The Gettysburg National Park Commission [The Commission is also referred to as the Gettysburg National Military Park Commission or the Gettysburg Park Commission], established by the United States Department of War, after they took over the administration of the park from the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association (whose funds had expired) on March 3, 1893, and whose stewardship was later transferred to the National Park Service in 1933 (SOURCE), took a pictorial inventory of many of the existing monuments in the eventual historic district (a majority of them seem to have been Pennsylvania monuments being there are over one hundred of them). These pictures were included in their yearly Commission reports. I have found hundreds of these pictures on Virtual Gettysburg, a comprehensive website which pictorially inventories all the monuments and provides minor narratives as well. 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 (standing to the left), revealing a little of the left side 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 (I have a sneaking suspicion some of the photos may have been snapped by members of the Park Commissions and published in their annual November report to the War Department) but I know they are public domain because their copyrights have all expired. This picture represent the efforts of the Commission well into the Commission period. Most of my pictures I use come from a website called Virtual Gettysburg. It seems however, all the pictures of the New York monuments were either borrowed from or shared with a New York monuments website. That site, The New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs can be found HERE. This picture was found on the Virtual Gettysburg site which can be found HERE.
Clearly it is evident, through a survey of historical pictures and other archival information (such as the annual Commission reports), 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 brown and green fields broken only by the occasional farmstead, their outbuildings and fields of crops. With the emergence and dedication of hundreds of monuments during the commemoration period and all the other dedications prior to 1900, and the development of farmland, some change has occurred but for the most part, nothing too dramatic. Conservatively, I put this picture @ 1900. There is not much to see here with this photo tandem. The original photograph is completely cropped and washed out and there is no background to see, no foreground to see or any other landmarks to compare. Based on that these pics are identical and no change has occurred. What is interesting is when this monument was erected, there was no Pennsylvania State Memorial in the background, in fact, it hadn't even been conceived. A pic of that void would have been nice!
The Battery A, 1st New Jersey Artillery Monument is located on the right or east side of South 
Hancock Avenue (RD310), if traveling north along the avenue and directly in front of the gigantic Pennsylvania Memorial (MN260). The monument faces the west so one would have to face the east to read the inscription. The monument is flanked on either side by Parrott Rifles, which I revisited and snapped photos of on Monday, August 13, 2012. To the left of the monument is a 3-inch Parrott rifle, registry no. 149, and to the right, a 2.9-inch (10-pounder) Parrott rifle, registry no. 241. This site offers the easiest parking opportunities as there are a lot in back of the Pennsylvania Monument as well as enlarged shoulders up and down Hancock Avenue near this site. Whatever you do, do not park on grass or anything green as park police will ticket you. Dusk had already fallen over the great battlefield and the plain grew quiet and still; everyone had gone home for the day. I hurriedly took several other photos of similar monuments all on this road. This was my last monument to visit on this day; official sunset was still 8 minutes away (7:51 PM) My picture was taken Wednesday, April 20th, 2011 @ 7:43 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. The photograph of the monument faces west so I faced east when I snapped my picture, about ten feet away, capturing the monument dead on. I noticed I have had to crop my pictures to get them to be the same frame size as the originals; this one was no exception.
From a previous waymark about this monument:
The 1st New Jersey Artillery Battery “A” was also known as Hexamer’s Battery. Battery A was part of the Artillery Reserve - 4th Volunteer Brigade. During the battle of Gettysburg, it served as a member of Fitzhugh’s Brigade in the Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac and was commanded by Lt. Augustin N. Parsons (1830-?). Parsons was a carpenter. Under Parson's command the battery brought 116 men onto the field serving six 10-pounder Parrott Rifles. Among the men, two were killed and seven were wounded.
The Draw the Sword site helped out by the NPS narrative and the SIRIS site offers the following description: Square, vertical shaft stands on a low tapered base and is topped with a sphere. The bronze tablet with the inscription “Hexamer’s Battery” was added in 1890 to cover incised inscription “Parson’s Battery.” Monument is a multi-part granite shaft topped with an incised star rotunda and ball and set on a five foot square base. The shaft has incised inscriptions. Overall height is ten feet. The monument marks the position taken by the Battery on July 3, 1863. The bronze tablet with the inscription "Hexamer's Battery" was added in 1890 to cover incised inscription "Parson's Battery."
The monument was dedicated on June 30, 1888 by the State of New Jersey and was fabricated by Milles and Luce. The monument is composed of granite with a bronze tablet and has the flowing dimensions: The monument is approximately 10 feet x 2 feet 6 inches x 2 feet 6 inches and the base is approximately 5 feet². There are inscription an all sides save the rear, all of which read:
(Front):Battery A, 1. N.J. Art.
From its position in
reserves s.w. of Powers'
Hill Galloped into action
at 3 p.m. July 3, 1863.
Fired 120 rounds shrapnel
at Pickett's column and
80 shell at a battery
in left front
Erected by the
State of New Jersey 1888
Hexamer's New Jersey
Battery
commanded in this battle by Firs Lieutenant
Augustin N. Parsons
(Left):Served Aug. 12. 1861
to June 22. 1865.
Engaged in 30 battles.
(Right):Losses. Killed 2. Wounded 7.
Position in action 45 yards E. of this stone.
The Battery A, 1st New Jersey 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 MN261-B.
From the Nomination Form:
1 of 12 Civil War Mounuments to New Jersey of the GBMA Era (1863-1895). Indicates position taken July 3, 1863 around 3:00PM. Engaged Wilcox's & Pickett's columns, & CSA battery. Located E side Hancock Avenue.
Short Physical Description:
Mn & 2 rifled flanking cannons mounted on cast iron carriages. Base 5'sq, multipart shaft w/incised inscriptions. Base of shaft has bronze tablet added 1890 to correct battery name. Topped w/incised star rotunda & ball cap. All 10'H. Cannon located to right & left of Mn.
Long Physical Description:
Monument that has two wrought iron rifled flanking cannon mounted on cast iron carriages. Monument is a multi-part granite shaft topped with an incised star rotunda and ball and set on a five foot square base with a bronze tablet added in 1890 to correct the battery name. The shaft has incised inscriptions. Overall height is ten feet. Located on the east side of Hancock Avenue.
My Sources
1.
NRHP Narrative
2.
SIRIS
3.
Stone Sentinels
4.
Virtual Gettysburg
5.
Draw the Sword
6.
Historical Marker Database