Focus: 83rd Pennsylvania
Posted to the Project on 16 May 07
Standing on the slope of Little Round Top, the 83rd Pennsylvania Monument contains a striking likeness of Strong Vincent, colonel of the regiment who was in command of the brigade at the battle of Gettysburg.
Fox’s “Regimental Losses” notes that: “The Eighty-third encountered more fighting and lost more men in battle than any other Pennsylvania regiment; in fact, its loss in action was exceeded by only one other in the entire Union army.”
General McClellan once publicly pronounced the Eighty-third “one of the very best regiments in the army.”
At Gettysburg, Vincent was responsible for taking his men to Little Round Top and placing them where they fought. Near the apex of the fighting, Vincent attempted to rally his men, crying “Don’t give an inch!” A bullet tore through his groin and lodged into his body after fracturing the femur. The wound was mortal and Vincent died five days after the battle — but not before being promoted to brigadeir general on July 3, 1863.
Pennsylvania did not allow regiments to place likeness of commanders on regimental monuments. Thus, the striking likeness of Vincent on the top of the 83rd Pennsylvania’s monument is not identified on the marker as being Vincent. I guess you can just call it a striking look-alike. The staute is larger than life — standing over seven feet tall — and it was dedicated on September 11, 1889. Officially it is located along Sykes Avenue, but it not “on” the road — it is set back in the woods on the southern slope of the hill.
The 83rd Pennsylvania came mainly from the area around Erie in the northwestern corner of the state. Only the Fifth New Hampshire in the Second Corps lost more men killed or mortally wounded in battle than did the hard-fighting 83rd Pennsylvania Infantry.
Members of the 5th Corps, 1st Division, 3rd Brigade
Commanded by Captain Orpheus S. Woodward (1835-1919)
Engaged 308; 10 killed and 45 wounded
Monument: Little Round Top (Sykes Avenue), facing the saddle between Big and Little Round Top, slightly down from the summit of Little Round Top
May 17th, 2007 at 11:48 am
. . . lost more men killed and wounded. . .? thought the First Minnesota had that dubious honor. “Do you see those colors? Well, take them!” Wandering around St. Paul MN within three blocks of the cathedral (can’t pin it more closely) I came across the monument to the First Minnesota and choked up expaining those twenty minutes of the second day of Gettysburg to Kellie. (she’s a lawyer too, my degrees are in Phys. Chem.)
On re-reading your post I realize that it makes more sense in terms of absolute numbers– if the 83rd PA had more than 242 men, then there is no way that 1st MN could have had more casualties. I think % casualties in the unit to be a better measure, but that’s probably not what you (or Fox) said.
Hope your groin heals SOON and that you continue to be successful in beating the Hodge. Our prayers are with you.
June 2nd, 2007 at 1:10 pm
To clarify, it is in terms of TOTAL BATTLE DEATHS for the entire war (not just at Gettysburg), the 83rd Pennsylvania ranked 2nd. Fox’s list of the Fighting 300 Regiments encompasses total battle deaths, not deaths in a single battle like Gettysburg. Thank you for the prayers. Jenny