150th Pennsylvania Infantry

The 150th Pennsylvania’s monument is located along Stone Avenue near the McPherson barn on western McPherson’s Ridge. The monument features a large bas relief on the front of the die.

This was the “Third Bucktails” of Stone’s brigade. It was raised at Harrisburg from men from Philadelphia and the counties of Crawford, McKean, and Union. The regiment had nine companies at Gettysburg; Company D was detailed as guard to President Lincoln.

The nearly 400 men of this regiment were hotly engaged on July 1. This monument marks their most advanced line. The regiment went through several commanders. The first was Col. Langhorne Wister (1834-1891). Wister was promoted to command of the brigade after Stone fell wounded and Lt. Col. Henry S. Huidekoper (1839-1918) took command. Huidekoper, fresh from Harvard University (he was an 1862 graduate) later received a Medal of Honor for Gettysburg; his right arm was lost on July 1. Command then fell to Capt. George W. Jones (1833-1913), a carpenter from Philadelphia.

This regiment has a secondary monument on Hancock Avenue.

150th Pennsylvania Infantry

1st Corps, 3d Division, 2d Brigade

397; 35 killed, 152 wounded, 77 missing

Monument: Stone Avenue

84th New York (14th Militia)

The 84th New York was also known as the 14th Brooklyn or the 14th militia. It was recruited from Kings County and mustered in during May and August 1861. (The militia unit itself traced back to 1844.) Sometimes also called the Brooklyn Chasseurs, the regiment numbered 356 at Gettysburg under the command of Col. Edward B. Fowler (1828-1896), a bookkeeper from Brooklyn.

The monument to the 84th is topped by an 8′ tall soldier in the position “handle cartridge.” It is made of Westerly granite. It depicts a soldier in chasseur garb; the chaussers were the light infantry of the French army. The kepi of the 84th was red, while the coat was blue and trimmed with red piping. The men also wore white gaiters. At Manassas, the Confederates nicknamed the 84th New York “The Red Legged Devils.”

Lieutenant Henry W. Mitchell posed as the model for the statue at Gettysburg. Mitchell was wounded on July 1. The regimental monument was dedicated on October 19, 1887. The sculptor was R.D. Barr and it cost $3,510.00. It is located off Reynolds Avenue near the Railroad Cut.

There are also markers to this unit along Stone Avenue and on Slocum Avenue (Culp’s Hill).

84th New York (14th Brooklyn)

1st Corps, 1st Division, 2nd Brigade

Engaged: 356; 13 killed, 105 wounded, 99 missing

Monument: Reynolds Avenue

12th Illinois Cavalry

The 12th Illinois Cavalry was recruited from the counties of Cook and Kankaee. Companies A, E, F, H, and I were present at Gettysburg. The 12th was commanded by Col. George H. Chapman of the 3rd Indiana Cavalry. The 3rd Indiana and 12th Illinois served as, basically, one regiment.

The regimental monument is located along Reynolds Avenue not far from the Railroad Cut. It marks the regiment’s first line of battle on July 1. The sister 3rd Indiana Cavalry monument is nearby.

12th Illinois Cavalry

Cavalry Corps, 1st Division, 1st Brigade

Engaged: 588 (Combined with 3d Indiana); 4 killed, 10 wounded, 6 missing

Monument: Reynolds Avenue

Maine Light Battery B

Maine Light Battery B was also known as the 2nd Maine Artillery. The unit was organized at Augusta in November 1861. The men came from the state at large, but the biggest contingent hailed from Knox county.

The battery consisted of 6 Ordnance Rifles and 127 men. Their commander was Capt. James A. Hall (1835-1893), a merchant from Damariscotta.

The unit’s white granite monument is located on the Chambersburg Pike, near the monuments to Generals Buford and Reynolds. This is where the regiment fought on July 1. Four highly polished granite cannon balls top the memorial.

