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Hi all,

Small semi-OT (I hope you guys would not mind)...


I always wondered if there was ever attempt of making true smoke screen in American Civil War to conceal slow marching attacking troops?


If something like that existed it would help "Picket's Charge" (i.e. they would not be exposed for so long in plain sight in open while advancing)...

Please note that I do understand that musket / cannons firing at that time produced copious amounts of smoke (due to black powder) but I never ever heard about tactical use of smoke as such so that's why I am asking!


Leo "Apollo11"

Don't recall such a case. I do seem to recall one where a brigade was marched around in circles with part of that march exposed to the view of the enemy (Union) so that they would think there were endless hordes of reinforcements arriving. Sounds like something Beauregard would think of. Aside from that, smokescreens sound too clever for Generals who pack their troops together like sardines and send them forward playing fifes into grapeshot and cannister fire.

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

Perhaps a more typical example of Kentucky fence.

If you go back to camera location 6, you will see Virginia fence on one side of the road, and Kentucky fence on the other. Looks like Virginia fence uses a lot more wood and is less efficient in the use of land as well.

That is more than I ever knew about fences. Interesting that the more elegant fence is named after the mountain folk while the aristocrats just piled up some downed wood.

Thank you very much. I'm from Spain, but I'm very interested about U.S. history and culture. I hope some day I'll go myself to see with my own eyes those battlefields, where thousands of american soldiers fought for their beliefs. And, please, excuse my bad english.

Here is a skyview of the NW part of the battlefield with some important spots pointed out. In the north is the Eternal Light Peace Monument. South of that is the Oak Ridge Observation Tower. To the SW is McPherson's Ridge, and to the West is the Herr Ridge Tavern and Publick House. Yes, that's how we used to spell it. The tavern was used as a field hospital by the Confederates. It is across Willoughby Run and up the side of the valley on the Chambersburg Pike.

Earlier I had promised that the Oak Ridge Tower had a good view of where the battle started. I looked at my pics and discovered otherwise. I'm sure if you go there now you'll be able to see McPherson's Ridge, but not on the day I was there because there were trees in the way, so I didn't even train my camera in that direction. Since then almost all the trees have been cut down, presumably for historical accuracy. Here's a sky view of the location nowadays.

So I begin with a shot through a gap in the trees to the Herr Tavern. The orange roofed building to the left of it is, I believe part of the same property, and I believe it was added sometime between the war and now for the purpose of additional rooms for the Inn, but I'm not certain.

Oak Ridge Tower
panning right
This shot was just me doing my due diligence.
Nothing to see here, move along.

Oak Ridge Tower
panning right
The road running North from here is Confederate Ave (it shows up all over the battlefield) and goes to the Eternal Light Peace Monument which you can see pointed out. Here it looks like an obelisk but only its eastern side is lit up. The road running across the pic is the Mummasburg Road. I know the name's funny, don't even think about it.

Oak Ridge Tower
panning right
Note the rail line running off to the north. I should point out that this is not the same line with the famous rail cut I started with.

Oak Ridge Tower
panning right
The farm on the left is the McLean Farm.

Oak Ridge Tower
panning right

Oak Ridge Tower
panning right
There are many monuments on Howard Ave.. I'm pointing out the one for the 61st Ohio for reference

Oak Ridge Tower
panning right
I've pointed out the three monuments in the right foreground. The one in the middle is for the 2nd Division of the 1st Army Corps.

The next location is at the Eternal Light Peace Monument. Here it is (not my picture).

Eternal Light Peace Monument

The monument I marked (it's behind the car) in olive is for the 2nd Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia. Again, you can see the Herr Tavern in the distance.

Eternal Light Peace Monument
panning left
Beyond the monuments you can see is one for the 3rd West Virgina Cavalry.

Eternal Light Peace Monument
panning left

Eternal Light Peace Monument
panning left
The red arrow points to a stone wall that Iverson's Brigade defended. I could not determine which stone and bronze plaque is to the right of the arrow, there are many in this area.

Iverson's wall on North Confederate Ave.




Coming up next, McPherson's Ridge