United States Department of the Interior
G e r f t h o
• U i . s .
10-23 (M ay 1929) UNITED STATES 30S//33 93? DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
-Gatiyshurg. n a t i o n a l ''p a r k
F I L E N O .
VISTA CUTTING PROJECT
Area of Little Round Top, Devil's Den, the TTheatfield, and Peach Orchard.
IMPORTANT Frederick Tilberg This file constitutes a part of the official records of the Assistant Research Technician National Park Service and should not be separated or papers December 28, 1939 withdrawn without express authority of the official in charge. All Files should be returned promptly to the File Room. Officials and employees will be held responsible for failure to observe these rules, which are necessary to protect the integrity of the official records. ARNO B. CAMMERER, O 8. OATBRNMEfT ntMTIWA O R IG I 6 7410 Director. 4$- VISTA CUTTING PROJECT - Gettysburg National Military Park Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Summary Account of the Battle in the Area of Little Round Top, Devil's Den, the hheatfield, and Ee'aoh Orchard.
The Union line, upon its establishment by noon "of July 2, was entirely south of the town of Gettysburg, the right flank resting near Spangler's
Spring, the left at Little Round Top. It was the center and left of the
Union Line, extending from Ziegler's Grove southward, which was to bear the impact of battle on the afternoon of July 2. Beginning at this grove of trees and extending southward along the ridge were the Divisions of Hays,
Gibbon and Caldwell of Hancock's Second Corps. To the left of the Second
Corps, lay Sickles' Third Corps, prolonging the line of battle to Little
Round Top. Arriving later in the day, the Fifth Corps, under General George
Sykes, was posted in reserve on Baltimore Pike, near the Rock Creek Crossing.
The Sixth Corps, under General John Sedgwick, after a long, forced march, reached the field still later and was posted in reserve to the southeast of Big Round Top, from which position parts of the Corps could be moved as circumstances demanded. Meade's line, three miles in length, resembled a fishhook, with the point of the hook at Spangler's Spring, -¿he Lend at
Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill, and the snank extending southward on Cemetery
Ridge to Little Round Top. The Confederate line, as established at the time of the opening of the attack on the afternoon of July 2, was nearly the same shape as that of the Federal but, being the outer line, was about six miles in length. On the Confederate right, facing the Round Tops were
Hood's and KcLaws' Divisions of Longstreet's Corps. On the left of
McLaws', extending along the line of Seminary Ridge, were the Divisions of Anderson and Pender of Hill's Corps, with Heth's Division in the rear in reserve. Ewell's Corps, composed of the Divisions commanded by Rodes, Early, and Johnson, held the line from Seminary Ridge east ward through the town of Gettysburg to Benner's Hill, east of Rock Creek.
The absence of cavalry on the Federal left flank, left the Federal commander without definite information as to the movements of the
Confederates. Gamble's and Devin's Brigades of Buford's Cavalry, who had faced the Confederate advance the morning of July 1, west of Gettys burg, had been occupying the valley west of Little Round Top. About
10 a.m., July 2, they were ordered, by some mistake, to move to
Westminster, Maryland, before the arrival of Gregg's Cavalry Division from Hanover and Merritt's Brigade from Mechanicsburg— (now Thurmont),
Mary1and.
In the absence of information from the cavalry, and wishing to know what was in his front, General Sickles, commanding the Third Corps which occupied the ground from Little Round Top to the George Weikert farm buildings, sent the Berdan Sharpshooters and the Third Maine Infantry -3-
forward on a reconnaissance. On reaching the Pitzer Woods beyond the Emmitsburg Road, shortly before noon, they found the Confederates there in force, and after a sharp engagement with Wilcox’s Brigade, withdrew and reported to Sickles.
Believing that Lee planned a flank movement on the left of his line, and that the Emmitsburg Road afforded better positions for the artillery, General Sickles moved his Corps forward and posted
Humphrey’s Division on the right along the Emmittsburg Road, his left extending to the Peach Orchard. Birney’s Division prolonged the line from the Peach Orchard southeastward across the Wheatfield and along the wooded ridge to Devil's Den.
It was Lee's plan to attack the Federal left which, he thought, terminated at the Peach Orchard. General Longstreet was directed to place the divisions of McLaws and Hood on Warfield Ridge, across the
Emmitsburg Road in order^to^artialljVenvelope the Federal left flank.
General Ewell was instructed to make a demonstration simultaneously against the Federal positions on Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill, to be converted into a real attack if opportunity offered. General A. P. Hill was ordered to threaten the Federal center to prevent reinforcements being drawn to support the Federal left or right.
