Tuesday Evening Walk : “Harvard at Gettysburg – The 20th Massachusetts”

Why and how can a small group of volunteer soldiers carry the identity of an early American educational institution, and importantly, how could their actions at Gettysburg and within the Civil War further imprint a storied reputation, to this day, on the same university and community? The 20th  Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment, known as “the Harvard Regiment,” will be the focus of our attention during this walk to assist in answering these questions. We will discuss their arrival as part of the 2nd Corps near the Leister House and follow in their footsteps to Cemetery Ridge. A review of their actions on both July 2nd and 3rd will be discussed, the glory received, and unfortunately, the costs of lives that were paid in return. The story of their “pudding-stone” memorial on the field is particularly interesting, along with how their memory is still a part of not only Harvard University, but also of Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge Massachusetts today. 

Meeting Place: Park in the approved locations on Hancock Avenue near the “Copse of Trees”. Please ensure you are in the right lane and park with all four wheels on the pavement. The group will assemble at the “High Water Mark” memorial.