BARB OF THE HOOK
Old Blue is a Civil War buff. I am one by osmosis. It happened when we
visited Gettysburg the first time. Okay, the outskirts of the battlefield is a
little commercial but, know this: driving or walking through that beautiful
battlefield just about any time of the year (dogwood and redbud in the spring,
autumnal spender in the fall) reading any of the 1200 monuments, walking the lines
where so many gave their young lives, it WILL change you. You will feel “it”
all around you. Here is the opportunity to feel the spirits which still reside
there AND find a letterbox in the process.
This box is dedicated to John Otto of the 11th Indiana Battery, commander of
same and Great-Great Grandfather of Old Blue.
Locate the monument at the corner of Taneytown Rd and Steinwehr Ave., and
note the state for which the monument is dedicated. Next, go to the Confederate
Avenue where Ewell’s Corp was positioned during the battle at Getysburg and
find an information marker showing “The Barb of the Hook”. (The visitor’s center
has maps and is a cool place to learn stuff! Or, you can look in any Civil
War book under Ewell and find this information. Also, hiring one of the
extremely knowledgeable guides for a couple of hours is money well spent!)
Proceed to the hill that IS the Barb and find the Greene monument. There are
2 trail leading down the hill from this point. Remember the state on the
monument we told you to locate? Make your way down the correct trail to that state’
s monument. Proceed on the trail to J.G. Palmer’s stone then continue over the
fallen log and on down the hill (about 70 paces from the stone).
Just about at the bottom of this ravine, look to your right and you will see
a big outcropping of moss-covered rock. Tromp down and around said rock and up
the other side. On the uphill and east side of this big rock the Lb is hidden
well under 3 rocks. (Don’t forget to replace these rocks!)
Please contact doublesaj and Old Blue at doublesaj@aol.com to report your
progress! Thanks!!
~~Doublesaj & Old Blue~~
P6 F22 V5 A10 HH1
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]