Arlington and Gettysburg have many individuals in common. This view shows three. President John F. Kennedy visited Gettysburg on March 31, 1963. While Arlington claims that Jacqueline Kennedy received the idea for the eternal flame in Paris, Lyndon B. Johnson’s adviser, Jack Valenti(1921-2007, and also buried at Arlington) claimed the idea for this flame came from the Kennedy’s visit to Gettysburg’s Eternal Light Peace Memorial approximately eight months before his death. At the top of the hill is the Custis-Lee Mansion, which was a residence of Army of Northern Virginia commander, Robert E. Lee. But that’s not all. In this picture is a granite monument at the top of the hill to the front right of the house. This is the burial location of Brigadier-General Horatio G. Wright (1820-1899), who commanded the First Division of the Sixth Army Corps during the Gettysburg Campaign. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 2:30 PM on Sunday, September 27, 2009.
Arlington National Cemetery, overlooking Washington, D.C., has many connections to Gettysburg and to the Gettysburg Campaign. There are many more connections than to only Robert E. Lee’s residence, and John F. Kennedy’s grave. Almost every row in the older sections have someone buried there who had a link to Gettysburg.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr shows us the individuals connected to Gettysburg who are buried at Arlington.
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In today’s post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr explains Robert E. Lee’s connection with Arlington, how the Union Army first occupied the site, and why Union Brigadier General General Montgomery C. Meigs established a National Cemetery at Arlington.
This map shows us the locations taken of videos for our Gettysburg at Arlington series. Video #1, was taken southeast of the Arlington House. Video #2 was taken in front of (east of) the Custis-Lee Mansion. Video #3 was taken behind (southwest of) the Custis-Lee Mansion near the grave of Brigadier-General Montgomery C. Meigs. This map was created facing north at approximately 6:30 PM on Monday, September 28, 2009.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr is the host for our Gettysburg at Arlington series. He is standing near the Custis-Lee Mansion. He is wearing his “A.P. Hill-like” red battle shirt. This view was taken facing north at approximately 2:30 PM on Sunday, September 27, 2009.
In Video #1 Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr is standing southeast of Arlington’s Custis-Lee Mansion. He explains Robert E. Lee’s connection to the Arlington Estate. This view was taken facing north to northwest at approximately 2:30 PM on Sunday, September 27, 2009.
This wayside is near the position of our first video. This view was taken facing north at approximately 2:30 PM on Sunday, September 27, 2009.
A closeup of the wayside shows a photograph taken from this location of Union troops occupying Arlington in 1864. This view was taken facing north at approximately 2:30 PM on Sunday, September 27, 2009.
Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr has now moved in front of (east of) the Arlington House, with one of the best views of our nation’s capital. This view was taken facing east at approximately 2:30 PM on Sunday, September 27, 2009.
The wayside by which Rich was standing in the previous photograph shows the Arlington estate on the eve of the Civil War. This view was taken facing east at approximately 2:30 PM on Sunday, September 27, 2009.
In Video #2 Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr is standing in front of (east of) The Custis-Lee Mansion (Arlington House). He describes how Mary Lee left the estate and how the Union Army occupied the high ground at Arlington in May, 1861. This view was taken facing east to southwest to east at approximately 2:30 PM on Sunday, September 27, 2009.
In this view from in front of (east of) the Arlington House, there are a couple of Gettysburg connections are visible. At the bottom of the hill, people are gathered at the grave of President John F. Kennedy. We are looking down Memorial Drive and across the Potomac (Memorial Bridge) towards the Abraham Lincoln Memorial. This view was taken facing east at approximately 2:30 PM on Sunday, September 27, 2009.
Rich Kohr has now moved a couple of hundred yards southwest of the Custis-Lee Mansion to the grave of United States Brigadier-General Montgomery C. Meigs. Meigs was a civil engineer, a construction engineer for a number of facilities in Washington, D.C., and the Quartermaster General of the United States Army during and after the American Civil War. From 1853 to 1859, he supervised the building of the wings and dome of the United States Capitol. Based on his recommendation, Arlington National Cemetery was created in 1864. This view was taken facing east at approximately 2:30 PM on Sunday, September 27, 2009.
In Video #3 Rich Kohr is standing a couple of hundred yards southwest of the Arlington House, by the grave of Union Brigadier-General Montgomery C. Meigs. He explains Meigs role in establishing Arlington National Cemetery. This view was taken facing southeast to east to southeast at approximately 2:30 PM on Sunday, September 27, 2009.
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