Devil's Den and the Slaughter Pen
July 2nd 1863 - Second Day
"Awful, awful rocks!!"
For weeks after the battle, a delirious Alabama soldier suffering from his wounds repeated these words
The labyrinth of boulders and crevices in front of you was known to local residents as "Devil's Den," a name that would become famous in the history of the Civil War. The rocky gorge to your left and behind you earned the name "Slaughter Pen" for the great number of Confederates killed there.
Late on the afternoon of July 2, Confederates of Hood's Division captured Devil's Den and the ridge above here in a bloody struggle that lasted an hour and a half. Devil's Den then became a nest of Confederate sharpshooters who took aim at Union officers and men on Little Round Top behind you to the right. The sniping continued until the end of the battle on July 3.
As historic photos demonstrate, the rocks of Devil's Den and the Slaughter Pen have changed little since the time of the battle. A trail beginning here winds up through the boulders 1/10 mile to the top of Devil's Den and a fine viewpoint of Little Round Top.
Marker is at the intersection of Sickles Avenue and Warren Avenue, on the right when traveling west on Sickles Avenue.
Courtesy hmdb.org
