Photo by John Armstrong

ASSOCIATION OF LICENSED BATTLEFIELD GUIDES GETTYSBURG, PA

Association of Licensed Battlefield Guides Vol. 37 No. 4 August 2019 Battlefield Dispatch 717•337•1709 “I am quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with blood. I had, as I now think vainly, The ALBG was founded in 1916 flattered myself that without very much bloodshed it might be done.” – John Brown as the official organization to represent and promote licensed guiding at Gettysburg. Interested individuals who do not hold guide The licenses may join the ALBG as Associate contributed by LBG Les Fowler members by submitting annual dues of $25. Council news from • for • and about your association Membership includes a subscription to the Battlefield Dispatch and covers the fiscal year at the july business Center, and more than 30 give it. This manual will July 1– June 30. meeting it was de- Guides are participation. govern guiding here for the cided that five former Contact LBG Eric Lindblade foreseeable future, so we all EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Guides should be or LBG John Baniszewski if have a stake in the decisions. TERM ENDING IN 2019 – LBGs Les Fowler • Fred Hawthorne • appointed as Emeritus you’re interested in utilizing Please keep in mind that Mary Turk-Meena • Joe Mieczkowski ALBG members due this venue. these discussions are ongoing TERM ENDING IN 2020 – LBGs to their long and faithful and no decisions have been Rob Abbott • Chuck Burkell • Deb Novotny • Therese Orr service to the ALBG. These we have also had two finalized. We have all been LBGs are George Newton, workdays on Little Round TERM ENDING IN 2021 – LBGs given the opportunity to ex- John Baniszewski • Jim Cooke • Walter Powell, Kathy Show- Top to clear some of the press our positions, so make Eric Lindblade • Jessie Wheedleton vaker, Thomas Stenhouse brush away. While a great your voice heard. and William Troxell. job was done by those who ALBG Battlefield Dispatch came out, we would like to the executive council has c/o ALBG, Inc. the executive council (ec) PO Box 4152 has been working hard to see more folks next time. a lot of irons in the fire Gettysburg, PA 17325-4152 repair the daily draw system. Thanks for those who gave at present, and some of up a couple of Sunday morn- the Committees could use Newsletter..... Dave Joswick (ALBG) We have finally achieved a [email protected] breakthrough in our rela- ings to improve the view! some help. We have a new [email protected] tions with the Foundation Facebook page, a Seminar The Battlefield Dispatch is the official com- discussions are still ongo- coming up, the Annual munication of the Association of Licensed and are achieving some Battlefield Guides, published bimonthly in ing concerning the updating long-overdue results. In ALBG trip, outreach efforts February, April, June, August, October, and of the Guide Manual. If you and many other ways that December. meetings with the Founda- haven’t participated in the Material for potential publication should be tion President Matt Moen, you can participate. Please forwarded to the editor via e-mail or standard open meetings yet, please contact us if you would like mail to the addresses listed above. Submis- we were able to convince plan on doing so. The Park sion deadline is the 5th day of the month of to help out in our efforts to the publication. All items published will be the Foundation to go back to wants our input, and as the way the daily draw used support and improve guiding credited with byline. Articles without byline many of us as possible should in the Park. are the editor’s work. to be run. This doesn’t mean © 2019 by ALBG, Inc. • All rights reserved. there will be more tours in No part of this publication may be used or re- produced without the prior written permission the morning, just that you’ll of the publisher. know your place in the draw Ready to serve it up... and you can use your time ...is host LBG Eric Lindblade at the annual ALBG picnic. Legal Notice more effectively. A great big Story and more photos on page 4. The Association of Licensed Battlefield Guides (ALBG) website and the written newsletter thanks to LBG Rob Abbott known as the Battlefield Dispatch are the only of- ficial communication vehicles of the Association for his efforts in this. We are of Licensed Battlefield Guides. continuing to work with the Any officially sanctioned document, publica- tion, class material, class schedule, field presenta- Foundation to fix the prob- tion schedules and communications—public and lems that we’ve had with private—contained in these communication ve- hicles are copyrighted for the exclusive use of the Tessitura, so watch this space ALBG and its members. Any unauthorized use of for more updates. said materials for any reason without the specific written permission of the Executive Council of our opening of the heri the Association of Licensed Battlefield Guides is - strictly prohibited. tage center as a new venue for Guides has been vey successful. It is an alternative Don’t forget to like to working out of the Visitor ALBG on Facebook! 