The 1st Ohio Artillery Battery H served as a member of Huntington’s Brigade in the Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac. They were commanded by Lieutenant George W. Norton (1818-1906), who was a farmer from Toledo, Ohio. The brigade brought 123 men to the field serving 6 Ordnance Rifles. Privates Henry Schram and Jacob Kirsh were killed, and Private John Edmunds was mortally wounded; 5 went missing.
The Battery H, 1st Ohio Artillery Monument is located in National Cemetery along upper Cemtery Drive. If you enter from the Taneytown Road entrance, the monument is on the right side, in front of the iron fence which separates this National Cemetery from the neighboring Evergreen Cemetery and not too far past the Lincoln Speech Memorial. Draw the Sword, with descriptive help from the NPS site, offers the following description: Rough-hewn marker rounded at top stands on a tiered base. A round State Seal in relief appears at the top rear. Monument indicates the position held by Huntington’s Battery during the Gettysburg campaign on July 2, 1863 at about 4:00 P. M. They engaged in artillery duels with Confederate batteries on the east of town.
There are two cannons flanking either side of the monument. The two 3-inch Ordnance Rifles represent the battery at this position. The guns are registry numbers 277 and 615 and those number are on the upper muzzle face, with other inscriptions on the lower muzzle face. The inscription for the wrought iron rifle No. 277 reads No 277 P.I Co. 1862 816 lbs TTSL. I think the 816 is actually 820 pounds, according to Wikipedia. The P.I. I think stands for the Phoenix Iron Company. (Phoenix Iron Company: Phoenixville, PA., firm which began manufacturing wrought iron cannon in 1855 and during the war produced the 3-inch Ordnance Rifle.) TTSL is the initials of the inspector. Another example of this rifle can be fond at Chickamauga National Battlefield which can he found HERE. The 615 bears the same writing as the 277.
The 3-inch (76 mm) ordnance rifle was the most widely used rifled gun during the war. Invented by John Griffen, it was extremely durable, with the barrel made of wrought iron, primarily produced by the Phoenix Iron Company of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. There are few cases on record of the tube fracturing or bursting, a problem that plagued other rifles made of brittle cast iron. The rifle had exceptional accuracy. During the Battle of Atlanta, a Confederate gunner was quoted: "The Yankee three-inch rifle was a dead shot at any distance under a mile. They could hit the end of a flour barrel more often than miss, unless the gunner got rattled." SOURCE
The monument was dedicated on Sept. 14, 1887 by the State of Ohio and of course was fabricated by the Smith Granite Company, who single handedly, were responsible for countless monuments spread all over the military park. The monument is composed of: Sculpture: granite with bronze tondo; Base: granite. The sculpture has the following dimensions: Sculpture: approx. 8 ft. x 4 ft. 6 in. x 2 ft. 2 in.; Base: approx. H. 7 ft. 6 in. x W. 5 ft. 2 in. The two-sided, simple inscription reads:
(Front):Huntington's Battery
H 1st Ohio Light Artillery
3rd Volunteer Brigade
Artillery Reserve
July 2d and 3d 1863.
Erected by the State of Ohio
(Back):Battery H 1st Ohio Light Artillery
Organized at Camp Dennison, Ohio,
November 7, 1861. Took part in 12 general
engagements and the siege of Petersburg.
was mustered out at Cleveland, Ohio.
June 14, 1865.
Loss at Gettysburg
2 Killed. 1 Mortally wounded. 4 Wounded.
The Battery H, 1st Ohio 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 MN283-D.
From the Nomination Form:
1 of 20 Mns to Ohio. Indicates position held by Battery July 2, 1863 around 4:00PM. In engagements on 2nd & 3rd of July, 1863. Located in National Cemetery, E side upper Cemetery Drive. LF&RF located 65'&63' W-E of Mn, respectively.
Short Physical Description:
Mn w/2 flanking markers & 2 cannon mounted on carriages. Mn base 7'6"x5'2". 2 part shaft, 1st part incised area w/excised lettering. 2nd part rough cut w/smooth cut plaque & sheild w/excised inscription on front, bronze tablet on rear. LF&RF 1'x1'6"x 2'H, rough cut w/smooth finish.
Long Physical Description:
None
My Sources
1.
NRHP Narrative
2.
SIRIS
3.
Stone Sentinels
4.
Virtual Gettysburg
5.
Draw the Sword
6.
Historical Marker Database