The view from the Confederate position on Benner’s Hill. The tree-covered hill in the middle of the horizon is the Union position of Culp’s Hill. Its observation tower shows up as a rectangle on the tree line in front and up from the nearest cannon’s muzzle. Each of the cannon here represents a four gun battery with caissons, giving some idea of how crowded (and rich a target) the hilltop was.
Benner’s Hill is one of the less frequently visited places on the Gettysburg battlefield. It lies across Hanover Road (Pennsylvania Highway 116) a little under a mile east of the town square and about three quarters of a mile west of the US 15 freeway. (Tour map: Benner’s Hill)
The hill is a relatively narrow ridge running from northeast to southwest and pointing a little to the left of Culp’s Hill, which is about a half mile from the summit of Benner’s Hill on the other side of Rock Creek.
Here on July 2nd, 1863 several Confederate artillery batteries from Major Joseph W. Latimer’s and Lt. Colonel William Nelson’s Battalions of Ewell’s Second Corps tried to provide artillery support to the attack of Johnson’s Division on Cemetery Hill. It was not a good position, being too narrow and almost perpendicular to the Union lines. The Confederate pieces were crowded and made a good target.
But it was the best position available, and at around 4 p.m. on July 2nd 14 Confederate guns opened fire on Cemetery Hill. For an hour and a half they dueled 24 Union guns on Cemetery Hill, Culp’s Hill and Stevens’ Knoll. Although Union 1st Corps Artillery Brigade commander Colonel Charles S. Wainwright called it “the most accurate fire I have yet seen from their artillery,” the unequal 1 1/2 hour contest ended with Major Latimer mortally wounded and the badly battered Confederate batteries withdrawn before the Confederate infantry attack could begin.
Today the hill provides good views of Gettysburg and the Cemetery and Culp’s Hill areas, particularly from just past the turnaround loop on the south end of the park road. Parking is available anywhere along the paved park road, which runs south of Hanover Road. The markers and park land continue north of Hanover Road, although the park road does not.