2 Battlefield Dispatch Thoughts on Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides contributed by LBG John Baniszewski he Gettysburg National Military Park (GNMP) is With the passage of so many decades, it has become dif- unique in America’s national park system. Most of our ficult for modern visitors to understand the story that the Tnational parks, such as Yellowstone or Yosemite, were veterans were trying to tell us through the preservation of the created upon land that was already owned by the federal gov- land and the building of the monuments. The last of those ernment. The GNMP, however, was initially created upon veterans passed away more than a half-century ago. Those land purchased by the veterans that fought here. Thousands veterans can do no more to tell their incredible story. Visi- of those veterans shed their own blood upon that land in tors today need help, they need someone who can interpret July, 1863. Those veterans saw thousands of their friends die the land and the monuments for them, so modern visitors upon that land. As the 19th century neared its end, those can hear and understand the story of the veterans who veterans expended their time and personal treasure to pur- survived the battle, and the story of the soldiers who did not. chase the land that would eventually become the GNMP. We, the Licensed Battlefield Guides, must do our best to tell the story that the long-gone veterans can no longer tell. We the Guides do not tell our own stories, but by using the land and the monuments given to us by the veterans, we can re- tell the veterans’ stories. I remember one time overhearing a park ranger reply to the question of some first-time visitors. Those visitors asked how to best spend their limited time at the Gettysburg Na- tional Military Park. The ranger said that we have a wonder- ful movie at the Just a few months after the battle President Lincoln spoke GNMP. The ranger about those veterans and said that the world “must never said that we have a forget what they did here”. In the late 19th Century, those wonderful museum. Little Round Top veterans expended their personal time and treasure to carry But the ranger then out Lincoln’s admonition. They wanted future Americans to said “There are know what happened upon that land. They wanted future many movies in this Americans to remember what they personally did upon that world. There are ground. They especially wanted future Americans to remem- many museums. But ber their thousands of friends who did not survive the great there is only one and horrible battle that was fought upon that ground. Little Round Top. The veter- There is only one ans could have Wheatfield. There built a building is only one Angle”. to help visi- That ranger recom- The Wheatfield tors understand mended that the the story of visitors made sure the Battle of that they took the Gettysburg. time to stand upon They could and see the battle- have filled field, as the long- that building dead veterans hoped with museum those visitors would exhibits and do. That ranger is paintings. They chose, however, not to do so. The veterans long gone. I think I chose to help visitors understand the Battle of Gettysburg by never heard anyone placing monuments upon that battlefield, monuments that give better advice to were unique and that told the many different stories of the first-time visitors. The Angle many different regiments in which those veterans served. In 1895 the veterans made an incalculably precious gift of their land and monuments to the federal government. That is why we today have the Gettysburg National Military Park. We must remember those veterans as we make use of their gift. August 2019 3 Fall 2019 Seminar... Gone But Not Forgotten is in the planning stages contributed by LBG Joe Mieczwokski PLEASE JOIN US for a weekend-long visit to locations, landmarks, and areas that used to be on the Battlefield, but are no longer there. Many of these features still actually have remnants on the field. There will be five programs, one indoor on Friday, November 8, and four separate tours on Saturday, November 9. Check out the details of these programs below.

