OT Bull Run & GB pics

[geofflambert]

As promised, some pics from a Bull Run / Gettysburg trip circa 1992. So far I've prepared the BR presentation with much difficulty, as the battlefield today has changed substantially since I was there. I'm fairly confident that the reasons the Bull Run/Manassas field has changed is because of many trees cut down for authenticity as there were few or no trees at those locations when the two battles were fought. I'll try and note when trees appearing in my pics have been cut down, as well as trees that should be cut down.

First I will post a park trail map, and subsequently instructions for following the trail that relates particularly to the 2nd battle. Note that I point out two of the camera locations on this map. These instructions were particularly helpful to me for finding my original camera locations. After that, I will post a google maps image of the battlefield, with the seven camera locations marked in red. Many of these pics are parts of panoramas, and you can find the bearing of the camera (or the centerline of the frame) shown in red at the top middle of the pic. In these cases the pics at least slightly overlap.

I spent maybe two hours at Bull Run, so don't expect too much here, but I spent two full days at Gettysburg, and I think many of you will appreciate the results.

I consulted my copy of The Official Military Atlas of the Civil War and the areas where the trees were removed are described as pastureland, so I think we can all be happy about that.

[geofflambert]

Here is a google satellite view of the field. The camera locations are marked in red.

[geofflambert]

Here is a disposition map of the initial tactical positions for 8/28/42. These relate to the first series of pics.
This first map had to be rotated because the original had the direction north to the left, I hate it when that happens.

[geofflambert]

First I will show a wideout satellite view of the first location

[geofflambert]

This is the 4th Artillery Battery B on the first day, with the initial tactical union positions marked. On this pic and the next, you see referenced the 4 regiments of the "Iron Brigade" with the addition of the NY and PA regiments. The trees you see occupy the space of pastureland battletime. My notes refer to this place as "Battery Heights" but I find no other reference to such a place, and after dipping a bit in the direction the cannon are pointed, the ground actually rises higher, so these are no "heights". Must have been a sign there when I visited calling it such.

[geofflambert]

Sorry, I meant to post this.

[geofflambert]

Here you can see the initial position of the 6th Wisconsin

[geofflambert]

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[geofflambert]

This is the sat view of what you'll see next. All of the buildings you see in the privately owned Stonewall Jackson Memory Garden are shrines. I've pointed out the one you can see in the pic following.

[geofflambert]

Here's the next pic with the L. Dogan house pointed out. Remember not to confuse it with the J. Dogan house or the "Dogan Ridge".

[geofflambert]

Here's a google street view of the other side (the front) of the L. Dogan house.

[geofflambert]

Final pic from this location

[geofflambert]

My notes for the next shot refer to a "Groveton Monument". I must have got this off a sign or something, but there is no such monument. I have found (with considerable difficulty) that the monument in question is "The Second Manassas Monument". I found this difficult to figure out because almost all of the trees around this monument have been cut down (probably for historic accuracy). Here are two pics of this monument from the park's own website showing the monument surrounded by trees and with two evergreens growing inside the fence around it.

[geofflambert]

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[geofflambert]

Here are sat views of the same site recently

[geofflambert]

Closer in shot

[geofflambert]

Following is their pic again, the blue arrow (theirs) points the way the trail goes, but also is the camera angle for my next shot.

[geofflambert]

Here it is. The trees framing the pic are now gone. The white sign in front of the tree in center is the position of the 6th Wisconsin on the 29th. You can see what you can't from the sat view, the substantial drop of the terrain in front of you.

[geofflambert]

Here's a map of the second day action.

[geofflambert]

Here is from cam position 3, the rail cut.