Draw the Sword

89th Regiment

Location: Pleasanton Avenue

Order of Battle: Cavalry Corps, 2nd Division, 2nd Brigade

Number Engaged: Not present at Gettysburg; in Maryland guarding the army trains

Monument Specifications: Equestrian statue of a uniformed Cavalry soldier stands on a cut boulder. Bronze elements include a carbine barrel, sword, spurs and reins. The decision to erect the monument was made during a reunion of the 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry on the field in July 1887. The cost was approximately $3,000. The work is sited near the location of General Pleasonton’s headquarters. It is reportedly the first attempt in the United States to produce a granite equestrian. The monument was vandalized in July 1906, and has been repeatedly vandalized over the years, resulting in loss of bronzework. The bronze carbine was stolen and returned in 1953 and stolen again in 1954.

Dedication Date: Dedicated Sept. 1, 1890.

Sculptor/Artist/Company: John M. Gessler & Sons, fabricator.

Other Monuments and Memorials: None.

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

Organized at Philadelphia August to October, 1861. Left State for Washington, D.C., October 4, 1861. Attached to Porter’s Division, Army Potomac, to March, 1862. Unattached, 4th Army Corps, Army Potomac, to April, 1862. Blake’s Brigade, Cavalry Reserve, Army Potomac, to July, 1862. 2nd Brigade, Stoneman’s Cavalry Division, Army Potomac, to September, 1862. 2nd Brigade, Pleasanton’s Cavalry Division, Army Potomac, to February, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps, Army Potomac, to June, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army Potomac, to July, 1865.

SERVICE.–Duty at Arlington Heights, Va., Defenses of Washington, D.C., until March, 1862. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-15. Moved to the Virginia Peninsula April. Siege of Yorktown April 11-May 4. Baltimore Cross Roads, near New Kent Court House, May 13. Operations about Bottom’s Bridge May 20-23. Reconnaissance toward Richmond and to Turkey Island Creek Bridge May 23. Savage Station May 24. Reconnaissance to Seven Pines May 24-27. Chickahominy May 24. Garnett’s Farm and White Oak May 27. Battle of Fair Oaks (Seven Pines) May 31-June 1. Reconnaissance to White Oak Swamp June 22-23. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Bottom’s Bridge June 28-29. Savage Station June 29. Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison’s Landing until August 16. (Co. “A” at Headquarters of Gen. Porter; Co; “B” at Headquarters of Gen. McClellan; Co. “D” at Headquarters of Gen. P. St. G. Cooke.) Turkey Island Bridge July 20. Reconnaissance to Malvern Hill July 23. Retreat from the Peninsula and movement to Alexandria. Maryland Campaign September. Falls Church September 3-4. Sugar Loaf Mountain September 10-11. Frederick September 12. Middletown September 13. Antietam September 16-17. Boteller’s Ford, Sharpsburg, Md., September 19. Shepherdstown Ford September 19. Amissville September 30. Reconnaissance from Sharpsburg to Shepherdstown and Martinsburg, W. Va., October 1 (3 Cos.). Philomont November 1-2. Castleman’s Ferry, Upperville, Union and Bloomfield November 2-3. Aldie and Ashby’s Gap November 3. Markham Station November 4. Barbee’s Cross Roads November 5. Waterloo Bridge November 7. Hazel River November 8. Newby’s Cross Roads, near Amissville, November 10. Philomont November 19. Leed’s Ferry and King George Court House December 2. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. 1863. Richard’s Ford and Barnett’s Ford April 29. Ely’s Ford Road April 30. Chancellorsville May 1-2. Salem Heights and Banks’ Ford May 4. Aldie June 17. Middleburg June 19. Upperville June 21. Thoroughfare Gap June 25. Westminster, Md., June 30. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-3. Monterey Gap July 4. Smithsburg July 5. Williamsport and Hagerstown, Md., July 6. Boonsboro July 8. Jones’ Cross Roads, near Williamsport, July 10 and 13. Hagerstown July 10-13. St. James College July 11-12. Williamsport Road July 14. Shepherdstown July 16. Rixey’s Ford September 2. Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan September 13-17. Culpeper Court House September 13. Rapidan Station September 15-16. Robertson’s River September 22. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Near Warrenton October 11. Warrenton or White Sulphur Springs October 12. Auburn and Bristoe October 14. St. Stephen’s Church October 14. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. New Hope Church November 27. Blind Ferry December 5. Raid to Luray Valley December 21-23. Regiment reenlisted December 31, 1863. Raid through Chester Gap January 1-4, 1864. Rapidan Campaign May-June. 1864. Todd’s Tavern May 5-8. Spottsylvania Court House May 8-21 (Co. “A”). Sheridan’s Raid to James River May 9-24. Matapony Church May 9. North Anna River May 9-10. Ground Squirrel Church and Yellow Tavern May 11. Brook Church or Fortifications of Richmond May 12. Haxall’s Landing May 18. Line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Haw’s Shop May 28. Cold Harbor May 31-June 1. Sumner’s Upper Bridge June 2. Sheridan’s Trevillian Raid June 7-24. Trevillian Station June 11-12. White House or St. Peter’s Church June 21. Black Creek or Tunstall Station June 21. St. Mary’s Church June 24. Siege of Petersburg and Richmond June, 1864, to April, 1865. Warwick Swamp July 12. Charles City Cross Roads July 15-16. Demonstration north of the James at Deep Bottom July 27-29. Malvern Hill July 28. Warwick Swamp July 30. Demonstration north of the James at Deep Bottom August 13-20. Gravel Hill August 14. Strawberry Plains and Deep Run August 14-18. Charles City Cross Roads August 16. Dinwiddie Road, near Ream’s Station, August 23. Ream’s Station August 25. Belcher’s Mills September. 17. Poplar Springs Church September 29-October 2. Arthur’s Swamp September 30-October 1. Boydton Plank Road, Hatchers Run, October 27-28. Reconnaissance to Stony Creek November 7. Stony Creek Station December 1. Bellefield Raid December 7-12. Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run, February 5-7, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Dinwiddie C. H, March 30-31. Five Forks April 1. Paine’s Cross Roads and Amelia Springs April 5. Deatonville Road and Sailor’s Creek April 6. Farmville April 7. Appomattox C. H. April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. Expedition to Danville April 23-29. Duty at Lynchburg and in the Dept. of Virginia until July. Mustered out by consolidation with 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry July 24, 1865. Regiment lost during service 5 Officers and 55 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 126 Enlisted men by disease. Total 188.

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