Friday, November 8, 6:30 PM Noon: Lunch – HGI’s Garden Grille and Bar Heritage Center, 297 Steinwehr Ave, Gettysburg Welcome and Reception with snacks and beverages 1:00 PM – 1913 Reunion (and Camp Colt) Presentation by LBG Eric Lindblade 7:00 PM – World War I at Gettysburg In the summer of 1913, over 50,000 Civil War veterans returned to the fields of Gettysburg to commemorate the 50th Presentation by LBG Dave Weaver “Images of Gettysburg from the National Archives with Dave’s anniversary of the battle. While the images of former adversaries interpretation based on his thoughts about military training from shaking hands across the wall still stir the imagination today, was his own military experience. The presentation will include mod- the so-called “Peace Jubilee” that simple? Join Licensed Battle- ern day photos of the locations depicted. Some of the photos show field Guide Eric Lindblade as he discusses the planning, person- military drill, inspections, and tank/infantry training and I in- alities, and myths associated with the Great Reunion. This tour clude with the pics some of my thoughts about what the men are will bring us to many of the sites related to the reunion such as doing and why. In addition, I’ll give an overview of the military the Great Tent where President Woodrow Wilson addressed camp and the problem of the flu epidemic and local politics.” the veterans and the Iron Brigade’s tent. Also discussed will be the impact on the battlefield itself and the infrastructure im- provements which would be put to use once again in 1917 and Saturday November 9, 8:00 AM 1918 by the United States Army. This tour will involve mostly Hilton Garden Inn (HGI), 1061 York Rd, Gettysburg walking over reasonably flat terrain, with a few stops on more Gather for coffee and a light breakfast in the General’s moderately difficult areas. Ballroom 3:00 PM – World War II at Gettysburg 8:30 AM – Camp Letterman Field Hospital Presentation by LBG John Baniszewski Presentation by LBGs Fran Feyock and Rick Schroeder Many people at Gettysburg made important contributions to On this seldom visited field, heroes were defined, heroes were America’s efforts to defeat Germany and Japan during WWII. lost, and heroes were made. A visit to the Camp Letterman In this program, you will visit the sites and learn about the Field Hospital at Gettysburg people and facilities on the battlefield that were used to: Join LBGs Dr. Rick Schroeder, M.D., and Fran Feyock, • Teach psychological warfare techniques to the soldiers that CRNA they discuss the action following the departure of the were sent to France following the D-Day invasion armies at Gettysburg. The program will focus on the structure, • Develop the maps used to conquer the Japanese-held islands mechanics, and stories related to surgical, anesthesia, and the during the Pacific Theater offensives in 1944-45 medical care of the approximately 20,995 soldiers both north • House German prisoners captured in the battles for North and south, plus the operation of an 1863 temporary field hospi- Africa and Europe tal. “It is unnecessary to do more than make an allusion to the difficulties that surrounded this department at the engagement at • Provide fuel in fulfilling America’s role as the “Arsenal of Gettysburg.” – Dr. Jonathan Letterman, MD – Medical Direc- Democracy” during the war tor Army of the Potomac 10, October, 1863 • Train college students to fly the planes that protected the Atlantic Coast in 1942 10:30 AM – “He sleeps by the side of a great rock...” Battlefield burial sites. 4:30 PM – Final wrap up to the day at the General’s Presentation by LBG Britt Eisenberg Ballroom at the HGI Most studies of the battle of Gettysburg focus solely on the three days of bloody combat, but the worst part of any battle The cost for this seminar will be $125, and includes the five story begins when the guns go silent. Who takes care of burying programs, Friday evening snacks, light breakfast, lunch, and the dead? This tour will examine the grim process of providing transportation. If you want to act now you can to send a check, soldiers a final resting place, sometimes systematic and at other payable to ALBG, to: times a somewhat haphazard process. Standing graveside, we ALBG • P.O. Box 4152 • Gettysburg, PA 17325-4152 will tell the stories of several of Gettysburg’s fallen from their You can also register online by going to: pre-war days until their earthly remains were first buried in the www.gettysburgtourguides.org/2019-fall-seminar/ soil of Pennsylvania. We look forward to seeing you at our Seminar. 4 Battlefield Dispatch Don’t miss out, only two Walks Through History remain We proudly present our Tuesday Walks Through History. The final two walks for 2019 are available for purchase on our website, www.gettysburgtourguides.org and by selecting the walks option from the scrolling menu.

TEDA EVENT LOCATION PRESENTER August 20...... WWI Training Camps...... Woolson Memorial...... Eric Lindblade August 27...... Soldiers’ National Cemetery...... Lincoln Speech Memorial...... Fred Hawthorne