General G. K. Warren, Chief Engineer of the Federal Army, after inspecting Sickles advanced line, rode to Little Round top which he found unoccupied except by a signal station. Viarren at once realized the tactical importance of the hill on Meade's left flank, and realizing -4-
that Confederates had already reached the woods nearly a mile to the
southwest and were in line of battle, he sent a member of his staff to
Sickles for troops. Sickles informed him that troops could not be spared.
Warren sent another staff officer to Meade who immediately ordered
Sykes to move his Fifth Corps to Little Round Top. Barnes' Division
of this Corps had already been called for by Sickles to defend his line,
and three brigades commanded by Vincent, Tilton, and Sweitzer, were moving toward the Wheatfield. Learning of the need of troops on Little
Round Top, Vincent moved back, skirted the east side of Little Round
Top and took a position on the southern slope of Little Round Top,
arriving just before the Confederates from Hood's right advanced over the west slope of Big Round Top in the direction of Little Round Top.
Having watched these movement, Warren rode down to Wheatfield
Road at the northern base of Little Round Top where he met Colonel
Patrick O’Rorke, in command of the 140th New York regiment, and ordered
his command to the crest of the hill. The regiment reached that point
just as General E. M* Laws' Alabama Brigade was advancing on the opposite
slope of the hill. With the support of Weed's Brigade, the combined
forces held the crest of the hill after a desperate engagement on the
southern and western slopes. During the struggle for the possession
of Little Round Top, other Confederate brigades were moving against
the Sickles line at Devil's Den, and the woods adjacent to the Wheat-
field. In echelon manner, the Confederate attack was forced by the
brigades of Robertson, Benning, Anderson, Kershaw, Senimes, Barksdale, Wofford, Wilcox, Perry and Wright against the Divisions of Birney and
Humphreys, and Hancock's Second Corps. The Valley of Death between
the Round Tops and the ridge extending northward from Devil's Den
was now a seething mass of opposing forces, enshrouded in clouds of
smoke.
Meade had already depleted his right flank by ordering Geary's
and Ruger's Divisions and Lockwood's Brigade in support of the Third
Corps. He now sent all of the Fifth Corps to the defense of Little
Round Top and the Sickles line, and ordered Caldwell's Divisions of
the Second Corps, in position south of The Angle, to the Wheatfield
section of the Sickles line. Willard's Brigade of Hays' Division,
in position at Zeigler's grove, was ordered to move southward and to
oppose the advance of the Confederate, Barksdale, who after crossing
the Emmitsburg Road north of the Peach Orchard, and the woods and fields
north of the Trostle farm buildings, reached Watson's Federal Battery
near the main Federal line on Cemetery Ridge. General Sickles was
severely and Barksdale mortally wounded in this drive.
On Barksdale's right, Y/offord's brigade of McLaws* Division broke
through the salient at the Peach Orchard and reached the valley between
Devil's Den and Little Round Top where they were met by a charge of
the Pennsylvania Reserves, of Crawford's Division, led by Colonel
William McCandless. Wofford was forced to withdraw to the wroods west of the Wheatfield; McCandless' Reserves advanced across the valley
from their position on the north of Little Round Top and reached the stone wall on the east side of the Wheatfield.
At the time that Sickles was wounded, Meade directed Hancock to
assume command of Sickles' Corps in addition to his own. Newton,
now in command of the First Corps, sent in Doubleday's Division.
With these troops, Hancock checked the advance of the Confederate brigades
of Barksdale, Wilcox, Perry and Wright, while the entire Fifth Corps,
now in position on Little Round Top and in support of the Sickles
line, checked the advance of Hood's and McLaws' Confederate Divisions.
Brigades of the Federal Sixth Corps reached the field near the close
of the engagement. Withdrawing from its advance position on the
Wheatfield Road near the Peach Orchard, Bigelow's Battery made a
determined stand at the Trostle buildings and succeeded in checking
the Confederate advance until the gap on Sickles' first line was protect
ed by a line of guns on Cemetery Ridge. Most of the Confederate bri
gades got no farther than Plum Run except Wright's which actually
reached the line of guns on Hancock's front near the Angle. Unsupported
on his left, however, Wright was forced to withdraw.
Four hours of desperate struggle had broken the Peach Orchard
salient, left the Wheatfield strewn with dead and wounded, the base of
Little Round Top a holocaust of war. Lee's assaults on Meade's left had
failed to accomplish anything decisive. Although Sickles' advance line was driven back and most of the area west of the Round Tops, including
the Peach Orchard, the Wheatfield and adjacent woods, Devil's Den, and
the base of Big Round Top, was occupied by the Confederates, Meade's original line from the crest of Big Round Top northward on Little
Round Top and along Cemetery Ridge was intact. The Confederates re mained west of Plum Run, except at Big Round Top where they were entrenched along the west slope thereof.
