Posted on 02/16/2006 9:17:49 AM PST by pittsburgh gop guy
Vandals hit Gettysburg National Military Park overnight, damaging three Civil War monuments and stealing a 120-year-old sword.
Park spokeswoman Katie Lawhon said the intruders pulled the top stone and sculpture off the 11th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Monument, which was dedicated on Oct. 8, 1885.
They also stole a sword from that monument. Ms. Lawhon said this morning that the sword was taken from a sculpted arm attached to the monument.
Park rangers hope the theft will help them solve the case. A healthy market exists for Civil War-era weapons, particularly from Gettysburg. Many collectors, though, are on the lookout for stolen items.
In addition to the Massachusetts memorial, vandals also damaged monuments to Pennsylvania and New York units that fought at Gettysburg.
They pulled down the bronze sculpture of a Zouave infantryman from the pedestal of the 114th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Monument. It was dedicated on July 2, 1886.
The third monument attacked by intruders also was a bronze sculpture. It featured a Civil War artilleryman from the monument to Smith's battery, also known as the 4th New York Battery.
The Smith's battery monument was dedicated on July 2, 1888.
Gettysburg is patrolled by national park rangers and civilian volunteers, who keep an eye on the battlefield and its 1,400 monuments and markers at night.
Even so, this is third time in 18 months that vandals have damaged Gettysburg monuments.
The battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest of the Civil War. Some 51,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or vanished in three days of fighting. The battle was waged July 1-3, 1863.
(Excerpt) Read more at postgazette.com ...
The statue had been fine there since 1885....
fwiw, my ancestor was PVT William James (Little Thunder) Freeman, late of the First Cherokee Mounted Rifles & the Fourth Missouri Partisan Rangers & REBEL, to his marrow.
"L.T." would be HIGHLY OFFENDED by this ATROCITY against the memory of BRAVE men.
free dixie,sw
outrage
No matter, in 40 years all battlefield parks will be paved over anyway. Our citizens will all know what rock and rap bands were popular throughout history, but will have no idea that important wars were ever fought on our soil ... let alone be interested in preserving the fields.
Shameful. Truly shameful. Only barbarians descrate monuments to the dead.
My thoughts exactly. See my other post.
Disgraceful!!
Scum.
Man, that is sickening. I can't help but wonder if some young barbarians have no appreciation for our history because of what poses as history education these days. Does not excuse this crap, but may explain it?
Theres a special place for bastards that do such things. The fellows that have died in war take turns running it.
I have to wonder what, in a public school history education, would lead young people to attack the monuments of Grand Army of the Republic soldiers.
Absolutely disgraceful!
I agree wholeheartedly with stand watie - our ancestors fought for the South, but would have certainly been apalled at the lack of RESPECT. Vandalizing a battlefield or a cemetery is just beneath contempt.
free dixie,sw
Actually, they wouldn't have the slightest idea what you are talking about. They wouldn't be able to tell you in what century the war took place, or what it was about.
At least they stuck to the Yankee monuments.
I know the battlefield is huge...we have been there. But, if there ARE volunteers couldn't there be two at every monument? This is disgraceful and the punks that did this probably have no idea how this country was formed, or built not to mention what those who gave their blood did for all of us. They are STUPID, IGNORANT, BRAINLESS WITH NO INTELLIGENCE AT ALL. They are probably drop out, hating, miserable inside people and the only way to get attention is to do something so drastic like this. I hope they get lots of attention and are put into jail where they belong. These kind of people do not belong on the same streets where the rest of us walk or on holy ground such as our battlefields where those who fought for the rest of us now rest. I hope they find them and punish them accordingly.
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