Ultimately, (following the top level of the chain of command) this unit fell under the command of Maj. Mathias Winston Henry (Nov. 28, 1838-Nov. 28, 1877). Henry’s Battalion served as a member of Hood’s Division in the First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia. This specific unit, however, was commanded by Captain Alexander C. Latham. Captain Alexander C. Latham, from Craven County, North Carolina, enlisted as a 1st Lieutenant on July 1, 1861. He was mustered into "B" Co. North Carolina 1st Light Artillery. He was promoted and commisioned into "H' Co. North Carolina 3rd Light Artillery on January 20, 1862. He resigned September 16, 1863.
The Latham's Branch Artillery - CS Battery Marker is located on the east or left side South Confederate Avenue if traveling south, a few steps way from the Hood's Division Monument. The marker is located at the midpoint of the handle of a large 'soup ladle' of a turn, at least that is what is looks like on a map. Just .32 miles away is where South Confederate Avenue curves in a wide arc then repeats itself and curves again in the opposite direction just like a sine wave. The memorial faces due east and is located very close to the road, however, parky is tricky around here so exercise caution. Please do not park on the grass, park on the side of the road. I cannot emphasize that enough! You will definitely be ticketed. I visited this monument on Saturday, March 10, 2012 at 4:33 PM, just before the clocks were set ahead for Spring. I was at a 597 foot ASL elevation.
Currently, this is the only monument on this part of South Confederate Avenue to be accompanied by an artillery/cannons display. These cannons are suppose to represent the artillery used here by this battery. The other tablets similar to this one have empty cannon pads devoid of the artillery pieces that once stood there. If standing in front of the marker, the cannon to the left which points due east is a 6-Pounder Field Gun, Model of 1841. My usual SOURCE for cannon documentation provided me with the following line of information (the same information I had trouble reading on the outer muzzle face) about this specific cannon:
Alger - Reg #144 - INSP BH - FDY #610 - YR 55 - WT 879 - S Confed Ave., from Shiloh NMP
Alger refers to the Cyrus Alger & Company, a foundry out of Boston, Massachusetts and the place where this gun was manufactured. Reg #144 is simply the registration number and the foundry's way of documenting and identifying each individual gun produced by their company. INSP BH refers to the military officer responsible for inspecting the final product to make sure it meets all standards. (More on the inspector below). FDY #610 represents the word Foundry and refers to the foundry's own internal control number. YR 55 is the year of manufacturing and WT 879 refers to the weight of the cannon or bronze tube which fired projectiles. As also indicated, this cannon is of course on South Confederate Avenue. Finally, it is my understanding this weapon was procured from Shiloh National Military Park. Finally, if standing to the rear of the cannon, I saw an inscription on the left trunnion (cylindrical protrusion used as a mounting and/or pivoting point - secures the cannon to the carriage) which reads C.A. & Co Boston. This stands for Cyrus Alger & Company, the aforementioned foundry out of Boston, Massachusetts.
The other cannon, to the right of the marker which also which points due east is a 12-Pounder Bronze Field Howitzer, Model of 1841. My usual SOURCE for cannon documentation provided me with the following line of information (the same information I had trouble reading on the outer muzzle face) about this specific cannon:
Alger - Reg #4 - INSP WM - FDY #2 - YR 41 - WT 766 - S. Confederate Ave.
Alger refers to the Cyrus Alger & Company, a foundry out of Boston, Massachusetts and the place where this gun was manufactured. Reg #4 is simply the registration number and the foundry's way of documenting and identifying each individual gun produced by their company. INSP WM refers to the military officer responsible for inspecting the final product to make sure it meets all standards. (More on the inspector below). FDY #2 represents the word Foundry and refers to the foundry's own internal control number. YR 41 is the year of manufacturing and WT 766 refers to the weight of the cannon or bronze tube which fired projectiles.
The tablet faces due west and is located a few feet from the road. Parking is tricky around here so exercise caution. Please do not park on the grass, park on the side of the road. I cannot emphasize that enough! I visited this monument on March 10, 2012 at 4:40 PM, just before the clocks were set ahead for the Spring. I was at a 625 foot ASL elevation.
