This scene made me stop and think. Which came first, the cannon or the grave sites? While I was at Gettysburg, I didn’t have time to research this, but it sure made me think.
I know that the Union troops occupied the high ground, one of which was called Cemetery Ridge, where this photo was taken. Its located near the edge of the old town, so it could have easily been a cemetery at the time of the battle. So, out of necessity to maintain control of the high ground, the Union troops placed their cannon here among the tombstones that mark someone’s final resting place?
Or, are the grave sites a result of the cannon being there, marking the spots where a few gallant Union troops fell while fighting to keep the high ground? Either way, the two major elements of this composition (cannon and grave markers) make for a poignant scene, and gave me the chills while I took the shot.
Tomorrow is Veteran’s Day, so I hope this post will be viewed as a “thank you” to all U.S. veterans who have served and are serving to protect the United States of America.
Thought for the Day: It is well that war is so terrible — otherwise we would grow too fond of it. Robert E. Lee (1807 – 1870)
Larry's Blog 
As I researched a great-uncle for my family history blog recently, I had similar ‘chills’ while reading the war diaries of his brigade during the last days of his life in France during World War I. We must always appreciate what our veterans have done!
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