FOUR HILLS AT GETTYSBURG

There’s no denying that the July 2, 1863, struggle on its rocky slopes helped turn the tide of the war’s greatest battle, Gettysburg. But what occurred on that mighty hill that day has been so romanticized and glorified in story and song in the 157 years since, we tend to forget that the fighting on several of Gettysburg’s other elevations was more bloody and more crucial to the Union victory. In fact, had the Confederates prevailed during repeated clashes on Cemetery Hill and Culp’s Hill, as well as nearby Powers Hill and Wolf’s Hill, the 20th Maine’s legendary charge down Little Round Top may well be just an afterthought today. Roughly 53,000 soldiers from 16 states collided on those four hills on July 2-3, and though often overlooked, each has its own secrets, myths, and history to tell. For some time after the battle, Culp’s Hill and Cemetery Hill were much more popular attractions for veterans and tourists than Little Round Top. Not only were these sites initially more accessible, visitors were also able to get great views of the remnants of bullet-riddled trees; well-formed breastworks of log, stone, and earth; and the newly laid graves of many of the battle’s individual heroes. That