The First Delaware Infantry is honored by a monument and a position stone at Gettysburg.
About the Main Monument
When was it dedicated? Installed Dec. 1885. Dedicated June 10, 1886.
What is it made out of? Brandywine blue rock granite.
What size is it? Approx. 7 ft. 9 in. x 3 ft. 6 in. x 3 ft. 6 in.
Who made it? Davidson, Thomas, sculptor. Miller, William N., contractor.
What does it depict? Brandywine blue rock granite. A rough granite shaft adorned on each side with a trefoil symbol. Monument is a two-part granite shaft with a cross gable cap that has Flemish ends and set on a 3.6 foot square base. The shaft has combined rough cut, tooled edge, and polished surface with incised letters. Position marker is 2.6×9 foot and 1.05 foot high.
What does it honor? The monument indicates the position held by the regiment on July 2 & 3, 1863.
How is it inscribed? POSITION/HELD BY/THE 1ST/REG./DEL. VOL./INFANTRY/2ND BRIG. 3RD DIV./2ND ARMY CORPS,/JULY 2ND/AND 3RD/1863./ERECTED BY THE STATE OF/DELAWARE TO COMMEMORATE/THE GALLANTRY OF/HER SONS./A.D.1885
When was this photograph taken? April 17, 2011.
Where is it located? Located Gettysburg National Military Park, North Hancock Avenue, south of Brian Barn, north of the Angle, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325. Located on the west side of Hancock Avenue south of the Brian Barn.
Is this monument located along the NPS Auto Tour route? Yes.
Has this monument been moved or changed? This monument has not been moved or materially altered.
Monument Details, Alternative Views, and Contextual Views
Secondary Monuments and Markers
Monument Title: Skirmish Line of the 1st Delaware
Photographed: November 14, 2009.
Location: Bliss Farm Site. Located at the middle on Bliss on the house site. This marker is denoted on the map above by a RED pushpin.
Description: Small stone marker denotes the regimental skirmish line on July 2 and 3, 1863 at the Bliss Farm in advance of the main regimental line. Position marker is 2.6×9 foot and 1.05 foot high.
At Gettysburg
The 1st Delaware Infantry was also known as . During the battle of Gettysburg, it served as a member of Smyth’s Brigade in Hays’ Division of the Second Corps, Army of the Potomac. A Fighting 300 Regiment.
Commander: Lt. Col. Edward P. Harris (1837-1890). Wounded at Fredericksburg. Put under arrest on July 2 and restored to command on July 4. Capt. Thomas B. Hizar (1833-1894) took command; he was a builder from New Castle. He was wounded on July 2 and again at Ream’s Station. Lt. William Smith (1839-1863) took command from Hizar. Smith was a leather dresser from Wilmington. He was killed on July 3. The final commander was Lt. John T. Dent (1837-1914). He was a wood turner from Wilmington. He was wounded at the Wilderness.
Number Engaged: 288
Casualties: 10 killed, 54 wounded, 13 missing
Officers Killed at Gettysburg:
- Captain Martin W.B. Ellegood, Company E, of Georgetown, mortally wounded on July 2, died July 4.
- Lieutenant James D. Simpson, Company D, mortally wounded in the hand, died August 14.
- Lieutenant William Smith (1839-1863), Company A, of New Castle, killed on July 3; found clutching captured flag in one hand and his sword in the other.
Soldiers Buried in the Delaware Plot of the Gettysburg National Cemetery:
- Pvt. John S. Black, Company K, A-6
- Pvt. Thomas P. Carey, Company E, A-5
- Cpl. Adam Huhn, Company A, B-5
- Color Sgt. Thomas Seymour, Company B, A-2
- Cpl. John B. Sheetz, Company D, A-4
After Action Report: After Action Report of Lieut. John T. Dent (will open a pop up window).
Medal of Honor Winners: MAYBERRY, JOHN B. Rank and organization: Private, Company F, 1st Delaware Infantry. Place and date: At Gettysburg, Pa., 3 July 1863. Entered service at: Kent County, Del. Birth: Smyrna, Del. Date of issue: 1 December 1864. Citation: Capture of flag.
McCARREN, BERNARD. Rank and organization: Private, Company C, 1st Delaware Infantry. Place and date: At Gettysburg, Pa., 3 July 1863. Entered service at: Wilmington, Del. Birth: Ireland. Date of issue: 1 December 1864. Citation: Capture of flag.
POSTLES, JAMES PARKE. Rank and organization: Captain, Company A, 1st Delaware Infantry. Place and date: At Gettysburg, Pa., 2 July 1863. Entered service at: Wilmington, Del. Born: 28 September 1840, Camden, Del. Date of issue: 22 July 1892. Citation: Voluntarily delivered an order in the face of heavy fire of the enemy.
General Information
Raised: Kent, New Castle, and Sussex counties.
Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:
Organized at Wilmington, Del., September 10 to October 19, 1861. Moved to Fortress Monroe, Va., October 20-21, 1861. Attached to Fortress Monroe, Va., Dept. of Virginia, to May, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Dept. of Virginia, to July, 1862. Weber’s Brigade, Division at Suffolk, Va., 7th Army Corps, Dept. of Virginia, to September, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps, to March, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Army Corps, to July, 1865.
SERVICE.–Duty at Camp Hamilton, Va., until May, 1862. Engagement between “Monitor” and “Merrimac” in Hampton Roads, Va., March 8-9, 1862. Expedition to Norfolk May 9-10. Occupation of Norfolk May 10, and duty at Norfolk, Portsmouth and Suffolk until September 8. Moved to Washington, D.C., thence to Antietam, Md., September 8-16. Battle of Antietam, Md., September 16-17. Moved to Harper’s Ferry, W. Va., September 22, and duty there until October 30. Reconnaissance to Charlestown October 16-17. Advance up Loudon Valley and movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 17. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. At Falmouth until April 27, 1863. “Mud March” January 20-24. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-6. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3. Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va., July 5-24. Williamsport, Md., July 13-14. Duty on line of the Rappahannock and Rapidan until October. Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan September 13-17. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Auburn and Bristoe October 14. Blackburn’s Ford October 15. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. At and near Stevensburg, Va., until May, 1864. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7. Laurel Hill May 8. Spotsylvania May 8-12. Po River May 10. Spotsylvania 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 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Jerusalem Plank Road, Weldon R. R., June 22-23, 1864. Demonstration North of the James July 27-29. Deep Bottom July 27-28. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30 (Reserve). Demonstration North of the James August 13-20. Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom, August 14-18. Ream’s Station August 25. Yellow House October 1-5. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run, October 27-28, Dabney’s Mills, Hatcher’s Run, February 5-7, 1865. Watkins’ House March 25. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Boydton Road and White Oak Ridge March 29-31. Crow’s House March 31. Fall of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee April 3-9. Sailor’s Creek April 6. High Bridge, Farmville, April 7. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. At Burkesville until May 2. March to Washington, D.C., May 2-12. Grand review May 23. At Washington, D.C., until July. Mustered out July 12, 1865. Regiment lost during service 12 Officers and 146 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officers and 118 Enlisted men by disease. Total 279.
Delaware at Gettysburg
