54th New York Infantry
Posted to the Project on 02 Oct 07
The 54th New York Infantry was nicknamed the “Hiram Barney Rifles” or the “Black Rifles.”
Raised from New York City in the fall of 1861, they were commanded by a Hungarian named Maj. Stephen Kovacs (d. 1884) who had fought under Kossuth in the Hungarian Revolution.
When Kovacs was captured on July 1, Lt. Ernst D. Both (1830-1888), a Holstein, Germany native, took command of the regiment.
Although it skirmished on the extreme right near Rock Creek on July 1, the main monument is located at the base of East Cemetery Hill along a Park Service road known as Wainwright Avenue.
A large bronze structure, the most prominent feature of the monument is a large bronze relief on the front. The relief depicts Henrich Michel, a 20 year old shoemaker who carried the colors on July 2nd 1863 in the battle. The monument stands where the unit was “severely engaged” on the evening of July 2, 1863.
There is also a marker to this unit located near Rock Creek for the first day’s fighting.
54th New York Infantry
11th Corps, 1st Division, 1st Brigade
Maj. Stephen Kovacs (d. 1884)
Engaged 216; 7 killed, 47 wounded, 48 missing
Monument: base of East Cemetery Hill - Wainwright Avenue