East Cemetery Hill - Gettysburg

An artillerist is depicted on the monument to one of many Union batteries that held its ground on East Cemetery Hill on the second day of battle. The soldier's calm demeanor, casually standing by his gun, stands in contradiction to the actual scene in the fading daylight of July 2, 1863 at Gettysburg. The crest of the hill was overrun with Confederates who succeeded in reaching the top of the prominent rise - but not maintaining their gains amidst stout defense and oncoming darkness and reinforcements. What Confederate General Ambrose Wright said about Cemetery Ridge also applied to East Cemetery Hill: "The real difficulty is to stay there after you get there - for the whole infernal Yankee army is up there in a bunch." (Click image for larger view).