20th Indiana Infantry

At Gettysburg, you cannot generally tell from the ornateness of a monument whether the regiment was nearly slaughtered here or whether it simply sat in reserve. Such a case is the 20th Indiana: a very simple monument that hides the fact that the regiment suffered terribly on July 2, 1863.

Raised from the counties of Cass, Lake, Laporte, Marion, Marshall, Miami, Porter, Tippecanoe, and White in the summer of 1861, the 20th was commanded at Gettysburg by Col. John Wheeler (1825-1863), an editor from Crown Point. The monument stands near where he was killed. Command then fell to Lt. Col. William C.L. Taylor (1836-1901), a lawyer from Lafayette. The monument is located on the edge of the Wheatfield along Cross Avenue.

This monument was dedicated on October 28, 1885.

20th Indiana Infantry

3rd Corps, 1st Division, 2nd Brigade

Col. John Wheeler (1825-1863)

Engaged: 496; 32 killed, 114 wounded, 10 missing

Monument: Cross Avenue between Devil’s Den and the Wheatfield

Tags: Devils Den, Gettysburg, III Corps, indiana, Monument Project