Major General George Meade Equestrian Statue (1896 - 1900) - Gettysburg, PA
N 39° 48.831 W 077° 14.088
18S E 308712 N 4409486
Erected in 1895, this statue epitomizes the glory of the Union army, specifically, of its leader, General Meade. This equestrian monument looms over the battlefield, looking over where the Federals defeated the Rebels during Pickett's failed Charge.
Waymark Code: WMF6ZN
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 09/02/2012
Views: 14
This photograph was taken just after the addition of a bronze-inscribed tablet, putting the distance between photos at approximately one hundred twelve years. The tablet was added shortly after the 1896 dedication. This original dedication picture can be found HERE. This sculpture is one of the most commercially photographed monument at the Gettysburg Battlefield. I found many postcards and other commemorative pictures of the Meade Equestrian memorial. This picture came from a postcard. Although I am listing the original photo date as 1900, I believe that number is conservative.
Clearly it is evident, through a survey of historical pictures and other archival information (such as the annual Commission reports), much change has occurred at Gettysburg Battlefield. With the passage of legislation affording historical status to this site as well as placing it under the auspices of the National Park Service, its patrons and caretakers had to groom and prepare the area to make it more authentic as well as educational. Today the battlefield has managed to maintain an authentic 1863 feel, but back then, as evident in the many photos, it was a desolate, empty place of brown and green fields broken only by the occasional farmstead, their outbuildings and fields of crops. With the emergence and dedication of hundreds of monuments during the commemoration period and all the other dedications prior to 1900, and the development of farmland, some change has occurred but for the most part, nothing too dramatic. The only change I could see is the usual background change emphasizing development of the National Battlefield.
The Major General George Meade Equestrian Statue is located away from Hancock Avenue, on the right or east side when traveling north. The statue is easy to find if not for its sheer height, then for the throngs of visitors it gets including those on bus tours. This is a regular stop. I believe this is the Leister Farm area. 
Parking is available at small, cutout shoulders along the road, some wide, some narrow. This area is hugely visited so it might take some time before you can snap a decent picture for al the people blocking the view. Be sure to stay off the grass or you will be ticketed by park police. I visited this monument on Monday, August 13, 2012 Late in the afternoon. I used a Canon PowerShot 14.1 Megapixel, SX210 IS digital camera for the photos. The monument faces the west in the direction of the once advancing Confederate Army during Pickett's Charge. I faced the north northeast side, looking at the side of the monument and about 20 feet away when I snapped my duplicating pictures.
From a previous waymark about this monument:
George Gordon Meade (December 31, 1815 – November 6, 1872) was a career United States Army officer and civil engineer involved in coastal construction, including several lighthouses. He fought with distinction in the Seminole War and Mexican-American War. During the American Civil War he served as a Union general, rising from command of a brigade to the Army of the Potomac. He is best known for defeating Confederate General Robert E. Lee at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863.
The Draw the Sword site helped out by the NPS narrative and the SIRIS site offers the following description: An equestrian portrait of General Meade looking out over the battlefield where the Union army under his direction won one of its greatest battles. He holds a pair of binoculars in his proper right hand and his hat in his proper left hand. A sword hangs from the left side of his saddle. The state Seal is on the front of monument. The monument cost $37,500. Placed on crest of hill, indicates general position from which Meade oversaw repulse of Longstreet’s assault July 3, 1863, giving voice and visual encouragement to soldiers.
The monument was Built in 1895 and dedicated on May 5, 1896 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The monument or statue is of bronze and the base is of granite with bronze tablets inscribed. The granite monument's dimensions are: Sculpture: approx. W. 4 ft. 3 in. x 11 ft. 4 in.; Base: approx. 9 ft. 7 in. x 7 ft. 10 in. x 14 ft. 2 1/2 in. Henry K. Bush Brown (1857 - 1935) sculpted the statue which was completed at the Bureau Brothers Foundry probably in 1896. There are inscriptions on the right and left sides which read:
(Right Side):Major General George Gordon Meade
United States Army
Commander of the Army of the Potomac
Born-December 31 1815 Died-November 6 1872
(Left Side):
Cadet U.S.M.A. Sept 1,1831; Brevet Second Lieut. 3d U.S. Artillery July 1, 1835; Second Lieut. December 31, 1835; Resigned and honorably discharged October 26, 1836; Second Lieut. Topographical Engineers May 19, 1842; First Lieut. August 4, 1851; Captain May 19, 1856; "For fourteen years continuous service" Major July 18, 1862 (Merged into Corps of Engineers March 3, 1863); Vacated commission July 3, 1863 Brig.-General U.S. Army July 3, 1863; Major General August 18, 1864. Brevetted First Lieut. U.S. Army September 23, 1846, "For Gallant Conduct in the Several Conflicts at Monterey, Mexico," Brig.-General U.S. Volunteers August 31, 1861; Major-General November 29, 1862; Vacated commission in volunteer service December 6, 1864. The Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled resolved (joint resolution approved January 28, 1864) "That the gratitude of the American people and the thanks of their representatives in Congress are due, and are hereby tendered ** To Major-General George G. Meade ** and the officers and soldiers of that army (Army of the Potomac) for the skill and heroic valor which at Gettysburg repulsed, defeated, and drove back, broken and dispirited, beyond the Rappahannock, the veteran army of the rebellion."
The Major General George Meade Equestrian Statue 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 MN690.
From the Nomination Form:
1 of 6 Civil War Equestrian statues of the War Dept. Era (1895-1927). Placed on crest of hill, indicates general position from which Meade oversaw repulse of Longstreet's assualt July 3, 1863, giving voice & visual encouragement to soldiers.
Short Physical Description:
Statue is a full bronze equestrian mount and statue of Meade atop 13'8" x 6'10" tapered, coursed rough hewn granite base. Inscription tablets cover identification incised inscriptions bearing the general's name on N and S sides. State shield is on W side of face of base. All 22' H.
Long Physical Description:
N/A
My Sources
1.
NRHP Nomination Form
2.
SIRIS
3.
Stone Sentinels
4.
Virtual Gettysburg
5.
Draw the Sword
6.
Historical Marker Database
7.
Wikipedia