Sunset at the Semi- 4PM. Sun. 10 AM - 4 nary Walking Tours PM. Historic Daniel Lady Fri., 9/6 Seminary in Farm. In honor of its 60th the Battle. Join Dr. Anniversary, the Get- Daryl Black and Peter Upcoming Events tysburg Preservation Miele for a special battlefield Association will host a walking tour. live action and living history program that will include The tour will examine a after-party. Tickets can be pur- Robert E. Lee’s army camped specific aspect of fighting on the Monocacy Battlefield? Confederate and Union chased online in advance; the encampments and skirmish- on Seminary Ridge before, event’s starting point is outside Park Rangers Tracy Evans and during, and after the Battle Mattt Borders talk about this, ing on the hallowed ground City Hall. Ticket prices are of the Historic Daniel Lady of Gettysburg. Special focus $32, $16 for kids 12 and un- as well as the infamous “Lost will be paid to people who Order” of the 1862 Maryland Farm. Over 500 reenactors will der. For more information: to present the Battle of Antie- lived here and people who go the website civilwarmed. Campaign, which resulted in fought here. the Gattles of South Mountain tam’s Bloody Lane along with a org/event/onevastadventure cavalry reenactment and other • Tour begins at 7:00 PM or call 301-695-1864. and Antietam. Free. Fror more information go to the website clashes during the two-day pro- • Free but donations nps.gov/mono or 301-662- gram. Adults: $15 for a one day appreciated “Mysteries and Myths of pass and $25 for a two day pass. Lee’s Lost orders”. Sat., 3515. • Pre-registration is appreci- Children 15 and under, free. 9/21 9AM - 3 PM. Mono- Includes tours of the Daniel ated, but not required. September 21 & 22, cacy National Battlefield Lady farmhouse and barn. For Gettysburg. Fall Farm • For questions or RSVP by Visitor Center, Frederick, information, www.gbpa.org. email, contact Rob Wil- MD. Did you know General Skirmish. Sat. 10AM - liams at [email protected] Annual ALBG picnic held at new venue • R.S.V.P. by calling contributed by LBG Jim Cooke 717-339-1300. n July 19, the ALBG celebrated its annual picnic at a new venue...the Carroll Valley Borough pavilion. We were fortunate to be able to use the air-conditioned interior One Vast Adventure Ohall and enjoyed the welcomed cool comfort on what was a very hot day. More than – Frederick at War. 40 guides, Associate members and their guests enjoyed barbecued chicken and pulled pork Sat., 9/21, 11:30AM - 5 from 3 Hogs BBQ in Hanover. LBG Eric Lindblade served as our host and coordinated the PM. City Hall of Frederick, delivery of side dishes and beverages. We enjoyed our meal there, and afterwards we had the MD. History comes to life briefest business meeting in recent memory, chaired by LBG Les Fowler. all around you during this one-of-a-kind event held The crowd gathers to enjoy the picnic inside the Carroll Valley Borough pavilion. throughout downtown Freder- ick. Play games, scour the city for clues, and solve puzzles, all while chatting with costumed characters throughout the immersive workd of Civil War- era Frederick. Tickets include food and drink samples, exclusive specials from partici- pating stores, and access to the entertainment experience and

LBG Les Fowler chairs a brief business meeting at the picnic. August 2019 5

Rules, regs, & evolution of the Winter Guide Schedule contributed by LBG Fred Hawthorne

he summer visitor season is fast waning. Some of our guides available! On weekdays, we only had three. As a com- guide friends are already departing Gettysburg for more promise, Lori Wright asked to have one guide assigned as a Tpermanent jobs or warmer climes. But there is a breed point of contact that they would call when a weekday reserva- of hardier LBG known as the “Winter Schedule Guide” who tion came in that could not be fulfilled by the duty guides. will continue to work and “…neither snow nor rain nor heat That contact would then be responsible for calling the next nor gloom of night” shall keep these intrepid individuals from day back-up guide and having them go in, make themselves serving the visiting public. John Fuss conducted a draw and available so that reservation could be assigned. We argued developed the daily rotation to establish the norm of three that this is unpaid work and asked that they simply go to the daily duty guides. Angie Atkinson recently emailed that week- backup list and call. They were unwilling to do so due to the day schedule to the 23 guides who agreed to work Monday extra work involved. As a compromise, we said we would through Friday. All other guides holding a full-time license are get a guide to volunteer one day a week to be the point of eligible to work Saturdays, Sundays, December 26 - 31 as well contact for that day. For example, I would be the contact on as Martin Luther King Monday and President’s Day. If you Monday, Deb Novotny on Tuesdays, etc. If the Duty Guides wish to be available for Gettysburg Foundation reservations for Monday are all booked and another reservation comes in during those periods please go in and make yourself available. someone at Reservations would call me and let me know. I Only the three duty guides are available on winter weekdays. would check the winter schedule to see who the first available If your name is not on the winter weekday schedule for a spe- backup guide is and I will notify them to go into Tessitura and cific Monday to Friday you are not eligible for reservations. make themselves available. If it was a Tuesday, Deb would be Several years back it was decided to run the winter sched- the contact, etc. Clunky? Yes. Still unpaid labor? Absolutely. ule from the Monday after Thanksgiving