The First New York Artillery, Battery B is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.
About the Main Monument
When was it dedicated? July 3, 1888.
What is it made out of? Sculpture: Quincy granite; Seal: brass; Base: granite.
What size is it? Sculpture: approx. 9 ft. x 38 in. x 38 in.; Base: approx. 20 x 81 x 81 in.
Who made it? Frederick & Field, fabricator.
What does it depict? Marker on low rough-hewn base has a Parrot rifle cannon barrel on each corner and is topped with a II Corps trefoil. There is a relief plate of the New York State seal.
What does it honor? It marks the position held by the 1st New York, Rorty’s Battery B, on July 3, 1863.
How is it inscribed? POSITION HELD/AFTERNOON OF/JULY 3D 1863./CASUALTIES: KILLED 10/WOUNDED 16 (On right:) MUSTERED/INTO SERVICE/AUG. 31, 1861/PARTICIPATED/IN 78 DAYS/OF BATTLE/MUSTERED OUT/OF SERVICE/JUNE 18, 1865.
When was this photograph taken? August 17, 2008.
Where is it located? Located Gettysburg National Military Park, Hancock Avenue, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325. Located on the west side of Hancock Avenue.
Is this monument located along the NPS Auto Tour route? Yes.
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 1st New York Artillery, Battery B was also known as The Empire Battery. During the battle of Gettysburg, it served as a member of Hazard’s Brigade in the Second Corps, Army of the Potomac.
Commander: Capt. James McKay Rorty (1837-1863). Book canvasser in New York City. Wounded at Fredericksburg and killed on July 3.
Number Engaged: Four Parrotts and 114 men
Casualties: 10 killed, 16 wounded
Officers Killed at Gettysburg:
- Capt. James McKay Rorty, aged 26, killed on July 3, born in Ireland
Soldiers Buried in the New York Plot of the Gettysburg National Cemetery:
- Pvt. John Barry, A-39
- Sgt. Louis D. Darveau, D-17
- Pvt. Charles W. Raude, C-100
- Pvt. Henry C. Rosegrant, E-83
General Information
Raised: Onondaga County as well as a contingent from Cook County, Illinois (formerly members of Busteed’s Chicago Battery) and New York City (formerly the 14th Independent Battery).
Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:
Organized at Elmira, N.Y., and mustered in August 30, 1861. Left State for Washington, D.C., October 31, 1861, and duty in the Defenses of that city until March, 1862. Attached to Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac, November, 1861, to March, 1862. Artillery, 1st Division, 2nd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1862. Artillery Brigade, 2nd Army Corps, to May, 1863. 1st Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac, to July, 1863. Artillery Brigade, 2nd Army Corps, to July, 1863. 2nd Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Brigade, Army of the Potomac, to December, 1863. Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac, to January, 1864. 1st Brigade, Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1864. 2nd Brigade, Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac, to May 16, 1864. Artillery Brigade, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to June, 1865.
SERVICE.–Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-15, 1862. Moved to the Peninsula, Va., March. Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4. Battle of Seven Pines (or Fair Oaks) May 31-June 1. Oak Grove, near Fair Oaks, June 25. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Battles of Gaines’ Mills June 27, Peach Orchard and Savage Station June 29, White Oak Swamp Bridge and Glendale June 30, Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison’s Landing until August 16. Movement to Alexandria, thence to Centreville August 16-30. Near Centreville September 1. Germantown Road September 2. Battle of Antietam, Md., September 16-17. Duty at Harper’s Ferry September 22 to October 29. Reconnaissance to Charlestown October 16-17. Advance up Loudoun Valley and movement to Falmouth, Va., October 20-November 17. Snicker’s Gap November 2. Falmouth November 17. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15. Duty at Falmouth until April 27, 1863. “Mud March” January 20-24, 1863. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-3. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 15, 1864. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Laurel Hill May 8; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21; Jericho Mills 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, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864 (Reserve). Weldon Railroad August 18-21. Poplar Grove Church, Peeble’s Farm, September 29-October 2. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run, October 27-28. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9, 1865. White Oak Road March 31. Five Forks April 1. Pall of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee April 3-9. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Leo and his army. Moved to Washington, D. C., May. Grand Review May 23. Mustered out June 18, 1865. Battery lost during service 16 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 10 Enlisted men by disease. Total 26.
New York at Gettysburg
New York Infantry 10th Infantry :: 12th Infantry :: 33rd Infantry :: 39th Infantry :: 40th Infantry :: 41st Infantry :: 42nd Infantry :: 43rd Infantry :: 44th Infantry :: 45th Infantry :: 49th Infantry :: 52nd Infantry :: 54th Infantry :: 57th Infantry :: 58th Infantry :: 59th Infantry :: 60th Infantry :: 61st Infantry :: 62nd Infantry :: 63rd Infantry :: 64th Infantry :: 65th Infantry :: 66th Infantry :: 67th Infantry :: 68th Infantry :: 69th Infantry :: 70th Infantry :: 71st Infantry :: 72nd Infantry :: 73rd Infantry :: 74th Infantry :: 76th Infantry :: 77th Infantry :: 78th Infantry :: 80th Infantry :: 82nd Infantry :: 83rd Infantry :: 84th Infantry :: 86th Infantry :: 88th Infantry :: 94th Infantry :: 95th Infantry :: 97th Infantry :: 102nd Infantry :: 104th Infantry :: 107th Infantry :: 108th Infantry :: 111th Infantry :: 119th Infantry :: 120th Infantry :: 121st Infantry :: 122nd Infantry :: 123rd Infantry :: 124th Infantry :: 125th Infantry :: 126th Infantry :: 134th Infantry :: 136th Infantry :: 137th Infantry :: 140th Infantry :: 145th Infantry :: 146th Infantry :: 147th Infantry :: 149th Infantry :: 150th Infantry :: 154th Infantry :: 157th Infantry :: New York Cavalry :: 2nd Regiment :: 4th Regiment :: 5th Regiment :: 6th Regiment :: 8th Regiment :: 9th Regiment :: 10th Regiment :: Oneida Company :: New York Artillery :: 1st Artillery B (14th attached) :: 1st Artillery C :: 1st Artillery D :: 1st Artillery G :: 1st Artillery I :: 1st Artillery K (11th attached) :: 1st Artillery E&L :: 1st Artillery M :: 1st Independent :: 3rd Independent :: 4th Independent :: 5th Independent :: 6th Independent :: 10th Independent :: 13th Independent :: 15th Independent