Maine Light Battery B (2nd Maine Artillery)

1st Corps Artillery Brigade

Engaged: 6 Ordnance Rifles and 127 men; 18 wounded

Monument: Chambersburg Pike. Marker in National Cemetery.

my favorite monument

I have featured images of it before, but it’s my birthday AND it’s my blog, so I can do as I like. :) Today’s monument is MY PERSONAL FAVORITE ON THE WHOLE FIELD.

My favorite monument on the Gettysburg battlefield is Henry K. Bush-Brown’s bronze equestrian of Union Left Wing Commander Major General John F. Reynolds. Reynolds, a native of nearby Lancaster, was killed leading his troops into battle early on July 1, 1863.

Writing of Reynolds, noted Gettysburg historian Edwin Coddington noted, “He was a first class fighting man, universally respected and admired. If the fates had decreed other than they did, he might have gone down in history as one of the greatest generals of the Civil War.”

The Reynolds Equestrian is located along US 30 (the Chambersburg Pike) near the bronze statue to General Buford, and the guns of Hall’s Second Maine Battery. Across the road is the McPherson Barn. The statue is among the first monuments to greet visitors coming from the west to the Gettysburg battlefield.

Born on September 21, 1820, John Fulton Reynolds grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, no more than 50 or so miles from where he would eventually meet his death in the battle of Gettysburg. He attended and graduated from West Point and served in a variety of antebellum positions.

On June 2, 1863, Reynolds met with President Abraham Lincoln in Washington to discuss General Hooker’s conduct in command at the battle of Chancellorsville. It is said that Lincoln offered Reynolds the command of the Army of the Potomac. Reynolds was both distinguished and aggressive, a quality usually lacking amongst the Union high command in the East. It is said Reynolds replied he would only accept the command if he were guaranteed not interfered with by the authorities in Washington. Lincoln could not promise this and Reynolds therefore refused to accept the prestigious command. When Lincoln asked who he should put in command, Reynolds named his old friend, George Gordon Meade. When Meade received the command, Reynolds graciously greeted his friend and congratulated him.

On June 25, Reynolds was assigned to command of the Left Wing of the Army of the Potomac, commanding three corps (the First, Third, and Eleventh).

On the morning of July 1, 1863, Reynolds galloped into the fields west of Gettysburg at the head of the First Corps.

Leading the “Iron Brigade” into action, Reynolds called “Forward men! Drive those fellows out of that woods. For God’s sake forward!” and turned in the saddle to look for more troops. At that moment he was shot behind the right ear and instantly killed. He was buried next to his parents in Lancaster.

As the tragically fated native son, Reynolds is the most honored officer on the Gettysburg battlefield. There is a stone that marks the location where he fell on the McPherson farm, the bronze equestrian that is the subject of this post, and two bronze standing sculptures — one on the Pennsylvania Monument, the other in the National Cemetery.

But it is the equestrian executed by Bush-Brown that I think captures Reynolds the best.

The monument was executed by a noted American artist named Henry Kirke Bush-Brown (1857-1903). Bush-Brown also created the equestrian statue of George Meade that sits on Cemetery Ridge near the Angle, as well as the bust of Lincoln on the Gettysburg Address Monument in the National Cemetery. He executed other sculptures and bronzes in his career as well.

The monument cost $27,666.00. It was paid for by the state of Pennsylvania.

Reynolds is mounted upon his black charger, stern eyes fixed ahead on the approaching enemy, hand on hip. His face is the picture of determination.

His horse is an engineering marvel — the entire 9,000 pound weight of the bronze horse and rider is balanced on just two hooves. Modeled off a Russian Arabian stallion owned by Bush-Brown, the animal exudes fire. Known as an excellent horseman, one can’t help but think Reynolds would be pleased to spend eternity atop such a fiery and beautiful steed.

A few more images of the monument from various angles:

2nd United States Artillery Battery A

This battery was known as Tidball’s. It was enlisted from New York City and Hamilton County, Ohio. Originally organized in 1821, it was serving at Fort Pickens prior to being assigned to the Army of the Potomac. This was a horse artillery battery made up of 80 men and 6 Ordnance Rifles.