to the Friday before But it was the only alternative acceptable to both the LBG the first Saturday of March. This year the schedule will begin representatives and the Foundation. In return, the Foundation on Monday, December 2, 2019, and will end on Friday, March agrees to make sure LBG’s will NOT be assigned a reserva- 6, 2020. Weekday duty guides are expected to be on duty tion in lieu of duty-guides that they refuse to give up. Keep in when the Visitor Center opens at 9 AM. If a guide has not mind this is a one-year experiment and in all likelihood, if it been assigned a tour by 3 PM they are permitted to leave. does not work there will be no winter schedule in the future. During the winter a receipt crediting a tour may be turned This may or may not be bad – that remains to be seen. in for each two and a half hours of wait time. On weekends, PROCEDURES holidays and Christmas week a traditional draw will be held at The rules and procedures of Winter Schedule are still forth- 8:45 AM each day for any LBG who wishes to enter the long- coming. They are substantially the same as they have been wait for a random tour. in the past but have to be approved by Angie Atkinson and THE FOUNDATION COMPROMISE distributed by her office. One item implemented with limited In order to maintain the winter schedule as we have done success last year that we hope to refine and make work is the for decades, we had to negotiate with the Gettysburg Founda- idea that assigned weekday reservations can be switched. The tion who simply wanted business-as-usual – in other words, Number One Duty Guide should have the pick of the best run the winter months as we do year-round with the daily reservation for the day. For example, if a bus was assigned to a morning draw held every day. That way guides would enter backup guide or Duty Guide #3 it rightfully belongs to DG#1. availability all winter and reservations would be assigned as The provision dealing with this said that the person in the they came in using the same rules we do now. Those of us DG#1 position would find out the day before what reserva- talking with the Park indicated it would be unlikely that tions were assigned and then choose which they will take. guides would agree to come in for random tours under such DG#2 makes a selection and then DG#3. Remaining selec- a system. They did not want to do that as it meant on a rare tions are then made by any or all Backup Guides. This was winter weekday when there are a lot of reservations they only done in a spirit of fair and equitable distribution of tours. It had three guides to which they could assign reservations. was a part of the procedures approved last season. Some guide They were unwilling to simply schedule those guides wisely teams followed it. Some had no idea what it was. When the by telling the visitor they had earlier or later times they could procedures are published in a few weeks It will be highlighted. reserve. If five people wanted a ten am tour they wanted five At any rate, here’s to a successful winter season. 6 Battlefield Dispatch Updated group Guide photo taken recently The steps of the Pennsylvania Monument were again filled with Licensed Battlefield Guides as they gathered for an up- dated photo. The LBGs last met as a group on these steps in 2015 to commemorate the centennial of guiding at Gettysburg National Military Park. Many new faces have joined the Guide ranks in the last four years so it was time for a new photo. It’s a near impossible task to get 100% participation with Guide schedules, vacations, and other personal responsibilities. With that said 88 Guides were able to make it. Think about how many years of Gettysburg Battlefield experience make up the photo below.

ALBG website...please be patient contributed by LBG Fred Hawthorne Last season the ALBG Executive Council implemented a change in the Association’s official website from an infor- mational one to one centered around “selling” the products related to guides and guiding. A lot of the “information” con- tained on the site has not been updated recently as we contin- ue to develop the marketing aspects of the site. Access to the Member’s Only area has been restricted as a series of problems emerged. The Executive Council is in the process of training other individuals to maintain various aspects of the Member’s Area and until that is accomplished access will be sporadic. ALBG Association Day 2019 A long day was nearing its end when this photo was taken of the associate members and Guides gathered in the Philadelphia G.A.R. Museum for a tour and photo op. Our Philadelphia tour guide, Andy Waskie is standing, far left. A detailed rundown of the day’s events and more photos begins on page 7. August 2019 7 August 10, 2019 – ALBG Association Day Theme for the day was Philadelphia during the Civil War contributed by ALBG assiciate member Dave Joswick ssociation Day 2019 included 34 associate members, time shortages of supplies delayed the original opening from twelve of which were