The One Hundred Forty Second Pennsylvania Infantry is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.

About the Main Monument

When was it dedicated? Sept. 11, 1889.

What is it made out of? Granite with bronze relief.

What size is it? Approx. 14 ft. x 2 ft. 4 in. x 1 ft. 8 in.

Who made it? Unknown, sculptor.

What does it depict? The monument is a cross. The vertical form is rough-hewn except for the smooth area on the rear with inscriptions. The top has a diagonal plane and the Pennsylvania Coat of Arms relief is affixed to the front, just below the horizontal form. The horizontal form is smooth-faced except for the rough-cut left edge. It is affixed to the vertical form with four bolts. Flanking markers are one foot square.

What does it honor? It marks the spot where the 142nd Pennsylvania Infantry engaged Pettigrew’s North Carolina Brigade.

How is it inscribed? PRESENT AT GETTYSBURG 335 OFFICERS & MEN/KILLED & DIED OF WOUNDS 4 (OFFICERS) 27 (MEN)/WOUNDED 10 (OFFICERS) 100 (MEN)/CAPTURED OR MISSING 2 (OFFICERS) 68 (MEN)/TOTAL LOSS 211

When was this photograph taken? December 11, 2011. Monument faces west. This photograph depicts the front (west) side of the monument.

Where is it located? Located Gettysburg National Military Park, East side of Reynolds Avenue, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325. Monument is located on top of East McPherson Ridge.

Is this monument located along the NPS Auto Tour route? Yes.

Has this monument been moved or changed? This monument is in its original location and has not been materially altered.

Monument Details, Alternative Views, and Contextual Views

At Gettysburg

The 142nd Pennsylvania Infantry served as a member of Biddle’s Brigade in Doubleday’s Division of the First Corps, Army of the Potomac. A Fighting 300 Regiment

Commander: Col. Robert P. Cummins (1827-1863). School director of Somerset borough, died on July 2 of wounds received on July 1. Lt. Col. Alfred B. McCalmont (1825-1874) took command; lawyer in Franklin.

Number Engaged: 362

Casualties: 13 killed, 128 wounded, 70 missing

Officers Killed at Gettysburg:

• Colonel Robert P. Cummins, field officer, of Somerset, aged 36, mortally wounded on July 1
• 1st Lieutenant Edward B. Hurst, Company B, killed on July 1
• 1st Lieutenant Andrew G. Tucker, Company E, mortally wounded on July 1

Soldiers Buried in the Pennsylvania Plot of the Gettysburg National Cemetery:

• Pvt. Samuel D. Campbell, Company A, D-59
• Pvt. Samuel J. Colburn, Company I, E-30
• Pvt. Samuel Cramer, Company B, B-63
• Pvt. Samuel Finefrock, Company B, A-7
• Pvt. James Hill, Company I, B-27
• Cpl. Joseph Jones, Company A, B-62
• Sgt. William C. Reynolds, Company I, C-36
• Pvt. James W. Taff, Company D, B-76
• Pvt. William Van Buskirk, Company K, B-35
• Cpl. Cyrus Walter, Company B, A-8

After Action Report: After Action Report of Lieut. Col. Alfred B. McCalmont (will open a pop up window).

General Information

Raised: Fayette, Luzerne, Mercer, Monroe, Somerset, Union, Venagngo, and Westmoreland counties.

Notable Facts: According to Fox’s Regimental Losses, the 142nd PVI suffered the ninth highest percentage of combat fatalities in the entire Union army.

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

Organized at Harrisburg September 1, 1862. Left State for Washington, D.C., September 2, and duty there until September 19. Moved to Frederick, Md., September 19. Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to February, 1863. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Corps, to March, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 4th Division, 5th Army Corps, to June, 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps, to September, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps, to May, 1865.

SERVICE.–Duty at Frederick, Md., until October 30, 1862. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. Burnside’s 2nd Campaign, “Mud March,” January 20-24, 1863. Duty at Belle Plains until April. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations at Pollock’s Mill Creek April 29-May 2. Battle of Chancellorsville May 2-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3. Pursuit of Lee July 5-24. Duty on line of the Rappahannock until October. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7, 1864. Duty near Culpeper until May. Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Laurel Hill May 8; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. Jericho Ford May 25. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Bethesda Church June 1-3. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864. Weldon Railroad August 18-21. Poplar Springs Church, Peeble’s Farm, September 29-October 2. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run, October 27-28. Warren’s Expedition to Weldon Railroad December 7-12. Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run, February 5-7, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Lewis Farm, near Gravelly Run, March 29. White Oak Road March 31. Five Forks April 1. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. Escort captured stores to Burkesville Station. March to Washington, D.C., May 1-12. Grand Review May 23. Mustered out May 29, 1865. Regiment lost during service 7 Officers and 148 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 72 Enlisted men by disease. Total 227.