The Gettysburg Military Park Commission or whatever the equivalent of the National Park Service was (I think it was the War Department) in approximately 1900 took an inventory of all the existing monuments in the eventual historic district. I have found hundreds of these pictures on Virtual Gettysburg, a comprehensive website which pictorially inventories all the monuments, providing a text of all inscriptions and minor narratives. All the photos look the same as if they were taken by the same camera and in the same approximate time period. Even the angles are all the same, positioning the monument at a slight right angle, (sometimes left), revealing a little of the side part of the monument. The entire park looks so young and immature when the photos were taken. After all, the Battle of Gettysburg was thirty-seven years old at the time and war veterans were only in their fifties. I have never been able to find any photo credits but I know they are public domain. This picture can be found HERE
Clearly it is evident, through a survey of historical pictures and other archival information, much change has occurred at Gettysburg Battlefield. With the passage of legislation affording historical status to this site as well as placing it under the auspices of the National Park Service, its patrons and caretakers had to groom and prepare the area to make it more authentic as well as educational. Today the battlefield has managed to maintain an authentic 1863 feel, but back then, as evident in the many photos, it was a desolate, empty place of green fields broken only by the occasional farmstead, their outbuildings and fields of crops. With the emergence and dedication of hundreds of monuments since 1900, and the development of farmland, some change has occurred but nothing too dramatic. An examination of these two pictures, separated by over 100 years reveals two very similar landscapes; the photos are virtually identical and any changes are minor such as a missing tree or the addition of new field growth.
The monument is located on the the west side of South Sedgwick Avenue, up on a rocky, hilly area, and opposite the Sedgwick Equestrian statue. The monument faces east so I faced west when I snapped my picture, a few feet away, capturing the monument at a slight angle, the right side showing slightly. Sunset was imminent and the shadows were freakishly long and I was on the dark side of the sun so picture taking was limited but the eerie orange hew of the fading sun washed the back part of the monument and created some interesting photos; official sunset was still 14 minutes away (7:51 PM). My picture was taken Wednesday, April 20th, 2011 @ 7:37 PM whilst I was on Spring Break from my middle school. I used my cr@ppy General Electric 10.1 megapixel model # A1050 digital camera.
From my previous waymarks about this monument:
One of the more unique monuments located in a tough terrain. The monument was dedicated in 1893 and is topped with the Maltese Cross that is the symbol of the Union 5th Army Corps. Four stone Ordnance Rifles support the corners of the base; they are sort of composed in relief. The area is rocky and difficult to traverse.
The 1st New York Artillery, Battery C was also known as Barnes’ battery. During the battle of Gettysburg, it served as a member of Martin’s Brigade in the Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac and was commanded by Captain Almont Barnes (1835-1918). Almont was a journalist in Watertown and served in various government post-war posts. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
The Battery C, 1st New York Artillery Monument is located on south Sedgwick Avenue (west side) at Cemetery Ridge. The Draw the Sword site helped out by the NPS narrative and the SIRIS site offers the following description: Monument: Quincy granite with bronze adornment. Granite obelisk with castellated apex, topped by a V Corps Maltese Cross, and decorated with bronze State Seal, and on the four corners of the obelisk, sculpted rifles. Overall height is 16.3 foot. It has raised inscriptions. Flanking markers have slant tops, one foot square. Monument is a granite shaft with alternating smooth and rough courses, and an apex top capped with the Fifth Corps Maltese Cross and set on a six foot square rough hewn base.
The monument marks the position held by Barne’s Battery C on July 2, 1863 from the time it reached battlefield until it was moved to the left to support Howe’s Division.
The monument was dedicated July 2, 1893 by the State of New York and was fabricated by Frederick & Field. The monument is composed of Quincy granite with bronze adornments and has the following dimensions: Overall: approx. 16 ft. 3 in. x 6 ft. x 6 ft. The inscription reads:
(Front):Battery C.
(Barnes')
1st New York
Light Artillery.
5th Corps.(Left):Held this position
from about
4.30. p.m. July 2d,
to 4. a.m.
July 3d, 1863.(Back):Engagements.
Antietam
to
Appomattox.(Right):On the morning
of July 3d,
transferred to
the left flank
of Big Round Top.
The Battery C, 1st New York Artillery Monument is a contributing feature to the Gettysburg National Military Park Historic District which is nationally significant under NR Criteria A, B, C & D. Areas of Significance: Military, Politics/Government, Landscape Architecture, Conservation, Archeology-Historic. Period of Significance: 1863-1938. The original National Register Nomination was approved by the Keeper March 19, 1975. An update to this nomination was approved by the Keeper on January 23, 2004. The monument is identified as structure number MN107-D.
From the Nomination Form:
Marks reserve line held by 7th Massachusetts Infantry from evening of July 2 until pursuit of Lee's Army on July 5, 1863. 1 of 25 mns in Park to Massachusetts commands in Gettysburg Campaign. Located on S Sedwick Ave.
Short Physical Description:
Mn, Rough hewn base, 6' sq. Granite shaft w/ alternating smooth/rough courses w/raised inscriptions, apex top capped w/ V Corps Maltese Cross. All 16'3"H. 2 Flank markers, slant topped, 1'x1'x1'5". Mn flanked w/2 wrought iron, 3" ordnance rifled cannons mounted on cast-iron carriages.
Long Physical Description
Monument that has two flanking markers and two wrought iron three-inch ordnance rifled cannon mounted on cast iron carriages. Monument is a granite shaft with alternating smooth and rough courses, and an apex top capped with the Fifth Corps Maltese Cross and set on a six foot square rough hewn base. Overall height is 16.3 foot. It has raised inscriptions. Flanking markers have slant tops, one foot square. The monument has a cannon on both sides, mounted on cast iron carriages. Located on the west side of Sedgwick Avenue.
My Sources
1.
Draw the Sword
2.
SIRIS
3.
Virtual Gettysburg
4.
Historical Marker Database
5.
Stone Sentinels
6.
NRHP Narrative