The Eleventh Massachusetts Infantry is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.
About the Main Monument
When was it dedicated? Dedicated 1885. Relocated 1896.
What is it made out of? Granite.
What size is it? Approx. H. 14 ft.; Base: W. 5 ft. x D. 5 ft.
Who made it? Smith Granite Company, fabricator.
What does it depict? A granite shaft adorned on the front with a relief depicting crossed flags and the Third Corps diamond symbol. Originally, the monument was topped with a bronze sculpture of an arm holding a saber, but this piece is now missing. The shaft has cut inscriptions and reliefs of crossed flags and a Gothic arch on the west. Overall height of original monument with saber was fourteen feet. Flanking markers are 1.6×8 foot with gable tops and inscriptions.
What does it honor? The regiment supported the skirmish line to the west of this monument from 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. on July 2, 1863 and held this line against an attack from the Barksdale Mississippians.
How is it inscribed? 1ST BRIGADE, 2ND DIVISION, 3RD CORPS/UPON THIS SPOT STOOD THE 11TH MASS.//REG’T DURING THE SECOND DAYS/ BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG, JULY 2, 1863/26 WERE KILLED 93 SOUNDED AND 10 MISSING./ASSISTED BY THE STATE/AND GENEROUS FRIENDS, THE SURVIVORS/OF THE REGIMENT HAVE/ERECTED UPON THIS HISTORIC FIELD,/THIS MONUMENTAL TABLET IN THE YEAR/1885./”ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL”/11TH MASS. INF’T.
When was this photograph taken? September 30, 2011.
Where is it located? Located Gettysburg National Military Park, East side of Emmitsburg Road, north of Sickles Avenue intersection, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325. Located on the east side of Emmitsburg Road north of the junction with Sickles Avenue.
Is this monument located along the NPS Auto Tour route? Yes.
Has this monument been moved or changed? Originally, this monument was installed at the intersection of Emmitsburg Road and Sickles Avenue, but was moved to the north side of Sickles when Sickles Avenue was constructed in 1896. The monument was desecrated and severely damaged on February 15, 2006. The vandalism remains un-repaired.
Monument Details, Alternative Views, and Contextual Views
At Gettysburg
The 11th Massachusetts Infantry served as a member of Carr’s Brigade in Humphrey’s Division of the Third Corps, Army of the Potomac. A Fighting 300 Regiment.
Commander: Lt. Col. Porter D. Tripp (1826-1873).
Number Engaged: 364
Casualties: 23 killed, 96 wounded, 10 missing
Officers Killed at Gettysburg:
- Capt. Edwin Humphrey, Company A, of Hingham, mortally wounded on July 2
- 2nd Lieutenant William B. Mitchell, Company G, of Boston, mortally wounded on July 2
Soldiers Buried in the Massachusetts Plot of the Gettysburg National Cemetery:
- Pvt. James E. Butler, Company D, C-3
- Cpl. Sumner A. Davis, Company A, C-10
- Pvt. Michael Doherty, Company A, C-4
- Cpl. Francis S. Blint, Company H, C-11
- Pvt. Charles R.T. Knowlton, Company H, C-7
- Pvt. Joseph A. Morrill, Company K, C-2
- Pvt. John S. Rice, Company K, C-9
- Sgt. William Sawtell, Company E, C-8
- Pvt. Lucius Staples, Company A, C-5
- Cpl. Edwin F. Trufant, Company F, C-6
After Action Report: After Action Report of Lieut. Col. Porter D. Tripp (will open a pop up window).
General Information
Raised: Essex, Middlesex, and Suffolk counties.
Notable Facts: Regiment was nicknamed “The Boston Volunteers.”
Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:
Organized at Readville and mustered in June 13, 1861. Left State for Washington, D.C., June 24. Attached to Franklin’s Brigade, Heintzelman’s Division, McDowell’s Army of Northeast Virginia, to August, 1861. Hooker’s Brigade, Division of the Potomac, to October, 1861. 1st Brigade, Hooker’s Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 2nd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1864. 4th Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps, to June, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps, to June, 1865.
SERVICE.–Advance on Manassas, Va., July 16-21, 1861. Battle of Bull Run July 21. Moved to Bladensburg August 10, thence to Budd’s Ferry October 27. Duty in that vicinity until April, 1862. Ordered to Fortress Monroe, Va., April 7. Siege of Yorktown, Va., April 16-May 4. Affair at Yorktown April 26 (Cos. “A” and “G”). Battle of Williamsburg May 5. Battle of Fair Oaks, Seven Pines, May 31-June 1. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Oak Grove, near Fair Oaks, June 25. Savage Station June 29. White Oak Swamp and Glendale June 30. Malvern Hill July 1 and August 5. At Harrison’s Landing until August 15. Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Centreville August 15-26. Bristoe Station August 26-27. Kettle Run August 27. Catlett’s Station August 28. Groveton August 29. Bull Run August 30. Chantilly September 1. Camp near Fort Lyon until September 13, and near Fairfax Seminary until October 20. At Munson’s Hill until November. At Fairfax Station November 2-25. Operations on Orange & Alexandria R. R. November 10-12. Rappahannock Campaign December, 1862, to June, 1863. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. “Mud March” January 20-24, 1863. Operations at Rappahannock Bridge and Grove Church February 5-7. At Falmouth until April 27. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-4. Wapping Heights July 23. Moved to New York July 30-August 1, and duty there until October. rejoin Corps at Union Mills October 17. Advance to the Rappahannock November 7-8. Kelly’s Ford November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Payne’s Farm November 27. Duty near Brandy Station until May, 1864. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7. Rapidan Campaign May-June. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7. Spottsylvania May 8-12, Spottsylvania C. H. May 12-21. Assault on the Salient at Spottsylvania G. H. May 12. Harris Farm, Fredericksburg Road, May 19. North Anna River May 23-26. Line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. (Old members left front June 12. Mustered out June 24, 1864.) Veterans and Recruits consolidated to a Battalion of 5 Companies June 12. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Jerusalem Plank Road June 22-23, 1864. Demonstration on north side of the James July 27-29. Deep Bottom July 27-28. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30 (Reserve). Demonstration on north side of the James River August 13-20. Strawberry Plains August 14-18. Peeble’s Farm, Poplar Grove Church, September 29-October 2. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run, October 27-28. In front of Fort Morton November 5. Expedition to Weldon Railroad December 7-11. Watkin’s House March 25, 1865. Appomattox C. H. March 28-April 9. Crow’s House March 31. Fall of Petersburg April 2. Sailor’s Creek April 6. High Bridge and Farmville April 7. Appomattox C. H. April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. March to Burkesville April 11-13, and duty there until May 2. March to Washington, D.C., May 2-15. Grand Review May 23. Mustered out June 14, 1865. Regiment lost during service 11 Officers and 153 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 95 Enlisted men by disease. Total 261.
Massachusetts at Gettysburg
1st Infantry :: 1st Company Sharpshooters :: 2nd Infantry :: 2nd Company Sharpshooters :: 7th Infantry :: 9th Infantry :: 10th Infantry :: 11th Infantry :: 12th Infantry :: 13th Infantry :: 15th Infantry :: 16th Infantry :: 18th Infantry :: 19th Infantry :: 20th Infantry :: 22nd Infantry :: 28th Infantry :: 32nd Infantry :: 33rd Infantry :: 37th Infantry :: 1st Cavalry :: 1st Light A :: 3rd Light C :: 5th Light E :: 9th Light
