The Fourth United States Artillery Battery F is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.
About the Main Monument
When was it dedicated? Erected between 1907 and 1908.
What is it made out of? Foundation: Concrete. Monument: Polished red Jonesboro Granite. Plaque: Bronze.
What size is it? 24 by 50 inches and 7 feet high.
Who made it? Van Armitage Granite Company
What does it depict? One of 45 monuments erected to units of the United States regular army on the battlefield. A red polished Jonesboro granite monolith that is set upon a concrete foundation with a descriptive 3’6′x3’7′ bronze tablet with the coat of arms of the United States in bronze.
What does it honor? Locates position occupied by Rugg’s Battery during Battle of Gettysburg, July 2-3, 1863.
How is it inscribed? This monument is inscribed,
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC
TWELFTH CORPS
ARTILLERY BRIGADE
BATTERY F FOURTH U. S. ARTILLERY
Six 12 Pounders
Lieut. Sylvanus T. Rugg Commanding
July 1. Approached Gettysburg on the Baltimore Pike to Two Taverns and took position to counteract any movements of the Confederates from towards Hanover. At noon moved to the Hanover Road and marched to within one and one half miles of Gettysburg.
July 2. Took position so as to command a gap between the First and Second Corps.
July 3. At 1 A. M. posted opposite the centre of the line of theTwelfth Corps and at 4.30 opened fire on the Confederates who had taken possession of a portion of the line of the Twelfth Corps the preceding night. Continued firing until after 10 A. M. when the Confederates were driven from the line. In the afternoon the Battery was exposed to severe shelling which passed over Cemetery Hill.
Casualties Wounded 1 Man
When was this photograph taken? April 17, 2011.
Where is it located? Located Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325. Located south side of Hunt Avenue, near Baltimore Pike.
Is this monument located along the NPS Auto Tour route? No.
Has this monument been moved or changed? This monument has not been moved or materially altered.
At Gettysburg
The 4th United States Artillery, Battery F was also known as Best’s Battery. During the battle of Gettysburg, it served as a member of Muhlenberg’s Brigade in the Twelfth Corps, Army of the Potomac.
Commander: Lt. Sylvanus T. Rugg (1834-1881). Born in Taunton, Massachusetts. Laborer in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Number Engaged: 120 men and 6 Napoleons
Casualties: 1 wounded
General Information
Raised: The original battery was recruited in the cites of New York City and from Baltimore, Maryland. It was organized in 1821, but the unit’s origins date back to Alexander Hamilton’s “Provisional Company of Artillery” that fought in the Revolution. At the outbreak of the Civil War, it was stationed at Fort Ridgley in Minnesota.
Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:
Arrived at Washington, D.C., April 18, 1861. Moved to Carlisle, Pa., June, 1861. Attached to Stone’s Brigade, Patterson’s Army, Shenandoah, July, 1861. Artillery, Banks’ Division, Shenandoah, to October, 1861. Artillery, Banks’ Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. Artillery, 1st Division, Banks’ 5th Corps, to April, 1862, and Dept. of the Shenandoah, to June, 1862. Artillery, 1st Division, 2nd Corps, Army of Virginia, to September, 1862. Artillery, 1st Division, 12th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1863. Artillery Brigade, 12th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to October, 1863, and Army of the Cumberland, to March, 1864. 1st Division, Artillery Reserve, Dept. of the Cumberland, to August, 1865.
SERVICE.–Action at Falling Waters July 2, 1861. Operations on the Upper Potomac until March, 1862. Operations about Dams 4 and 5 December 17-20, 1861. Advance on Winchester, Va., March 7-12. Occupation of Winchester March 12. Operations in the Shenandoah Valley April 15-June 17. Actions at Middletown and Newtown May 24. Retreat to Williamsport May 24-26. Battle of Winchester May 25. Battle of Cedar Mountain, Va., August 9. Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia August 16-September 2. Battle of Bull Run August 30. Maryland Campaign September 6-22. Battle of Antietam, Md., September 16-17. At Maryland Heights until December. March to Fairfax Station December 10-14, and duty there until January 20, 1863. “Mud March” January 20-24. At Stafford Court House until April 27. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-3. Movement to Bridgeport, Ala., September 24-October 3. Guard duty on Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad till March, 1864, and duty at Nashville, Tenn., until August, 1865.
United States Regular Army at Gettysburg
Infantry Units :: 2nd Infantry :: 3rd Infantry :: 4th Infantry :: 6th Infantry :: 7th Infantry :: 8th Infantry :: 10th Infantry :: 11th Infantry :: 12th Infantry :: 14th Infantry :: 17th Infantry :: Artillery Units :: 1st Artillery E&G :: 1st Artillery H :: 1st Artillery I :: 1st Artillery K :: 2nd Artillery A :: 2nd Artillery D :: 2nd Artillery G :: 2nd Artillery B&L :: 2nd Artillery M :: 3rd Artillery C :: 3rd Artillery F&K :: 4th Artillery A :: 4th Artillery B :: 4th Artillery C :: 4th Artillery E :: 4th Artillery F :: 4th Artillery G :: 4th Artillery K :: 5th Artillery C :: 5th Artillery D :: 5th Artillery F :: 5th Artillery I :: 5th Artillery K :: Cavalry Units :: 1st Cavalry :: 2nd Cavalry :: 5th Cavalry :: 6th Cavalry :: Other Units :: Engineer Battalion :: Signal Corps
