The Fifteenth New York Battery of Artillery is honored by a monument and a position marker at Gettysburg.
About the Main Monument
When was it dedicated? July 2, 1888.
What is it made out of? Monument: Westerly granite; Base; granite.
What size is it? Monument: approx. 7 ft. 6 in. x 6 ft. 6 in. x 3 ft. 9 in.; Base: approx. 7 in. x 8 ft. 5 in. x 45 in.
Who made it? Barr, R. D., sculptor. Smith Granite Company, fabricator.
What does it depict? Sculpted relief of an artilleryman standing holding a rammer in front of a cannon wheel. A state seal tondo is behind him. The monument sits on a rough-hewn base. Monument is a sculpted granite relief of an artilleryman and cannon set on a 6.6×3.9 foot rough hewn base. The south side contains a bronze state seal while a bronze inscription tablet inset appears on the north face. Overall height is 7.6 foot. Flanking markers are one foot square with apex tops and inscriptions.
What does it honor? The monument marks the position of Hart’s New York Battery on the afternoon of July 2, 1863 when supporting Sickles’ Third Corps line.
How is it inscribed? 15th N.Y./BATTERY (On back:) 15TH/INDEP’T BATTERY./1ST BRIGADE/ARTILLERY RESERVED./CAPTAIN PATRICK HART/LIEUT. EDWARD M. KNOX/FORMERLY LIGHT BATTERY B/IRISH BRIGADE/JULY 2, 1863/KILLED 3 WOUNDED 13/TOTAL LOSS 16
When was this photograph taken? December 17, 2010.
Where is it located? Located Gettysburg National Military Park, Wheatfield Road, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325. Located on Wheatfield Road west of the junction with Sickles Avenue.
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.
Monument Details, Alternative Views, and Contextual Views
Secondary Monuments and Markers
Monument Title: War Department Tablet
Photographed: September 18, 2009.
Location: South Hancock Avenue. Located west side Hancock Avenue, south end. This monument is denoted on the map above by a RED pushpin.
Description: Iron War Department position tablet denotes location of the battery during the July 2 battle. Painted inscription tablet, 3’8″x3′. Mounted on fluted post 4’4″ high. Cannon located at left and right of tablet. Tablet cast by Calvin Gilbert, founder.
Inscription: Text is as follows:
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC
FIRST BRIGADE ARTILLERY RESERVE
NEW YORK LIGHT ARTILLERY
15TH BATTERY
Four 12 Pounders
Captain Patrick Hart Commanding
July 2. Engaged in the Peach Orchard retired about dark and reported to Brig. General R. O. Tyler Artillery Reserve.
July 3. Ordered early to the front and took position in the Battalion on the left of Battery E. 5th Massachusetts. Directed by Maj. General Hancock to open on the Confederate batteries with solid shot and shell. Upon the advance of the Confederate infantry fired shell and shrapnel and canister when the line was within 500 yards. A second line advancing was met with double canister which dispersed it. The fire of the Battery was then directed against the artillery on the Confederate right and several caissons and limbers were exploded by the shells.
July 4. Remained in this position until noon.
Casualties Killed 3 Men Wounded 2 Officers and 11 Men Total 16
At Gettysburg
The 15th Battery, New York Artillery was also known as . During the battle of Gettysburg, it served as a member of McGilvery’s Brigade in the Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac.
Commander: Capt. Patrick Hart (1827-1892). Served in U.S. Regular Army. Wounded on July 3 and again during the Overland Campaign.
Number Engaged: 4 Napoleon cannons and 99 men
Casualties: 3 killed, 13 wounded
Soldiers Buried in the New York Plot of the Gettysburg National Cemetery:
- Cpl. Dennis Brady, B-129
- Pvt. John Finlen, D-73
After Action Report: After Action Report of Capt. Patrick Hart (will open a pop up window).
Medal of Honor Winners: KNOX, EDWARD M. Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, 15th New York Battery. Place and date: At Gettysburg, Pa., 2 July 1863. Entered service at: New York, N.Y. Birth: New York, N.Y. Date of issue: 18 October 1892. Citation: Held his ground with the battery after the other batteries had fallen back until compelled to draw his piece off by hand; he was severely wounded.
General Information
Raised: The Battery was recruited from New York City and mustered in at Throgs Neck as part of the Irish Brigade on December 9, 1861.
Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:
Organized October, 1862, from Battery “B,” 2nd Battalion, New York Light Artillery. Attached to 8th Army Corps, Middle Department, October, 1862, to January, 1863. Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1863. 1st Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac, to August, 1863. 4th Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, to August, 1863. 3rd Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, to December, 1863. 2nd Brigade, Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac, to May 16, 1864. Artillery Brigade, 5th Army Corps, to December, 1864. 22nd Army Corps, December, 1864. Reserve Division, Dept. of West Virginia, to February, 1865.
SERVICE.–Duty at Relay House, Md., October, 1862, to January, 1863. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-3. 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. Rapidan Campaign May 3-June 15, 1864. Battle of the Wilderness May 5-7. Spottsylvania May 8-12. Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. North Anna River 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 December, 1864. Weldon Railroad August 18-21. Poplar Springs Church September 29-October 2. Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C., December, 1864, and in the Dept. of West Virginia until February, 1865. Transferred to 32nd New York Independent Battery Light Artillery February 4, 1865. Battery lost during service 8 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Enlisted men by disease. Total 11.
New York at Gettysburg
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