Gettysburg

We arrived about 3:30 in the afternoon and it was very overcast and cloudy. Driving in we could see all of the monuments lining the road on both sides as we drove between the two battle lines. Went to the Visitors' Center and must say I was disappointed in the overall dinginess of the place. Very worn. The darkness of the displays didn't help the impression, even though I understand the need to preserve the exhibits. What was there was very interesting. We didn't stay anywhere near as long as I would have liked, but wanted to get to Culp's Hill before it got too dark. Did take a few minutes in the book store an bought a guide book/history of Culp's Hill in the bookstore and we headed out with the map in hand.

It was fairly easy to get there from the center if you realized that the very light gray lines were the actual roads. After a couple of wrong turns we arrived and I went hunting. I was trotting through the woods on the hill in the growing darkness trying desperately to find the marker for the NY 137th. Didn’t find it, though found many of the other units and key points there.

Returned to the car and off to some great pizza at Tony’s in town. Got to the hotel and got on the internet. First problem was realizing that we had over 150 miles to travel in the morning to reach our 12:00 appointment for which we had to be there at least 30 minutes ahead of time. Which meant I had almost no time in the morning. But I got out the book I just bought and went over the diagrams carefully, trying to figure out how I hadn’t seen the markers, as we had to have driven right by it. Got up early the next morning and dropped the family off for breakfast while I headed back.

This time I found the marker! And realized why we hadn’t seen it the night before. “Look everyone! That Zouve marker has color on it!” while right across the road was the 137th. It was a sobering moment to stand on the line, marked with the RF and LF markers and realize that it was here, on this line, that my 4GGrandfather had been shot. It was also sobering to realize that the flank markers came in pairs all along the line. All except the RF marker for the 137th, standing there alone. I returned and picked up the family to race on, at least satisfied that I had walked the grounds that Henry Stephens had walked.

Cannon on Culp's Hill

The monument to the New York 137th. Henry Stephens was one of the 87 wounded that night.

Back to the Henry Stephens Page

Christmas 2007 Trip Index