The Forty Fourth New York Infantry (along with the Twelfth New York Infantry) is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.
About the Main Monument
When was it dedicated? July 3, 1893.
What is it made out of? Monument: Prospect Hill granite with bronze adornment; Base: stone.
What size is it? Overall: approx. 44 ft. 6 in. x 28 ft. x 21 ft. 8 in.
Who made it? Hammerstein & Denivelle, fabricator. George H. Mitchell & Company, founder. William H. Jackson Company, fabricator.
What does it depict? A monument structure comprised of granite blocks with interior chamber, arched throughway and castellated top, and round turret tower on one side. The monument was designed and modeled by Hammerstein & Denivelle. Designed to look like a castle, the monument is filled with symbolism, including the interior chamber being 12 feet square to honor the 12th Infantry and the tower’s height of 44 feet to honor the 44th Infantry. Visitors can walk up the narrow staircase inside the tower to an observation deck. Inside, bas reliefs honor Francis Barlow (another former commander) and Butterfield; also included are bronze plaques containing each company’s muster rolls. The monument is made of Maine and Prospect Hill Granite.
What does it honor? Dedicated on July 3, 1893, it marks the location held by the 44th New York Infantry on the afternoon of July 2, 1863 during the Confederate attack on Little Round Top.
How is it inscribed? 44TH N.Y. INFANTRY/3RD BRIG. 1ST DIV./FIFTH CORPS
When was this photograph taken? December 10, 2011. The monument faces west. This photograph is of the western face.
Where is it located? Located Gettysburg National Military Park, West of Sykes Avenue on summit of Little Round Top, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325.
Is this monument located along the NPS Auto Tour route? Yes.
Has this monument been moved or changed? This monument has not been materially altered or changed. For a long time, the staircase to the observation deck was closed.
Monument Details, Alternative Views, and Contextual Views
At Gettysburg
The 44th New York Infantry was also known as Ellsworth’s Avengers. During the battle of Gettysburg, it served as a member of Vincent’s Brigade in Barnes’ Division of the Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac. A Fighting 300 Regiment. The monument also honors the 12th New York Infantry detachment commanded by Capt. Henry W. Ryder. The two companies of the 12th were attached to Fifth Corps headquarters.
Commander: Col. James C. Rice (1829-1864). Graduate of Yale and lawyer in New York City. Killed in command of a brigade at Spotsylvania.
Number Engaged: 460
Casualties: 26 killed, 82 wounded, 3 missing
Officers Killed at Gettysburg:
- 1st Lieutenant Eugene L. Dunham, Company D, killed on July 2, of Albany
- Capt. Lucius S. Larrabee, Company B, killed on July 2, of Albany
- 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin Thomas, Company K, 19, of Albany, mortally wounded on July 2
Soldiers Buried in the New York Plot of the Gettysburg National Cemetery:
- Pvt. Peter Beers, Company B, D-99
- Pvt. Leander T. Burnham, Company E, D-96
- Pvt. Charles H. Carpenter, Company I, D-63
- Pvt. Daniel Casey, Company D, D-81
- Pvt. Andrew J. Chafee, Company E, E-40
- Pvt. Richard Gauley, Company B, E-33
- Cpl. William J. Goodman, Company H, D-94
- Pvt. Francis M. Griswold, Company C, D-98
- Pvt. Thomas H. Hunt, Company A, G-83
- Pvt. John M. Irons, Company I, D-100
- Cpl. Joseph Kraft. Company A, D-91
- Pvt. Francis G. Levoy, Company F, D-88
- Pvt. John Look, Company A, D-83
- Cpl. Richard McElligott, Company C, D-97
- Pvt. David Nash, Company F, D-87
- Pvt. William N. Norris, Company C, C-62
- Pvt. John Simons, Company A, D-82
- Sgt. Sidney S. Skinner, Company D, D-89
- Pvt. Chester Smith, Company A, A-53
- Pvt. Cornelius Story, Company K, D-101
- Pvt. Elbert Traver, Company E, F-14
- Cpl. Jesse White, Company G, D-90
- Pvt. George B. Wolcott, Company E, D-95
After Action Report: After Action Report of Lieut. Col. Freeman Conner (will open a pop up window).
