The Second Pennsylvania Reserves is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.
About the Main Monument
When was it dedicated? Sept. 1890.
What is it made out of? Monument: granite with bronze tablet; Base: stone.
What size is it? Overall: approx. 9 ft. 3 in. x 5 ft. x 5 ft.
Who made it? Unknown, sculptor.
What does it depict? Granite monument with bronze State Seal affixed on front near base; and capped with finial of V Corps Maltese Cross and draped flag. Monument is a three foot square granite shaft set on a five foot square rough hewn base. Overall height is 9.3 foot. The shaft has an apex cap topped with a draped flag and the Fifth Corps Maltese Cross. Flanking markers are apex topped one foot square.
What does it honor? The location of the monument marks the position held by the 2nd Pennsylvania reserve on July 2, 1863, after it counter attacked on advancing Confederate regiment (actually 100 feet rear of monument).
How is it inscribed? 2D PENNSYLVANIA RESERVES/31ST INFANTRY/1ST BRIGADE 3D DIVISION 5TH CORPS/MUSTERED IN MAY 27 1861/MUSTERED OUT JUNE 16 1864/RECRUITED AT PHILADELPHIA (On side:) JULY 2D IN THE EVENING CHARGED FROM/THE HILL IN REAR OF THIS POSITION AND/HELD IT UNTIL THE AFTERNOON OF JULY 3D/WHEN THE BRIGADE ADVANCED THROUGH/THE WOODS TO THE FRONT AND LEFT/DRIVING THE ENEMY AND CAPTURING/MANY PRISONERS
When was this photograph taken? April 15, 2011.
Where is it located? Located Gettysburg National Military Park, Ayres Avenue, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325. Located on the east side of Ayres Avenue on the east side of the Wheatfield.
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
At Gettysburg
The 2nd Pennsylvania Reserves was also known as The 31st Infantry. During the battle of Gettysburg, it served as a member of McCandless’ Brigade in Crawford’s Division of the Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac.
Commander: Lt. Col. George A. Woodward (1835-1916). Attorney in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; native of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Wounded at Glendale. Buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Number Engaged: 273
Casualties: 3 killed, 33 wounded, 1 missing
Soldiers Buried in the Pennsylvania Plot of the Gettysburg National Cemetery:
- Pvt. Thomas Burns, Company B, A-26
- Sgt. Robert W. Linsenmyer, Company E, D-43
- Pvt. George Moyers, Company F, D-36
- Pvt. John R. Queray, Company E, C-73
- Sgt. Thomas M. Savage, Company H, A-27
- Cpl. George Stewart, Company E, D-42
- Pvt. Samuel B. Stewart, Company F, F-73
General Information
Raised: Philadelphia and Lancaster County
Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:
Organized at Philadelphia. Moved to Easton, Pa., May 29, 1861; thence to Harrisburg, Pa., July 24. Moved to Baltimore, thence to Sandy Hook, near Harper’s Ferry, Va. Ordered to Darnestown, Md., August 28; thence to Tennallytown, Md., September 25 and join McCall. Attached to 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 Corps, Dept. of Washington, to June, 1863. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to June, 1864.
SERVICE.–Moved to Langley, Va., October 10, 1861, and duty at Camp Pierpont until March, 1862. Reconnaissance toward Dranesville October 18-21, 1861. Expedition to Grinnell’s Farm December 6. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-15. McDowell’s advance on Falmouth April 9-19. Duty at Fredericksburg until June. Moved to White House June 9-11. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Battles of Mechanicsville June 26. Gaines Mill June 27. Savage Station June 29. 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. Batties of Groveton August 29; Bull Run August 30. Maryland Campaign September 6-24. Battles of South Mountain September 14, and Antietam, Md., September 16-17. Duty in Maryland until October 30. Movement to Falmouth, Va., 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. 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. Rapidan Campaign May, 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. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Left front June 1. Mustered out June 16, 1864. Regiment lost during service 4 Officers and 73 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officers and 71 Enlisted men by disease. Total 151.
Pennsylvania at Gettysburg
1st Reserve :: 2nd Reserve :: 5th Reserve :: 6th Reserve :: 9th Reserve :: 10th Reserve :: 11th Reserve :: 12th Reserve :: 13th Reserve :: 11th Infantry :: 23rd Infantry :: 26th Infantry :: 26th Emergency :: 27th Infantry :: 28th Infantry :: 29th Infantry :: 46th Infantry :: 49th Infantry :: 53rd Infantry :: 56th Infantry :: 57th Infantry :: 61st Infantry :: 62nd Infantry :: 63rd Infantry :: 68th Infantry :: 69th Infantry :: 71st Infantry :: 72nd Infantry :: 73rd Infantry :: 74th Infantry :: 75th Infantry :: 81st Infantry :: 82nd Infantry :: 83rd Infantry :: 84th Infantry :: 88th Infantry :: 90th Infantry :: 91st Infantry :: 93rd Infantry :: 95th Infantry :: 96th Infantry :: 98th Infantry :: 99th Infantry :: 102nd Infantry :: 105th Infantry :: 106th Infantry :: 107th Infantry :: 109th Infantry :: 110th Infantry :: 111th Infantry :: 114th Infantry :: 115th Infantry :: 116th Infantry :: 118th Infantry :: 119th Infantry :: 121st Infantry :: 139th Infantry :: 140th Infantry :: 141st Infantry :: 142nd Infantry :: 143rd Infantry :: 145th Infantry :: 147th Infantry :: 148th Infantry :: 149th Infantry :: 150th Infantry :: 151st Infantry :: 153rd Infantry :: 155th Infantry :: Cavalry :: 1st Regiment :: 2nd Regiment :: 3rd Regiment :: 4th Regiment :: 6th Regiment :: 8th Regiment :: 16th Regiment :: 17th Regiment :: 18th Regiment :: 21st Regiment :: Artillery :: 1st Artillery B :: 1st Artillery F&G :: 3rd Artillery H :: Independent C&F :: Independent E