Licensed Battlefield Guides, March 1865 to May. Had the opening happened as originally Aadd in our two tour guides, LBG Guillermo Bosch planned, President Lincoln and Andy Waskie, and our group totaled 36. LBG Chuck was scheduled to attend. Burkell was our host for the day and he mentioned that it Between then and the actual was LBG John Baniszewski’s idea for the trip to Philadelphia opening Lincoln was, unfor- for Association Day. We had beautiful weather for the trip to tunately assassinated. The Philadelphia; sunny skies, warm temperatures, and “tolerable” building joined the ranks humidity. on the National Register Our Philadelphia guide, was Andy Waskie. Among his of Historic Places in 1979. many other accomplishments, Andy is a “Civil War histo- Today the Union League rian, author, and researcher specializing in Philadelphia and a has roughly 3,300 members. historian of the life and career of General George G. Meade. As we toured the build- He is a member of the Union League of Philadelphia. He ing, Andy pointed out and serves as president of the General Meade Society of Philadel- described dozens of paintings phia and as a board member of a number of history related that adorn the walls and institutions.” sculptures in the halls. There are several restaurants and We met Andy at the National Constitution Center for a lounges for the members to enjoy. brief overview. We learned that Philadelphia was relatively indifferent to pre-Civil War politics and generally what was On the second floor is a library containing over 6,000 vol- going on in the rest of the country. That all changed when umes for members to borrow. In the library by a window is a news reached the city that Fort Sumter had been fired upon. small table with a chess To quote Andy, “the city turned on a dime”, a patriotic fer- board and two chairs. vor in support of the Union swept Philadelphia like wildfire. While he was stationed One story he told was about the Palmetto Flag, a newspaper at Governor’s Island known to have Southern sympathies. Only the arrival of a General Winfield Scott squad of police and the mayor waving a small American flag Hancock sat and played from one of the upper windows of the building saved it from chess at that table. serious damage and the editors from grave bodily harm. Just before lunch we Andy pointed out that, in spite of the temptation to visit did a driving tour of sites such as the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall which Civil War sites in Center were only a short walk away, our focus and theme for the day City Philadelphia. Again was Philadelphia during the Civil War. I was amazed, as I’m sure others were, of Andy’s Back on the bus for a tour of old Philadelphia with Andy knowledge of the area and his ability to point out this pointing out dozens of sites and buildings that had ties to structure and that statue and give a brief history of each and the Civil War period including the sites of two refreshment every one. saloons about 100 yards from each other. No rivalry here though; both cooperated with the other. A refreshment After a lunch break it was back on the bus for a driving saloon provided food, beverages, clothing, and medical as- tour of Benjamin Franklin Parkway, “a scenic boulevard that sistance to men in uniform. What was unique for the time runs through the cultural heart of Philadelphia. The mile- was that discrimination was not practiced in these establish- long drive cuts diagonally across the grid plan pattern of ments. White soldiers and black soldiers alike were welcome. Center City’s northwest quadrant. It starts at City Hall, Your city was doing well if it could support one refreshment curves around Logan Circle, and ends before the Philadel- saloon; Philadelphia boasted two. phia Museum of Art.” We followed Kelly Drive along which is “a remarkable collection of outdoor sculpture and Philadel- Our next stop phia’s historic Boathouse Row can be found along, which fol- was the Union lows the Schuylkill River through Philadelphia’s Fairmount League of Phila- Park.” delphia. It was “founded in 1862 as Next stop Laurel Hill Cemetery. We spent the most time a patriotic society to here in Laurel Hill. Andy took us around to 25 gravesites support the Union of military men and women who had a connection to the and the policies of Battle of Gettysburg. At each stop Andy gave a brief history President Abraham of the individual as well as his/her Gettysburg connection. Lincoln.” War- see ASSOCIATION DAY 2019 continued on page 8 8 Battlefield Dispatch

