The 140th New York Infantry served as a member of Weed’s Brigade in Ayres’ Division of the Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac,a Fighting 300 Regiment. The unit was commanded by Colonel Patrick H. O’Rorke (1836-1863), who was born in Ireland and graduated from USMA in 1861. O'Rorke was killed on July 2, 1863. Lieutenant Colonel Louis Ernst (1825-1892) then took command from O’Rourke. Ernst was born in Germany and was a hardware merchant in Rochester.
The Monument is located at the summit of Little Round Top, giving one of the most majestic views here at Gettysburg. The monument is in the middle of a small asphalt path, in a kind of roundabout. The small asphalt path snakes around the top of the hill. Park along Sykes and venture carefully down the slope amongst the jagged rocks and weeds to have at this beautiful monument. Stay on the dirt path. 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 140 west off of the road, if traveling north along Sykes.
Colonel Patrick Henry O'Rorke's face fronts the monument in relief and is polished for luck by generations of visitors. I did no such thing as I was unaware of the custom when I visited. (The National Park Service asks that you refrain from rubbing if you visit - it wears away the bronze.).
The Draw the Sword site helped out by the NPS narrative and the SIRIS site offers the following description: Rectangular block monument with inset bronze tondo relief portrait of Col. Patrick H. O’Rorke, on front; State Seal and Maltese cross on back. Marks position attained by 140th New York on July 2, 1863 where they met Hood’s Division attacking up slopes of Little Round Top. Erected on spot where Col Patrick O’Rourke fell dead, shot while leading charge. Monument that has two flanking markers. Monument is a rough hewn granite shaft with an apex top on a rough hewn base, 7×5.8 foot. Overall height is 7.3 foot. Bronze inscription tablets on the north and south sides. Bronze portrait relief of Colonel Patrick O’Rourke on the west side 2.2 foot in diameter. State seal tondo on the east side. Flanking markers are apex topped, one foot square.
The monument, erected in 1889 and dedicated by the State of New York, was sculpted by J.G. Hamilton and fabricated by the Smith Granite Company who had a hand in pretty much everything around here. The monument is made of granite and bronze with a base of stone. SIRIS lists the dimensions as: Overall: approx. 8 ft. x 7 ft. x 5 ft. 8 in. There are inscriptions on all four sides which read:
(Around the Top of the Monument):Fraternity
Valor
Patriotism
Duty
(Right):140th
N.Y. Infty.
3rd Brigade
2nd Division
5th Corps.
July 2 & 3, 1863
(Left):Number engaged
526.
Casualties.
26 killed.
89 wounded.
18 missing.
(Front):col. Pat'k H. O'Rorke
Killed July 2, 1863
The 140th New York 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 MN094-B.
From the Nomination Form:
Marks position attained by 140th New York on July 2, 1863 when they met Hood's Division attacking up slopes of Little Round Top. Erected on spot where Col Patrick O'Rourke fell dead, shot while leading charge.
Short Physical Description:
Rough hewn base, 7'x5'8". Rough hewn shaft. All 7'3" high. Bronze inscription tablets on N & S, 1'4"X2'. Portrait relief tondo of Col Patrick O'Rourke on W, 2'2" in diameter. State seal tondo on E. Flank markers, apex topped, 1'x1'x8".
Long Physical Description:
Monument that has two flanking markers. Monument is a rough hewn granite shaft with an apex top on a rough hewn base, 7x5.8 foot. Overall height is 7.3 foot. Bronze inscription tablets on the north and south sides. Bronze portrait relief of Colonel Patrick O'Rourke on the west side 2.2 foot in diameter. State seal tondo on the east. Designed by J. G. Hamilton. Flanking markers are apex topped, one foot square. Located on Little Round Top on the spot where Colonel O'Rourke fell dead.
My Sources
1.
NRHP Narrative
2.
SIRIS
3.
Stone Sentinels
4.
Virtual Gettysburg
5.
Draw the Sword
6.
Historical Marker Database