The Seventeenth Connecticut Infantry is honored by two monuments, one on Barlow’s Knoll and one on Wainwright Avenue, and a memorial flagpole at Gettysburg.
About the Main Monument
When was it dedicated? Installed June 24, 1884. Dedicated July 1, 1884.
What is it made out of? White granite.
What size is it? Approx. 7 x 5 x 8 ft.
Who made it? Curtis, W. H., sculptor.
What does it depict? Sarcophagus-like sculpture contains four plaques which list the names of the thirty-five men in the 17th Connecticut Infantry killed during the battle of Gettysburg. A relief of the Connecticut coat of arms also appears on the front face of the piece. This is one of 8 monuments on the battlefield dedicated to Connecticut troops who participated in the Gettysburg campaign, and was reportedly the first XI Corps monument erected on First Day’s field. It was erected by the surviving members of the regiment at a cost of $1,200.
What does it honor? The sculpture marks the spot where Capt. James Moore fell and the position held by the regiment on July 1, 1862 before the retreat to Cemetery Hill.
How is it inscribed? Erected by the survivors of the 17th Regiment Connecticut Volunteers 2nd Brigade 1st Division, 11th Corps In memory of their gallant comrades who fell here on the 1st day and on this battlefield on the 2nd and 3rd days of July, 1863.
When was this photograph taken? August 17, 2008.
Where is it located? Located Gettysburg National Military Park, Barlow Knoll on East Howard Avenue, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325.
Is this monument located along the NPS Auto Tour route? Located on extended tour route that includes Barlow’s Knoll.
Has this monument been moved or changed? This monument has not been moved or materially altered. The monument was cleaned in Aug. 1980 and paint which was applied three years prior to the cleaning was removed.
Monument Details, Alternative Views, and Contextual Views
Secondary Monuments and Markers
Monument Title: Memorial Flagpole.
Photographed: March 21, 2008.
Location: Barlow’s Knoll.
Description: Erected by National Park Commission. Commemorates services of the 17th Connecticut at the Battle of Gettysburg. Located at Barlow Knoll near 153rd PA monument, replacing earlier wooden pole erected by regimental veterans that marked their position on July 1. The metal flagpole was erected in 1903 to replace the wooden pole. “Walworth Steel Flagpole, Walworth Mfg. Co., Boston, Mass.”
Monument Title: Monument to position held on July 2 and 3.
Photographed: September 2, 2007.
Location: Wainwright Avenue, base of East Cemetery Hill. Located on the west side of Wainwright Avenue near the north end. This monument is denoted on the map above by a RED pushpin.
Description: A granite shaft bearing incised inscriptions and a relief of the state seal of Connecticut. The shaft rests atop a triple base. The State of Connecticut appropriated $500 towards its construction on March 16, 1887, and did so again on May 6, 1889. Monument is a 2.3 foot square smooth cut granite shaft with an excised state seal and incised inscriptions on the east and set on a 5.3 foot square three-part base. Overall height is 19.9 feet. The monument reportedly stands on the spot where Captain Burr captured the “la tiger color bearer.”
Inscription: “After a fierce contest with Early’s Division at Barlow’s Knoll on July 1st, marked by monument there, this Regiment formed with the line of battle on East Cemetery Hill, and on the evening of July 2nd took position here and was engaged repulsing the desperate night assault of Haye’s and Hokes’ Brigades.”
At Gettysburg
The 17th Connecticut Infantry served as a member of Ames’ Brigade in Barlow’s Division of the Eleventh Corps, Army of the Potomac.
Commander: Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Fowler (1826-July 1, 1863). Locksmith from Norwalk. Killed on July 1 and his body was never recovered. Maj. Allen G. Brady (1822-1905) took command. Shirt manufacturer from Torrington.
Number Engaged: 386
Casualties: 20 killed, 81 wounded, 96 missing
Officers Killed at Gettysburg:
- Lt. Col. Douglas Fowler, field officer.
