The Sixty First Pennsylvania Infantry is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.
About the Main Monument
When was it dedicated?
ca. 1888. Dedicated July 24, 1888.
What is it made out of? Sculpture: pink granite with bronze elements; Base: pink granite.
What size is it? Sculpture: approx. 11 ft. 3 in. x 3 ft. x 3 ft.; Base: approx. 16 in. x 6 ft. x 6 ft.
Who made it? Unknown, sculptor.
What does it depict? Rectangular, vertical marker stands on a tapered plinth and low, square base. Decorative elements include a bronze relief Pennsylvania State Seal and the Corps cross insignia. Monument that has two flanking markers. Monument is a monolithic granite shaft with a concave tip and a pyramid cap and set on a 6.6 foot square smooth cut base. The shaft contains convex base excised letters, and polished and smooth cut faces with incised inscriptions. Overall height is 11.3 feet. Flanking markers are one foot square.
What does it honor? It indicates the position held by the 61st Pennsylvania Infantry when in reserve from July 3, 1863 until the close of battle.
How is it inscribed? AFTER A MARCH OF 37 MILES/REACHED THE FIELD ABOUT 4 P.M. JULY 2ND/AND MOVED TO SUPPORT OF 12TH CORPS/OCCUPIED THIS POSITION FROM MORNING/OF JULY 3RD UNTIL CLOSE OF BATTLE./61ST PENNA INFANTRY/3RD BRIG. 2ND DIV. 6TH CORPS. (On right:) EXTREME RIGHT OF INFANTRY OF THE ARMY (On back:) MUSTERED IN AUGUST 1861/RE-ENLISTED DEC. 1863. TO FEB. 1864/MUSTERED OUT JUNE 28, 1865/TOTAL ENROLLMENT 1987/TOTAL KILLED AND MORTALLY WOUNDED/18 OFFICERS 214 ENLISTED MEN/WOUNDED 28 OFFICERS 470 ENLISTED MEN/DIED OF DISEASE 103 ENLISTED MEN/TOTAL 46 OFFICERS 787 ENLISTED MEN
When was this photograph taken? May 1, 2010.
Where is it located? Located Gettysburg National Military Park, Neill Avenue, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325. Located at the avenue’s far end.
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 61st Pennsylvania Infantry served as a member of Neill’s Brigade in Howe’s Division of the Sedgwick’s Corps, Army of the Potomac. A Fighting 300 Regiment.
Commander: Lt. Col. George F. Smith (1840-1877). West Chester lawyer. Wounded at Seven Pines and Spotsylvania.
Number Engaged: 400
Casualties: 1 wounded, 1 missing
General Information
Raised: Philadelphia, and the counties of Allegheny, Indiana, and Luzerne
Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:
Organized at Pittsburg September 7, 1861. Ordered to Washington, D.C. Attached to Jameson’s Brigade, Heintzelman’s Division, Army Potomac, to February, 1862. Graham’s Brigade, Couch’s Division, Army Potomac, to March, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 4th Army Corps, Army Potomac, to July, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 4th Army Corps, to September, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 6th Army Corps, to October, 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 6th Army Corps, to February, 1863. Light Brigade, 6th Army Corps, to May, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 6th Army Corps, Army Potomac, to July, 1864. Army of the Shenandoah to December, 1864, and Army Potomac to June, 1865.
SERVICE.–Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D. C., until March, 1862. Reconnaissance to Pohick Church and Occoquan River November 12, 1861. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-15, 1862. Reconnaissance to Gainesville March 20. Moved to the Peninsula, Va., March 26. Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4. Battle of Williamsburg May 5. Operations about Bottom’s Bridge May 20-23. Battle of Fair Oaks, Seven Pines, May 31-June 1. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Seven Pines June 27. White Oak Swamp and Charles City Cross Roads June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison’s Landing until August 16. Reconnaissance to Malvern Hill August 5-7. Movement to Alexandria, thence to Chantilly August 16-30. Chantilly September 1. Maryland Campaign September 6-24. Battle of Antietam, Md., September 16-17. Williamsport September 19-20. Duty in Maryland and on the Potomac until November. Movement to Falmouth, Va., November 1-19. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15. Burnside’s 2nd Campaign, “Mud March,” January 20-24, 1863. At Falmouth 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. Banks’ Ford May 4. Operations about Deep Run Ravine June 6-13. Battle Of Gettysburg, Pa., July 2-4. South Mountain, Md., July 6. Duty on line of the Rappahannock and Rapidan until October. 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. At Brandy Station until April, 1864. Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Parker’s Store May 5; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Spottsylvania C. H. May 12-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. Line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before Petersburg June 17-19. Siege of Petersburg until July 9. Jerusalem Plank Road June 22-23. Moved to Washington, D.C., July 9-11. Repulse of Early’s attack on Fort Stevens and the Northern Defenses of Washington July 11-12. Pursuit of Early to Snicker’s Gap July 14-19. Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign August to December. Charlestown August 21. Gilbert’s Ford, Opequan Creek, September 13. Battle of Opequan, Winchester, September 19. Fisher’s Hill September 22. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. Duty in the Shenandoah Valley until December. Ordered to Petersburg, Va., December 1. Siege of Petersburg December, 1864, to April, 1865. Fort Fisher, Petersburg, March 25, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Assault on and fall of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee April 3-9. Appomattox C. H. April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. March to Danville April 23-29, and duty there until May 23. Moved to Richmond, Va., thence to Washington, D.C. Corps Review June 8. Mustered out June 28, 1865. Regiment lost during service 19 Officers and 218 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 100 Enlisted men by disease. Total 338.
Pennsylvania at Gettysburg
1st Reserve :: 2nd Reserve :: 5th Reserve :: 6th Reserve :: 9th Reserve :: 10th Reserve :: 11th Reserve :: 12th Reserve :: 13th Reserve :: 11th Infantry :: 23rd Infantry :: 26th Infantry :: 26th Emergency :: 27th Infantry :: 28th Infantry :: 29th Infantry :: 46th Infantry :: 49th Infantry :: 53rd Infantry :: 56th Infantry :: 57th Infantry :: 61st Infantry :: 62nd Infantry :: 63rd Infantry :: 68th Infantry :: 69th Infantry :: 71st Infantry :: 72nd Infantry :: 73rd Infantry :: 74th Infantry :: 75th Infantry :: 81st Infantry :: 82nd Infantry :: 83rd Infantry :: 84th Infantry :: 88th Infantry :: 90th Infantry :: 91st Infantry :: 93rd Infantry :: 95th Infantry :: 96th Infantry :: 98th Infantry :: 99th Infantry :: 102nd Infantry :: 105th Infantry :: 106th Infantry :: 107th Infantry :: 109th Infantry :: 110th Infantry :: 111th Infantry :: 114th Infantry :: 115th Infantry :: 116th Infantry :: 118th Infantry :: 119th Infantry :: 121st Infantry :: 139th Infantry :: 140th Infantry :: 141st Infantry :: 142nd Infantry :: 143rd Infantry :: 145th Infantry :: 147th Infantry :: 148th Infantry :: 149th Infantry :: 150th Infantry :: 151st Infantry :: 153rd Infantry :: 155th Infantry :: Cavalry :: 1st Regiment :: 2nd Regiment :: 3rd Regiment :: 4th Regiment :: 6th Regiment :: 8th Regiment :: 16th Regiment :: 17th Regiment :: 18th Regiment :: 21st Regiment :: Artillery :: 1st Artillery B :: 1st Artillery F&G :: 3rd Artillery H :: Independent C&F :: Independent E
