Gettysburg Artillery Part 3 With Licensed Battlefield Guide George Newton

Licensed Battlefield Guide George Newton is standing by the only 6-pounder displayed on the field. This gun is located at Latham’s North Carolina battery on West Confederate Avenue. We are south of the Emmitsburg Road. The Bushman Farm is in the background. Above the Bushman Farm is Big Round Top. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, November 17, 2008.

Licensed Battlefield Guide George Newton is a native of Baltimore, an Air Force Vietnam War Veteran, a retired insurance executive, and the author of Silent Sentinels: A Reference Guide to the Artillery at Gettysburg.

This is the third part of our Artillery series with George. In Part 1, we featured a Napoleon manufactured by Quimby and Robinson in Memphis, Tennessee, and a 10-pounder Parrott Rifle, manufactured by the West Point Foundry in Cold Spring, New York.

In part two we concentrated on 24-pounder howitzers at Moody’s Battery, A 12-pounder howitzer, manufactured in 1837, and the oldest gun on the field, and some 20-pounder Parrotts.

In part three George shows the only 6-pounder displayed on the battlefield, and shows us how fifteen 6-pounders at Gettysburg National Military Park were converted into “false Napoleons.”

For George’s previous posts on Gettysburg Artillery please click here.

This map shows the locations of the videos that we have shot during the artillery segments. Videos 1-5 were taken near the North Carolina monument, and were featured in our first artillery post. Videos 6-10 were featured in the second post, and were taken in the area of the Longstreet Tower. Today’s post features Videos 11-13. Video 11 was shot in the area of the Bushman Farm. Videos 12 and 13 were shot on Cemetery Ridge’s Hancock Avenue. This map was created facing north at approximately 7:00 PM on Thursday, February 19, 2009.

A wider view of the position marked for Alexander C. Latham’s North Carolina Battery, also known as the Branch Artillery. Little Round Top is above the left gun, and Big Round Top is above the right gun. During the Battle of Gettysburg, the battery suffered three casualties. One many was killed, and two were wounded. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

Latham’s battery consisted of three Napoleons, one 12-pounder howitzer, and one bronze 6-pounder gun. During the Battle of Gettysburg, the howitzer and the 6-pounder were disabled. Two 10-pounder Parrotts, captured from Smith’s New York Battery at Devil’s Den on July 2, 1863 were given to Latham’s battery following the battle. In our first video, we will concentrate on the 6-pounder. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

In Video #11 (Videos 1-10 were featured in our first two artillery posts) George explains that by this time of the war, 6-pounders were not common. Latham’s battery had the only 6-pounder during the battle. He also explains the features of this 6-pounder that had to be altered to create “false Napoleons.” This view was taken facing mostly southeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

The 6-pounder tube weighed 879 pounds. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

The right trunion shows that this gun was made by Cyrus Alger Iron Company in South Boston, Massachusetts. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

The 6-pounder’s muzzle. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

The decorative band around the barrel before the muzzle flares is called the Astragal. It would have to be removed as part of its conversion to a “false Napoleon.” This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

We have now moved to Cemetery Ridge, west of Hancock Avenue. This is the July 3, 1863 position for Ames, Battery G, First New York Light Artillery. There are two “false Napoleons” here. Notice also that they are different colors. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 3:30 PM on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

Sorry about shooting into the sun but we wanted to show this position near United States Avenue and the George Weikert House. The Round Tops are in the left background. Look at the color of this gun. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 3:30 PM on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

The color of this Confederate made gun tube closer to United States Avenue and the George Weikert House is darker… This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 3:30 PM on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

… than this United States made gun tube. George will explain why in Video #12. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 3:30 PM on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

In Video #12, George explains how the 6-pounders were converted to “false Napoleons,” and compares the color of the two guns. This view was taken facing northeast to north to southeast at approximately 3:30 PM on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

As George explained in Video #12, to convert the 6-pounders to look like 12-pounder Napoleons, the raised part of the cascable was ground down, and the back of the gun was smoothed down… This view was taken facing north at approximately 3:30 PM on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

…the front part of the Reinforce was ground down and smoothed out… This view was taken facing north at approximately 3:30 PM on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

…and the Astragal was removed and the raised part around the muzzle was ground down. This view was taken facing north at approximately 3:30 PM on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

In Video #13, Licensed Battlefield Guide George Newton explains to a visitor (off camera) how the Federal 6-pounder was converted into a “false Napoleon.” He also explains how 6-pounders were made into tablets and equestrian statues. The equestrian statues were for Meade, Hancock, Sykes, Sedgwick, and Warren. Warren never got his horse, and Sykes never received a statue at Gettysburg. This view was taken facing mostly north to east at approximately 3:30 PM on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

George’s Book, Silent Sentinels: A Reference Guide to the Artillery at Gettysburg, was published in 2005 by Savas Beatie LLC, 521 Fifth Avenue, Suite 3400, New York, New York, 10175. The telephone number is (610)-853-9131. The book is 259 pages with 235 pages of text, photographs, and illustrations. It is currently retailing on Amazon.com for $29.95. If it is not retailing from Amazon (or for that price), you may order it directly from the publisher, Savas Beatie. The cover of this book was scanned at approximately 8:30 PM on Friday, November 21, 2008.

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 with LBG Phil Lechak 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.