Brig. Gen. Joseph R. Davis - Gettysburg National Military Park - Gettysburg, PA
N 39° 48.919 W 077° 14.130
18S E 308656 N 4409650
The monument features a quote by Brig. Gen. Joseph R. Davis. The marker and quote are an interesting memorial to the Confederates of Miss. & is probably one of the newest if not the newest monument to be placed in this historical military park.
Waymark Code: WMCQYA
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 10/04/2011
Views: 7
For some reason it took the State of Mississippi almost 150 years to produces a monument for the 11th Regiment. There are actually two monuments to the 11th Mississippi Infantry at Gettysburg. The primary monument has a beautiful bronze statue topping a small granite base and is located southwest of Gettysburg town rotary and can be found on West Confederate Avenue. The monument is quite diminutive compared to its counterparts from the 1880s. The second monument (this monument) is considered a position marker and is south of the circle on Hancock Avenue. The marker is on the Brian Farm property, in front of the barn, on the west or right side of the road if you are traveling south on Hancock. Both were dedicated in 2000 by the 11th Mississippi Memorial Association. Obviously, the position marker and the main monument can not contribute to the historic district as the installation post dates the nomination form date.
The attributable source, Brig. Gen. Joseph R. Davis (January 12, 1825 – September 15, 1896) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War and nephew of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. His troops played an important role in the Battle of Gettysburg. Davis was born in Mississippi, becoming a lawyer and Mississippi state senator. Before the war, he led a local militia company.
11th Mississippi Infantry served as a member of Davis’ Brigade in Heth’s Division of the Hill’s Corps, Army of Northern Virginia. The regiment was commanded by Colonel Francis M. Green (1823-1864). Green was a lawyer in Oxford and mortally wounded at Spotsylvania. The unit brought 394 men to the field and among them 110 were killed, 193 were wounded, 37 were captured. Their unit was decimated as indicated not only by these number but by the inscription on the marker as well. The 11th Mississippi Regiment was part of the 3rd Corps, 2nd Division, 4th Brigade of the CSA army.
The monument denotes the regiment’s furthest advance in the July 3, 1863 assault. The side of the memorial facing the stonewall and Hancock Avenue has a bronze version of the regiment’s battle flag in relief of the granite to which it is attached. The side facing Seminary Ridge contains a plaque with inscription (This is the side which you would look east or to the road to read). This monument was dedicated on May 27, 2000
The two-sided inscription and quotation reads:
(Front):11th Mississippi
Infantry Regiment(Within the flag relief):Manassas
Seven Pines
Gaines Farm
Malvern Hill
(Plaque):July 3, 1863The 11th Mississippi Infantry Regiment, with its ranks growing thinner at every step, advanced with the colors to the stone wall near the Brian Barn.
The Regiment was here "subjected to a most galling fire of musketry and artillery that so reduced the already thinned ranks that any further effort to carry the position was hopeless, and there was nothing left but to retire."
Report of Brig. Gen. Joseph R. Davis.
(Lower Inscription):Combatants - 393
Killed in Action / Died of Wounds - 110
Wounded / Wounded Captured - 193
Captured unwounded - 37
Non-casualty - 53
My Sources
1.
Stone Sentinels
2.
Virtual Gettysburg
3.
Draw the Sword
4.
Historical Marker Database