This is a common view of Little Round Top from Devil’s Den, but how often are the trees that colorful? Dawn Manning took a series of photos on November 5 of this year and stitched them together to create this panoramic.
This thumbnail does not do the photo justice. Be sure to click the image below for a much larger version. There is plenty to see.
When I take visitors to Little Round Top, I park on the north side of the hill. We light some cigars, walk to the top, and march down to the south end where the 20th Maine made their stand against the 15th Alabama. Then we walk back. The response is usually something along the lines of, “There ain’t nothing little about this hill.”
From the position of this photo, the most prominent monument is the castle, dedicated to the 44th and 12th New York Infantry. I overheard a park ranger explaining the events on Little Round Top when one of the listeners asked about the monument. The ranger was obviously tired of answering the question when he said unenthusiastically, “It’s a New York monument dedicated to a regiment, just like most of these monuments.” The visitor was persistent though, “Is there anything special about its architecture? I mean, does it mean something?” “No, no. It’s just a monument. It’s a big one, but that is only because New York had plenty of money for monuments.” Everyone in the group seemed disappointed with that answer.
It is true though. I often warn visitors that if the monument is big and over the top, it most likely a New York monument. I have yet to take a New Yorker to Gettysburg, but I imagine when I do, I will need to cut back on all my jokes about the state’s monuments.