Gettysburg at Arlington Part 30: Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr

On July 1, 1922, President Warren G. Harding and other dignitaries climbed the Ziegler's Grove Tower to watch Marines reenact Pickett's Charge. Two prominent individuals on the tower with the President are buried at Arlington National Cemetery: General of the Armies John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing, and Lieutenant General John A. Lejeune. A two story version of the Brian/Bryan House is in the curve of Hancock Avenue. The cannon mark the position occupied by the 9th Massachusetts Battery. Ziegler's Grove is being replanted. This view was taken facing south circa 1896.

Arlington National Cemetery, overlooking Washington, D.C., has many connections to Gettysburg and to the Gettysburg Campaign. There are many more connections than to only Robert E. Lee's residence, and John F. Kennedy's grave. Almost every row in the older sections have someone buried there who had a link to Gettysburg. Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr shows us the individuals connected to Gettysburg who are buried at Arlington. To contact Rich Kohr, click here to reveal his email address. To see the previous posts on Gettysburg at Arlington, click here. In today's Arlington post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr shows the site of the Ziegler's Grove Tower at the Gettysburg, and the graves of General of the Armies John J. Pershing and Comomandant of the Marine Corpe John Archer Lejeune at Arlington National Cemetery.

This map shows us the locations taken of videos for our Gettysburg at Arlington series. Videos #1-#80 were shown in our previous Arlington posts. Video #81 was taken at Gettysburg National Military Park at the site of the Ziegler's Grove Tower. This map was created facing north at approximately 7:00 PM on Sunday, February 27, 2011.

At one time there were five observation towers at Gettysburg National Military Park. Tower #1 was 60 feet tall and was located on Big Round Top. Tower #2 is 75 feet tall and is located on Seminary Ridge. It is known as the Longstreet Tower. Tower #3 used to be 75 feet tall until it was cut down to its current size. It is the Oak Ridge Tower near the Mummasburg Road. Tower #4 is 60 feet tall and is located on Culp's Hill. The first four towers were constructed in 1895. The Ziegler's Grove Tower was constructed in 1896, and must have been known as Tower #5. We do not know if it was 60 feet tall or 75 feet tall. When General Pershing climbed it in July, 1922, he was 61 years old. When then Major General Lejeune climbed it he was 55 years old. In this photograph, Ziegler's Grove had recently been replanted. The Bryan/Brian House is behind the white picket fence. The cannon closest to the path mark the position occupied by John H. Butler's Battery G, 2nd United States Artillery. The monument on the far right of the photograph is to the 108th New York Infantry Regiment. This view was taken facing southwest circa 1896.

Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr is the host for our series on Arlington National Cemetery. He is standing in Gettysburg National Military Park at the site of the Ziegler's Grove Tower. The trees have grown well since the 1890s. The 1962 Cyclorama Building is in the right background. The monument to the 108th New York Infantry Regiment is in the left background. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 10:15 AM on Sunday, February 27, 2011.

In Video #81 (Videos #1 - #80 were shown in our previous Arlington posts) Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr explains who climbed the Ziegler's Grove Tower to watch a reenactment of Pickett's Charge on July 1, 1922, and he shows the location of the Ziegler's Grove Tower. This view was taken facing southwest to northeast at approximately 10:15 AM on Sunday, February 27, 2011.

Another view of Rich Kohr standing in the location of the Ziegler's Grove Tower. The reconstructed Bryan/Brian House is on the left. The 1962 Cyclorama building is behind Rich. When the Cyclorama building was constructed it had an observation platform and a ramp leading up to it. That area is out of sight on the right. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 10:15 AM on Sunday, February 27, 2011.

This map shows us the locations taken of videos for our Gettysburg at Arlington series. Videos #1-#80 were shown in our previous Arlington posts. Video #81 is shown on the previous map in this post. Video #82 was taken at the grave of General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing. Video #83 was taken at the grave of Lieutenant General John A. Lejeune. This map was created facing north at approximately 7:00 PM on Sunday, February 27, 2011.

President Harding stayed in the Marine Camp at Gettysburg, located between the Emmitsburg Road and West Confederate Avenue. Looking over the camp are from left to right were: General John J. Pershing, President Warren G. Harding, Major General John A. Lejeune, and Brigadier General Smedley D. Butler (pointing). This view was taken either July 1st or 2nd, 1922.

Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr is in Arlington National Cemetery at the grave of General of the Armies John J. Pershing (1860-1948). Pershing's grave, and his grandsons' graves are the only graves at the top of this knoll in Section 34 of the cemetery. This view was taken facing west at approximately 2:00 PM on Sunday, February 27, 2011.

In Video #82 Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr shows us the grave of General of the Armies John J. Pershing and presents a biographical sketch of one of America's best soldiers. This view was taken facing west at approximately 2:00 PM on Sunday, February 27, 2011.

This plaque in honor of World War I soldiers is at the foot of an evergreen tree behind (west of) Pershing's grave. This view was taken facing west at approximately 2:00 PM on Sunday, February 27, 2011.

John Warren Pershing (1941-1999) was a grandson of General of the Armies John Joseph Pershing. He was a graduate of Boston University and had previously enlisted in the Marine Corps. After graduating from ROTC at Boston University he joined the Special Forces and was stationed in Germany during the Vietnam War. He helped design ROTC programs in the 1970s. He and his younger brother share the same gravestone in Section 34. His brother's name is on the other side of this stone...This view was taken facing east at approximately 2:00 PM on Sunday, February 27, 2011.

...Richard Warren Pershing (1942-1968) was a graduate of Yale University, and after training at Fort Benning, Georgia became a Second Lieutenant in the 101st Airborne Division. He reached Vietnam in December 13, 1967 and two months later he was killed in action. The official telegram notification of his death reads: "wounds received while on a combat mission when his unit came under hostile small-arms and rocket attack while searching for remains of a missing member of his unit." In the background is the evergreen tree with the World War I plaque at its base. This view was taken facing west at approximately 2:00 PM on Sunday, February 27, 2011.

Rich Kohr is standing by the grave of Lieutenant General John Archer Lejeune. When he visited Gettysburg in 1922, Lejeune was a Major General, and Commandant of the Marine Corps. His grave is located in an area below the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Section 6. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 2:30 PM on Sunday, February 27, 2011.

In Video #83 Rich Kohr shows us the grave of Lieutenant General John A. Lejeune and presents a biographical sketch of the former Commandant of the Marine Corps. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 2:00 PM on Sunday, February 27, 2011.

To see other posts by Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides, click here.