The Second United States Artillery Battery D 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? Generally locates position occupied by Williston’s Regular Battery in park & reserve during Battle of Gettysburg, July 2-3, 1863.
How is it inscribed? This monument reads,
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC
SIXTH CORPS
ARTILLERY BRIGADE
BATTERY D SECOND U. S. ARTILLERY
Four Light 12 Pounders
Lieut. Edward B. Williston Commanding
July 2. Arrived with the Corps and took position and remained on Taneytown Road.
Not Engaged
When was this photograph taken? December 9, 2007.
Where is it located? Located Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325. Located on East side of Taneytown Road, between Wheatfield Road and Granite Schoolhouse Lane.
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.
At Gettysburg
The 2nd United States Artillery, Battery D was also known as Williston’s Battery. During the battle of Gettysburg, it served as a member of Tompkin’s Brigade in the Sixth Corps, Army of the Potomac.
Commander: Lt. Edward B. Williston (1836-1920). Native of Norwich, Vermont and graduate of Norwich University. In 1861 he was a civil engineer in San Fransisco, California. Awarded Medal of Honor at Trevilian Station in 1864. Stayed in post-war regular army. Buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Number Engaged: 6 Napoleons and 112 men
Casualties: no loss
General Information
Raised: 2d United States Artillery, Battery D was known as Platt’s. It was originally organized in 1821 and recruited from New York City and Hamilton County, Ohio. In April 1861, the unit was at the U.S. Arsenal in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:
Attached to Wilcox’s Brigade, Heintzelman’s Division, McDowell’s Army of Northeast Virginia, June to August, 1861. Kearney’s Brigade, Division of the Potomac, to October, 1861. Artillery, Franklin’s Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. Artillery, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac and Dept. of the Rappahannock, to May, 1862. Artillery, 1st Division, 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1863. Artillery Brigade, 6th Army Corps, to July, 1863. 1st Brigade, Horse Artillery, Army of the Potomac, to August, 1864. Horse Artillery, Army of the Shenandoah, Middle Military Division, to December, 1864. Reserve Horse Artillery, Army of the Shenandoah, to April, 1865. Horse Artillery, Defenses of Washington, D.C., 22nd Army Corps, to October, 1865.
SERVICE.–Advance on Manassas, Va., July 16-21, 1861. Battle of Bull Run July 21. Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C., until March, 1862. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-15. Advance to Falmouth, Va., April 9-19. Moved to the Virginia Peninsula. Peninsula Campaign May to August. West Point May 7. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Glendale June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison’s Landing until August 16. Moved to Alexandria August 16-24. Maryland Campaign September 6-22. Crampton’s Pass, South Mountain, Md., September 14. Battle of Antietam September 16-17. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. At Falmouth until April, 1863. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations at Franklin’s Crossing April 29-May 2. Battle of Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg, May 3. Salem Heights May 3-4. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 2-4. Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan September 13-17. Culpeper Court House September 13. Raccoon Ford September 14-16. Reconnaissance across the Rapidan September 21-23. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Raccoon Ford and Morton’s Ford October 10. Morton’s Ford, Stevensburg, and near Kelly’s Ford October 11. Brandy Station or Fleetwood October 11-12. Oak Hill October 15. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12, 1864. Wilderness May 5-7. Todd’s Tavern May 7-8. Sheridan’s Raid to the James River May 9-24. Ground Squirrel Church and Yellow Tavern May 11. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Haw’s Shop May 28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-7. Sheridan’s Trevillian Raid June 7-24. Trevillian Station June 11-12. Black Creek or Tunstall Station and White Horse or St. Peter’s Church June 21. Siege of Petersburg June 29-August 2. Deep Bottom July 27-28. Malvern Hill July 28. Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 7-November 28. Tell Gate, near White Post, and near Newtown August 11. Near Kearneysville August 25. Leetown and Smithfield, W. Va., August 28. Smithfield Crossing, Opequan, August 29. Sevier’s Ford’, Opequan, September 15. Battle of Opequan September 19. Fisher’s Hill September 21. Milford September 22. Tom’s Brook October 8-9. Duty at Winchester and in the Shenandoah Valley until December, and at Pleasant Valley, Md., until April, 1865. At Washington, D.C., until October, 1865.
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
