Gettysburg Daily

Eleventh Corps at Gettysburg Part 15 With Licensed Battlefield Guide Stuart Dempsey



The complex of buildings which was the Adams County Alms House. The Harrisburg Road is in the foreground. This view was taken facing northwest circa 1885 and is courtesy of Stuart Dempsey.

Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Stuart Dempsey is our host for a series on the Eleventh Army Corps during the Battle of Gettysburg. Stuart had two relatives in the Eleventh Corps (73rd Ohio Infantry Regiment) and both were killed/mortally wounded at Gettysburg. They are both buried in the National Cemetery. Stuart has been a Licensed Battlefield Guide since 2004.

In in our first post, Stuart introduced himself and showed us some of the routes that the 11th Corps took as they approached the Gettysburg Battlefield.

In our second post he brought Major-General Howard to the Peach Orchard, and showed the route that two of Howard’s divisions took to get to Gettysburg.

In our third post he described the reasons Howard found Cemetery Hill and thought it was an important position. Howard also wanted to get a closer look at the fighting to the west and north of town. He moved into the town for that look.

In our fourth post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Stuart Dempsey showed us the view from the top of the Fahnestock Building on an overcast day.

In our fifth post, Licensed Battlefield Guide Stuart Dempsey showed us that after his visit to the Fahnestock Building, Major-General Howard returned to Cemetery Hill and issued orders for other units to come to Gettysburg. Stuart also introduced us to the positioning of the Eleventh Corps on the fields north of town.

In our sixth post, Stuart gave some background about the men who made up the Eleventh Corps, and their desire to perform well after the Battle of Chancellorsville in May, 1863.

In our seventh post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Stuart Dempsey described command changes in the corps on July 1, 1863, and when the first units of the Eleventh Corps arrived on the field.

In our eighth post, Stuart Dempsey showed us the advance of four companies of the 45th New York Infantry Regiment towards the McClean Barn on July 1, 1863.

In the ninth post, Licensed Battlefield Guide Stuart Dempsey showed us the fighting around the McLean Farm and the position of monuments of the First Brigade of the Third Division of the Eleventh Corps.

In our tenth post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Stuart Dempsey described the arrival of artillery on the Eleventh Corps line and the initial position of the Second Brigade of the Third Division of the Eleventh Corps.

In our eleventh post, Stuart Dempsey gives brief sketches of some Third Division units of the Eleventh Corps including the 74th Pennsylvania, the 61st Ohio, and Wheeler’s 13th New York Battery.

In the twelfth Eleventh Corps post, Stuart presented stories of the 82nd Illinois Infantry Regiment, the 157th New York Infantry Regiment, and the 119th New York Infantry Regiment.

In our thirteenth post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Stuart Dempsey shows us the monuments to the 82nd Ohio Infantry Regiment, the 75th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, the 26th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, and the 58th New York Infantry Regiment.

In our fourteenth post, Stuart asked that donations be sent to save part of the Chancellorsville Battlefield, and he describes Francis Barlow, and Barlow’s Division.

In today’s post, Stuart shows us the location of the Adams County Alms House and provides some background on Von Gilsa’s Brigade and Ames’ Brigade.



This map shows the location of where our Eleventh Corps at Gettysburg videos were produced. Videos #1-#34 were shown on other maps on our previous posts. Video #35 was taken by the monument to the 74th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. Video #36 was taken at the monument to the 61st Ohio Infantry. Video #37 was taken by the monument to Wheeler’s 13th New York Independent Battery. Video #38 was taken at the monument to the 82nd Illinois Infantry. Video #39 was taken at the monument to the 157th New York Infantry located at the intersection of West Howard Avenue and the Carlisle Road. Video #40 was taken at the monument to the 119th New York Infantry Regiment on East Howard Avenue. Video #41 was taken at the monument to the 82nd Ohio Infantry Regiment. Video #42 was taken at the monument to the 75th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. Video #43 was taken at the monument to the 26th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. Video #44 was taken at the monument to the 58th New York Infantry Regiment. Videos #45-#47 were taken on Barlow’s Knoll. Videos #48-#50 were taken at the site of the Adams County Alms House. This map was created facing north at approximately 8:00 PM on Monday, January 18, 2010.



Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Stuart Dempsey is standing on the site of the Adams County Alms House. Oak Hill is in the background. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 2:30 PM on Wednesday, December 30, 2009.
In Video #48 (Videos #1-#47 were shown in our previous Eleventh Corps posts) Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Stuart Dempsey is standing on the site of the Adams County Almshouse, now the Adams County Agricultural and Natural Resources Center. He shows the area that Barlow’s division was supposed to cover on July 1, 1863. This view was taken facing southwest to northwest to northeast to southeast to a couple of other directions at approximately 2:30 PM on Wednesday, December 30, 2009.



Licensed Battlefield Guide Stuart Dempsey is standing at the site of the Adams County Alms House. Blocher’s Knoll/Barlow’s Knoll is in the background to the left of Stuart. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 2:30 PM on Wednesday, December 30, 2009.
In Video #49 Licensed Battlefield Guide Stuart Dempsey is standing on the site of the Adams County Alms House, where Colonel Leopold Von Gilsa’s First Brigade was first deployed on July 1, 1863. Von Gilsa was under arrest on July 1st. A couple of days before, when his brigade was at Middletown, Maryland, he received conflicting orders from Corps Commander Howard and Division Commander Barlow. Von Gilsa chose to execute Howard’s orders, which upset Barlow. When Barlow’s Division reached Gettysburg, Carl Schurz ordered von Gilsa released to resume command of the First Brigade. This view was taken facing northeast to north to northeast at approximately 2:30 PM on Wednesday, December 30, 2009.



Stuart Dempsey is standing at the site of the Adams County Alms House. The brick building in the right background is the Adams County National Bank which is located east of the Harrisburg Road. Buildings of the North Gettysburg Shopping Center and the Gettysburg campus of Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC) are visible in the left background. This view was taken facing east at approximately 2:30 PM on Wednesday, December 30, 2009.
In Video #50 Stuart Dempsey is standing at the site of the Adams County Alms House. He gives some biographical information on Brigadier General Adelbert Ames, and shows us where Ames’ Brigade was deployed. This view was taken facing east to northeast at approximately 2:30 PM on Wednesday, December 30, 2009.

To see other posts by Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides, click here.