High-Water Mark.—This monument, erected close to the rounded clump of trees toward which Pickett directed his charge, marks the turning-point of the conflict
East Cavalry Field, 3 miles east of Gettysburg, is the point from which Stuart’s Cavalry started to move round the right wing of the Union Army in order to reach the rear of Meade’s line at the time of Pickett’s Charge. South Cavalry Field, 3 miles south of Gettysburg, was held by Farnsworth’s Brigade of Kilpatrick’s Division, and Merritt’s Brigade of Buford’s Division. All these positions have been marked with suitable tablets. The Cavalry Fields, though not contiguous to the main field, are important parts of the National Military Park.
Gettysburg has two railroads: the Philadelphia & Reading, and the Western Maryland, affording service from all points. Ten roads radiate from the town like the spokes of a wheel, and these provide ample approaches. The Lincoln Highway, entering via the Chambersburg Pike and continuing on the York Pike, gives a through route from west to east, and the Harrisburg Road leads directly to the State Capital. The Emmitsburg Road runs southwest to Emmitsburg, and thence to Frederick and Washington. The Baltimore Pike is a through route to Baltimore and the South. The Hanover Road runs to Hanover on the east. There are also the Taneytown and Hagerstown roads, the latter the line of General Lee’s retreat.
A uniformed guide service with an established schedule of rates was authorized by the Secretary of War in 1916. No person is allowed to act as guide for pay without being examined and licensed by the Superintendent of the Park. There are interesting collections of Civil War relics at the Jennie Wade House, the Lee Museum, and other places. A single year has brought 800,000 visitors to the field. The average yearly number is 700,000.
THE SOLDIERS’ NATIONAL CEMETERY
Of the eighty-three cemeteries in the United States dedicated exclusively to the burial of soldiers, that at Gettysburg was the first.
A few days after the battle, Governor A. G. Curtin, of Pennsylvania, solicitous for the welfare of the soldiers, came to Gettysburg and appointed David Wills, a leading attorney, to act as his agent in the work of establishing a cemetery. Correspondence with the governors of other States was begun. Grounds were selected by Mr. Wills, and by the direction of Governor Curtin purchased for the State of Pennsylvania, to provide a burial-place for soldiers who fell in the battle.
Lots in the cemetery were tendered without cost to each State having dead upon the field. The expense of removing the bodies, laying out, ornamenting and enclosing the grounds, erecting a lodge for the keeper, and erecting a suitable monument to the memory of the dead, was to be borne by the several States, assessed in proportion to their population.
The seventeen acres of land which were purchased lie on Cemetery Hill adjoining the Citizens’ Cemetery, at the apex of what had been the triangular battle-line of the Union Army, and an important tactical position on July 2nd and 3rd. At the time of the battle this land was a cornfield, divided by stone fences which were used to great advantage by the infantry of the Union Army. The most elevated portions had been points of vantage for many batteries of artillery.
The land was surrounded on the west, east, and north by a substantial, well-built wall of native granite, topped by a heavy dressed coping. A division fence of iron was erected between the Soldiers’ National Cemetery and the Citizens’ Cemetery.