Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Battle of Gettysburg Witness Tree Downed in Storm

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Battle of Gettysburg Witness Tree Downed in Storm

    Some very sad news:

    GETTYSBURG, Pa. — Standing just 150 feet from the platform on which President Abraham Lincoln delivered his most famous speech, one of the few remaining "witness trees" to the Battle of Gettysburg has been severely damaged by a storm, National Park Service officials said.

    The huge honey locust tree on Cemetery Hill fell Thursday evening.

    "The top of it is totally broken off, and [the storm] severely damaged 70 to 80 percent of the tree," Gettysburg National Military Park spokeswoman Jo Sanders said. "That means there's not a whole lot left of it. But it didn't kill the tree."

    The tree, which stood on the right side of the Union lines, "was there as a silent witness — to the battle, to the aftermath, to the burials, to the dedication of the cemetery," park historian John Heiser said.

    "I have no doubt that Union soldiers sat under it for all three days of the battle," he said.
    http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,400942,00.html

    (Moderators if I have posted this in the wrong area, please feel free to move it)
    Celeste A. Kostyniuk

  • #2
    Re: Battle of Gettysburg Witness Tree Downed in Storm

    " Standing just 150 feet from the platform on which President Abraham Lincoln delivered his most famous speech..."

    Lincoln must have done some type of time warp to have stood on the Rostrum that was constructed after the war was over; as I assume this the "platform ," they are refering to.

    They better check their facts!

    -Kyle M. Stetz
    Respectfully,
    -Kyle M. Stetz
    Liberty Rifles

    "I think the prospect for an active and laborious campaign in Virginia is pretty clear and we will again this spring renew our old occupation and struggle between life and death for six more weary months." Capt. Samuel S. Brooke 47th Va. Infantry-- March 27, 1864

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Battle of Gettysburg Witness Tree Downed in Storm

      I just heard about the tree. I was saddened by the destruction, since it is a part of history, but I agree with you Kyle, they better check the facts (unless I am misunderstanding the article).

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Battle of Gettysburg Witness Tree Downed in Storm

        I read the article to mean where the long-gone platform stood at the time, and not to refer to any modern structure. It's my understanding that we don't know exactly where the original platform stood (is that right?) but we know close enough that one could still state with confidence a rough estimate like "150 feet from."

        Hank Trent
        hanktrent@voyager.net
        Hank Trent

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Battle of Gettysburg Witness Tree Downed in Storm

          Current wisdom indicates that the original platform was a little bit beyond the Evergeen Cemetery gate, in the neighborhood of the Wade plot.
          Marc A. Hermann
          Liberty Rifles.
          MOLLUS, New York Commandery.
          Oliver Tilden Camp No 26, SUVCW.


          In honor of Sgt. William H. Forrest, Co. K, 114th PA Vol. Infantry. Pvt. Emanuel Hermann, 45th PA Militia. Lt. George W. Hopkins & Capt. William K. Hopkins, Co. E, 7th PA Reserves. Pvt. Joseph A. Weckerly, 72nd PA Vol. Infantry (WIA June 29, 1862, d. March 23, 1866.) Pvt. Thomas Will, 21st PA Vol. Cavalry (WIA June 18, 1864, d. July 31, 1864.)

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Battle of Gettysburg Witness Tree Downed in Storm

            What will they do with the wood? Seems like they should make something with it and sell it for preservation.
            Gregory Deese
            Carolina Rifles-Living History Association

            http://www.carolinrifles.org
            "How can you call yourself a campaigner if you've never campaigned?"-Charles Heath, R. I. P.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Battle of Gettysburg Witness Tree Downed in Storm

              I'm tempted to speak up for those 1000 year-old fungi that might be around...
              but 'witness mushroom' doesn't have much cachet
              and there might not be fungi that old in such a farmed/ developed area as Gettysburg.
              Peter Koch
              North State Rifles

              Comment

              Working...
              X