Draw the Sword

Location: Ayres Avenue

Order of Battle: 5th Corps, 3rd Division, 1st Brigade

Number Engaged: 444; 8 killed, 38 wounded

Commander: Col. William C. Talley (1831-1903)

Raised: Adams, Chester, Cumberland, Delaware, and Lancaster counties.

Monument Specifications: Monument consists of short cylindrical granite obelisk with raised “book” panels inscribed with historical text, set atop four-course rock-faced base, on rock-faced sub base. On the front of the monument is a bronze Pennsylvania Seal. On the back of the base is a Maltese Cross. The monument marks the general location of the 1st Pennsylvania Reserves on the afternoon of July 2, 1863. The words “Co. K Recruited at Gettysburg” were a later addition to the monument.

Dedication Date: September 1890.

Other Monuments and Memorials: Monument on the Lincoln Square to Company K, which was recruited in Gettysburg. This monument was erected in 1991 by the Adams County Company K Memorial Committee as a remembrance of the more than 2,000 Adams County residents who participated in the American Civil War, waged between 1861 and 1865 in a successful effort to preserve the Federal Union.

Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:

Organized at West Chester June 9, 1861. Moved to Harrisburg, Pa., July 20; thence reported to General Dix at Baltimore, Md., July 22, 1861. Mustered into United States service at Camp Carroll, near Baltimore, July 26. Moved to Annapolis, Md., July 27. Attached to Dix’s Command to September, 1861. 1st Brigade, McCall’s Pennsylvania Reserves Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to April, 1862. 1st Brigade, McCall’s Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock, to June, 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to August, 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 3rd Corps, Army of Virginia, to September, 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to February, 1863. 1st Brigade, Pennsylvania Reserves Division, 22nd Army Corps, to June, 1863. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to June, 1864.

SERVICE.–Duty at Annapolis, Md., July 27 to August 30, 1861. Moved to Washington, D.C., thence to Tennallytown, Md., August 30-31. March to Langley October 10, and duty at Camp Pierpont until March, 1862. Reconnaissance to Dranesville December 6, 1861. Action at Dranesville December 20 (Co. “A”). Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-15. McDowell’s advance on Fredericksburg, Va., April 9-19. Duty at Fredericksburg until May 31. Ordered to the Virginia Peninsula June. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Battles of Mechanicsville June 26; Gaines Mill June 27; Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale June 30; Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison’s Landing until August 16. Movement to Join Pope August 16-26. Battles of Groveton August 29; Bull Run August 30. Maryland Campaign September 6-24. Battles of South Mountain September 14, and Antietam September 16-17. Duty in Maryland until October 30. Movement to Falmouth October 30-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. “Mud March” January 20-24, 1863. Ordered to Washington, D.C., and duty in the Defenses there until June 25. Rejoined Army of the Potomac. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-3. Pursuit of Lee July 5-24. Williamsport July 13. 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. Mine Run November 26-30. Rapidan Campaign May and June, 1864. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Laurel Hill May 8; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. Harris Farm May 19. North Anna River May 23-26. Jericho Ford May 25. Line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Left front June 1. Mustered out June 10, 1864. Regiment lost during service 6 Officers and 102 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 64 Enlisted men by disease, Total 174.