Battle for Hanover Part 1 With Licensed Battlefield Guide John Krepps
June 19, 2009
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide John Krepps is the author of the book, A Strong and Sudden Onslaught, The Cavalry Action at Hanover, Pennsylvania. He is the host for our series on the movements to Hanover and the fighting within the borough. John is standing near the grist mill at Union Mills, Maryland. This view was taken facing west at approximately 2:30 PM on Thursday, June 11, 2009.
The Battle for Hanover is a not very well known, but very important action in the Gettysburg Campaign. Licensed Battlefield Guide John Krepps has written a book on this event: A Strong and Sudden Onslaught, The Cavalry Action at Hanover, Pennsylvania. John will be the host for our series on the events leading up to the battle, and the battle itself. John is a McSherrystown, Pennsylvania native, a Hanover, Pennsylvania resident, and has been a Licensed Battlefield Guide since 1995. He had four ancestors who fought in the Civil War, all with Pennsylvania units. One relative fought on Gettysburg’s East Cemetery Hill the night of July 2, 1863.
In today’s post we will concentrate on an introduction to Stuart’s Cavalry raid, and show some images from Union Mills, Maryland.
This map shows the location of where our Battle of Hanover videos were produced. Videos #1-#3 were taken near the main cluster of buildings at Union Mills, Maryland. This map was created facing north at approximately 8:00 PM on Thursday, June 11, 2009.
Near the Miller’s House at Union Mill, Maryland are three waysides. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 2:30 PM on Thursday, June 11, 2009.
One wayside gives an overview of Union Mills. This view was taken facing west at approximately 2:30 PM on Thursday, June 11, 2009.
Another wayside tells how the Shriver family coped with both Confederates and Union troops occupying their farms. This view was taken facing west at approximately 2:30 PM on Thursday, June 11, 2009.
One wayside gives an overview of the Gettysburg Campaign. This view was taken facing west at approximately 2:30 PM on Thursday, June 11, 2009.
This wayside has a map of Maryland, which shows some important locations during the Gettysburg Campaign. This view was taken facing west at approximately 2:30 PM on Thursday, June 11, 2009.
John will use the map on this wayside to explain J.E.B. Stuart’s plan for his cavalry raid. This view was taken facing west at approximately 2:30 PM on Thursday, June 11, 2009.
In Video #1 Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide John Krepps shows us the route of Stuart’s movements into Pennsylvania. This view was taken facing west at approximately 2:30 PM on Thursday, June 11, 2009.
In Video #2 Licensed Battlefield Guide John Krepps introduces himself, and gives us some background on the movements of Stuart’s cavalry before they reached Union Mills, Maryland. This view was taken facing south to west at approximately 2:30 PM on Thursday, June 11, 2009.
John Krepps is standing north of the Union Mills Grist Mill. This view was taken facing south at approximately 2:30 PM on Thursday, June 11, 2009.
In Video #3 John Krepps gives some background on Union Mills, Maryland, and shows us the old route of the Hanover-Westminster Road. This view was taken facing south to west to north at approximately 2:30 PM on Thursday, June 11, 2009.
We are standing in the roadbed of what used to be the old Hanover-Westminster Road. We are looking towards Westminster. The road is the paved area just to the right of the buildings. The road bed is easily seen in places as it comes across the field because of the standing water. This view was taken facing south at approximately 2:30 PM on Thursday, June 11, 2009.
Then the road went into what are now woods and undergrowth across Big Pipe Creek. We will show you the remains of the bridge and the old route in our next Battle of Hanover post. This view was taken facing north at approximately 2:30 PM on Thursday, June 11, 2009.
