1888 Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association Map of Gettysburg and Vicinity

This 1872 Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association map of Gettysburg blends a history of the Battle of Gettysburg with its commemoration. The map provides a visual 3-day summary of the American Civil War (1861 - 1865) battle. It also illustrates how the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association accumulated land to help preserve the battlefield. This map also features promotional material for tour operators Ziegler and Holtzworth.

A Closer Look

Gettysburg is situated just above center, and all the roads and railroads running into town make it clear why Gettysburg was a key objective in General Lee's Maryland Campaign. Blue and red dashed lines illustrate Union and Confederate lines over the course of the 3-day battle, with positions identified by the commanding officer and date. Artillery positions are marked around the battlefield, as is the Union's reserve ammunition near Power's Hill. Both the National Cemetery and Evergreen Cemetery are labeled. Numerous homes in the vicinity are identified by the owner's name, some of which are referenced as landmarks for events during the battle.

The red shaded areas are land owned by the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association. An overprinted advertisement in the lower-right corner proclaims that the map is 'Compliments of Ziegler and Holtzworth Livery.' Ziegler and Holtzworth provided transportation and guides at no additional charge to those wishing to visit the battlefield as early as 1872.

The Battle of Gettysburg

Fought from July 1 through 3, 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg was the defining moment of the American Civil War (1861 - 1865). The Confederacy began the war by advancing aggressively and successfully under the brilliant generalship of Maj. General Robert E. Lee (1807 - 1870). Buoyed by his May 1863 successes at the Battle of Chancellorsville (April 30 - May 6, 1863), Lee launched a grand invasion of Pennsylvania, intending to push as far as Harrisburg, or potentially Philadelphia. The Union and Confederate forces first engaged on July 1, 1863. The Confederates met with some initial success, seizing weakly defended but strategic ridges before reaching a stalemate. The Confederates decided to break the stalemate with an aggressive charge on the well-fortified Union position of Cemetery Ridge. Pickett's Charge, named after its leader, the Confederate Maj. Gen. George E. Pickett (1825 - 1875) was a disaster, incurring heavy Confederate losses and turning the tide of the battle. In subsequent engagements, Union forces prevailed again and again, forcing the Confederate army into a torturous retreat to Virginia. The Battle of Gettysburg resulted in between 46,000 and 51,000 casualties, proving the costliest single battle in U.S. history. In the aftermath of the battle, on November 19, President Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865) issued the historic Gettysburg Address, redefining the purpose of the war. Pickett's Charge proved to be the Confederate high-water mark. Not only did the Confederacy lose the Battle of Gettysburg, but from this point forward, they also began to lose the war.

The Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association

The Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association (GBMA) was founded on April 30, 1864, when it was incorporated by an Act of the Pennsylvania Legislature. Commemorative efforts had begun in August 1863 (only a month after the Battle of Gettysburg) when Gettysburg native David McConaughy bought the land to the north of Evergreen Cemetery with the intention of creating a National Cemetery. In the days immediately after the battle, Union soldiers were buried where they fell, creating scattered gravesites across the battlefield. The National Cemetery was created to bring these disparate graves together in one place and to be the final resting place for the thousands of Union soldiers killed during the battle. It was dedicated on November 19, 1863, which included President Abraham Lincoln's celebrated Gettysburg Address. After the GBMA was officially incorporated, McConaughy transferred the land he purchased to the GBMA. It continued to add to McConaughy's holdings and encouraged units to build monuments on the battlefield, but only if the monument was approved by the GBMA. Ninety regimental and battery memorials were on the battlefield by May 1887. The GBMA also built roads, a trolley, and tram service, so visitors could easily access sites. The GBMA also encouraged events and commemorations, including several encampments. The GBMA was disbanded on February 4, 1896, after Congress established the Gettysburg National Military Park and transferred administration of the Park to the War Department. The National Park Service took over running the Gettysburg National Military Park in 1933.

Publication History and Census

This map was lithographed by Burk and McFetridge and published by the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association in 1888. We note 8 cataloged examples in OCLC: Yale University, the Osher Map Library at the University of Southern Maine, the University of Michigan, Appalachian State University, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Historical Society, the University of Alabama, and Gettysburg College. We note only one other instance when this map appeared on the private market.