Struggle for the Bliss Farm Part 3 With Licensed Battlefield Guide Woody Christ
July 15, 2009
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Elwood “Woody” Christ is the author of the book, Over a Wide, Hot,…Crimson Plain: The Struggle for the Bliss Farm at Gettysburg, July 2nd and 3rd, 1863. He is the host for our series on the fighting for the Bliss Farm. Woody is standing on the crest of Cemetery Ridge, south of the old Cyclorama Building. The stone wall was occupied by Willard’s Brigade on the morning of July 2, 1863. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 7:30 AM on Saturday, June 13, 2009.
Although many individuals know the fields of Pickett’s Charge, fewer know the action which took place in those fields around the Bliss Farm. Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Elwood “Woody” Christ begins a series on the struggle for the Bliss Farm. His book, Over a Wide, Hot,…Crimson Plain: The Struggle for the Bliss Farm at Gettysburg, July 2nd and 3rd, 1863 was published by Butternut and Blue in 1993. Woody is a Gettysburg College graduate, and has been a Licensed Battlefield Guide since 1982.
In our first post Woody Christ concentrated on some terrain in the area of the Bliss Farm, specifically in what is now the subdivision, Colt Park. In our second post he continued his emphasis on the “broad flat knoll” which is Colt Park. In today’s post he shows us the first positions of the United States troops that would be involved at the Bliss Farm. He also showed the route that many of them used to access the Bliss Farm from Cemetery Ridge.
We will use this map provided to us by Woody Christ for the remainder of the Bliss Farm posts.
This map shows the location of where our Bliss Farm videos were produced. Videos #1-#6 were shown in our previous Bliss Farm posts. Video #7 was taken at the crest of Cemetery Ridge near the stone wall south of the old Cyclorama building. Video #8 was taken at the monument to the 1st Delaware Infantry Regiment. Video #9 was taken north of the Brian/Brian House. Video #10 was taken along the Emmittsburg Road near the Brian/Bryan farm lane. This map was created facing north at approximately 5:00 PM on Saturday, June 27, 2009.
In Video #7 (Videos #s 1-6 were seen in our previous Bliss Farm posts) Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Woody Christ is standing on the top of Cemetery Ridge. He shows us the arrival of some units of the Second Corps as they deploy on and near the ridge. This view was taken facing southeast to southwest to northeast at approximately 7:30 AM on Saturday, June 13, 2009.
The monument to the 1st Delaware Infantry Regiment was dedicated in 1885. This view was taken facing west at approximately 6:00 PM on Saturday, June 27, 2009.
In Video #8 Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Woody Christ is standing near the monument to the 1st Delaware Infantry Regiment. He shows us that the monuments along the stone wall mark positions for July 3, 1863, not July 2, 1863. This view was taken facing east to southeast to northeast at approximately 7:30 AM on Saturday, June 13, 2009.
Licensed Battlefield Guide Woody Christ is standing north of the Brian House. This view was taken facing west at approximately 7:30 AM on Saturday, June 13, 2009.
In Video #9 Licensed Battlefield Guide Woody Christ shows us the Brian Farm Lane that connected the Brian House on Cemetery Ridge to the location of the Brian Tenant House and to the Emmitsburg Road. This view was taken facing west at approximately 7:30 AM on Saturday, June 13, 2009.
Woody Christ is standing west of the Emmitsburg Road. The white buildings of the Brian Farm are in the background. At the time of the battle, the Brian Tenant House was on the east side of the Emmitsburg road in this location. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 7:30 AM on Saturday, June 13, 2009.
In Video #10 Woody Christ shows us the Brian Farm Lane from the west, and discusses the fences along the Emmitsburg Road. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 7:30 AM on Saturday, June 13, 2009.
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