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.
In today’s post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Stuart Dempsey 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.