Wrightsville Part 3 With York County Civil War Guide Scott Mingus

York County Heritage Trust Sanctioned Civil War Guide Scott Mingus is standing east of Cool Creek Road in the area where the Battle of Wrightsville occurred on the afternoon of June 28, 1863. Wrightsville is behind the trees in the background. The Susquehanna River is approximately one mile from this spot. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, September 13, 2009.

Scott L. Mingus, Sr. is a scientist and executive in the paper and printing industry, and holds patents in self-adhesive postage stamp products and in bar code labels. He has written six books on the Civil War, including Human Interest Stories of the Gettysburg Campaign (Volumes 1 and 2), Human Interest Stories from Antietam, and Flames Beyond Gettysburg: The Gordon Expedition, June 1863. His latest book, A Spirit of Daring: Hays’ Louisiana Tigers in the Gettysburg Campaign, was published in October by LSU Press. In the works is Gettysburg Glimpses 2: More True Stories from the Battlefield. Mingus also has written several articles, including in The Gettysburg Magazine. He maintains a blog on York County, Pennsylvania, in the Civil War for the York Daily Record (www.yorkblog.com/cannonball/), and he is a sanctioned Civil War Guide for the York County Heritage Trust.

Mingus has written several booklets on wargaming the Civil War, including the two-volume Enduring Valor: Gettysburg in Miniature, the popularly acclaimed Undying Courage: The Antietam Campaign in Miniature, Touched With Fire, and Crossed Sabers: Gettysburg in Miniature. His latest work, Brothers Divided, features a dozen new scenarios from the Gettysburg campaign. He and his wife Debi publish Charge!, the leading international fanzine for ACW miniature wargaming.

A native of southeastern Ohio, he graduated from Miami University after majoring in Paper Science and Engineering. Mingus spent 23 years working for office products giant Avery Dennison in the Cleveland area before joining Glatfelter, a global manufacturer of specialty papers, in 2001. He and his family live near York, Pennsylvania.

In our first Wrightsville post, Scott Mingus brings the forces to Wrightsville, and shows us how the Confederates advanced on the Union defenses.

In our second post, York Heritage Trust Civil War Sanctioned Guide Scott Mingus shows us the location of Bair’s Mill and the location of the Union skirmish line.

In today’s post, York Heritage Sanctioned Guide and author Scott Mingus shows us the Wrightsville Battlefield, west of the town.

This map shows the location of where our Wrightsville videos were produced. Video #1-#6 were shown in our previous Wrightsville posts. Videos #5 and #6 were taken at the intersection of the Lincoln Highway and Cool Creek Road. Videos #7 -#9 were taken on Cool Creek Road near the Rutter’s convenience store. This map was created facing north at approximately 7:00 PM on Thursday, September 17, 2009.

This map shows the units defending Wrightsville and the position of the Confederate units as they advanced on the defenses. Copyright Scott L. Mingus, Sr.; drawn for Flames Beyond Gettysburg by Tom Poston. All rights reserved.

This 1876 map of Wrightsville shows landmarks, Confederate troop movements in red, and the Union defenses in blue. This map was created in 1876.

In Video #7 (Videos #1- #6 were shown in our previous Wrightsville posts) York County Heritage Trust Sanctioned Guide Scott Mingus is standing on Cool Creek Road near the Rutters convenience store. He describes the beginning of the approximately 30 minute fight for Wrightsville which occurred in this area. This view was taken facing southwest to northeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, September 13, 2009.

York County Heritage Trust Sanctioned Civil War Guide Scott Mingus shows us how much area was occupied by John Brown Gordon’s Confederate Brigade as it advanced towards Wrightsville. To the north, on the ridge in the background where US 30 is now located was Confederate artillery. This view was taken facing north at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, September 13, 2009.

The Rutter’s convenience store is in the background. Above the Rutters is a line of trees. Below the trees is Kreutz Creek and the southern advance of Gordon’s Brigade. This view was taken facing south at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, September 13, 2009.

The 31st Georgia Infantry Regiment advanced “up the middle” from the west. It is probably not too difficult to tell that we took this picture facing west on a September afternoon. This view was taken facing west at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, September 13, 2009.

In Video #8 Sanctioned Guide Scott Mingus is still standing on Cool Creek Road near the Rutters convenience store. He continues his description the primary fight for Wrightsville which occurred in this area and describes the Confederates breakthrough of the Union lines. This view was taken facing northeast to south to northeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, September 13, 2009.

The J.M. Huber Farm is in the background. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, September 13, 2009.

A closer view of the J.M. Huber Farm. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, September 13, 2009.

In Video #9 Scott Mingus is still standing on the east side of Cool Creek Road near the Rutters convenience store. He points out the location of the Union earthworks in this area and describes how the 20th Pennsylvania stayed too long in their position. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, September 13, 2009.

Scott Mingus’ book on John Brown Gordon’s expedition through south central Pennsylvania is Flames Beyond Gettysburg: The Gordon Expedition, June 1863. It is published by Ironclad Publishing Inc. 6258 Olde Orchard Dr. Columbus, Ohio 43213. This cover was scanned facing north at approximately 8:00 PM on Monday, September 14, 2009.