ASSSOCIATION DAY 2019 continued from page 7 We also stopped at a couple to the history of the Civil War. The museum is housed in graves that had no ties to a historic mansion built in 1796 that was originally the Gettysburg, but Civil War home of Dr. John Ruan, a noteworthy just the same. physician and community One was Col. Ulric Dahl- leader. An entire article gren (grave on the right could be written on the in the photo) who led an artifacts that are and are unsuccessful raid on Rich- NOT on display. One mond in March 1864 and not on display and locked was killed. The failed raid away in a safe is a sec- resulted in the Dahlgren tion of the pillowcase that Affair after incriminating cradled Abraham Lincoln’s documents were discovered head as he lay dying in the on his body alluding to an Peterson House in Wash- assassination plot against ington, D.C. the night Confederate President Jefferson Davis. He is buried next to and early morning hours his father, Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren, the inventor of of April 14 & 15, 1865. The museum has documented DNA the smooth-bore cannon, who evidence that the blood stains and brain matter on the cloth out lived his son by six years. indeed belong to Lincoln. On prominent display is the head Another grave of note was of Old Baldy, General Meade’s General Samuel W. Crawford horse who outlived his boss by who fought on Little Round ten years. It’s impossible to note a Top and the “valley of death” single artifact on display as more on July 2. A statue of Crawford important than another but a stands on (where else) Crawford couple others I would mention are Avenue as you enter the Valley a wood post from Andersonville of Death. Prison and the handcuffs found in John Wilkes Booth’s room The ultimate highlight of the that were to be used to subdue cemetery tour (for me anyway) was the grave of Maj. Gen. President Lincoln when the plot George Gordon Meade. For was to kidnap and exchange for some reason I was expecting Confederate prisoners. something more grandiose... perhaps an obelisk or tall We could have easily spent column. But, as the photo another hour or more checking shows, a simple marker. I es- things out in this museum, but all pecially like what’s inscribed good things must come to an end on his tombstone: “He did so it was back to the bus and we his duty bravely and is at headed for our final stop...dinner rest.” That sums it up nicely. at Panera Bread in Exton, PA. As Andy mentioned there were we headed west into the setting several more gravesites with Gettysburg connections but we sun I thought that it had been a had already run over our allotted time in the cemetery. long day, but worth every second. A drive around West Fair- On behalf of all who were mont Park took us past an along for the experience I want equestrian monument to Gen- to thank those who worked hard eral Meade done by Alexander to put this event together: our host, LBG Chuck Burkell, Milne Calder and unveiled logistics and communications, LBG Jim Cooke, our guides, by Gen. Meade’s grandsons in LBG Guillermo Bosch and in Philadelphia Andy Waskie. 1887. General Meade and his If I missed anyone my horse “Baldy” gaze out across sincere apologizes and if the park landscape in the direc- someone more knowl- tion of Laurel Hill Cemetery edgeable than I could where Meade is buried. please make me aware of the oversight I will Our final stop was at the acknowledge them in G.A.R. Museum, the only the next newsletter. museum in the city dedicated

August 2019 9 Zephaniah Herbert Tavern Blythe House Researched and written by LBG John Winkelman, on the taverns and hotels in Adams County and surrounding area.

Location ��������������������� Main Street in Fairfield Lot 5E On July 3rd Major Samuel Starr of the 6th US Cavalry will ride into Fairfield. He had received reports of a Confeder- Tavern ����������������������� 2 Story Log/Weatherboard ate wagon train in the area and was hoping to capture it. Just 1795 ? – Present north of town Starr will encounter these wagons along with Tavern Owners/ General “Grumble Jones’ Virginia Cavalry brigade. The out- Keepers ��������������������� Zephaniah Herbert 1813-1815 numbered Union cavalry will be routed taking many casual- James McKesson 1816-1818 ties including Major Starr who will be brought to the Blythe John McKesson 1818-1820 house. James Paxton 1821-1822 Thomas Miller 1823-1824 Starr had taken a saber blow to the head and a pistol ball James Reed 1824-1835 in his right arm. Unfortunately the surgeon could not save the arm, so it was amputated and buried in Sarah Blythe’s garden. illiam Miller will sell this property to John McGin- Major Starr will be exchanged in September 1863 but he ley on December 18, 1800 for 350 pounds. Based on has problems. A story related by Fairfield resident and histori- Wthe amount it appears there was already a building an Frank Moore appeared in the Gettysburg Times on August on this lot. John McGinley was a storekeeper and would use 23, 1957. “A later story told that the arm was left behind in this building as his store. After his death, his heirs will sell the garden at the Blythe house when Starr was removed from Fairfield, but later caused the major trouble. He said that the arm he had lost was hurting and he and some companions came here, dug up the arm, claimed they found it buried in a cramped position, re- buried it, and as far as is known the major never had any trouble with that arm again.”

