Gettysburg Idols Part 1: Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Joe Mieczkowski
April 30, 2010
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Joe Mieczkowski is our host for this series on Gettysburg Idols. He has been a Licensed Battlefield Guide since 2007. This view was taken facing east at approximately 2:15 PM on Sunday, April 25, 2010.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Joseph E. Mieczkowski is the host for our Gettysburg Idols series. A resident of nearby Fairfield, Pennsylvania, Joe is a Civil War living historian and educator. Joe portrays Lincoln’s Secretary of War, Simon Cameron as well as Gettysburg resident, David Wills. In addition Joe is a Licensed Town Guide in Gettysburg. He is also the past President of the Gettysburg Civil War Roundtable.
Educated at Salem College, Salem, West Virginia and at Pennsylvania State University, Joe has been employed for over 30 years with the Social Security Administration. He has served in a variety of locations and assignments including 16 years as a manager and director in Washington D.C. Presently he is the Area Director in Harrisburg PA.
In today’s post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Joe Mieczkowski presents United States Major General Abner Doubleday, and some of his actions before, during and after the Gettysburg Campaign.
This map shows us the locations taken of the videos for the Gettysburg Idols series. Videos #1-#4 were taken on McPherson’s Ridge near the statue to Abner Doubleday. This map was created facing north at approximately 7:00 PM on Tuesday, April 27, 2010.
The Doubleday Statue on McPherson’s Ridge was dedicated on September 25, 1917. The sculptor was J. Massey Rhind. The cost of the monument was $7257. This view was taken facing east at approximately 2:15 PM on Sunday, April 25, 2010.
In Video #1 Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Joe Mieczkowski introduces himself and his series on Gettysburg Idols. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 2:15 PM on Sunday, April 25, 2010.
After the Gettysburg Campaign, Abner Doubleday did not perform field service for the rest of the American Civil War. He was on duty in Washington, D.C. This view, courtesy of Joe Mieczkowski was taken circa the 1860s.
In Video #2 Licensed Battlefield Guide Joe Mieczkowski introduces us to Major General Abner Doubleday and provides some facts about Doubleday before the Gettysburg Campaign. This view was taken facing northeast to north to east at approximately 2:15 PM on Sunday, April 25, 2010.
This image from the May 4, 1861 issue of Harpers Weekly shows Captain Abner Doubleday seated on the far left. To his right is Major Robert Anderson. This view is courtesy of Joe Mieczkowski.
Joe Mieczkowski is standing on McPherson’s Ridge near the Abner Doubleday statue. McPherson’s Woods/Herbst’s Woods/Reynolds’ Woods is in the background. This view was taken facing north at approximately 2:15 PM on Sunday, April 25, 1863.
In Video #3 Joe Mieczkowski relates the story of how Doubleday met Confederate Brigadier General James Archer after Archer’s capture at Gettysburg. Archer was the only Confederate General captured at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863. This view was taken facing north to northwest at approximately 2:15 PM on Sunday, April 25, 2010.
This image, from the June 19, 1939 issue of Newsweek Magazine presents Abner Doubleday as the inventor of baseball. This is courtesy of Joe Mieczkowski.
In Video #4 Joe Mieczkowski presents Abner Doubleday’s postwar career and discusses Doubleday’s association with baseball. This view was taken facing east to northeast at approximately 2:15 PM on Sunday, April 25, 2010.
To see other posts by Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides,click here.
