Cumberland Township near Gettysburg in Adams County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
A Useless Sacrifice of Life
July 2-3, 1863
Photographed By Larry Gertner, May 10, 2023
1. A Useless Sacrifice of Life Marker
Soaked to the waist from fording Rock Creek, 4,700 Confederate infantrymen stumbled through the darkness and up the slope to your front on the evening of July 2. The unseen Union line lay ahead and just beyond was the Baltimore Pike, a critical lifeline of the Union Army. If Confederates could seize Culp’s Hill and the roadway, they might control the battlefield.
A ferocious night battle ensued. Smoke, darkness, and the road of gunfire obscured the battlefield adding to the confusion. Fighting resumed here early on the morning of July 3, but the Confederate attacks up this steep, craggy hill and against a dug-in enemy were futile. Nearly 2,600 Confederates were killed, wounded, or missing in what one soldier called “a useless sacrifice of life.”
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is July 2, 1863.
Location. 39° 49.143′ N, 77° 13.13′ W. Marker is near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in Adams County. It is in Cumberland Township. Marker can be reached from Culps Hill. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Gettysburg PA 17325, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Fight for the Summit (within shouting distance of this marker); Shelter From Attack (within shouting
this page online
More about this marker. A path near the 150th NY memorial leads to the upper and lower Forbes Rocks.
Photographed By Larry Gertner, May 10, 2023
2. A Useless Sacrifice of Life Marker
People are cautiously descending the slope the Confederate attackers tried to climb.
Photographed By Larry Gertner, May 10, 2023
3. Forbes Rock
Photographed By Larry Gertner, May 13, 2023
4. The path from the 150th NY memorial
via Wikipedia, unknown
5. Edwin Forbes
...painted this scene from a sketch made following the battle. It depicts the Confederate attack here on the morning of July 3, 1863. The large boulder to your front, known as “Forbes Rock,” became a landmark after the battle. (Ancillary wayside text)
via Wikipedia
6. Major General Edward “Allegheny” Johnson
Johnson’s men assaulted Culp’s Hill in darkness but failed to drive Union defenders from the heights to your front. A year later he was captured and the Battle of Spotsylvania. (Ancillary wayside text)
Credits. This page was last revised on May 15, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 15, 2023, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 89 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on May 15, 2023, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.
