Brigadier General Samuel Zook Marker - Gettysburg National Military Park Historic District - Gettysburg, PA - NRHP Historic Districts - Contributing Buildings on Waymarking.com

Samuel Kosciuszko Zook (born Samuel Kurtz Zook, March 27, 1821 – July 3, 1863) joined the New York militia in the 1850's, at the same time becoming a pioneer in telegraphy. He eventually became superintendent of the Washington and New York Telegraph Company and was Lieutenant Colonel of the 6th New York State Militia when the war began. After the three month term of the militia expired in October of 1861 he became colonel of the 57th New York Infantry Regiment . He fought in the Peninsula, but missed Antietam due to medical problems. At Fredericksburg, Zook took his brigade as far as any in the attack on Marye's Heights, earning him promotion to brigadier general. On July 2, 1863, the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, Brig. Gen. John C. Caldwell's division, including Zook's brigade, was sent to reinforce the crumbling III Corps line that was being assaulted by the Confederate corps of Lt. Gen. James Longstreet. Zook was directed by one of the III Corps staff officers toward the Wheatfield to reinforce the brigade of Col. Régis de Trobriand and to fill a gap near the Stony Hill. Zook, on horseback, led his men up the hill, which attracted the attention of men from the advancing 3rd and 7th South Carolina Infantry regiments, of Joseph B. Kershaw's brigade. He was struck by rifle fire in the shoulder, chest, and abdomen, and taken behind the lines for medical treatment at a toll house on the Baltimore Pike. He died from his wounds on July 3 and is buried near the grave of General Hancock in Montgomery Cemetery in West Norriton Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, near Norristown, Pennsylvania. He received a brevet promotion to major general for Gettysburg, awarded as of July 2. The Zook Brigade Tablet (MN472) which recalls the itinerary and movement of Zook's Brigade during the Battle of Gettysburg from July 1-3 1863 can be found right or north side of Sickles Avenue while traveling northwest to west at the very beginning of The Loop.

The Brigadier General Samuel Zook Marker is located on Wheatfield Road @ the northern edge of the Wheatfield. The monument is located on the right or southwest side of the road if traveling southeast along the road. Parking is available along the side of the road at intermittently enlarged shoulders Be sure to stay off the grass or you will be ticketed by park police. I visited this monument on Thursday, July 5, 2012 at 12:45 PM, EDT & @ an elevation of 525 feet, ASL. I used a Canon PowerShot 14.1 Megapixel, SX210 IS digital camera for the photos.

The Draw the Sword site helped out by the NPS narrative (and me) and the SIRIS site offers the following description: Marble shaft with apex cap. Inscription is cut into north face of the monument. The trefoil of Second Corps appears in the upper part of the inscription. The obelisk is jamemd atop a boulder which protrudes it several feet further into the air. I was able to see the obelisk clear across the Wheatfield when I ventured in to check out other monuments. Denotes the location where General Zook was mortally wounded.

The monument was erected on July 25, 1882 by the General Zook Post, No. 11, Grand Army of the Republic. The base of the monument is of granite and the sculpture is of blue marble. The granite monument's dimensions are approximately 7 ft. x 1 ft. 2 in. x 1 ft. 2 in. The monument was fabricated by H.A. Derr of Norristown, PA. The SIRIS site incorrectly lists it as H.A. Dorr. Additionally, thy made a mistake in their title calling it the Brigadier General Samuel Zook Markes, with the last word clearly being in error. I guess they Smithsonian does make mistakes. There is a lone inscription on the front which reads:

To the memory of
Samuel
Kosciusko Zook.
Brevet Major
General U.S. Vols.
Who fell mortally
wounded. at or near
this spot. while
gallantly leading
his brigade in battle
July 2nd 1863.
Erected by Gen. Zook
Post. No 11 G.A.R.
of Norristown, Pa.
July 25th. 1882.

The Brigadier General Samuel Zook 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 MN168.

From the Nomination Form:
Erected on or near the spot where Zook fell mortally wounded in the late afternoon on July 2, 1863 while leading his brigade. Located at N end of Wheatfield adjacent to Wheatfield Rd.

Short Physical Description:
Blue Marble Obelisk, 1'2"x1'2", 7' high. Inscribed on N side. Set upon granite boulder on the edge of the Wheatfield.

Long Physical Description:
Monument is a 1.2 foot square blue marble obelisk set on a native granite boulder designating site where General Zook was mortally wounded. It is inscribed on the north side. Overall height is seven foot. Located at the north end of the Wheatfield adjacent to the Wheatfield Road.