Struggle for the Bliss Farm Part 8 With Licensed Battlefield Guide Woody Christ
September 9, 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 near the Union skirmish line the evening of July 2, 1863. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:15 PM on Monday, July 20, 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 our third post he showed 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.
On today’s post Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Woody Christ described some incidents on the skirmish lines the evening of July 2nd and early morning of July 3rd. He also tells how the 12th New Jersey occupied the Bliss buildings the morning of July 3, 1863.
This map was provided to us by Woody Christ for 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. Video #11 was taken at the fence marking the skirmish line of the 14th Connecticut. Videos #12-#16 were taken at the site of the Bliss House. Video #17 was taken south of the Bliss Barn. Videos #18- #20 were taken southeast of the Bliss Barn. Videos #21- #23 were taken farther south of the Bliss Barn than #17. Videos #24- #25 were taken near the fence marking the Union skirmish line the evening of July 2nd and the morning of July 3rd. Video #26 was taken north of the Bliss Barn. This map was created facing north at approximately 7:00 PM on Monday, August 17, 2009.
In Video #24 (Videos #1-#23 were shown in our previous Bliss Farm posts) Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Woody Christ is standing near the Union skirmish line the evening of July 2, 1863. Woody tells the story of how some Confederates encountered members of the 8th Ohio Infantry in this area the evening of July 2nd. This view was taken facing west to southwest to north to northwest at approximately 3:15 PM on Monday, July 20, 2009.
Licensed Battlefield Guide Woody Christ is standing near the fence that marked the skirmish line of the 14th Connecticut Infantry Regiment the evening of July 2, 1863. Big Round Top is in the left background. This view was taken facing south at approximately 3:15 PM on Monday, July 20, 2009.
In Video #25 Licensed Battlefield Guide Woody Christ is standing near the Union skirmish line of the 14th Connecticut the evening of July 2, 1863. Woody tells the story of how some members of the 14th Connecticut were captured, and how the 12th New Jersey was sent to occupy the Bliss Farm on the morning of July 3, 1863. This view was taken facing south to west to south to southwest to west to east to west at approximately 3:15 PM on Monday, July 20, 2009.
Woody Christ is standing near the area of the Bliss Barn. The marker to the 12th New Jersey Regiment is on the left. The remains of the bank barn are on the right. Big Round Top is in the left background above Woody. This view was taken facing south at approximately 3:30 PM on Monday, July 20, 2009.
In Video #26 Woody Christ near the Bliss Barn. Woody tells the story of how the 12th New Jersey was forced to abandon the Bliss Farm after being outflanked from Confederates to their north. This view was taken facing southeast to south to west to northwest to north to west at approximately 3:30 PM on Monday, July 20, 2009.
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