The 91st Pennsylvania Infantry served as a member of Weed’s Brigade in Ayres’ Division of the Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac and was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Joseph H. Sinex (1819-1892). It brought 258 men to the field, losing 3 killed and 16 wounded. The Monument is located at the summit of Little Round Top, giving one of the most majestic views here at Gettysburg. The monument is down the slope a bit, off of Sykes Avenue. Park along Sykes and venture carefully down the slope amongst the jagged rocks and weeds to have at this beautiful monument. The walk is comparatively easy compared to the other monuments erected deeper down the slope. I struck a perpendicular line form the road to the monument and it is exactly 150 west off of the road, if traveling north along Sykes.
Close nearby is a smaller monument to the 91st which has become a tribute to General Weed and Captain Hazlett. This was the original monument to the 91st erected by veterans of the regiment. When state funds became available to build a larger monument in 1889 the original was moved thirty feet to the east to a nearby boulder already inscribed to Lt. Hazlett and new inscriptions were added to honor both Hazlett and Weed.
The Draw the Sword site helped out by the NPS narrative and the SIRIS site offers the following description: Monument: granite with bronze tablet. Height is 25 feet. Castellated tower consisting of sub-base and three tiers of granite block courses. The monument is decorated with three inset polished text panels, and a V Corps Maltese Cross finial tops the tower. Overall height is 25.6 foot. There are three inset panels with inscriptions. Flanking markers are flat topped one foot square. It was the second monument erected to the 91st Pennsylvania and was dedicated on September 12, 1889. It originally had a State Seal, which has been missing since Aug. 23, 1985. Marks position held by 91st Pennsylvania on July 2 and 3, 1863 when supporting Battery D, 5 United States on the crest of Little Round Top.
This monument is difficult and expensive to maintain due to it’s location.
One of the regulars on the historical marker database also wrote a nice description: Note the Maltese cross of the V Corps atop the monument. The monument is styled as a fort or crenelated castle turret. Inscriptions are seen on "doors" complete with steps. This is actually the second monument to the 91st Pennsylvania on this spot. The original monument, erected by the veterans themselves was relocated a few paces east when state funds became available for this monument.
The monument was dedicated September 12, 1889 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and fabricated by the Ryegate Granite Company. The monument is made entirely of granite with a bronze plaques, all looking like narrow, arched, bell tower windows, all found at the bottom of the monument. SIRIS lists the dimensions as: Overall: approx. H. 25 ft. 6 in. x 7 ft. x 7 ft. There are inscriptions on three sides which read:
91st Penna.
Infantry.
3d. Brig.
2d. Div.
5th Corps.
(Front "Door"):
July 2d moving at double-quick in the evening, the Regiment took position here and, having aided in repulsing the attack of the enemy upon this line, remained until the close of the battle.
(Right "Door"):
Present at
Gettysburg 258
officers and men.
Killed and died
of wounds 4 men.
Wounded 2
officers 13 men.
——————
Recruited in
Philadelphia.
Mustered in
Sept & Dec. 1861,
re-enlisted
Dec. 26, 1863,
Mustered out
July 10, 1865
The 91st Pennsylvania Infantry 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 MN097-B.
From the Nomination Form:
Short Physical Description:
Mn & 2 flank markers. Castellated granite tower w/ 3 tiers of block courses. Base, 7' square. Shaft, 5' square. All 25'6" high. 3 inset panels w/ inscriptions. Tower topped w/ 5th Corps Maltese Cross. Flank marker, flat topped, 1'x1'x1'6". Bronze seal missing.
Long Physical Description:
Monument that has two flanking markers. Monument is a castellated granite tower with three tiers of block courses. The shaft is five foot square on a seven foot square base. Overall height is 25.6 foot. The tower is topped with the Fifth Corps Maltese Cross. There are three inset panels with inscriptions. Flanking markers are flat topped one foot square. Located on the summit of Little Round Top.
My Sources
1.
NRHP Narrative
2.
SIRIS
3.
Stone Sentinels
4.
Virtual Gettysburg
5.
Draw the Sword
6.
Historical Marker Database