Draw the Sword

Location: West Howard Avenue, the Plain. 39° 50.472′ N, 77° 14.052′ W

Order of Battle: 11th Corps, 3rd Division, 1st Brigade

Number Engaged: 381, 10 killed, 40 wounded, 60 missing

Commander: Adolph von Hartung (1834-1902)

Raised: Philadelphia and Allegheny County.

Monument Specifications: H. 10 ft. 7 in.; Pedestal: approx. W. 4 ft. x D. 2 ft. 4 in.; Base: approx. H. 5 ft. x W. 3 ft. 2 in. Full-length figure of a fallen color bearer sits on a tapered, rough-hewn base. The figure is seated with his hat on the ground by his proper right hand. He leans on the draped flag pole which he holds upright in his proper left hand. There is a relief of the Corps’ crescent insignia on the sides of the base and a relief of the Pennsylvania Coat of Arms on the front of the base. It marks the position held by the 74th Pennsylvania Infantry on July 1, 1863, from 2:00 in the afternoon until it retreated to the town. The monument was damaged when it was struck by a hit-and-run driver in 2003 but has been repaired.

Dedication Date: July 2, 1888.

Sculptor/Artist/Company:

Main Inscription: 74TH PENNA INFANTRY/GERMAN REGIMENT/1ST BRIG. 3D DIV. 11TH CORPS./JULY 1ST FOUGHT HERE FROM 2 P.M. UNTIL THE CORPS FELL BACK/JULY 2 & 3, IN LINE WITH DIVISION IN FRONT OF CEMETERY

Other Monuments and Memorials: None.

Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:

Organized at Pittsburg as 35th Pennsylvania Volunteers September 14, 1861. Moved to Philadelphia, thence to Washington, D.C., September 23. Attached to Blenker’s Brigade, Division of the Potomac, to November, 1861. Bohlen’s Brigade, Blenker’s Division, Army Potomac, to March, 1862. Bohlen’s 3rd Brigade, Blenker’s Division, 2nd Army Corps, Army Potomac, to April, 1862 3rd Brigade, Blenker’s Division, Dept. of the Mountains, to June, 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of Virginia, to September, 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 11th Army Corps, Army Potomac, to November, 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 11th Corps, to July, 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 11th Corps, to August, 1863. 1st Brigade, Gordon’s Division, Folly Island, S.C., 10th Corps, Dept. of the South, to April, 1864. Folly Island, S.C., Northern District, Dept. of the South, to August, 1864. 2nd Brigade, DeRussy’s Division, 22nd Corps, Dept. of Washington, to October, 1864. Reserve Division, Dept. of West Virginia, to January, 1865. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, West Virginia, to April, 1865. 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, West Virginia, to May, 1865. Sub-District of Clarksburg, W. Va., Dept. West Virginia, to August, 1865.

SERVICE.–Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C., until March, 1862. At Fairfax C. H, Va., March 10-24. Moved to Petersburg, W. Va., April 6-May 11. Operations in the Shenandoah Valley until June. Cross Keys June 8. At Sperryville July 7-August 8. Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia August 16-September 2, Freeman’s Ford and Hazel Run August 22. Groveton August 29. Bull Run August 30. Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C., until November. Moved to Centreville November 1-19, thence to Fredericksburg, Va., December 9-16. “Mud March” January 20-24, 1863. At Stafford C. H., Va., until April 27. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 13-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3. Pursuit of Lee July 5-24. Moved to Folly Island, S.C., August 7-14. Duty on Folly Island, S.C., operating against Charleston, S. C., until August, 1864. Demonstration on James Island, S. C., May 21-22, 1864, and June 30-July 10. James Island, near Secessionville, July 2. Ordered to Washington, D. C., August 17. Duty at Forts Ethan Allen and Marcy until October. Ordered to West Virginia, and duty guarding Baltimore & Ohio Railroad until April, 1865. At Beverly April 8-May 12, and at Clarksburg, W. Va., and guarding Parkersburg branch of Baltimore & Ohio Railroad until August. Mustered out August 29, 1865. Regiment lost during service 2 Officers and 54 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 88 Enlisted men by disease. Total 145.

Comments on this Post

One Response to “* 74th Pennsylvania Infantry”

1. Arthur B. fox says:

   July 20, 2007 at 8:04 am

   Interesting web site, have written 2 books on Pittsburgh and Allegheny County during the war, and starting a third one on Allegheny County regiments at Gettysburg – for my next trip out, could you provide exact directions to the 61st PA monument, never have been there. Thanks