Some of these trees were present during key events in American history like the Civil War battles.
Historians call these trees witness trees.
They were present when soldiers marched on to the battlefields and they stood silently as the soldiers fell.
Many Civil War witness trees took bullets along with thousands of men.
Many of them still hide bullets within their trunks.
Small brass tags were placed in some of the trees, and lightening rods were also placed in some.
Typically, the tags were nailed a few feet above human reach, but still readable.
A witness tree on Stuart’s Hill loop trail in Manassas National Battlefield Park.
Photo credit:ManassasNPS/Flickr
A vast number of witness trees remain unidentified and unmarked.
Usually, potential candidates are located using historic maps and photos.
The core sample is then analyzed by counting rings to estimate the age of the tree.
Although the boring process is said to have very little impact on the trees, it is not encouraged.
In some cases, witness trees arent identified until they die of natural causes.
A witness tree near Devils Den at Gettysburg Battlefield.
Confederates captured this rocky area but suffered about 1,800 casualties.
Photo credit:Rob Shenk/Flickr
A witness tree growing beside the Burnside Bridge in Sharpsburg, Washington County.
Photo credit:Gettysburg Daily
General Gibbons Walnut Tree.
Photo credit:Gettysburg Daily
A witness tree in Henry Hill, in Manassas Battlefield National Park.
Photo credit:Karin Lewis/Flickr
Numerous witness trees line the West Confederate Avenue in Gettysburg.
Photo credit:Gettysburg Daily
Sources:Civil War Cycling/Smithsonian/NPS.gov
Related:Survivor Trees Around The World
