Draw the Sword

Fitzhugh’s Battery

Location: Hancock Avenue

Order of Battle: Artillery Reserve, 4th Volunteer Brigade

Number Engaged: 149 men and 6 Ordnance Rifles; 7 wounded

Commander: Capt. Robert H. Fitzhugh (1840-1920)

Raised: The battery included the 11th Independent New York temporarily attached; it was made up of men from Montgomery and Albany counties as well as Ashtabula county in Ohio.

Monument Specifications: Monument consists of pictorial reliefs affixed to a rounded marker which stands on a sloped, two-course base. The main relief depicts a battle scene, in which artillerymen are loading a cannon. Above this relief is round New York State Seal. The monument has rough-hewn surfaces. It indicates the position held by Fitzhugh’s Battery on July 3, 1863. It was originally installed on Pleasanton Avenue and was moved to its current site in April 1903.

Dedication Date: July 2, 1888. Relocated April 1903.

Sculptor/Artist/Company: O’Kelley, S. J., sculptor.

Main Inscription: BATTERY K,/(FITZHUGH’S)/HELD THIS POSITION/JULY 3RD 1863, AND ASSISTED/IN REPELLING PICKETT’S CHARGE./CASUALTIES, WOUNDED 7./ORGANIZED AT FORT PLAIN, N.Y./MUSTERED IN OCT. 10TH 1861./PRINCIPAL ENGAGEMENTS/BOLIVAR HEIGHTS,/BEVERLY FORD,/RAPPAHANNOCK STATION/CHANCELLORSVILLE,/GETTYSBURG,/MINE RUN/MUSTERED OUT JUNE 20TH 1865

Other Monuments and Memorials: Marker to the 11th Independent battery is located nearby on Hancock Avenue. Dedicated July 3, 1893. Vertical, rectangular monument stands on a low base. A New York State Seal is affixed to the upper front of the monument above the inscription plaque. The surfaces of the sculpture and base are rough-hewn. It indicates the position held by Havelock’s Battery A on the afternoon of July 3, 1863.

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

1st New York Artillery, Battery K

Organized at Elmira, N.Y., and mustered in November 20, 1861. Left State for Washington, D.C., November 21, 1861. Attached to Defenses of Washington, D.C., until April, 1862. Railroad Brigade, Middle Department, Harper’s Ferry, W. Va., to May 25, 1862. 2nd Brigade, Sigel’s Division, Dept. of the Shenandoah, to June 28, 1862. 2nd Division, 2nd Corps, Army of Virginia, to September, 1862. 2nd Division, 12th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to October, 1862. 1st Division, 12th Army Corps, to February, 1863. Dept. of Washington, 22nd Army Corps, to April, 1863. 1st Division, 12th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May 12, 1863. 4th Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac, to July, 1863. 3rd Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, to March, 1864. 1st Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, to April, 1864. Camp Barry, 22nd Army Corps, to July, 1864. 2nd Brigade, DeRussy’s Division, 22nd Army Corps, to October, 1864. 1st Brigade, DeRussy’s Division, 22nd Army Corps, to June, 1865.

SERVICE.–Duty at Camp Barry, Defenses of Washington, D. C, until April, 1862. Moved to Harper’s Ferry, W. Va., and duty there and in the Shenandoah Valley until August. Charlestown May 28. Defense of Harper’s Ferry May 28-30. Battle of Cedar Mountain August 9. Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia August 16-September 2. Fords of the Rappahannock August 21-23. Beverly Ford August 22-24. Battle of Bull Run August 30. Battle of Antietam, Md., September 16-17. At Maryland Heights until December. March to Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-16. “Mud March” January 20-24, 1863. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-3. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C., March, 1864, to June, 1865. Mustered out June 20, 1865. Battery lost during service 2 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 15 Enlisted men by disease. Total 17.

11th Independent Battery, New York Artillery

Organized at Albany, N.Y., and mustered in January 8, 1862. Moved to Washington, D.C., January 17, 1862. Attached to Wadsworth’s Command, Military District of Washington, to August, 1862. Whipple’s Brigade, Defenses of Washington, to November, 1862. Artillery Brigade, 3rd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1863. Artillery Brigade, 3rd Army Corps, to May 12, 1863. 4th Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac, to June, 1863. 3rd Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, to July, 1863. Attached to Battery “K,” 1st New York Light Artillery, to December, 1863. 2nd Brigade, Artillery Reserve, Army Potomac, to April, 1864. 3rd Brigade, Artillery Reserve, to May, 1864. Artillery Brigade, 2nd Army Corps, May 16 to August, 1864. 1st Division, 2nd Army Corps, August, 1864, Artillery Brigade, 2nd Army Corps, to May, 1865. Artillery Reserve to June, 1865.

SERVICE.–Duty in the Defenses of Washington, building Fort Ellsworth, and duty there until August 25, 1862. Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia August 25-September 2. Bull Run Bridge August 27. Plains of Manassas August 28-29. Battle of Bull Run August 30. Duty in the Defenses of Washington until November. Movement to Falmouth, Va., November. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. “Mud March” January 20-24, 1863. At Falmouth until April. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-3. On line of the Rappahannock until October. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Bristoe Station October 14. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Kelly’s Ford November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21; North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. 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. Demonstration north of the James August 13-20. Strawberry Plains, New Market Heights, August 14-18. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9, 1865. Sailor’s Creek April 6. High Bridge April 7. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. Moved to Washington, D.C., May. Grand Review May 23. Mustered out June 13, 1865. Battery lost during service 8 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 13 Enlisted men by disease. Total 21.