The African American community living in the area during the war faced a difficult choice: flee or risk capture, which could lead to being sold into slavery in the south.Ītkinson believes Warfield fled and later returned after fighting concluded.
Just adjacent to the fields was the home of James Warfield, a free black man who had recently moved to the state to operate a blacksmith shop. General William Barksdale was an "ardent secessionist," Atkinson said. The monument is an illustration of Barksdale's Charge, an afternoon clash on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg. The graphic, artistic sculpture features details like the stars on the Mississippi regiment's colors and the wear on the bottom of the soldiers' shoes. "Not a lot of monuments show death," Atkinson said. "And this is one of the few at Gettysburg that actually demonstrates that."
One, mortally wounded, tries to keep the battle flag upright while the other wields his rifle like a baseball bat. Two soldiers, with exaggerated extremities, fend off attackers. This post-centennial monument, created by Donald De Lue in 1973, depicts the battle in a way rarely seen in other battlefield sculptures. One of them is the Mississippi state monument. More: Dedication, Remembrance days coincide in Gettysburg Nexus of the battleĪ couple monuments at the Gettysburg National Military Park might betray your expectations of the park's structures. "The important thing is that (the story) still brings them here, whether it be Sallie, whether it be the men that fought here, they still come to Gettysburg to see what happened 150-plus years ago," Atkinson said. A visitor from Seattle stopped by to place a penny on the monument. On Wednesday, Sallie was decorated with bright, yellow dandelions. "I think it’s just a way for individuals to honor Sallie and her service," Atkinson said. Visitors will often leave dog treats and biscuits on Sallie's statue, which faces the battlefield. Today, Sally's emblem on the monument is a park gem. Sallie died two years later at the Battle of Hatcher's Run. "After three days of intense battle, she would be found here, suffering, dehydrated, but nonetheless sanding guard over the men here at Gettysburg," Atkinson said. After one bloody July 1863 battle that wounded many members of the infantry, Sallie stayed behind with the soldiers. Sallie, the regimental mascot, would follow the soldiers into battle. That's because it features a canine companion, Sallie the brindle bull terrier.
The 11th Pennsylvania Infantry monument is like no other on the battlefield. Here are five tales that you might not have known. On Wednesday, Atkinson guided a tour of some more eccentric elements of the Gettysburg battlefield. While Atkinson does not have a direct connection the Battle of Gettysburg, she feels a sense of responsibility to convey the weight of the 1863 clash that resulted in 51,000 casualties. Related: Uncovering the Underground Railroad in Adams County "I never thought I would end up working here, but it is truly an honor." "Something just stuck with me," she said. There’s always an opportunity to read something that is new and exciting about this place."Ītkinson, who grew up in York County, explained that her grandmother originally fostered her interest in history. "There’s always new research being conducted," said Angie Atkinson, a 9-year ranger. "There’s always new ways to look at things. Think you know everything there is to know about the Gettysburg battlefield? Think again.Įven veteran park rangers at Gettysburg National Military Park find themselves constantly learning new things. Watch Video: Watch: Little known stories from the Battle of Gettysburg