40th New York Infantry

The 40th New York Infantry was known as the “Mozart Regiment.”

It was raised in the summer of 1861 prior to First Manassas from men from predominately New York City and Onondaga County, but the unit also had a multi-state flavor as four companies also came from Massachusetts while two came from the city of Philadelphia.  The unit was formed under the auspices of Democratic New York City Mayor Fernando Wood’s “Mozart Faction”  and the city’s Union Defense Commitee.

The regiment was commanded at Gettysburg by Col. Thomas W. Egan (1834-1887), a clerk from New York City who was wounded slightly on July 2 and later rose to the rank of brigadeir general.   This was one of the larger regiments at Gettysburg, containing over 600 men.

The monument is located in the “Valley of Death” along Crawford Avenue at the base of Little Round Top.  Sculpted by R.D. Barr of Hallowell and Westerly granite and bronze, it cost $2,225.00 and was dedicated July 2, 1888.

The monument features one of the best granite carved stautes on the entire battlefield.  It depicts a soldier kneeling behind a boulder.  Bronze plaques in the shape of a diamond — the Third Corps badge — explain the regiment’s history and role at Gettysburg.  This monument marks the position of the regiment at approximately 4:30 in the afternoon of July 2.

(Interestingly, this monument is the only one on the battlefield built with the appropriations of two states; the monument was paid for by the $1500.00 granted by New York and the $500.00 granted by Massachusetts — reflecting the regiment’s multi-state origins).

40th New York Infantry

3rd Corps, 1st Division, 3rd Brigade

Col. Thomas W. Egan (1834-1887)

Engaged: 606; 23 killed, 120 wounded, 7 missing

Monument: Valley of Death

Tags: Gettysburg, III Corps, Monument Project, New York, Valley of Death