Stannard’s Vermont Brigade
Posted to the Project on 10 Jul 08
There were two Vermont Brigades at Gettysburg. The more famous “First Vermont Brigade” was part of the Sixth Corps reserve. The second Vermont Brigade, commanded by General George Stannard, was part of the First Corps. These were nine month volunteers nearing the end of their enlistments. They missed the first day battle, but found themselves flanking “Pickett’s Charge” on July 3. This brigade is sometimes called “The Paper Collar Brigade.”
The brigade monument is located along Hancock Avenue. It was dedicated on October 9, 1889 at a cost of $11,750.00. The monument consists of a tall granite column (the column is 55′ high topped by a 11′ tall statue) topped by a bronze statue of General Stannard. The sculptor of the statue was Karl Gerhardt. The sculptor’s work was hindered by the fact that no good likeness of Stannard existed; however, his cast was approved by the General’s wife and daughter. Stannard is depicted missing his right arm; he lost it at Fort Harrison, after Gettysburg.
The monument honors the 12th Vermont (which guarded trains at Rock Creek Church), 13th Vermont (under the command of Col. Francis V. Randall; this unit has a separate monument as well), the 14th Vermont (commanded by Col. William T. Nichols (1829-1882) an attorney in Rutland), the 15th Vermont (under Col. Redfield Proctor (1831-1908) a Boston attorney later elected to the U.S. Senate and as Vermont’s governor), and the 16th Vermont (under the command of Col. Wheelock G. Veazey (1835-1898), who won a medal of honor at Gettysburg).
The men of this Vermont brigade came from the counties of Addison, Bennington, Caledonia, Chittenden, Franklin, Lamoille, Orleans, Orange, Rutland, Washington, Windsor, and Windham.
12th, 13th, 14th,15th, and 16th Vermont Infantry Regiments
1st Corps,3d Division, 3d Brigade
Engaged: 12th (not at Gettysburg) / 13th (see separate post) / 14th 722; 19 killed, 67 wounded, 21 missing / 15th 637; no loss (guarding trains on July 3); 16th 715; 16 killed, 102 wounded, 1 missing
Monument: Hancock Avenue
July 12th, 2008 at 6:59 am
I read on Findagrave that Stannard was, from 1881 to 1886, the doorkeeper at the House of Representatives.