The Ninety Sixth Pennsylvania Infantry is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.
About the Main Monument
When was it dedicated? June 21, 1888.
What is it made out of? Monument: Quincy granite with bronze adornments.
What size is it? Monument: approx. 5 ft. 6 in. x 8 ft. 9 in. x 2 ft. 8 in.; Base: approx. 31 in. x 9 ft. x 3 ft. 7 1/2 in. (8 tons).
Who made it? Zeller, August, 1863-1918, sculptor. Collins, Richard C., contractor. Granite Works, fabricator.
What does it depict? Rectangular granite monument with prone granite infantryman on top. He is dressed in uniform and holds a rife. He has a bayonet, canteen and cartridge box. On the west side of the monument is a bronze tablet with Pennsylvania State Seal. The granite monument is also decorated with a bronze Greek Cross with raised numeral 96. It was dedicated June 21, 1888. Monument is a 8.9×2.8 foot rough hewn granite shaft topped with a sculpture of a prone infantryman and set on a triple course rough hewn base, 9.8×3.7 foot. The shaft has smooth recessed inscription panels on all faces and a state seal on the west side. Flanking markers are one foot square. The end bronze tablet was a later addition to the monument, replacing an earlier inlaid mosaic of numeral 96. Thomas D. Gillespie of Cressona, Pennsylvania served as model for the soldier. The monument cost $1,500.00.
What does it honor? Marks position held by 96th Pennsylvania from July 2 to July 5 1863.
How is it inscribed? ORGANIZED AT, AND MUSTERED IN AT POTTSVILLE/SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PENNA. SEPTEMBER 23D 1861./MUSTERED OUT AT HESTONVILLE WEST PHILADELPHIA/PENNA. OCTOBER 21ST 1864 (On back:) POSITION OF THE 96TH REGT. PENNA. VOLUNTEERS/2ND BRIGADE. 1ST DIVISION. 6TH ARMY CORPS/FROM 5 P.M. OF THE 2ND UNTIL THE MORNING/OF THE 5TH OF JULY 1863
When was this photograph taken? May 30, 2009.
Where is it located? Located Gettysburg National Military Park, North side of Wheatfield Road, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325. Located at east side of the F. Althoff/John Weikert farm lane.
Is this monument located along the NPS Auto Tour route? Yes.
Has this monument been moved or changed? The monument was vandalized March 4, 1913 and repaired in 1915.
Monument Details, Alternative Views, and Contextual Views
At Gettysburg
The 96th Pennsylvania Infantry 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: Maj. William H. Lessig (1831-1910)
Number Engaged: 356
Casualties: 1 wounded
General Information
Raised: Schuykill County
Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:
Organized at Pottsville September 9 to October 30, 1861. Left State for Washington, D.C., November 18, 1861. Attached to Slocum’s Brigade, Franklin’s Division. Army Potomac, to March, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, Army Potomac, to April, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock, to May, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Army Corps, Army Potomac, and Army of the Shenandoah, to October, 1864.
SERVICE.–Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C., until March. 1862. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-15. McDowell’s advance on Falmouth April 4-17. Return to Alexandria and embark for the Peninsula. Siege of Yorktown April 24-May 4 (on transports). West Point May 7-8. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. 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 Fortress Monroe, thence to Centreville August 16-28. In works at Centreville August 28-31. Cover Pope’s retreat to Fairfax C. H. September 1. Maryland Campaign September 6-24. Crampton’s Pass, South Mountain, September 14. Antietam September 16-17. Duty in Maryland until October 30. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15. Burnside’s second Campaign, “Mud March,” January 20-24, 1863. At Falmouth until April. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations at Franklin’s Crossing April 29-May 2. Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg, May 3. Salem Heights May 3-4. Banks’ Ford May 4. Gettysburg Campaign June 13-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 2-4. Pursuit of Lee July 5-24. At and near Funkstown, Md., July 10-13. Hagerstown July 14. Duty on line of the Rappahannock 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. Duty at Hazel River until May, 1864. Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Spottsylvania C. H. May 8-21. Assault on the Salient 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. Jerusalem Plank Road June 22-23. Siege of Petersburg until July 9. Moved to Washington, D.C., July 9-11. Repulse of Early’s attack on Washington July 11-12. Pursuit of Early to Snicker’s Gap July 14-18. Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign August to October. Near Charlestown August 21-22. Charlestown August 24. Battle of Opequan, Winchester, September 19. Fisher’s Hill September 22. New Market September 24. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. Mustered out October 21, 1864, expiration of term. Regiment lost during service 6 Officers and 126 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 86 Enlisted men by disease. Total 219.
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
