hill from its monument, when he was mortally wounded. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, May 15, 2009.
In Video #4 (Videos #s 1-3 were in our previous Dentist post) Denny Forwood gives us some background on Major Joshua Palmer of the 66th Ohio Infantry Regiment. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, May 15, 2009.
A closer view of the Palmer marker. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, May 15, 2009.
We are still by the Palmer marker, and we are facing uphill. The 66th Ohio fired into the Confederates’ right flank (they fired from right to left) as the Confederates charged up the hill. This view was taken facing west at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, May 15, 2009.
In Video #5 Dr. Denny Forwood gives us more details about Palmer’s final days. This view was taken facing west at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, May 15, 2009.
We have now moved southeast of Little Round Top to Wright Avenue. Dr. Forwood is standing near the monument to Lewis Grant’s Vermont Brigade. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, May 15, 2009.
In Video #6 Denny shows us the position of Grant’s Vermont Brigade on July 3, 1863. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, May 15, 2009.
Grant’s Vermont Brigade monument was dedicated on October 9, 1889. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, May 15, 2009.
The First Vermont Brigade suffered approximately 1000 casualties during the Battle of the Wilderness in May, 1864. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, May 15, 2009.
In Video #7, Licensed Battlefield Guide Denny Forwood gives us a biographical sketch of Lieutenant-Colonel John R. Lewis, who commanded the 5th Vermont Infantry Regiment at Gettysburg, and who was a Dentist from Burlington, Vermont. This view was taken facing east at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, May 15, 2009.
The First Vermont Brigade was in Albion Howe’s Division at Gettysburg. Apprximately a month and a half before the Battle of Gettysburg, Howe needed to take a leave of absence to have his teeth fixed. This procedure required the services of a “professional dentist.” This letter was given to Denny Forwood by Licensed Battlefield Guide Jim Clouse, who found it in the National Archives. This letter was scanned facing north at approximately 6:00 PM on Thursday, May 21, 2009.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Denny Forwood has now moved to the Rose Farm for his next dentist story. This view was taken facing north at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, May 15, 2009.
We have moved to the other (north) side of the Rose House. This view was taken facing south at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, May 15, 2009.
In Video #8, We have moved to the other (north) side of the Rose House. Denny explains that the Adams County Historical Society found the tooth of Lieutenant William L. Daniel, Company F, of the 2nd South Carolina Infantry in their collection. This view was taken facing south to north to south at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, May 15, 2009.
A photograph of some of the Confederate dead buried around the Rose Farm. Officers such as Lieutenant Daniel would have had a headboard marking his grave. This view was taken on either July 5th or July 6th, 1863.
In Video #9, Dr. Forwood explains that the Adams County Historical Society arranged to have the tooth buried in Saluda, South Carolina. Denny was asked to make a mold of the tooth and some copies, one of which he shows us. This view was taken facing south at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, May 15, 2009.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Denny Forwood shows us a closer view of the copy that he made of Lieutenant Daniel’s tooth out of dental resin. This view was taken facing south at approximately 5:00 PM on Friday, May 15, 2009.
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