12 121st New York

Witness Tree 12, as seen from Sykes Avenue. The monument in the middle is the 121st New York. Witness Tree 12 is the large leaning white oak tree to the monument’s right. Note the pond in Plum Run Valley in the middle distance; this controversial body of water has been a presence for several years now on the battlefield, thanks to the beavers which move in here periodically and build dams to block the natural flow of water.

How to Find Witness Tree 12

Witness Tree 12, a white oak, can be found on the north slope of Little Round Top. It stands directly between the monument to the 121st New York and Sykes Avenue.

What This Tree Witnessed

Many of the Union troops rushing to the summit of Little Round Top on July 2, 1863, to face down the emergency of the attacking Confederates would have passed by Witness Trees 12 and 13. This includes the team of men struggling to get several cannon of Battery D, 5th U.S. Artillery, commanded by Lieut. Charles Hazlett, to the top of the hill. General Gouverneur Warren, whose statue adorns the west ledge of Little Round Top, took part in manhandling the guns to assist the men in dragging the cannon.

Witness Tree 12 Statistics

Tree Species: white oak
Circumference 2024: 101”
Diameter: 32”
Estimated age: 210 years
Estimated diameter in 1863: 6-7”

Then-and-Now Comparison

This 1897 William Tipton photograph is the only early known image of Witness Tree 12.

Other Photos of Witness Tree 12