CULP BROTHERS WAR MEMORIAL

CULP BROTHERS WILLIAM E. “WILLIAM” CULP AND JOHN W. “WESLEY” CULP GREW UP IN GETTYSBURG AND BOTH WERE EMPLOYED BY THE TOWN’S CARRIAGE MAKER CHARLES WILLIAM HOFFMAN. IN 1856 HOFFMAN UPROOTED HIS BUSINESS AND MOVED IT TO MARTINSBURG, VIRGINIA. WESLEY FOLLOWED BUT BROTHER WILLIAM DID NOT AND REMAINED IN GETTYSBURG. WHEN THE WAR CAME THE BROTHERS’ ALLEGIANCES FOLLOWED THIS PATTERN; WESLEY ENLISTED IN THE 2ND VIRGINIA INFANTRY AND WILLIAM SIGNED UP WITH THE 2ND PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. ALTHOUGH NOW “BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER”, IT IS UNRECORDED IF WILLIAM AND WESLEY EVER SAW EACH OTHER AGAIN. WESLEY WAS SHOT AND KILLED ON HIS UNCLE HENRY’S FARM, THE FAMED “CULP HILL”. WILLIAM RETURNED TO GETTYSBURG IN 1882 AND IS BURIED IN THE EVERGREEN CEMETERY WHERE WESLEY’S ABSENCE SERVES AS A SILENT WITNESS TO THE PERSONAL COST OF THE CONFLICT (WESLEY REST IN AN UNMARKED GRAVE).