3400 Skyline Dr., Montour Falls, NY 14865, US
"Escape From the Deadly Corner"
14" x 20" FRAMED/SIGNED LIMITED EDITION CANVAS PRINT $49.95
As the Union position in the Peach Orchard disintegrated, the 9th Mass. Artillery battery was the last to leave the Wheatfield Road. The Confederates were so close that the teams could not be brought forward to limber up. Instead, the 2500-pound Napoleon cannon were moved downhill toward the Trostle Farm by the force of recoil and human strength. Skillfully accomplished, the six guns approached the Trostle farm and the lane which led to safety. At that moment Colonel Freeman McGilvery dashed up and said, "Captain Bigelow, there is not an infantryman back of you--- you must remain where you are and hold your position at all hazards, and sacrifice your battery, if need be…. The enemy are coming down on you now.”
The 9th set up in a semicircle in a corner of two stone walls across the lane from the Trostle house. Limbers, caissons and horses were jammed into the tight enclosure. Skirmishers from Kershaw’s brigade approached from the left and the 21st Mississippi fired on the battery from behind a low rise. Bigelow later reported, “Waiting till they were breast high, my battery was discharged at them every gun loaded. . . with double shotted canister and solid shot, after which through the smoke [we] caught a glimpse of the enemy, they were torn and broken, but still advancing... .
"The enemy crowded to the very muzzles [of the guns] but were blown away by the canister." As they advanced they also began to infiltrate through the Trostle Barnyard across the lane.
Now caught in a crossfire and jammed tight to the corner Bigelow ordered the 2 guns of Lt. Richard Milton’s left section to escape. The first headed for the only opening in the wall at the farm gate and promptly overturned. The second gun desperately looked for a way out and some stones were removed from the top of the east wall. Bugler Charles Reed described what happened next as the driver headed straight for the wall. "horses jumping and the gun...going over with a tilt on one side and then a crash of rocks and wheels" Milton righted the other gun in a “shower of bullets.” The remainder of Bigelow’s cannons were temporarily captured but recovered the next day. Despite heavy losses including almost all the remaining horses the Union artillery was able to reform 800 yards to the rear and the line was held.
14” x 20” signed limited ed. canvas print(100) w/certificate of authenticity-Framed w/brass plate $49.95 plus shipping -Deluxe frame Add $10.00
Located on the Trostle Farm Category
The View From the Trostle House
14" x 20" FRAMED/SIGNED LIMITED EDITION CANVAS PRINT-$49.95
This is the view from the south upstairs window of the Trostle House of the desperate stand of Bigelow's Ninth Massachusetts Battery. Bigelow was ordered by his Commander, Freeman McGilvery to hold the position "at all hazards." In the center distance is the Rose barn. Approaching the battery are skirmishers from Kershaw's brigade who killed may of the battery's horses. On the right is the 21st Mississippi of Barksdale's Brigade. The 21st initially covered themselves behind a low rise but continued to pour in fire on the cornered Massachusetts artillerymen who were experiencing their first battle. The Bay Staters held out long enough for Union forces to regroup Cemetery Ridge. The cost was heavy as four of the cannon were captured, 28 of the 104 men, killed wound or missing and over 8 horses killed.
14” x 20” signed limited ed. canvas print(100) w/certificate of authenticity-Framed w/brass plate $49.95 plus shipping -Deluxe frame Add $10.00
Located in the Trostle Farm Category
"At All Hazards"
14" x 20" FRAMED/SIGNED LIMITED EDITION CANVAS PRINT $49.95
The 9th Massachusetts Light Artillery battery was organized in Lynnfield Massachusetts in August 1862. They then spent the next nine months in the Washington D. C. defense perimeter. In February 1863 Captain John Bigelow was assigned to command the 9th. Bigelow was a 21 year old senior at Harvard when he volunteered for service. He was seriously wounded at Malvern Hill and served at Fredericksburg with the 1st battalion of Maryland Artillery.
In late June of 1863 the 9th was reassigned to the Artillery Reserve of the north bound Army of the Potomac. They arrived at Gettysburg early on July 2ndwith 132 men anticipating their first exposure to combat.
At about 3:30 PM the 9th was moved forward as part of general effort to reinforce General Sickles exposed position near the Peach Orchard From that spot, they inflicted serious damage on Confederate units crossing the Rose Farm.
As the Union position in the Peach Orchard disintegrated, the 9th Mass. was the last to leave the Wheatfield Road. The Confederates were so close that the teams could not be brought forward to limber up. Instead, the 2500-pound Napoleon cannon were moved downhill toward the Trostle Farm by the force of recoil and human strength. Skillfully accomplished, the six guns approached the Trostle farm and the lane which led to safety. At that moment Colonel Freeman McGilvery dashed up and said, "Captain Bigelow, there is not an infantryman back of you--- you must remain where you are and hold your position at all hazards, and sacrifice your battery, if need be…. The enemy are coming down on you now.”
That moment is depicted above. McGilvery and Bigelow are on horseback just to the right of the Trostle House. In the foreground is the 21st Mississippi, momentarily covered by a small rise in the field. In the distance one can see retreating units and portion of McGilvery’s new line.