Physical Features of the Round Tops- Devil's Den-Wheatfield-Peach Orchard Area
Yfhen General Sickles moved the Third Corps forvrard to its advance position, his left flank rested at Devil's Den, the battle line ex tending northward along the wooded ridge to the Wheatfield, thence westerly through the Wheatfield and adjacent woods to the Peach Orchard, thence northerly to Emmittsburg Road. In the Confederate attack on this line, the troops of Robertson, Banning, Anderson, Kershaw, Semmes,
Barksdale and Wofford first struck the Federal Positions in the heavily wooded area extending from Devil's Den in the direction of, and nearly to, the Peach Orchard, Law's Brigade driving through the wooded slopes of Big Round Top in his attack on Little Round Top. Open ground in this area of battle were the fields in rear of the Federal position at the Peach Orchard, the Wheatfield west of Little Round
Top, the broad valley of Plum Run between Little Round Top and Devil's
Den Ridge, and areas south of the Trostle and George Weikert farm buildings. Massive rock formations exist at Devil's Den, and large boulders may be found throughout the area of Devil's Den, Little Round
Top, the Wheatfield and northward to the Trostle and George Weikert farms. Such boulders existed in profusion on the slopes of Little
Round Top and at Devil's Den, and became a real factor in the course
and persistence of the Confederate attack on Little Round Top.
A large amount of small, loose stone along the slopes of Little Round
Top made it possible for the Federal troops to construct stone breast
works along the western slopes thereof, end a stone wall from the
southern base of Little Round Top to the top of Big Round Top, to serve
as defensive positions against further Confederate attacks. From
these positions, Federal sharpshooters continued firing at Confederate
sharpshooters posted among the boulders at Devil’s Den long after
the main attack had ended.
In establishing a historical basis for vista cutting, which would
also involve a restoration of woodland conditions as of July, 1863,
the chief sources of information are the Warren Survey Map of the
Battlefield of Gettysburg, and available Brady and Tipton photographs.
It is felt that the Warren Map, produced from an actual survey of the
Battlefield area undertaken from October 21, 1868 to October 23, 1869,
under the direction of Major General G. K. Warren, is the most authentic
source of information. The map purports to show woodland, open fields,
period fences, boulders, types of tree growth, farm building groups,
earthworks, and contours of the Battlefield area as of the period of
survey. In certain instances on the map, reference is made to a certain type of fence, other than that indicated, which existed at the time
of the battle in July, 1863. While it is noted on the map legend that -9-
"numerous changes have occurred since the Battle, in direction of
fences, new roads being opened, houses erected, woods cleared, etc",
this map remains the most authentic record of the physical features
of the Battlefield of the period following the battle.
Along with data obtained from the Warren Map is the evidence con tained in Brady and Tipton photographs. A year prior to the Battle of
Gettysburg, the entire western slope of Little Round Top had been cut clear of woods, with the exception of a few scattered trees and light undergrowth. Two Brady photographs of Little Round Top, one view from the southwest near Devil's Den and a second view from the northwest at a point near the intersection of the present Wheatfield Road and Craw- for Avenue, show clearly the condition of the slopes of Little Round
Top and Plum Run Valley at the western base thereof soon after the battle. ' Brady photographs of the terrain west and northwest from the crest of Little Round Top, if such exist in other Brady collections, are not available at this time. A Gettysburg photographer, William H.
Tipton, made a large number of photographs of this area, many of them showing the terrain west and northwest from Little Round Top. As these
Tipton photographs are undated, it is impossible to estimate the approximate period which they represent. These photographs are of little use, therefore, in the effort to restore woodland conditions of the period of the Battle of Gettysburg. Certain Tipton photographs are
being attached to this report, however, as they appear to show photo graphically the woodland growth in the area west and northwest of Little
Round Top corresponding to the woodland in the same area as ihdicated on the Warren Survey Map made in 1868-9. These photographs are not
submitted, therefore, as evidence of the condition to be restored but have been selected in an effort to indicate by photograph as nearly
as possible the extent of woodland and open ground indicated on the
Warren Map.
Suggestions for Vista Cutting
In a consideration of vista cutting in this area of the Battlefield
it is felt that the point from which observations for this undertaking
should be made is the crest of Little Round Top.
According to the Warren Map, the area of Devil's Den, and the
eastern slopes of Devil's Den Ridge extending northward
Den, shows only a comparatively few scattered round lea:
to the w^st of a fence on the ridge is shown a heavily wooded section
of round leaf and oak trees. To the west of the Den, though not identi
fied in the map legend, is shown what appears to be a growth of smaller
trees, and considerable underbrush. Southward, on the slopes of Big
Round Top, a heavy growth of round leaf, oak and pine is observed.
