The Seventy First Pennsylvania Infantry is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.
About the Main Monument
When was it dedicated? July 3, 1887.
What is it made out of? Sculpture: polished and rough-hewn Westerly granite with bronze inset; Base: granite.
What size is it? Sculpture: approx. H. 10 ft. 1 in.; Base: approx. W. 6 ft. 6 in. x D. 6 ft. 6 in.
Who made it? Smith Granite Company, fabricator.
What does it depict? It cost just over $1,750.00. Monument and two flanking markers. Monument is a battered shaft of rough cut laid granite blocks topped with a cross gable cap and trefoil and set on a 6.1 foot square base. The shaft has polished tablets, bronze medallion, and incised and excised inscriptions. Overall height is 10.1 feet. Flanking markers are one foot square.
What does it honor? The sculpture indicates the position held by the 71st Pennsylvania “California” regiment after the cannonading on July 3, 1863 and prior to Armistead’s Brigade’s advance to the Angle wall.
How is it inscribed? 71 PENNSYLVANIA VOLS./COMMANDED BY COL. R. PENN SMITH/CARRIED INTO ACTION/24 OFFICERS 307 ENLISTED MEN/CASUALTIES/KILLED 2 OFFICERS 19 ENLISTED MEN/WOUNDED 2 OFFICERS 19 ENLISTED MEN/WOUNDED 3 (OFFICERS) 55 ENLISTED MEN/MISSING 3 OFFICERS/16 ENLISTED MEN/TOTAL 98
When was this photograph taken? June 7, 2011.
Where is it located? Located Gettysburg National Military Park, Webb Avenue at the Angle, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325.
Is this monument located along the NPS Auto Tour route? Yes.
Has this monument been moved or changed? This monument has not been moved or materially altered.
Monument Details, Alternative Views, and Contextual Views
At Gettysburg
The 71st Pennsylvania Infantry was also known as The California Regiment. During the battle of Gettysburg, it served as a member of Webb’s Brigade in Gibbon’s Division of the Second Corps, Army of the Potomac. A Fighting 300 Regiment
Commander: Col. Richard Penn Smith, Jr. (1837-1887). Clerk in Philadelphia.
Number Engaged: 331
Casualties: 21 killed, 58 wounded, 19 missing
Officers Killed at Gettysburg:
- Captain William H. Dull, Company B, of Philadelphia, killed on July 3
- Captain John M. Steffan, Company A, of Philadelphia, killed on July 2
Soldiers Buried in the Pennsylvania Plot of the Gettysburg National Cemetery:
- Pvt. William Brown, Company D, C-22
- Pvt. Sylvester O. Dare, Company F, D-13
- Pvt. William Evans, Company I, C-19
- Pvt. James Gallagher, Company H, D-11
- Pvt. Matthew Garety, Company A, B-43
- Pvt. George Herpick, Company H, D-9
- Pvt. John Hope, Company H, A-38
- Pvt. Robert Lesher, Company D, A-40
- Pvt. Reuben Miller, Company K, E-1
- Cpl. William C. Schultz, Company I, D-14
- Pvt. Matthew Smith, Company G, A-49
- Pvt. John R. Stockton, Company I, A-45
- Sgt. Francis Vonderveher, Company H, A-80
After Action Report: After Action Report of of Col. R. Penn Smith (will open a pop up window).
Medal of Honor Winners: CLOPP, JOHN E. Rank and organization: Private, Company F, 71st Pennsylvania Infantry. Place and date: At Gettysburg, Pa., 3 July 1863. Entered service at: Philadelphia, Pa. Birth: Philadelphia, Pa. Date of issue: 2 February 1865. Citation: Capture of flag of 9th Virginia Infantry (C.S.A.), wresting it from the color bearer.
General Information
Raised: Philadelphia.
Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:
At Fort Schuyler, N.Y., until July 1, 1861. Moved to Fortress Monroe, Va., thence to Washington, D.C., July 22. Duty in the Defenses of Washington until October. Affair at Vanderburg’s House, Munson’s Hill, September 29. Ordered to Poolesville, Md. Attached to Baker’s Brigade, Stone’s (Sedgwick’s) Division, Army Potomac, to March, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Army Corps, Army Potomac, to June, 1864.
SERVICE.— Operations on the Potomac October 21-24, 1861. Hall’s Bluff October 21. Duty on the Upper Potomac until February, 1862. At Harper’s Ferry, W. Va., until March 24. Moved to the Virginia Peninsula March 24-April 1. Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4. At Tyler’s Farm until May 31. Battle of Fair Oaks, Seven Pines, May 31-June 1. At Fair Oaks until June 28. Skirmish at Fair Oaks June 18. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Peach Orchard and Savage Station June 29. Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison’s Landing until August 16. Movement to Newport News, thence to Alexandria August 16-28, thence to Centreville and Chantilly August 28-30. Cover Pope’s retreat August 31-September 1. Maryland Campaign September 6-24. Battle of Antietam September 16-17. Moved to Harper’s Ferry September 22, and duty there until October 30. Movement to Falmouth October 30-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15. Burnside’s 2nd Campaign, “Mud March,” January 20-24, 1863. Hartwood Church February 25. At Falmouth until April. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Banks’ Ford May 1 and 4. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 13-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 2-4. Pursuit of Lee July 5-24. At Banks’ Ford and Culpeper until October. Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan September 13-17. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to the line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Robertson’s Tavern or Locust Grove November 27. Duty on the Rapidan until May. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7. Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Laurel Hill May 8; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Po River May 10; Spottsylvania C. H. May 12-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Transferred to 69th Pennsylvania Infantry June 12, 1864. Mustered out July 2, 1864. Regiment lost during service 14 Officers and 147 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 98 Enlisted men by disease. Total 260.
Pennsylvania at Gettysburg
1st Reserve :: 2nd Reserve :: 5th Reserve :: 6th Reserve :: 9th Reserve :: 10th Reserve :: 11th Reserve :: 12th Reserve :: 13th Reserve :: 11th Infantry :: 23rd Infantry :: 26th Infantry :: 26th Emergency :: 27th Infantry :: 28th Infantry :: 29th Infantry :: 46th Infantry :: 49th Infantry :: 53rd Infantry :: 56th Infantry :: 57th Infantry :: 61st Infantry :: 62nd Infantry :: 63rd Infantry :: 68th Infantry :: 69th Infantry :: 71st Infantry :: 72nd Infantry :: 73rd Infantry :: 74th Infantry :: 75th Infantry :: 81st Infantry :: 82nd Infantry :: 83rd Infantry :: 84th Infantry :: 88th Infantry :: 90th Infantry :: 91st Infantry :: 93rd Infantry :: 95th Infantry :: 96th Infantry :: 98th Infantry :: 99th Infantry :: 102nd Infantry :: 105th Infantry :: 106th Infantry :: 107th Infantry :: 109th Infantry :: 110th Infantry :: 111th Infantry :: 114th Infantry :: 115th Infantry :: 116th Infantry :: 118th Infantry :: 119th Infantry :: 121st Infantry :: 139th Infantry :: 140th Infantry :: 141st Infantry :: 142nd Infantry :: 143rd Infantry :: 145th Infantry :: 147th Infantry :: 148th Infantry :: 149th Infantry :: 150th Infantry :: 151st Infantry :: 153rd Infantry :: 155th Infantry :: Cavalry :: 1st Regiment :: 2nd Regiment :: 3rd Regiment :: 4th Regiment :: 6th Regiment :: 8th Regiment :: 16th Regiment :: 17th Regiment :: 18th Regiment :: 21st Regiment :: Artillery :: 1st Artillery B :: 1st Artillery F&G :: 3rd Artillery H :: Independent C&F :: Independent E