(left) Today the old tavern is still standing in Fairfield as a private residence with a bronze memorial plaque (below), dedicated in 1965, which tells about Major Starr’s amputation and the events that occurred there 150 years ago. both photos by john winkelman

the building An ad in the Centinel on December 6, 1811 stated “A large convenient dwelling house (which was long occupied as a tavern), a store house, stabling and sheds; a good well of water near the kitchen”. As McGinley was a storekeeper when was it occupied as a tavern? Possibly William Miller who had a tavern license in 1795, 96, and 97 used this location before selling it to McGinley. Zephaniah Herbert will purchase the property on May 18, 1812 and will open a tavern here in 1813. Several other proprietors will follow Herbert but after 1835 it appears that it was no longer being used as a tavern. At the time of the Civil War the house was the residence of Sarah Blythe and her house would become a field hospital after the cavalry fight a Fairfield on July 3, 1863. 10 Battlefield Dispatch Deb Novotny – (Brister, L. Clark, Isenberg, Trelease, Vezza, Executive Council Election! Dempsey, Douds, Fox, Prosperi) contributed by LBG Fred Hawthorne Jess Wheedleton – (Baer, Etchberger, Hessler, Hostetter, ext year, 2020, will mark the third year of the As- Kilts, Kise, McGough, Schroeder, Trott) sociation being governed by a 12-person elected Therese Orr – (Donahues, Bagley, Hahn, Krepps, Vilgos, NCouncil. As per the “Annual Election Policy” Farrell, Feyock) published below, each year four candidates are to be selected among the paid-up licensed membership to serve a three-year Chuck Burkell – (DeLacy, Frankenfield, Hueting, Strong, term. Now, more than ever, we need good candidates who Suplee, Clouse, T. Clark, Connery, Motts) are willing to work for the good of all Licensed Battlefield Eric Lindblade – (Brenneman, Fuss, Gajewski, Krohn, L. Guides. A variety of guiding venues have been developed. Wallace, Fulmer, Hinchey, Mummert, Fouts) The Gettysburg Foundation has been receptive to working Mary Turk-Meena – (Drummond, Goedkoop, Slaughter, with ALBG to fix the serious issues in Tessitura. The hiring Wolfe, Housch, Korczyk, Muskett, Hileman, Friend) of a permanent NPS Superintendent in the next few months Jim Cooke – (Eisenhart, Gale, Maturi, Moore, H. Wallace, offers additional opportunities. In short, we succeed based on Pierce, Rathert, Rigney, Bryant) the willingness of our members to serve and contribute to the common cause. Please consider serving a term on council! If Joe Mieczkowski – (Eyler, Guy, Miller, Walters, Rebert, interested, contact your Council representative (listed below) Steenstra, Roche, Wolf, Hohmann) to have your name placed on the ballot. Policy 2019-0426A – Policy 2019-0426B – EXECUTIVE COUNCIL COMMUNICATION CHAIN POLICY ANNUAL ELECTION POLICY PURPOSE: In order to create and maintain a high level of communication with the membership a phone calling list PURPOSE: To establish a consistent and fair system of acquir- ing potential candidates and conducting the annual election will be developed annually immediately following the fall of officers. elections. According to ALBG Bylaws each year four positions on The entire licensed membership will be divided into the Executive Council are up for election to a three-year twelve approximately equal groups, each group assigned to term of office. Each licensed member of the ALBG is eligible one Executive Council (“Council”) member. to serve and should have the opportunity to run. Each list will consist of the member’s name, their phone A short article should be provided to the editor of the number, and their mailing address. These lists will be as- Battlefield Dispatch by the nominating committee indicating signed such that each Council member is responsible for one that in the fall elections there will be four positions available list and its members. on the Executive Council. Ideally this will go in the June As soon as possible following the publication of the an- issue. nual list, each Council member will contact each of their list In July Executive Council members should inform their members to introduce themselves and open the lines of com- list members that nominations are open encouraging anyone munication by explaining the purpose of the relationship. who wishes to place their name on the ballot to let their Topics may include but are not limited to: Council representative know. • Information from Council that needs disseminated Executive Council members may also individually contact to the membership. their list members to talk up the position. • Information and input list members wish to bring before the Council. Names of all candidates will be collected and a ballot cre- ated listing all candidates in alphabetical order. This is to be • Polling individual members on issues and at times done on or before November 1st. bringing matters of Council concern up for an i ndividual vote. The fall election may be conducted via a mailed ballot or an electronic ballot. The highest four candidates receiving • Keeping each individual member apprised of votes will be declared elected and invited to the December Council activity. organizational meeting. • Sending reminders to list members of ALBG obligations. LBG EXECUTIVE COUNCIL CONTACT LIST The Treasurer, ALBG is responsible for keeping Council Les Fowler – (D. Boden, Fitzpatrick, Hamacher, Nicastro, members apprised of list members who may not have re- Pangburn, Weaver, Winkleman, Vossler, Siegle, Raftery) newed. The Treasurer will also assign newly joined licensed Fred Hawthorne – (Bauserman, Gonsalves, Lechak, Roubal, members to a Council member. Wieners, Baker, Sutton, Thomas, Rupert) Council members are responsible for providing monthly Rob Abbott – (Conroy, Forwood, Harding, Rebmnn, Rice, minutes to their list members no later than fifteen days fol- Fennell, Archer, Army, Ward, Rebesco) lowing the conclusion of the meeting. John Baniszewski – (Coughenour, Frampton, Harry, Smarsh, Council members are responsible for bringing before Clawsey, Bassett, Bosch, Winfrey, Arnold-Friend) Council or Council member’s consideration any issue of con- cern of their list members.