Gettysburg Daily

Culp’s Hill Part 2: Licensed Battlefield Guide Charlie Fennell, and VC Demolition #13

April 10, 2009



Dr. Charles C. Fennell continues our tour of Culp’s Hill. In today’s post, he moved below the summit of the hill to the position of the 60th New York Infantry Regiment. The 60th New York had approximately 273 men and officers engaged at the Battle of Gettysburg. They suffered 52 casualties (11 Killed/mortally wounded and 41 wounded). This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 9:30 AM on Sunday, March 22, 2009.

Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Dr. Charles Fennell received his Ph.D. in history from West Virginia University in 1992. His dissertation was titled, “The Battle of Culp’s Hill.” Today he continues his walk around Culp’s Hill by discussing the position of the 60th New York Infantry Regiment. In our previous post on Culp’s Hill, he began our tour at the summit, near the observation tower.



This map will show the locations of the videos we will show on the tour. Videos #1-#3 were taken on the summit of Culp’s Hill near the observation tower. Videos #4-#7 were taken near the monument to the 60th New York Infantry Regiment. This map was created facing north at approximately 7:00 PM on Monday, March 23, 2008.
In video #4, Dr. Fennel explains that George Sears Greene’s Brigade was for a time on July 2, 1863, the only brigade from the 12th Army Corps on Culp’s Hill.



The star is the corps symbol for the 12th Army Corps as Charlie mentioned in Video #4. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 9:30 AM on Sunday, March 22, 2009.



Charlie Fennel is standing by the marker to Company I of the 60th New York Infantry Regiment which is farther down the slope to the monument of the 60th New York. He is showing its relation to the monument to the 60th New York and to the Culp’s Hill observation tower. This view was taken facing west at approximately 9:30 AM on Sunday, March 22, 2009.
In video #5, Charlie has moved to the position of the 60th New York near the marker for Company I of that regiment. This is the location of the breastworks constructed by the unit. This view was taken facing west to northeast to east at approximately 9:30 AM on Sunday, March 22, 2009.



Captain Jesse H. Jones of Company I recalled that as the men constructed the breastworks, the more experienced soldiers went to work confidently. “Right and left the men felled the trees, and and blocked them up into a close log fence. Piles of cordwood which lay near by were quickly appropriated. The sticks, set slanting on end against the outer face of the logs made excellent battening.” This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 9:30 AM on Sunday, March 22, 2009.
In video #6, Dr. Fennel explains how a breastplate probably saved Captain Jesse H. Jones’ life. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 9:30 AM on Sunday, March 22, 2009.



Company I of the 60th New York was formed at Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence County, New York on September 24, 1861. Jesse H. Jones was the company’s first Captain. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 9:30 AM on Sunday, March 22, 2009.
In video #7, Licensed Battlefield Guide Charlie Fennel explains how the 60th New York fought on these slopes the evening of July 2, 1863 for approximately three hours. At one time they ran out of ammunition, and later captured two battle flags. This view was taken facing north to east at approximately 9:30 AM on Sunday, March 22, 2009.

See our previous posts on Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides:

Culp’s Hill with Licensed Battlefield Guide Charlie Fennel here.
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 with LBG Phil Lechak here.
Gettysburg Artillery with LBG George Newton here.
“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.
Colonel Edward Ephraim Cross with LBG Rich Bellamy here.
Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr: William Wible’s Gettysburg Quarry on January 21, 2009.
The Gettysburg Electric Trolley with LBG Rich Kohr here
ACHS Battle of Gettysburg Civil War Research Room with LBG Tim Smith on February 10, 2009.
Lutheran Theological Seminary Cupola with LBG Tim Smith here
John F. Kennedy’s Gettysburg Visit with LBG Richard Goedkoop here.
Gettysburg Harrisburg Railroad with LBG Don Walters here.
Neill Avenue (Lost Avenue) with LBG Ted Gajewski here.



Except for some small areas, the Electric Map Visitor Center has been essentially demolished. This view was taken facing south at approximately 4:30 PM on Thursday, April 9, 2009.

This is our thirteenth update on the demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center. On Thursday the contractors had almost completely demolished the structure.  In our first post we saw the initial work in the middle of the structure. In our second post we saw the breaching of the wall to the 1962 addition. In our third post, they had almost completely removed the 1962 Electric Map Lobby. In our fourth post the contractors broke through the wall to the Electric Map Auditorium. In the fifth post the contractors advanced farther into the auditorium and broken through the south wall. In the sixth post, the contractors knocked down the south wall separating the 1921 building from the 1962 building, and began to demolish the west and southwest sides of the 1921 building. In the seventh post, the contractors made significant progress on both the 1921 building and the 1962 building. In the eighth post, the contractors had almost completely demolished the 1921 building and made more progress on the 1962 building. In the ninth post, the contractors significantly opened up the 1962 Electric Map Auditorium. In the tenth post, the contractors significantly demolished the northeast corner of the 1962 Electric Map Auditorium. In our eleventh post, the contractors demolished three of the remaining five sections of the 1962 Electric Map Auditorium. In our twelfth post, only a small corner of the 1962 auditorium remained standing.



A view from the Cyclorama parking lot. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Thursday, April 9, 2009.



The view from the former Taneytown Road entrance. This view was taken facing west at approximately 4:30 PM on Thursday, April 9, 2009.



What’s the deal with still leaving up this section of the restroom wall on the 1921 building? This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Thursday, April 9, 2009.



The restroom wall from the north. Nothing is supposed to be given away, and the bricks are supposed to be hauled away or ground up, so we wonder why there is a pile of bricks by the tree. This view was taken facing south at approximately 4:30 PM on Thursday, April 9, 2009.



Part of the foundation of the 1921 building (and its many additions) still remains. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Thursday, April 9, 2009.



A wider view of the 1921 building rubble. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Thursday, April 9, 2009.



Our wide view from the north. Notice the old Cyclorama building in Ziegler’s Grove in the right background. This view was taken facing south at approximately 4:30 PM on Thursday, April 9, 2009.



A view from the northwest. The dust was flying because the workers were still operating machinery while we were there. They probably wanted to work late on Thursday so that they wouldn’t have to work today (Friday). This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Thursday, April 9, 2009.



A wider view from the northwest. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Thursday, April 9, 2009.



A view from the west. This view was taken facing east at approximately 4:30 PM on Thursday, April 9, 2009.



A view from the southwest. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Thursday, April 9, 2009.

See the following related posts:

Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #12 on April 8, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #11 on April 7, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #10 on April 6, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #9 on April 4, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #8 on April 3, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #7 on April 2, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #6 on April 1, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #5 on March 31, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #4 on March 27, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #3 on March 26, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #2 on March 25, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Begins on March 24, 2009.
Cyclorama Construction Fencing: Completed on North Side, Redone on West Side on March 13, 2009.
A Fence Too Far: Cyclorama Construction Fencing Completed on West Side on March 1, 2009.
Construction Fences Arrive at Old Visitor Centers on February 27, 2009.
Old Visitor Center Lawn in Limbo on May 28, 2008.
Lights Out at the Electric Map on April 13, 2008.
Moving Day at the Gettysburg Visitor Center on April 12, 2008.
An Emptiness at the Visitor Center on March 31, 2008.
Gettysburg Guide Room: The Final Days on March 8, 2008.
A Sunday Afternoon Walk Around the Old Gettysburg Visitor Center on February 24, 2008.