It’s commander was Lt. John H. Calef (1841-1912), an 1862 graduate of West Point. Calef was career soldier.

The battery’s monument is located along the Chambersburg Pike, immediately across the road from the statue of General Buford and General Reynolds.

2nd United States Artillery Battery A

Cavalry Corps, Assigned to 1st Division

Lt. John H. Calef (1841-1912)

Engaged: 80 men; 6 Ordnance Rifles; 12 wounded

Monument: Chambersburg Pike. Marker for additional section on Reynolds Avenue.  Cannon tube next to Buford monument.

6th Wisconsin

The 6th Wisconsin Infantry was part of the famous Iron Brigade. It’s monument cost a mere $500.00. Like all the Wisconsin monuments, it features a red granite stone called Montello Granite. The 6th Wisconsin monument was dedicated on June 30, 1888. It is located off Reynolds Avenue near the Railroad Cut near where the regiment did the bulk of it’s fighting on July 1, 1863, principally against Davis’s brigade. The regiment captured the battleflag of the 2nd Mississippi near this spot.

The 6th was recruited from the counties of Crawford, Milwaukee, Pierce, Rock, Sauk, and Vernon. It numbered 340 at Gettysburg and was commanded by Col. Rufus R. Dawes (1838-1899), grandson of William Dawes who rode with Paul Revere. Dawes was the father of Charles G. Dawes, a Vice President of the United States.

6th Wisconsin

1st Corps, 1st Division, 1st Brigade

Engaged: 340; 30 killed, 116 wounded, 22 missing

Monument: Reynolds Avenue

19th Indiana

The 19th Indiana’s monument is a prototypical Indiana regimental monument: simple in design. It is located in the woods near Willoughby Run off of Meredith Avenue. It marks where the regiment fought on July 1, 1863.

The regiment was part of the famous Iron Brigade. It was recruited from the counties of Delaware, Elkhart, Johnson, Madison, Marion, Owen, Randolph, and Wayne.

The commander at Gettysburg was Col. Samuel J. Williams (1831-1864), a farmer in Selma. He was killed on May 6, 1864 at the battle of the Wilderness.

19th Indiana

1st Corps, 1st Division, 1st Brigade

339; 27 killed, 133 wounded, 50 missing

Meredith Avenue

56th Pennsylvania Infantry

The monument to the 56th Pennsylvania is located along North Reynolds Avenue. It cost $1,500.00 and was dedicated on September 11, 1889. The bronze sculpture — featuring a stack of rifle muskets and a furled battleflag — is meant to symbolize the completion of a soldier’s work.

The monument is located “where the regiment delivered the opening fire of the infantry” in the battle.
The 56th had nine companies at Gettysburg; Company E was not present.

The regiment was organized at Harrisburg in March 1862 and came from the counties of Centre, Indiana, Luzerene, Susquehanna, and the city of Philadelphia. It was commanded by Col. John W. Hofmann (1824-1902), a merchant from Philadelphia.

56th Pennsylvania Infantry

1st Corps, 1st Division, 2nd Brigade

Engaged: 252; 14 killed, 61 wounded, 55 missing

Monument: North Reynolds Avenue

General James S. Wadsworth

The monument to Union First Corps Division commander James Samuel Wadsworth is located along North Reynolds Avenue, near the Railroad Cut.

One of several portrait bronzes dedicated to New York-born Division commanders, the monument was dedicated on October 6, 1914 at a cost of$7,788.28. The base is made of dark Barre granite and was designed by Edward P. Casey. The statue itself is of standard bronze; it was sculpted by R. Hinton Perry. Perry executed several bronze busts and reliefs on display at Vicksburg (including ones to Samuel French, William “Red” Jackson, Neely, etc.). Most of these were done between 1913 and 1916.

Wadsworth, a wealthy man who contributed a great deal of money to the cause of preserving the Union, was killed leading a Fifth Corps division at the battle of the Wilderness in May 1864.