Cemetery Hill

Cemetery Hill is a key terrain feature in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the northernmost extent of Cemetery Ridge. It overlooks the main downtown area from the south, at 503 feet above sea level, 80 feet above the town center. The slopes to the north and west rise gradually; to the east, the section known as East Cemetery Hill, the rise is steeper. Cemetery Hill played a prominent role in the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1–3, 1863.

Related Topics:
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania - Cemetery Ridge - Sea level - Battle of Gettysburg - July 1 - 3 - 1863

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During the battle, Cemetery Hill was a critical part of the Union army defensive line, the curved portion of what is described as the "fish-hook" line. There were three important characteristics to the hill. First, its gentle slope made it excellent defensive ground against the infantry tactics of the era. Second, it was an outstanding artillery platform with good fields of fire (unlike the neighboring Culp's Hill, which was heavily wooded), dominating wide swaths of the town and other parts of the battlefield. Third, and most importantly, it was a concentration point for three major roads that led south: Emmitsburg Road, Taneytown Road, and the Baltimore Pike. These roads were critical for keeping the Union army supplied and for blocking any Confederate advance on Baltimore or Washington, D.C.

Related Topics:
Union army - Culp's Hill - Confederate - Baltimore - Washington, D.C.

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Before the battle, Cemetery Hill (originally named Raffensberger's Hill) was the site of Evergreen Cemetery, a civilian burial ground established in 1858. It was joined afterwards by the adjacent Gettysburg National Cemetery, which was dedicated by Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. The hill is also the current location of the U.S. National Park Service Visitors' Center for the Gettysburg National Military Park.

Related Topics:
1858 - Gettysburg National Cemetery - Abraham Lincoln - Gettysburg Address - U.S. National Park Service - Gettysburg National Military Park

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