The Fifth United States Battery I is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.
About the Main Monument
When was it dedicated? Erected between 1907 and 1908.
What is it made out of? Foundation: Concrete. Monument: Polished red Jonesboro Granite. Plaque: Bronze.
What size is it? 24 by 50 inches and 7 feet high.
Who made it? Van Armitage Granite Company
What does it depict? One of 45 monuments erected to units of the United States regular army on the battlefield. A red polished Jonesboro granite monolith that is set upon a concrete foundation with a descriptive 3’6′x3’7′ bronze tablet with the coat of arms of the United States in bronze.
What does it honor? Locates position occupied by Watson’s Battery I, 5th US Artillery during the second day of Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3, 1863.
How is it inscribed? This monument reads,
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC
FIFTH CORPS
ARTILLERY BRIGADE
BATTERY I FIFTH U. S. ARTILLERY
Four 3 Inch Rifles
Lieut. Malbone F. Watson Commanding
July 2. About 4.30 P. M. arrived and took position north of Little Round Top 5.30 moved to the front at the Peach Orchard. On the advance of the Confederates driving back the infantry the Battery was retired across Plum Run near the Trostle House and fired shell and canister at the approaching Confederates until the Battery disabled by loss of men and horses was captured by the 21st Mississippi Infantry. It was almost immediately recaptured with the assistance of the 39th New York Infantry and being unserviceable was taken to the Artillery Brigade.
Casualties Killed 1 Man Wounded 1 Officer and 18 Men Missing 2 Men
When was this photograph taken? March 22, 2012.
Where is it located? Located Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325. Located north of United States Avenue, Neinstedt’s Field
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
At Gettysburg
The 5th United States Artillery, Battery I served as a member of Martin’s Brigade in the Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac.
Commander: Lt. Malbone F. Watson (1839-1891). Native of Catskill, New York. USMA 1861. Wounded July 2 and lost his right leg.
Number Engaged: 78 men and 4 Ordnance Rifles
Casualties: 1 killed, 19 wounded, 2 missing
Soldiers Buried in the United States Plot of the Gettysburg National Cemetery:
- Pvt. Dennis Wallace, Bugler, D-16
General Information
Raised: New York City and Luzerne County (Pennsylvania) and mustered in at Harrisburg in October 1861.
Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:
Organized September, 1861. Attached to Artillery Reserve, Army Potomac, to May, 1862. Artillery, 2nd Division, 5th Army Corps, Army Potomac, to May, 1863. Artillery Brigade, 5th Army Corps, to July, 1863. Camp Barry, Washington, D.C., 22nd Army Corps, to November, 1863. (Consolidated with Battery “C” November, 1863.) Artillery Brigade, 2nd Army Corps, Army Potomac, to March, 1865. Artillery Reserve, Army Potomac, to June, 1865. Dept. of Washington to ?.
SERVICE.–Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C., until March, 1862. Ordered to the Virginia Peninsula. Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4. Near New Bridge June 20. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Mechanicsville June 26. Gaines’ Mill June 27. Turkey Bend June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. Movement from Harrison’s Landing to Centreville August 16-28. Pope’s Campaign in Northern Virginia August 28-September 2. Battles of Groveton August 29; Bull Run August 30. Maryland Campaign September 6-22. Battle of Antietam September 16-17. Shepherdstown Ford September 19. Shepherdstown September 20. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-3. At Camp Barry, Washington, D.C., until December, 1863. Consolidated with Battery “C” November, 1863. Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Spotsylvania Court House May 8-21; Po River May 10. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 22-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Assaults on Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Jerusalem Plank Road June 22, 1864. Deep Bottom July 27-29. Weldon Railroad August 18-21. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run, October 27-28. Fort Stedman March 25, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Assaults on and fall of Petersburg April 2. Moved to Washington, D. C, May. Grand Review May 23. Duty at Washington, D. C.
United States Regular Army at Gettysburg
Infantry Units :: 2nd Infantry :: 3rd Infantry :: 4th Infantry :: 6th Infantry :: 7th Infantry :: 8th Infantry :: 10th Infantry :: 11th Infantry :: 12th Infantry :: 14th Infantry :: 17th Infantry :: Artillery Units :: 1st Artillery E&G :: 1st Artillery H :: 1st Artillery I :: 1st Artillery K :: 2nd Artillery A :: 2nd Artillery D :: 2nd Artillery G :: 2nd Artillery B&L :: 2nd Artillery M :: 3rd Artillery C :: 3rd Artillery F&K :: 4th Artillery A :: 4th Artillery B :: 4th Artillery C :: 4th Artillery E :: 4th Artillery F :: 4th Artillery G :: 4th Artillery K :: 5th Artillery C :: 5th Artillery D :: 5th Artillery F :: 5th Artillery I :: 5th Artillery K :: Cavalry Units :: 1st Cavalry :: 2nd Cavalry :: 5th Cavalry :: 6th Cavalry :: Other Units :: Engineer Battalion :: Signal Corps
2 Comments
Great post, very well written and complete. I represent this Battery in CW reenacting in New England and am very proud that you have a photo of the monument with the wreath that I laid there at Remembrance Day 2006.
Good Post. My Great-Grandfather’s brother was one of the 19 wounded on the second day of Gettysburg – exactly 90 years before I was born (to the day).