All prices are in All prices are in USD
I was fortunate to acquire a large collection of original Gettysburg Battlefield bullets. They are all well documented with great provenance from local collections. This one is a .58 caliber Confederate Gardner bullet. It was dug by Curtis Plank, just north of Barlow’s Knoll, in the area behind the UPS building and Rock Creek. This area is near the Josiah Benner Farm.
The Josiah Benner farmhouse predates the 1863 battle and is a two-story brick building set on a stone foundation (see pictures). Its location is just off of the Harrisburg Road, which placed it in the line of advance by General Early’s Confederate Division on the afternoon of July 1st. In an effort to attack and outflank Union positions on and near Barlow Knoll, Confederates had to pass around this solid obstacle.
The walls of the building provided cover for skirmishers of both sides during various portions of the July 1st conflict. At the close of the fighting on that day, the house was pressed into use as a temporary Confederate field hospital. Several Union soldiers and officers were also carried there for treatment.
This bullet comes in the acrylic display case pictured. The area around Barlow’s Knoll has always been a difficult location for giving up relics.