THEIR STORIES: Just Some Old Pictures - 2nd MA Monument at Gettysburg Stereoview

I'm back to the old blog again after a nearly three year hiatus! A lot has happened, but I've decided to revamp the blog with a new series of posts titled "Just Some Old Pictures". As the title states, I'll be sharing some old pictures from several different battlefields and offering some stories on the personalities or scenery shown in the image. Please feel free to share these posts wherever you'd like! As always, the photographs used are from my personal collection unless otherwise stated. If you'd like to use them for any purpose, please just ask and in most cases I will grant your request. Thanks and enjoy!

"2nd Mass. Monument at Gettysburg Stereoview"

This stereoview is by the famous William H. Tipton of Gettysburg. It is card number 730 copyrighted in 1880 and titled, "2nd Mass. Vol. Infantry Tablet." At first glance there might not appear to be anything overly interesting about the viewshed. An older man can be seen pointing away from the unimpressive 2nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry monument at Spangler's Meadow. However, a closer inspection brings out some great details.

First, Tipton's own description on the back of the card reads:

"Second Mass. Vol. Infantry Tablet, Near Spangler's Spring, on the Battle-field of Gettysburg.

Inscription: (Verbatim)

From the hill behind this monument on the morning of July third 1863 the Second Massachusetts Infantry made an assault upon the Confederate troops in the works at the base of Culp's Hill opposite. The regiment carried to the charge 22 officers and 294 enlisted men. It lost 4 officers and 41 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and six officers and 84 enlisted men wounded. To perpetuate the honored memories of that hour the survivors of the regiment have raised this stone. 1879.

Photographed by W. H. Tipton,

5 Chambersburg St., Gettysburg, Pa.

This memorial is of Gettysburg granite, cut by Joshua Happold of Gettysburg. Inscription is on bronze plate set in face of stone."

Of course there's plenty to talk about with regards to the ill-fated 2nd Massachusetts and the fighting that occurred in the vicinity of this photography, but we're not going to discuss any of that here. We'll stick to the image.

The first thing I noticed about the photograph is the lone man pointing northward from the monument across the meadow. Though Tipton curiously makes no note of the man's identity in his description, the man is none other than William David Holtzworth of Gettysburg. Holtzworth was born in neighboring York County and the family moved to Gettysburg before the Civil War. Holtzworth served through the war as a member of Company F in the 87th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He was wounded twice and captured, serving a stint in the notorious Libby Prison.

After the war he started a livery stable business in Gettysburg to accommodate the growing number of veterans and visitors journeying to the historic battle ground. Soon Holtzworth was offering tours to groups of varying size and his talents as a guide became well known. One newspaper went as far as claiming, "There is but one Holtzworth and one Gettysburg. Without the former the latter would be nothing so far as the battlefield is concerned."

By the time this photo was taken, Holtzworth was firmly established as an authority on the battle of Gettysburg. You can almost imagine him pontificating about the action across Spangler Meadow on the morning of July 3, even as Tipton probably begged him to hold still (typical guide).

Closeup of Holtzworth with the Z. Tawney farm behind him.

The other subtle but interesting detail is just behind Holtzworth's head. A small, white-washed building barely peeks into view beyond the far bank of Rock Creek. It is the Zephaniah Tawney farm, which stood during the battle and was occupied by men of the Stonewall Brigade. Today all that remains are ruins of the home's foundation and a water well, though the property is now within the boundary of the Gettysburg National Military Park.

Legend and guide extraordinaire Dean Shultz with good friend Roy Whitmore at the site of the Z. Tawney farm in 2016.

A few other brief things to mention: On the left side of the photograph behind a rather large boulder stands a horse, presumably that of Holtzworth, or possibly Tipton (I almost missed this detail!). We can positively date this photo between 1879 and 1880 because the boulder in front of the horse no longer looks as it once did. It is now surmounted by the monument to the 27th Indiana Volunteer Infantry who also charged across Spangler Meadow on the morning of July 3, not far behind their brothers from the Bay State. Their monument was dedicated in 1885.

Take note, between that boulder and where Holtzworth stands at the 2nd Massachusetts monument is the modern location of Colgrove Avenue. You can see the modern view below. This image truly proves that the devil is in the details!