The Fifth Massachusetts Artillery Battery E is honored by a monument and a position marker at Gettysburg.
About the Main Monument
When was it dedicated? Oct. 8, 1885.
What is it made out of? Sculpture: Westerly granite; Base: granite.
What size is it? Sculpture: approx. H. 7 ft. 3 in.; Base: approx. W. 5 ft. 6 in. x D. 4 ft. 7 in.
Who made it? Smith Granite Company, fabricator.
What does it depict? The monument consists of a plinth and gable topped with chamfered edges. A polished Maltese Cross adorns the front of the die and polished crossed rammers appear on the front slant face at the monument’s top. The monument stands on a low base. Monument is a 4×3 foot granite shaft with a gable top that has chamfered edges and set on a 5.6×4.7 foot base. The shaft has polished Maltese Cross with inscriptions on the east, west, and south. A polished inscription of crossed rammers appears on the front slant of the top. Overall height is 7.3 foot.
What does it honor? The monument indicates the position held by the 5th Massachusetts Battery on July 2, 1863, when it shelled the advance of Kershaw’s Confederate Brigade as it proceeded over the Rose Farm. The monument originally stood on Hancock Avenue, approximately 3/4 mile northeast of its present location.
How is it inscribed? FIFTH/MASSACHUSETTS/BATTERY
When was this photograph taken? October 5, 2007.
Where is it located? Located Gettysburg National Military Park, Wheatfield Avenue, north side, near Sickles Avenue and Excelsior Field, 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 changed or materially altered.
Monument Details, Alternative Views, and Contextual Views
Secondary Monuments and Markers
Monument Title: War Department Tablet
Photographed: September 18, 2009.
Location: South Hancock Avenue, Cemetery Ridge. Located west side of Hancock Avenue, south end. This monument is denoted on the map above by a RED pushpin.
Description: Iron War Department tablet. Painted inscription tablet, 3’8″x3′. Mounted on a fluted post, 4’4″ high. Tablet cast by Calvin Gilbert, founder.
Inscription: Text is as follows:
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC
FIRST BRIGADE ARTILLERY RESERVE
MASSACHUSETTS LIGHT ARTILLERY
5TH BATTERY E
Six 3 Inch Rifles
Captain Charles A. Phillips Commanding
July 2. Withdrew at 5 P. M. from the field near the Peach Orchard and went into battery here.
July 3. About 1.30 P. M. by order of Brig. General H. J. Hunt fired on the Confederate batteries but did little damage. Opened an enfilading fire soon after on Longstreet’s advancing line of infantry and assisted in repulsing the assault. A charge was made within the range of the Battery immediately afterwards by the Florida Brigade and at about the same time a Confederate battery opened on the left front which at once received the concentrated fire of the batteries of the Brigade driving the cannoneers from the guns which they abandoned.
July 4. Remained in this position until afternoon.
Casualties Killed 2 Men Wounded 1 Officer and 13 Men Total 16
At Gettysburg
The 5th Massachusetts Artillery (Battery E) served as a member of McGilvery’s Brigade in the Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac.
Commander: Capt. Charles A. Phillips (1841-1876). Law student in Boston. Post-war lawyer in Nevada.
Number Engaged: 104 men and 6 Ordnance Rifles
Casualties: 2 killed, 14 wounded
Soldiers Buried in the Massachusetts Plot of the Gettysburg National Cemetery:
- Pvt. Edward Fotheringham, attached from the 10th New York Independent, A-3
- Pvt. John W. Verity, attached from the 10th New York Independent, A-2
After Action Report: After Action Report of Capt. Charles A. Phillips (will open a pop up window).
General Information
Raised: Bristol and Suffolk counties
Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:
Organized at Lynnfield and Reedville and mustered in December 10, 1861. Moved to Washington, D.C., December 25-27. Attached to Porter’s Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. Artillery, 1st Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army Potomac, to May, 1862. Artillery, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps, Army Potomac, to June, 1863. 1st Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, Army Potomac, to July, 1863. Artillery Brigade, 5th Army Corps, to June, 1865.
SERVICE.–At Capital Hill, Defenses of Washington, D.C., until February 15, 1862, and at Hall’s Hill until March 18. Moved to Alexandria and Fortress Monroe, Va., March 18-24. Warwick Road April 5. Siege of Yorktown April 3-May 4. Hanover C. H. May 27. Operations about Hanover C. H. 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 Bridge June 30; Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison’s Landing until August 16. Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Manassas August 15-28. Battle of Bull Run August 30. Duty in the Defenses of Washington until October 8, and at Sharpsburg, Md., until October 30. Reconnaissance to Smithfield October 16-17. Kearneysville and Shephardstown October 16-17. Movement to Warrenton and Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg December 11-15. “Mud March” January 20-24, 1863. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5 Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 2-4. Kelly’s Ford July 31-August 1, Brandy Station August 1-3. At Beverly Ford and Culpeper C. H. until October. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to the Rappahannock November 7-8. Rappahannock Station November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. At Rappahannock Station December 6, 1863, to May 1, 1864. Rapidan Campaign May 3-June 12, 1864. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7. Laurel Hill May 8. Spottsylvania May 8-12. Spottsylvania C. H. May 12-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. Jericho Mills May 23. Line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Bethesda Church June 1-3. Before Petersburg June 16-19. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Six Mile House, Weldon Railroad, August 18-21, 1864. Non-Veterans mustered out October 3, 1864. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run, October 27-28. Warren’s Raid on Weldon Railroad December 7-12. Dabney’s Mills February 5-7, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Assaults on and fall of Petersburg April 2. Moved to City Point April 4, and duty there until May 3. March to Washington, D.C., May 3-13. Grand Review May 23. Moved to Readville, Mass., June 4-6, and there mustered out June 12, 1865. Battery lost during service 1 Officer and 18 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 11 Enlisted men by disease. Total 30.
Massachusetts at Gettysburg
1st Infantry :: 1st Company Sharpshooters :: 2nd Infantry :: 2nd Company Sharpshooters :: 7th Infantry :: 9th Infantry :: 10th Infantry :: 11th Infantry :: 12th Infantry :: 13th Infantry :: 15th Infantry :: 16th Infantry :: 18th Infantry :: 19th Infantry :: 20th Infantry :: 22nd Infantry :: 28th Infantry :: 32nd Infantry :: 33rd Infantry :: 37th Infantry :: 1st Cavalry :: 1st Light A :: 3rd Light C :: 5th Light E :: 9th Light
