The First New York Independent Battery is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.
About the Main Monument
When was it dedicated? July 3, 1887.
What is it made out of? Sculpture: Westerly granite with bronze plaque and reliefs; Base: granite.
What size is it? Approx. 7 ft. 2 in. x 8 ft. 8 in. x 5 ft. 6 in.
Who made it? Hamilton, J. G., sculptor. Smith Granite Company, fabricator. Bureau Brothers, founder.
What does it depict? Monument that has two flanking wrought iron cannon mounted on cast iron carriages. Rectangular sculpture on a tiered base contains a relief in which the appearance of one of the regiment’s guns during the final moments of Longstreet’s assault is depicted. The VI Corps insignia of a Greek Cross and Excelsior Emblem is on the sides. Monument is a two-part stepped granite shaft of which the first part is finished and the second part is rough hewn and set on a 8.8×5.6 foot base. The first part of the shaft has an incised inscription and the second part has a bronze medallion in front, 6th Corps cross on the rear, and bas-relief and inscriptions on all sides. Overall height is 7.2 foot.
What does it honor? It marks the position held by Andrew Cowan’s 1st New York Independent Battery on July 3, 1863.
How is it inscribed? DOUBLE CANISTER AT TEN YARDS/JULY 3RD 1863./COWAN’S FIRST NEW YORK BATTERY/ARTILLERY/BRIGADE SIXTH CORPS
When was this photograph taken? June 17, 2012.
Where is it located? Located Gettysburg National Military Park, Hancock Avenue, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325. Located southeast of the Copse of Trees 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? A new foundation was set under the monument in Sept. 1888 and it was repointed in 1904. The relief and seal received a hot wax treatment by E. Karkadoulis on Sept. 26-27, 1981.
Monument Details, Alternative Views, and Contextual Views
At Gettysburg
The 1st New York Independent Battery served as a member of Tompkin’s Brigade in the Sixth Corps, Army of the Potomac.
Commander: Capt. Andrew Cowan (1841-1919). Born in Scotland; student at Madison University in New York City. Wounded during the Petersburg Campaign.
Number Engaged: 6 Ordnance rifles and 113 men
Casualties: 4 killed, 8 wounded
Soldiers Buried in the New York Plot of the Gettysburg National Cemetery:
- Pvt. James A. Gray, C-116
- Pvt. Henry Hitchock, E-105
- Pvt. Edward Peto, C-117
After Action Report: After Action Report of Capt. Andrew Cowan (will open a pop up window).
General Information
Raised: Cayuga County
Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:
Organized at Auburn, N.Y., and mustered in November 23, 1861. Left State for Washington, D.C., December 4, 1861. Attached to W. F. Smith’s Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. W. F. Smith’s 2nd Division, 4th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1862. Artillery, 2nd Division, 6th Army Corps, to May, 1863. Artillery Brigade, 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac and Army of the Shenandoah, to June, 1865.
SERVICE.–Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C., until March, 1862. Moved to Fortress Monroe, Va., March 23-24. Action at Lee’s Mills April 5. Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4. Lee’s Mills April 16. Battle of Williamsburg May 5. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Gaines’ Mill June 27. Golding’s Farm June 28. Savage Station June 29. White Oak Swamp and Glendale June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison’s Landing until August 16. Moved to Fortress Monroe, thence to Alexandria August 16-24. Maryland Campaign September 6-22. Crampton’s Pass, South Mountain, September 14. Battle of Antietam September 16-17. At Hagerstown, Md., September 26-October 29. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 29-November. 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. “Mud March” January 20-24, 1863. At Falmouth, Va., until April. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations at Franklin’s Crossing April 29-May 2. Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg, May 3. Salem Heights May 3-4. Deep Run Ravine June 5-13. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 2-4. Near Fairfield, Pa., July 5. 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, Reconnaissance to Madison Court House February 27-March 2, 1864. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7. Spottsylvania May 8-12. Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient, “Bloody Angle,” May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before Petersburg June 17-19. Siege of Petersburg June 18-July 9. Jerusalem Plank Road, Weldon Railroad, June 22-23. Moved to Washington, D.C., July 9-11. Repulse of Early’s attack on Washington July 12-13. Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 7-November 28. Cedar Creek August 12. Charlestown August 21. Leetown August 28-29. Opequan Creek September 13. Battle of Winchester September 19. Fisher’s Hill September 22. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. Duty at Kernstown until December. Moved to Petersburg, Va., December 9-12. Siege of Petersburg December, 1864, to April, 1865. Fort Fisher, Petersburg, March 25, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Assault and capture of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee April 3-9. Sailor’s Creek April 6. High Bridge April 7. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. At Farmville and Burkesville until April 23. March to Danville April 23-27, and duty there until May 18. March to Richmond, thence to Washington, D.C., May 18-June 3. Corps Review June 8. Mustered out June 23, 1865. Battery lost during service 2 Officers and 16 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 38 Enlisted men by disease. Total 56.
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