Scattered along the western slopes of Little Round Top is a considerable
growth of pine and oak. Brady photographs of the post-battle period
indicate this slope to have been nearly devoid of tree growth. The ab
sence of trees and undergrowth, as may be observed on the Brady photo
graphs, opens the rocky terrain of Little Round Top to clear view. On the basis of this information, it is suggested that a scattered growth of medium height pine and oak be left on the western slopes of Little
Round Top, that underbrush be thinned out in order that the rocky- terrain may again be open to view. It is suggested, further, in order to open a view to Devil's Den and the ridge northward, that a consider able number of tall trees now in the line of sight from Little Round
Top in the direction of Devil's Den be removed.
In opening a vista from Little Round Top in the direction of the
Wheatfield, it is suggested that a section of round leaf and oak trees on the eastern border of the Wheatfield be removed, thereby restoring the wooded area as indicated on the Warren Map. With the removal of these trees, a clear view would be opened from Little Round Top to the
Wheatfield, n ’ ’ ' ' ‘ m view by this growth of trees.
The growth of pine trees, and the scattering of other types of trees on the eastern slope of Devil's Den Ridge at this point should remain in the present condition.
prom the viewpoint on Little Round Top the low ground bordering
Plum Run, in the direction of the Trostle farm buildings, is indicated on the Warren Survey Map as open ground, and is an extension northward of the swamp area at the northwest base of Little Round Top. To the left of this open ground just north of the Wheatfield Road is an open area at the present time which, according to the Warren Map, should be wooded.
To the right of the Plum Run swale in the direction of the Trostle buildings in a viooded area extending from Wheatfield Road northward to a point near the George Weikert farm buildings. Northward from the Trostle
buildings, the map shows a growth of trees and underbrush along Plum
Run, extending nearly to the upper extremity of Plum Run just south
of the Codori buildings.
It is desired to open a fourth vista in this area. The Warren Map
indicates open ground in the swale extending southward fhom the George
Weikert farm buildings to the Wheetfield Road. If the scattered growth
of trees and the underbrush in this swale "were removed, to conform with
woodland in this area of the Warren Map, a view would be opened from
Sedgwick Avenue at a point south of the George Weikert buildings. to
the swale between Little Round Top and Devil's Den Ridge. It is to
be pointed out that Caldwell's Division,when ordered to the Wheatfield
to assist Sickles in holding his line, moved from a position just north
of the George Weikert buildings down this swale and westward across
the Wheatfield into position.
The four vistas discussed herein, three of which are intended to
open a view from Little Round Top to Devil’s Den, to the Wheatfield,
and in the direction of the Trostle buildings and beyond to the field
of Pickett's Charge, and a fotirth to open a view from Sedgwick Avenue
to the swale at the western base of Little Round Top, are indicated by
arrows on the sections of the Warren Survey Map attached to this report.
Attached to the report, also, is a panoramic view from Little
Round Top of the area west and northwest thereof, based upon Tipton
photographs made, it is thought, about 1890, and a panoramic view of the same area taken in the summer of 1939 showing the heavy growth of woods and the resultant obliteration of views from Little Round
Top toward Devil’s Den, the Yiheatfield, and the Trostle farm buildings, as well as the swale south of the George Yieikert farm buildings.
Two Tipton photographs, the approximate date of which is 1880 as they were made for Paul Phillippoteaux as a basis for his painting of the Cyclorama of the Battle of Gettysburg, have been included to show from a point near the Angle the woods in the area of the Trostle and Weikert farm buildings, and the Ysheatfield.
Two Brady views of Little Round Top, and two corresponding views taken in December, 1939, have been included to show the appearance of
Little Round Top after the battle at that point, and views at the present time to show the growth of trees and underbrush. Set of Tipton photographs, made about 1890. Panoramic view from the crest of Little Round Top westward and northwestward showing from left to right the area of Devil’s Den, Devil’s Den Ridge, the Wheat- field, the Trostle buildings, and the George Weikert buildings. As there is not a complete set of Tipton photographs covering this area, the three prints do not present a continous panoramic view. The view covers, generally, the area included in the following set of present time view«.
Set of photographs taken during the Summer of 193», showing panoramic view from Little Round Top southwestward, westward and northwestward* x notograpns show the heavy growth of trees which obliterate the view to-
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At the left is a copy of a Brady photograph showing Little Round
Top soon after ohe battle j at tne rignt is a view from approximately the same position, December, ly39. r View of Little Round Top from the southwest at a point near Devil*s Den# At the left is a copy of a Brady photograph} at the right, a view from approximately the same position,
December, 19i5y « * ,»* jl ton photographs made about 1880« View from a point near
Tne Angle. Although the woodland in the area of the Round To^s is indistinct, the extent of woods in the area of the Trostle and
George Weikert buixdings and the I'heatfxeld may be observed*
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