Spangler's Spring and Culp's Hill

Stop on Gettysburg Battlefield Historic Tour, a free self-guided tour.

While Little Round Top gets more attention, Culp's Hill on the Union right flank was equally critical. This heavily wooded hill anchored the right end of the fish-hook shaped Union defensive line. On the evening of July 2nd and throughout July 3rd, Confederate forces attacked Culp's Hill in an attempt to take it and threaten the Union rear. The fighting in the dense woods was at close quarters, with men shooting at each other from behind trees and rocks. Union forces had constructed strong earthworks and log breastworks that provided significant defensive advantages. Spangler's Spring, at the base of the hill, was the only water source in the area and became a point of temporary truce where soldiers from both sides briefly mingled to fill canteens before resuming combat. The spring still flows today, and visitors can walk the preserved trenches and earthworks that snake through the woods. The relative quiet of this sector compared to Little Round Top means it's often less crowded, allowing for contemplative walks through the battle-scarred landscape. The complexity of the terrain made coordination difficult and meant that much of the fighting devolved into small-unit actions where sergeants and junior officers had to make critical decisions without higher guidance.