Collapse of the Peach Orchard Line - Gettysburg by Bradley Schmehl ~
July 2nd, 1863 – 2:30 pm--
We are standing on Emmitsburg Road facing west/northwest with Seminary Ridge in the distance. Directly in front of us is Joseph Sherfy’s home, canning house, corn crib (small structure at the extreme left) and, beyond the first line of Confederates, a portion of his orchard. The Confederates closest to us are the 18th Mississippi, of Barksdale’s Brigade; beyond them are the Georgians of Wofford’s Brigade. Both brigades are of McLaws’ Division, Longstreet’s Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.
The colorful zouave troops closest to us belong to the 114th Pennsylvania, Graham’s Brigade (1st Brigade, First Division, III Corps, Army of the Potomac. The captain at the right has ordered the color guard to fall back a distance up the Emmitsburg Road, the regiment’s only route of escape, since at this point the Confederates are not only in their front, but on their left flank and rapidly gaining their rear. The rest of the regiment will fall back to their colors, and the maneuver will be repeated several times until the regiment has arrived safely at Cemetery Ridge and the main Union line.
The dead horses and solitary Yankee corpse in the middle distance, between the two opposing lines of troops, are from Bucklyn’s Battery (also known as Randolph’s Battery), Battery E, 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery, whose right gun was posted in the area a short time before. The Sherfy home and outbuildings were occupied by Federal soldiers who sniped at the oncoming Confederates from the windows of the home’s south side. We can see the damage done by Confederate returned fire. The smoke we observe in the distance, from behind the trees just beyond and to the left of the wood-sided canning house is from the guns of Patterson’s Confederate Battery.
The two flags carried by the 114th Pennsylvania’s color bearer differ, though it is hard to see. The flag at the left carries a Pennsylvania state seal in the midst of a blue field. (Some of the seal’s scrollwork is barely visible.) The flag on the right is a regular Union flag. The colors were not captured in this battle. The farmyard fence has been trampled down, probably by the skirmishers of the 63rd Pennsylvania, who were ordered forward and retreated when their ammunition ran out earlier in the day.

Lee Deliberates Heth's Advance - Gettysburg by Bradley Schmehl ~
July 1st, 1863 – 2:30 pm
Robert E. Lee has arrived on the battlefield. He is shown here on the Cashtown Road where it crosses Herr’s Ridge – the Herr Tavern and barn are seen in the background. Ambulances whisk away the wounded and dying of Heth’s Division, which had opened the attack that morning. Heth rides up with four of his staff joining Lee, General A. P. Hill (who is clearly irritated with Heth for bringing on an engagement contrary to Lee’s orders), and Lieutenant Colonel Walter Taylor, Lee’s cigar smoking aide. While Heth solicits Lee’s permission to renew the attack, his men reorganize in preparation.
Lee was “not prepared to bring on a general engagement today” because General James Longstreet’s corps had not yet reached Gettysburg. But Lee sees a cloud of dust beyond the Federal XI Corps’ right flank; General Jubal Early’s division has arrived on the battlefield.
An opportunity has presented itself to the Confederate Army commander. With the long, discontinuous Federal line bent at a right angle, and with Early assailing the Union right and General Robert Rodes hammering the angle’s vertex, A. P. Hill’s corps could renew its assault against the Union right and the enemy would be caught in the jaws of a vise.
The order is given! Heth’s Division, supported by General Dorsey Pender’s Division, attack. Ultimately, after much savage fighting and a great cost of life on both sides, the Confederates prevail, and the Union I and XI Corps retreat to the safety of Cemetery Hill, south of town of Gettysburg.

Stonewall by Bradley Schmehl ~ "Stonewall" Thomas Jonathan Jackson 1824 - 1863 General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson is portrayed here in his plain gray uniform and butternut kepi, as he appeared during 1862. In the eyes of those people to whom his reputation preceded his appearance, he never failed to disappoint: one Yank whose unit had surrendered to Jackson's forces at Harpers Ferry stated that Jackson was " in no respect to be distinguished from the mongrel barefooted crew that followed his fortunes." No other Civil War figure garnered such military fame as Stonewall, either among friend or foe. During his career his reputation spread across America and over the seas, and many of his day believed that had he survived, the Confederate quest for independence may well have been realized. His devotion to God, duty and country are a legacy that has and will continue to be treasured by many Americans.

Taking the Oath by Bradley Schmehl ~ In January 1863, John S. Mosby enlisted men to join his partisan rangers. He administered the oath to his recruits at the Mr. Zion Church in Aldie, Virginia. That church is still standing today.

The Death of Reynolds - Gettysburg by Bradley Schmehl ~
July 1st, 1863 – 10 am.
The Battle of Gettysburg has begun. General Henry Heth’s Division, of A. P. Hill’s corps, has marched toward Gettysburg from the west on the Cashtown Road, but has been prevented from entering the town by dismounted union cavalry led by General John Buford. Buford’s men are holding the line valiantly, anxiously awaiting the arrival of Union General John Reynolds’ I corps.
Buford’s cavalry hold a line on McPherson’s Ridge, just west of Seminary Ridge. That portion of the line which extends into Herbst’s Woods (now McPherson’s Woods, shown here) is relieved by the 2nd Wisconsin of the famed Iron Brigade, who are personally led into battle by the aggressive General Reynolds himself. As they engage the Confederates of Archer’s Brigade, Reynolds, who has momentarily turned in his saddle to see if the regiments he is awaiting are coming up, takes a fatal bullet just behind his right ear. His orderly, Private Charles Veil and some members of the General’s staff carry his lifeless body from the field.
John Reynolds, a Pennsylvania native who gave distinguished service in the Mexican War as well as he War Between the States, fell in battle perhaps due to his own sense of modesty. President Lincoln had offered him command of the Army of the Potomac a few days earlier, but Reynolds demurred, stating that others, General George Meade among them, were more senior and better qualified than he. Had he accepted command, perhaps he would have survived the war.
The time of day is around 10:30 am. Visible at the center background is McPherson’s Barn and at right, in the extreme distance, the smoke of fighting at the “Bloody Railroad Cut.”

The Grim Harvest of War - The Valley Campaign by Bradley Schmehl ~ Blazing with the fire of combat, Jackson rode onto the coaling. He congratulated Taylor and promised him the captured guns. The enemy staggered, but it didn’t break. They preserved formation even as they left the field along the road to Conrad’s store – pressured all the while by Taliaferro and Winder. Tired after the last few days, the Southerners were not able to pursue rapidly – the infantry pounded out four or five miles and the artillery pushed a few miles farther. The spoils included about 450 prisoners, 800 muskets, one more cannon and some wagons. “Ever laconic, Jackson dispatched a one-sentence telegram to Richmond advising, ‘Through God’s blessing the enemy near Port Republic was this day routed with the loss of Six (6) pieces of his artillery.’…Long after the war Richard Taylor recalled, “I have never seen so many dead and wounded in the same limited space. ** In the painting, The Grim Harvest of War, the artist chose to show Major Wheat in uniform, but not “bloody as a butcher”. Southern casualties: 816 killed and wounded Union losses including prisoners: 800-1000 Area of the coaling: less than 1 sq. mile