14” x 20” signed limited ed. canvas print(100) w/certificate of authenticity-Framed w/brass plate $49.95 plus shipping -Deluxe frame Add $10.00
Located on the Trostle Farm Category
Trostle Farm
10" X 24" FRAMED/SIGNED LIMITED EDITION CANVAS PRINT-$59.95
The Trostle Farm
In July 1863 Abraham and Catherine Trostle and their nine children had only recently moved into their new home located on a lane about 600 yard west of the Emmitsburg Road. The 134 acre Farm was still owned by Abraham’s father Peter. As can be seen above the former home was still in the process of being dismantled and the new summer kitchen to the right of the house was still unfinished.
Unfortunately for the Trostles, the Union and Confederate Armies conspired to stage an unwelcome housewarming. Upon making his move to the west General Daniel Sickles made his field headquarters near a tree just to the left of the barn. When the Confederates began their attack, artillery overshots sprinkled the farm area, including one which struck Sickles in the leg while he was on his horse.
The scene above depicts the situation about fifteen minutes after Sickles’ wounding. Members of the 114thPennsylvania Regiment along with isolated soldiers from other III Corps regiments retreat from the disintegrating Federal line. Just in front of the Barn General Sickles smokes a cigar as he is loaded into an ambulance.
This print is taken from the same vantage point used by photographer Alexander Gardner four days later when dead horses littered the Trostle Farm. Those horses would fall victim as Bigelow’s 9th Massachusetts Artillery made a desperate stand perhaps twenty minutes after the scene above.
10” x 24” signed limited ed. canvas print(100) w/certificate of authenticity-Framed w/brass plate $59.95 plus shipping -Deluxe frame Add $10.00
Located in the Trostle Farm Category
Sickles-Just Before
12" x 20" Framed/Signed Limited Edition Canvas Print-$59.95
If General Daniel Sickles had merely missed the Battle of Gettysburg he still would have led a most interesting life. Killer of Francis Scott Key’s son in highly publicized love triangle. The first use of temporary insanity as a legal defense. An affair with the former Queen of Spain. Scandals galore-both in and out of the Military.
All of these paled when compared to the controversy that arose out of his actions during and after the Battle of Gettysburg. Sickles was not held in high regard by the new commander of the Army of the Potomac, General George Meade, due to Sickles’ political connections and lack of military background. Ordered by Meade to defend the left flank of the Union Army, Sickles fretted about the topography. On his own he ordered his 10,000 man III Corps forward into a highly questionable salient leaving the most important natural feature of the vicinity, Little Round Top, undefended.
Meade was unaware of this until the Confederate attack began, too late for any adjustments. Due to the exposed and segmented position, Union reinforcements were fed into the area piecemeal, making cohesive command difficult.
Even with thousands of troops and additional artillery committed to the area, the location prized by Sickles, the high ground of the Peach Orchard, became untenable. The above shows many of the nearly 40 Artillery pieces dispatched to the Peach Orchard desperately attempting to exit the scene before being overran by Confederate forces just beyond the horizon. Also visible are the Wentz and Sherfy houses and Barns along the Emmitsburg Pike. Sickles is gathering his staff near the Trostle Barn at right. Seconds later a bouncing Confederate cannon ball struck the mounted Sickles in the right leg, shattering both bones. Sickles was removed on a stretcher reputedly smoking a cigar and his active military career was over.
Despite his tactical miscues Sickles was loved by his troops and post war was active in the creation and preservation of the Gettysburg Battlefield.
12” x 20” signed limited ed. canvas print(100) w/certificate of authenticity-Framed w/brass plate $59.95 plus shipping -Deluxe frame Add $10.00
Located in the Trostle Farm Category
Bigelow’s Battery in Jeopardy
14" X 20" FRAMED/SIGNED LIMITED EDITION CANVAS PRINT-$59.95
The 9th Massachusetts Light Artillery battery was organized in Lynnfield Massachusetts in August 1862. They then spent the next nine months in the Washington D. C. defense perimeter. In February 1863 Captain John Bigelow was assigned to command the 9th. Bigelow was a 21 year old senior at Harvard when he volunteered for service He was seriously wounded at Malvern Hill and served at Fredericksburg with the 1st battalion of Maryland Artillery.
In late June of 1863 the 9th was reassigned to the Artillery Reserve of the north bound Army of the Potomac. They arrived at Gettysburg early on July 2nd with 132 men anticipating their first exposure to combat.
At about 3:30 PM the 9th was moved forward as part of general effort to reinforce General Sickles exposed position near the Peach Orchard. The Battery moved into position under fire from Confederate artillery and finally were posted on what now is known as Wheatfield Road about 300 yard west of the Emmitsburg Road. From that spot they inflicted serious damage on Confederate units crossing the Rose Farm.
Unseen to the 9th’s right, the Union line was collapsing from the attack of Barksdale’s brigade on the Peach Orchard. One by one the six Union batteries to the right were forced to retreat. Charles Reed, the bugler for the 9th, related "We were so intent upon our work that we noticed not when the other batterys left.”
The scene depicted is that moment when it became apparent that the 9th was in jeopardy. The battery is presently firing to the Southwest and portions of Barksdale’s brigade are becoming visible to the front of The Sherfy Barn. The 9th was somehow able to extricate itself from this predicament and continued on further even more further peril just moments later.
14” x 20” signed limited ed. canvas print(100) w/certificate of authenticity-Framed w/brass plate $59.95 plus shipping -Deluxe frame Add $10.00