General Information
Raised: The 44th was recruited after the death of Elmer Ellsworth, a famous Zouave officer shot down after tearing a Confederate flag from the roof of a hotel at the beginning of the War. The men of the 44th were supposed to be at least 5-8, moral, unmarried, no older than thirty, and temperate. The aim was to recruit men from all parts of the state (although the majority came from Erie, Albany, and Oneida counties).
Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:
12th Regiment
Organized at Elmira, N. Y, and mustered in for two years’ State service May 8, 1861. Mustered in for three months’ United States service May 13, and remustered for full term of State service August 2, 1861. Moved to Washington, D.C., May 29, 1861. Attached to Richardson’s Brigade, Tyler’s Division, McDowell’s Army of Northeast Virginia, June to August, 1861. Richardson’s Brigade, Division of the Potomac, to October, 1861. Wadsworth’s Brigade, McDowell’s Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. Butterfield’s 3rd Brigade, Porter’s 1st Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps, to May, 1863. Headquarters, 5th Army Corps, to June, 1864.
SERVICE.–Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C., until July 16, 1861. Advance on Manassas, Va., July 16-21. Battle of Bull Run July 21. Upton’s Hill August 27. Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C, until March 10, 1862. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10. Moved to the Virginia Peninsula March 22-24. Warwick Road April 5. Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4. Before Yorktown April 11. Reconnaissance up the Pamunkey May 10. Reconnaissance to Hanover Court House May 26. Battle of Hanover Court House May 27. Operations about Hanover Court House May 27-29. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Battle of Gaines Mill July 27. White Oak Swamp and Turkey Bend June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. Duty at Harrison’s Landing until August 16. Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Centreville August 16-28. Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia August 28-September 2. Battle of Bull Run August 30. Maryland Campaign September 6-22. Battle of Antietam September 16-17. Shepherdstown September 19. At Sharpsburg, Md., until October 30. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. Expedition to Richard’s and Ellis’ Fords December 29-30. “Mud March” January 20-24, 1863. At Falmouth until April. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Mustered out May 17, 1863, expiration of term. Three years men consolidated to a Battalion of two Companies and assigned to duty as Provost Guard at Headquarters, 5th Army Corps, to June, 1864. Participating in the Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24, 1863. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 2. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21; North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Transferred to 5th New York Infantry June 2, 1864, as Companies “E” and “F.” Regiment lost during service 3 Officers and 61 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 59 Enlisted men by disease. Total 124.
44th Regiment
Organized at Albany, N.Y., and mustered in August 30, 1861. Moved to Washington, D.C., October 21, 1861. Attached to Butterfield’s Brigade, Fitz-John Porter’s Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. Butterfield’s 3rd Brigade, Porter’s 1st Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps, to October, 1864.
SERVICE.–Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C., until March, 1862. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-15. Moved to the Peninsula, Va., March 22-24. Reconnaissance to Big Bethel March 30. Warwick Road April 5. Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4. Reconnaissance up the Pamunkey May 10. New Bridge May 24. Battle of Hanover Court House May 27. Operations near Hanover Court House May 27-29. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Battles of Mechanicsville June 26. Gaines’ Mill June 27. White Oak Swamp and Turkey Bend June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison’s Landing until August 16. Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Centreville August 16-28. Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia August 28-September 2. Battle of Bull Run August 30. Maryland Campaign September 6-22. Battle of Antietam September 16-17. Shepherdstown September 19. At Sharpsburg, Md., until October 30. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. Expedition to Richards and Ellis Fords, Rappahannock River, December 29-30. “Mud March” January 20-24, 1863. At Falmouth until April 27. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Aldie June 17. Middleburg and Upperville June 21. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-4. Pursuit of Lee July 5-24. Duty at Warrenton, Beverly Ford and Culpeper 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. At Beverly Ford until May, 1864. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 15. 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. North Anna River May May 23-26. Jericho Ford May 23. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Bethesda Church June 1-3. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16 to October 11, 1864. Six Mile House, Weldon Railroad August 18-21. Poplar Springs Church, Peeble’s Farm, September 29-October 2. Mustered out October 11, 1864. Recruits transferred to 140th and 146th Regiments New York Infantry. Regiment lost during service 4 Officers and 178 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 145 Enlisted men by disease. Total 329.
