5th Pennsylvania Reserves

The 5th Pennsylvania Reserves were also known as the 34th Regiment. It was raised from the counties of Bradford, Centre, Clearfield, Huntingdon, Lancaster, Lycoming, and Union and mustered in at Harrisburg on June 20, 1861. The regiment numbered 334 at Gettysburg and suffered 2 casualties.

Their commander was Lt. Col. George Dare (1836-1864), a storekeeper from Huntingdon. He was killed leading the regiment at the battle of the Wilderness on May 6, 1864.

The 5th Reserve’s monument is located at the summit of Big Round Top. This was the position held by the regiment from the evening of July 2 until the end of the battle.

5th Pennsylvania Reserves

5th Corps, 3d Division, 3d Brigade

Engaged: 334; 2 wounded

Monument: Big Round Top

119th Pennsylvania

The 119th Pennsylvania monument is located along Howe Avenue at the base of Big Round Top. Known as the “Gray Reserves” the 119th Pennsylvania was raised from Philadelphia and from Delaware County in the fall of 1862.

Their commander was Col. Peter C. Ellmaker (1813-1890), a Lancaster milita officer. The regiment numbered 466 at Gettysburg and suffered only minor casualties.

Their stone monument has roughly the shape of a castle turret. It features a bronze state seal and the Sixth Corp’s famous Greek Cross on the top. It is a rather ordinary looking monument. A second monument stands on Big Round Top.

119th Pennsylvania “Gray Reserves”

Members of the 6th Corps, 1st Division, 3rd Brigade

Commanded by: Col. Peter C. Ellmaker (1813-1890)

Engaged: 466; 2 wounded

Monument: Howe Avenue. Secondary monument on Big Round Top.

5th Wisconsin Infantry

The 5th Wisconsin Infantry monument is off the beaten path at Gettysburg.

Howe Avenue is located opposite of Wright Avenue near the base of Big Round Top off the Taneytown Road near its intersection with current day US 15. This cul-de-sac contains monuments belonging to the 6th Corps, 1st Division, 3rd Brigade.

The commander of the 5th Wisconsin was Col. Thomas S. Allen (1825-1905) a former member of the state legislature and a future state secretary of state. The 5th numbered nearly 500 at Gettysburg.

Like most of the 6th corps, it suffered no casualties at Gettysburg.

5th Wisconsin Infantry

Members of the 6th Corps, 1st Division, 3rd Brigade

Commanded by: Col. Thomas S. Allen (1825-1905)

Numbered: 491; no casualties

Monument: Howe Avenue between current U.S. 15 and the Taneytown Road

The Vermont Brigade

Today’s monument study is the Vermont Brigade monument. This monument is often referred to as belonging to the First Vermont Brigade, or Grant’s Vermont Brigade.
Representing the 2nd Vermont (commanded by Col. James H. Walbridge), the 3rd Vermont (commanded by Col. Thomas O. Seaver), the 4th Vermont (commanded by Col. Charles B. Stoughton), the 5th Vermont (commanded by Lt. Col. Randolph B. Lewis), and the 6th Vermont (commanded by Col. Elisha L. Barney), this monument is one of the most striking at Gettysburg. It is located on Wright Avenue, the “back way in” to Little Round Top. The obvious feature of the monument is the large carved lion. The Sixth Corp’s Greek Cross is also prominently featured.

The First Vermont Brigade was one of the hardest fighting units in the Army of the Potomac, but by a twist of fate suffered only very mild casualties at Gettysburg due to being held in reserve with most of the Sixth Corps. Nevertheless, visitors to Gettysburg should note that they are looking at a monument that represents a very hard fighting unit.

The First Vermont Brigade - 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Regiments

Members of the Sixth Corps, 2nd Division, 2nd Brigade

Commanded by Col. James H. Walbridge (1826-1913); Col. Thomas O. Seaver (1833-1912); Col. Charles B. Stoughton (1841-1898); Lt. Col. John R. Lewis (1834-1900); and Col. Elisha L. Barney (1832-1864), respectively.

Engaged: 528; 428; 437 (1 wounded); 341; 362

Collective Monument: Wright Avenue, off the Taneytown Pike heading between Little and Big Round Tops

Focus: the 20th Maine

Perhaps the most famous monument on the battlefield, due in large part to the movie Gettysburg, is the memorial to the 20th Maine.

Ironically, prior to the movie, this monument was probably not often visited. It is away from the other monuments on Little Round Top, down a short path, facing Big Round Top. There is a parking lot near it off of Wright Avenue, the “back way” up Little Round Top from near where the Taneytown Road intersects US route 15.

Pretty much everyone — even with a casual interest — knows about the 20th Maine. If you don’t, go rent Gettysburg (its not non-fiction, but its not that bad and you’ll get the gist). So I’ll just focus on the monument.

Placed in 1886 and dedicated on October 3d of that year, the monument is made of Hallowell granite. It stands 4′ by 5′4.” The monument marks the spot where Sgt. Andrew Tozier held the regimental colors. The monument lists the names of the 38 members of the regiment who died at Gettysburg.

There is a marker to company B located nearby.

Members of the 5th Corps, 1st Division, 3rd Brigade.

Commanded by Col. Joshua L. Chamberlain (1828-1914)

Lost 29 killed, 91 wounded, and 5 missing of 386 engaged

Monuments on Little Round Top (near Wright Avenue) and on Big Round Top

Focus: 12th Pennsylvania Reserves

The monument series continues with the 12th Pennsylvania Reserves (41st Pennsylvania Infantry, alternate designation)

Seeing this monument requires Gettysburg visitors do some leg work; it is located at the crest of Big Round Top. The only way to see this monument is to hike up to the top of Big Round Top.

With nine companies at Gettysburg, the 12th Reserve Regiment brought 320 men to Gettysburg, of which 1 was killed and 1 was wounded. The commander of the unit was Colonel Martin D. Hardin (1837-1923). An Illinois native, Hardin graduated from West Point with the class of 1859. He retired from the army in 1870 at the rank of brigadeir general.

Mainly from Philadelphia, the regiment also had men from the counties of Bradford, Dauphin, Indiana, Huntindon, Franklin, Northhampton, Westmoreland, Wyoming, and York.

Members of the 5th Corps, 3rd Division, 3rd Brigade

Commander: Col. Martin D. Hardin (1837-1923)

Engaged: 320; 1 killed, 1 wounded

Monument: Summit of Big Round Top