Cannons at Gettysburg

If you didn’t already know, last week we published 101 Travel Bits: Gettysburg.

In celebration of that, we’re going to give you a little taste of the book – here’s an excerpt, from the Bit about cannons on the battlefield.

Both the Union and Confederate Armies employed cannons during the Battle of Gettysburg. During the battle, the armies had over 650 cannons between them. Today, the battlefield is home to approximately 380 permanently-placed cannons. Fourteen of the cannon tubes stand upright and mark the headquarters of the major generals participating in the battle. The rest of the cannons are placed as if they are about to fire.

Of the many cannons now set on the battlefield, only one is confirmed to have been used during the Battle of Gettysburg. This cannon—Cannon Number 253—is located on McPherson Ridge. Other cannons now situated on the battlefield may have been used during the battle, but if they were, there is no official documentation of that use.

There is, however, one cannon on the battlefield that definitely did not see action at Gettysburg. On Cemetery Hill, near a monument to General Winfield S. Hancock, sits Cannon Number 931. This cannon could not have seen action because it was manufactured in 1866, after the war ended.

If you want to get your own copy of 101 Travel Bits: Gettysburg, click here to order it as an e-book or paperback.