New York at Gettysburg
New York Infantry 10th Infantry :: 12th Infantry :: 33rd Infantry :: 39th Infantry :: 40th Infantry :: 41st Infantry :: 42nd Infantry :: 43rd Infantry :: 44th Infantry :: 45th Infantry :: 49th Infantry :: 52nd Infantry :: 54th Infantry :: 57th Infantry :: 58th Infantry :: 59th Infantry :: 60th Infantry :: 61st Infantry :: 62nd Infantry :: 63rd Infantry :: 64th Infantry :: 65th Infantry :: 66th Infantry :: 67th Infantry :: 68th Infantry :: 69th Infantry :: 70th Infantry :: 71st Infantry :: 72nd Infantry :: 73rd Infantry :: 74th Infantry :: 76th Infantry :: 77th Infantry :: 78th Infantry :: 80th Infantry :: 82nd Infantry :: 83rd Infantry :: 84th Infantry :: 86th Infantry :: 88th Infantry :: 94th Infantry :: 95th Infantry :: 97th Infantry :: 102nd Infantry :: 104th Infantry :: 107th Infantry :: 108th Infantry :: 111th Infantry :: 119th Infantry :: 120th Infantry :: 121st Infantry :: 122nd Infantry :: 123rd Infantry :: 124th Infantry :: 125th Infantry :: 126th Infantry :: 134th Infantry :: 136th Infantry :: 137th Infantry :: 140th Infantry :: 145th Infantry :: 146th Infantry :: 147th Infantry :: 149th Infantry :: 150th Infantry :: 154th Infantry :: 157th Infantry :: New York Cavalry :: 2nd Regiment :: 4th Regiment :: 5th Regiment :: 6th Regiment :: 8th Regiment :: 9th Regiment :: 10th Regiment :: Oneida Company :: New York Artillery :: 1st Artillery B (14th attached) :: 1st Artillery C :: 1st Artillery D :: 1st Artillery G :: 1st Artillery I :: 1st Artillery K (11th attached) :: 1st Artillery E&L :: 1st Artillery M :: 1st Independent :: 3rd Independent :: 4th Independent :: 5th Independent :: 6th Independent :: 10th Independent :: 13th Independent :: 15th Independent
3 Comments
This is one of my favorite monuments, probably because my GGG Grandfather was a member of Co. E, 12th NYVI. I feel pretty fortunate that one GGG G’father was shot in the head at Chancellorsville and missed Gettysburg (He had a thick skull, even if it did break a little he suffered no long lasting effects), and my other was in the 5th AC provost guard with the 12th NYVI. Glad they both made it through the war so I could sit here and post!
Both my great-grandfather, Elias Leavitt Bissell, and my great-granmother, Amanda Lora Hudson, were connected with the 44th and are on the roster in the monument. He was assistant regimental surgeom and became regimental surgeon of the 12th NY then brigade surgeon of the “Iron Brigade,” though both missed the battle at Gettysburg. I have his “SNY” belt buckle. She was regimental nurse and “the daughter of the regiment.” They met in the war and married before it was over. They practiced surgery together in Buffalo after the war, and he lived to deliver my father Hudson Bissell Phillips, in 1901. The two of us visited the monment in 1986 and, as you can imagine, it was quite an emotional moment.
During a visit to Gettysburg I found a relative of mine that belonged to the Company E also. It was thrilling to say the least. I know of two family members that were there. Simon of the 40th Regiment died from wounds at Gettysburg,