The One Hundred Twenty First New York Infantry is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.
About the Main Monument
When was it dedicated? Oct. 10, 1889.
What is it made out of? Figure: standard bronze; Base: Quincy granite.
What size is it? Overall: approx. H. 18 ft. 4 in.; Figure: approx. 7 ft. 4 in. x 2 ft. 2 in. x 2 ft. 2 in.; Base: approx. 11 ft. x 6 ft. x 6 ft.
Who made it? O’Kelley, S. J., sculptor. Frederick & Field, fabricator.
What does it depict? Figure of a male soldier holding a rifle before him in both hands, the rifle butt on the ground. He is dressed in uniform, with cap and back pouch. He stands with proper left leg stepping slightly forward. The sculpture is mounted atop a tiered base decorated on the rear with relief portrait medallion of Col. Emory Upton, and a medallion featuring a 6th Corps bronze cross. Overall height is 17.6 foot. Monument is a granite shaft topped with a bronze statue of an infantryman on a seven foot square base. Flanking markers are one foot square.
What does it honor? The 121st regiment occupied this position on the night of July 2 and July 3, 1863.
How is it inscribed? 121st/N.Y. INFANTRY/(COL. EMORY UPTON.)/20 BRIG. 1ST DIV./6TH CORPS./HELD THIS POSITION/FROM EVENING OF/JULY 20, 1863/UNTIL CLOSE OF BATTLE (Bronze plaque on side:) ORGANIZED IN HERKIMER/AND OTSEGO CO’S./MUSTERED IN AUG. 23, 1862./OFFICERS 30, MEN 910./JOINED BY TRANSFER,/RECRUITS, ETC./OFFICERS 21, MEN 425
When was this photograph taken? May 3, 2010.
Where is it located? Located Gettysburg National Military Park, Little Round Top, Sykes Avenue, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325. Located on Little Round Top on the west side of Sykes Avenue and south of Wheatfield Road.
Is this monument located along the NPS Auto Tour route? Yes.
Has this monument been moved or changed? This monument has not been changed or moved. A late October 2011 snowstorm caused a tree limb to fall on the soldier who has since been removed for repairs.
Monument Details, Alternative Views, and Contextual Views
At Gettysburg
The 121st New York Infantry was also known as Orange and Herkimer Regiment. During the battle of Gettysburg, it served as a member of Bartlett’s Brigade in Wright’s Division of the Sixth Corps, Army of the Potomac. A Fighting 300 Regiment.
Commander: Col. Emory Upton (1839-1881). USMA 1861 from Batavia, New York. Wounded at First Bull Run and at Third Winchester. Served in the post-war army until his death by suicide at the Presido in San Francisco.
Number Engaged: 470
Casualties: 2 wounded
After Action Report: After Action Report of Col. Emory Upton (will open a pop up window).
General Information
Raised: Herkimer and Ostego counties.
Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:
Organized at Herkimer and mustered in August 13, 1862. Left State for Washington, D.C., September 2, 1862. Attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac and Army of the Shenandoah, to June, 1865.
SERVICE.–Maryland Campaign September 6-22, 1862. Duty at Sharpsburg, Md., until October 30. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. At Falmouth until April, 1863. “Mud March,” January 20-24. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations at Franklin’s Crossing April 29-May 2. Battle of Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg, May 3. Salem Heights May 3-4. Banks’ Ford May 4. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 14-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 2-4. Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va., July 5-24. Duty on line of the Rappahannock and Rapidan until October. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Rappahannock Station November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 15, 1864. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient, “Bloody Angle,” May 12. 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 17-18. Siege of Petersburg to July 9. Jerusalem Plank Road June 22-23. Moved to Washington, D.C., July 9-11. Repulse of Early’s attack on Fort Stevens and the Northern Defenses of Washington July 11-12. Expedition to Snicker’s Gap July 14-23. Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 7-November 28. Near Charleston August 21-22. Battle of Winchester September 19. Fisher’s Hill September 22. Mt. Jackson September 23-24. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. Duty in the Shenandoah Valley until December. Moved to Petersburg, Va., December 9-12. Siege of Petersburg December 12, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run, February 5-7, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Assault on and fall of Petersburg April 2. Sailor’s Creek April 6. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. At Farmville and Burkesville until April 23. March to Danville April 23-27 and duty there until May 24. March to Richmond, thence to Washington, D.C., May 24-June 3. Corps Review June 8. Mustered out June 25, 1865. Veterans and Recruits transferred to 65th New York Infantry. Regiment lost during service 14 Officers and 212 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 4 Officers and 117 Enlisted men by disease. Total 347.
New York at Gettysburg
New York Infantry 10th Infantry :: 12th Infantry :: 33rd Infantry :: 39th Infantry :: 40th Infantry :: 41st Infantry :: 42nd Infantry :: 43rd Infantry :: 44th Infantry :: 45th Infantry :: 49th Infantry :: 52nd Infantry :: 54th Infantry :: 57th Infantry :: 58th Infantry :: 59th Infantry :: 60th Infantry :: 61st Infantry :: 62nd Infantry :: 63rd Infantry :: 64th Infantry :: 65th Infantry :: 66th Infantry :: 67th Infantry :: 68th Infantry :: 69th Infantry :: 70th Infantry :: 71st Infantry :: 72nd Infantry :: 73rd Infantry :: 74th Infantry :: 76th Infantry :: 77th Infantry :: 78th Infantry :: 80th Infantry :: 82nd Infantry :: 83rd Infantry :: 84th Infantry :: 86th Infantry :: 88th Infantry :: 94th Infantry :: 95th Infantry :: 97th Infantry :: 102nd Infantry :: 104th Infantry :: 107th Infantry :: 108th Infantry :: 111th Infantry :: 119th Infantry :: 120th Infantry :: 121st Infantry :: 122nd Infantry :: 123rd Infantry :: 124th Infantry :: 125th Infantry :: 126th Infantry :: 134th Infantry :: 136th Infantry :: 137th Infantry :: 140th Infantry :: 145th Infantry :: 146th Infantry :: 147th Infantry :: 149th Infantry :: 150th Infantry :: 154th Infantry :: 157th Infantry :: New York Cavalry :: 2nd Regiment :: 4th Regiment :: 5th Regiment :: 6th Regiment :: 8th Regiment :: 9th Regiment :: 10th Regiment :: Oneida Company :: New York Artillery :: 1st Artillery B (14th attached) :: 1st Artillery C :: 1st Artillery D :: 1st Artillery G :: 1st Artillery I :: 1st Artillery K (11th attached) :: 1st Artillery E&L :: 1st Artillery M :: 1st Independent :: 3rd Independent :: 4th Independent :: 5th Independent :: 6th Independent :: 10th Independent :: 13th Independent :: 15th Independent
One Comment
Thanks for these great photos. Perhaps you can link to my website promoting my new book, Upton’s Regulars: The 121st New York State Infantry in the Civil War Published by University Presss of Kansas.
http://nycivilwar.wordpress.com/
Many thanks.