Oak Hill Orientation Table - Gettysburg, PA
N 39° 50.895 W 077° 14.598
18S E 308080 N 4413322
This beautiful orientation table is also part historical marker & is located at the Eternal Light Peace Memorial @ Gettysburg. This table is mounted on a metal base, high above the surrounding landscape, explaining your view of history.
Waymark Code: WMAC7P
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 12/23/2010
Views: 12
The map is oriented to the south, the direction you are facing. The sign gives the visitor a You-Are-Here view of the battlefield, pointing out where various skirmishes and parts of the three day battle occurred. The visitor is up on Oak Hill, and through the use of the sign, one is easily oriented to what they are seeing across the adjoining field, across the road. The sign also has a large portion of text which tells the tale of General Rodes and his contribution to this battle. This would be the sign of history component of the marker.
The upper portion of the marker contains a photograph with numbered points of interest, orienting the visitor to exact locations. A portrait of Maj. Gen. Robert E. Rodes is caption, (he) commanded the largest division in the Confederate army - 8,000 officers and men. 2,000 of these were lost on the fields in front of you on the first day of the battle. A map on the lower right details Infantry positions at midday, July 1, 1863. The map is oriented to the south, the direction you are facing.
There are four specific points of interest pointed out, Oak Ridge, Reynolds Woods/McPherson, Chambersburg Pike (also known as the Lincoln Highway) and Mummasburg Road. I found this to be particularly helpful as I was very confuse after several hours here. I could not orient myself to figure out where I was and where I had been in relation to each of the sites as a whole. In short, I am directional challenged.
This historical element of this sign reads:
“Finding that the enemy was rash enough to come out of the woods to attack me. I determined to meet him…”
Maj. Gen. Robert E. Rodes. C.S.A
Rodes Division Second Corps.
At midday on July 1, after a lull in the fighting, Maj. Gen. Robert E. Rodes took position on this hill north of Gettysburg with 8,000 Confederates. Other Confederate divisions were converging on the town from your right and left. The closest Union troops were on Oak Ridge about 1/3-mile in front of you.
The thunder of Southern cannon positioned here signaled the beginning of the attack. Following the cannonade, Brig. Gen. Alfred Iverson’s North Carolina Brigade advanced with other Confederates against Oak Ridge. As Iverson neared the ridge, Federals concealed behind a stone wall rose up and raked the North Carolinians with murderous fire. More than half then 1,470 Confederates engaged were killed, wounded, or captured.
Rodes then regrouped and renewed the attack, brining more Confederate troops into battle. By 4:00 p.m., despite heavy losses, the Confederates had pushed the Federals back to the streets of Gettysburg.