These monuments were first built in 1900 and concluded in 1906 according to the NRHP nomination form. Some sites have the monument being erected in 1910. The NRHP narrative has this specific monument as being built in 1898 which of course is ridiculous. It is amazing with all the work and effort exerted to make the Gettysburg National Military Park a reality, no one took the time to keep accurate records and correct installation dates. The work was done under the direction of the Gettysburg National Military Park Commission. The inscription on this tablet reads:
Army of Northern Virginia
Longstreet's Corps Hood's Division
Henry's Battalion Latham's Battery
The Branch Artillery
Three Napoleons, One 12 Pounder Howitzer
One 6 Pounder Bronze Gun
July 2 Took position here 4 p.m. and was actively engaged until night. The Howitzer and the Bronze gun were disabled and two captured 10 pounder Parrotts substituted.
July 3 Engaged in firing upon the Union lines within range. About 5 p.m. aided in repelling cavalry under Brig. Gen. Farnsworth which had charged into the valley between this point and Round Top
July 4 Occupied position near by and west of this until 6 p.m. Then withdrew from the field
Losses not reported in detail
There are scores of similar monuments for the various Confederate States & Union units which fought at Gettysburg. Four designs represent brigade, division, corps and army headquarters, and each has elements which identify it as Union or Confederate. Many of the tablets were created by Albert Russell & Sons Co. of Newburyport, Massachusetts and are made of granite, bronze and concrete or like this one, cast iron. All of these tablets were designed by architect E.B. Cope. He designed pretty much every tablet for both the Union and Confederate armies, each one distinct, with several different varieties. The monuments were erected just after the turn of the century during the first and beginning of the second decade of the 20th century. Each one has since been preserved or restored at least twice since the turn of the 21st century. The plaques and tablets were erected by the War Department and then, in later years, by the Gettysburg Battlefield Commission, which was created and then assumed responsibility for the park in the early 20th century.
On October 1, 1898, the Gettysburg National Military Park Commission in a letter to the Secretary of War set gave recommendations for continuing the task of organizing and progressing the work of the Gettysburg National Military Park. The following is an excerpt from that report relevant to this waymark. The link at the end of the paragraph will take you to the entire report. The method of marking the positions of troops on this field, as approved by the War Department, is to place the principal tablet or monument of each command at the position occupied by the command in the main line of battle, and to mark the several important positions subsequently reached by each command in the course of the battle by subordinate and ancillary tablets, with appropriate brief inscriptions giving interesting details and occurrences and noting the day and hour as nearly as possible. SOURCE
Information about these specific types of monuments:
CONFEDERATE BATTERY AND BRIGADE TABLETS (ADVANCED POSITION)
These tablets are 3’8" x 3’4" in dimensions, with carefully prepared inscriptions cast in raised letters painted in white (contrasting the black background) describing the part taken in the battle by each brigade, their position and stating its numbers and losses so far as practicable to obtain. They are mounted on iron pillars or fluted cast iron posts about 3 feet high, grouted in the ground, and the tablets are inclined at a suitable angle so that the inscriptions can easily be read by persons riding or driving on the avenue. Every tablet is 4’4" in height. The advance position markers were cast by Calvin Gilbert. SOURCE & SOURCE
The Latham's Branch Artillery - CS Battery Marker 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 MN596-B.
From the Nomination Form:
Civil War Tablet that marks position of Latham's CS Battery on July 2-4, 1863. Narrates events associated w/ Battery during Battle.
Short Physical Description:
MN & 2 Cannons. Cast iron tablet, 3'8" x 3'4", with raised inscription painted in a contrasting color and mounted on fluted cast iron post. All 4'4" H. Cast by C. Gilbert. Cannon on N/S side of tablet.
Long Physical Description:
Located on E side of South Confederate Ave, just S of intersection w/ Emmitsburg Rd.
My Sources
1.
NRHP Nomination Form
2.
Stone Sentinels
3.
Virtual Gettysburg
4.
Draw the Sword
5.
Historical Marker Database