Soldiers Buried in the Connecticut Plot of the Gettysburg National Cemetery:
- Pvt. Frank J. Benson, Company C, A-10
- Pvt. James Flynn, Company E, B-7
- Pvt. John W. Metcalf, Company F, B-9
- Pvt. Daniel H. Purdy, Company C, B-6
- Pvt. Joseph S. Whitlock, Company C, A-11
After Action Report: After Action Report of Maj. Allen G. Brady (will open a pop up window).
General Information
Raised: Fairfield County
Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:
Organized at Bridgeport August 28, 1862. Left State for Baltimore, Md., September 3. Attached to Defenses of Baltimore, Md., 8th Corps, Middle Dept., to October, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 11th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to August, 1863. 2nd Brigade, Gordon’s Division, South End Folly Island, S. C., 10th Corps, Dept. South, to February, 1864. 1st Brigade, Ames’ Division, District of Florida, Dept. South, to April, 1864. District of Florida, Dept. South, to October, 1864. 4th Separate Brigade, District Florida, Dept. South, to July, 1865.
SERVICE.–Duty at Fort Marshall, Defenses of Baltimore, October, 1862. At Tennallytown, building Fort Kearney, October 15-November 3. March to Thoroughfare Gap and Chany November 3-12. Duty at Brook’s Station. Va., December, 1862, to April, 1863. “Mud March” January 20-24, 1863. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3. Hagerstown, Md., July 11-13. Moved to Folly Island, S.C., August 1-12. Siege operations on Morris Island, S.C., against Forts Wagner and Gregg, and against Fort Sumter and Charleston August 15-September 7. Capture of Forts Wagner and Gregg September 7. Moved to Folly Island, S.C., and duty there, operating against Charleston, S.C., February, 1864. Expedition to John’s and James Islands February 6-14. Ordered to Jacksonville, Fla., February 22, and duty there April 15. Moved to St. Augustine, Fla, April 15-17, and duty there June, 1865. Action at Welaka May 19, 1864 (Detachment). Expedition to Camp Milton May 31-June 3. Action at Milton June 2. Whitesville July 24. Companies “A,” “C,” “I” and “K” at Picolata, St. Johns River, July 18, 1864, to February, 1865. Companies “A,” “E,” “F” and “H” moved to Jacksonville July 22, 1864, and participated in Expedition to Baldwin July 23-28. Expedition to Enterprise September 28, 1864. Companies “C,” “F” and “H” at Lake City, Fla., and “G” and “I” at Tallahatchie May and June, 1865. Regiment moved from St. Augustine to Jacksonville June 9, and duty there July 7. Mustered out July 19, 1865. Regiment lost during service 5 Officers and 48 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 74 Enlisted men by disease. Total 128.
Connecticut at Gettysburg
5th Regiment :: 14th Regiment :: 17th Regiment :: 20th Regiment :: 27th Regiment :: 1st Heavy Artillery Battery B :: 1st Heavy Artillery Battery M :: 2nd Heavy Artillery
3 Comments
The Gettysburg Times of May 21, 1921 had a small article about the 17th CVI Veterans Association contracting with Charles Koppes (a Gettysburg resident and contractor who lived on Stratton Street) for the installation of a steel flagpole. It’s been a while since I had time to sit down with the minutes of the Association but I wonder if that is the flagpole currently there?
The current flagpole on Barlow’s Knoll is indeed the one installed in 1921–replacing several previous ones since 1889.
The plate on the flagpole dates from 1922-23. The veterans attending the 1922 reunion (12 of them) voted to procure this plate and have it installed so that future generations would remember the founders of the association after they were gone. From the August 29, 1922 Norwalk Hour:
“Secretary Edward A. Pinkney, of Georgetown, in reading the record of the last meeting, noted the erection of the fine flagpole which flies on Barlow’s Knoll Gettysburg, and stated that at an executive committee meeting, it was noted that there was no designating plate on the pole to mark the founders of the memorial…
The members then took up the decision of the executive committee to procure a designation plate for the pole at Barlow’s Knoll. It was unanimously adopted that this be done.”