Licensed Battlefield Guide John Archer: East Cemetery Hill Part 2
September 7, 2011
East Cemetery Hill was frequently a site used for reunions of Civil War veterans in the 1880s. The observation tower stands at the location now occupied by the equestrian statue of Major General Winfield Scott Hancock. The photographer was on top of the Evergreen Cemetery Gatehouse. The Baltimore Pike is in the foreground. This view was taken facing northeast circa the 1880s and is courtesy of John Archer.
Though Yankee born and bred, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide John Archer dates his interest in the Civil War from his childhood discovery of Confederate ancestors on his family tree. He graduated from the University of Hartford where he received a B.A. in Psychology. After 25 years mixing music as a sound engineer, John rediscovered to his Civil War roots, and moved lock, stock, and barrel to Gettysburg in 1995. He has researched and written articles for Gettysburg Magazine, Civil War Times, America’s Civil War, and Blue & Gray. His first two books, East Cemetery Hill at Gettysburg, and Culp’s Hill at Gettysburg are interpretive guides to these less understood areas of the battle. His first work of fiction, After the Rain: A Novel of War & Coming Home, is due to be released this fall. In addition to serving as a Licensed Battlefield Guide, John is also on staff at Gettysburg College. He resides in Gettysburg with his wife Darlene.
To see the previous East Cemetery Hill posts by John Archer, click here.
In the today’s East Cemetery Hill post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide John Archer shows us the plaques on markers on East Cemetery Hill and compares some 1800s photographs with today’s landscape.
This map shows the location of the videos for the East Cemetery Hill posts. Videos #1-3 were shown in our previous East Cemetery Hill post. Videos #4-6 were taken on East Cemetery Hill in the area of the Hancock Equestrian monument. This map was created facing north at approximately 2:30 PM on Friday, August 19, 2011.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide John Archer is the host for this series on East Cemetery Hill. He is standing near the top of the hill. The guns and lunettes behind John mark the position of James Stewart’s Battery B, 4th United States Artillery. The Evergreen Cemetery Gatehouse is behind the guns. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, July 29, 2011.
In Video #4 (Videos #1-3 were shown in our previous John Archer East Cemetery Hill post) Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide John Archer discusses some plaques and markers and informs us of the surplus cannon brought to mark artillery positions on East Cemetery Hill. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, July 29, 2011.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide John Archer is standing on the west side of the Baltimore Pike. He is holding the photograph which we showed at the beginning of this post with the observation tower located where the Hancock equestrian statue is now located. The Evergreen Cemetery Gatehouse is behind the photographer. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, July 29, 2011.
In Video #5 Licensed Battlefield Guide John Archer shows photographs of the East Cemetery Observation Tower and the Army of the Potomac itinerary plaques. This video was taken facing southwest to southeast to northwest at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, July 29, 2011.
This image shows the Baltimore Pike in the foreground with the Electric Trolley Tracks. The Army of the Potomac itinerary plaques are in their original location. The Hancock equestrian statue is in the left background. This view was taken facing southeast circa the late 1890s and is courtesy of John Archer.
The current location of the Army of the Potomac itinerary plaques along the Baltimore Pike and north of their position in the previous photograph. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, July 29, 2011.
The view of the Borough of Gettysburg from the top of the Evergreen Cemetery Gatehouse a few days after the Battle of Gettysburg. The Baltimore Pike is in the foreground. This view was taken facing northwest by Timothy O’Sullivan circa July 7, 1863 and is courtesy of John Archer.
In Video #6 John Archer reads a quote from John Batchelder about East Cemetery Hill, describes the view, and expresses Major General Oliver O. Howard’s view of Cemetery Hill. This video was taken facing facing west at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, July 29, 2011.
John Archer is standing on the west side of the Baltimore Pike holding the photograph taken by Timothy O’Sullivan from the top of the Evergreen Cemetery Gatehouse (behind and to the left of the photographer). The Army of the Potomac itinerary plaques are in the right background. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, July 29, 2011.
John Archer is standing on the top of East Cemetery Hill. The plaque for Samuel Carroll’s Brigade is to the left of the gravel path. The artillery pieces of Wiedrich’s New York Battery are in the area of the Howard equestrian statue. The monument with the figure of the soldier is to the 7th West Virginia. The monument in the left background is to the 73rd Pennsylvania. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, July 29, 2011.
