The Gettysburg National Park Commission [The Commission is also referred to as the Gettysburg National Military Park Commission or the Gettysburg Park Commission], established by the United States Department of War, after they took over the administration of the park from the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association (whose funds had expired) on March 3, 1893, and whose stewardship was later transferred to the National Park Service in 1933 (SOURCE), took a pictorial inventory of many of the existing monuments in the eventual historic district (a majority of them seem to have been Pennsylvania monuments being there are over one hundred of them). I have found hundreds of these pictures on Virtual Gettysburg, a comprehensive website which pictorially inventories all the monuments and provides minor narratives as well. All the photos look the same as if they were taken by the same camera and in the same approximate time period. Even the angles are all the same, positioning the monument at a slight right angle (standing to the left), revealing a little of the left side of the monument. The entire park looks so young and immature when the photos were taken. After all, the Battle of Gettysburg was thirty-seven years old at the time and war veterans were only in their fifties. I have never been able to find any photo credits (I have a sneaking suspicion some of the photos may have been snapped by members of the Park Commissions and published in their annual November report to the War Department) but I know they are public domain because their copyrights have all expired. This picture represent the efforts of the Commission well into the Commission period. Most of my pictures I use come from a website called Virtual Gettysburg. It seems however, all the pictures of the New York monuments were either borrowed from or shared with a New York monuments website. That site, The New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs can be found HERE. I did manage to locate this vintage picture on that website which can be found HERE. I wound up using this picture as it was cropped better for muy purposes. This picture was on the Virtual Gettysburg site and can be found HERE.
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. I know many of the pics were taken at the dedication ceremony (or darn close to it) as my Gettysburg sources have informed me these Virtual Gettysburg pics were taken after the ceremony to be included in that year's commission report. But, I also noticed a string of these monuments on this road were had pic taken in 1902, so we'll go with that which means a hundred ten years passed between both of these pictures. The New York site tells me this picture was taken from the Final Report on the Battlefield of Gettysburg (New York at Gettysburg) by the New York Monuments Commission for the Battlefields of Gettysburg and Chattanooga. Albany, NY: J.B. Lyon Company, 1902. If you look at the 1902 picture and the Draw the Sword picture (link cited below) you can see two of the three monuments in the background are not there. The only one seen looks to be a small position marker off to the right. Also, the fence present today is not there in 1902. The landscape all looks the same.
The 73rd New York Infantry Monument is located in the middle of a field along Sickles Avenue to the east, Millerstown Road to the south, Route 15 to the west and United States Avenue to the north. This area is called Excelsior Field, near stop 10 of the Gettysburg Driving/Audio tour. The Peach Orchard is just to the southwest of this position. Parking is plentiful and available at intermittently enlarged shoulder cutouts on the right side of the road. Be sure to keep vehicles off the grass or you will be ticketed by park police. I visited this monument on Thursday, July 5, 2012 at 4:28 P.M. I was at an elevation of 599 feet, ASL. I used a Canon PowerShot 14.1 Megapixel, SX210 IS digital camera for the photos. I faced a northeast direction when I took my photo standing about 9 feet away from the monument, revealing part of the left side. If I remember correctly, the monument faces the west so I had to face east southeast to get the correct angle. I stood about 6 feet away.
From a previous waymark about this monument:
The 73rd New York Infantry was also known as Second Fire Zouaves. During the battle of Gettysburg, it served as a member of Brewster’s “Excelsior” Brigade in Humphreys’ Division of the Third Corps, Army of the Potomac, A Fighting 300 Regiment. The unit was commanded by Major Michael William Burns (1834-1883), a city inspector and fireman from New York City. He was wounded during the Second Manassas Campaign. Under his command, his regiment had 507 men engaged @ Gettysburg and among them 51 were killed, 103 were wounded and 8 went missing.
The Draw the Sword site helped out by the NPS narrative and the SIRIS site offers the following description: A figure of a Civil War soldier holding his rifle stands beside a Fire Zouave holding a bugle. The figures are installed atop a square granite base. Monument is a seven foot granite shaft and bronze statues of a fireman and infantryman on a 8×7 foot rough hewn base. Bronze inscription tablets are located on all sides and a state seal is on the west side of the base. Overall height is 14 foot. The monument marks the position reached by the 73rd New York, Second Fire Zouaves of Excelsior Brigade on the afternoon of July 2, 1863. The fireman and an infantryman are representative of the dual role held by many members of the regiment.
The monument's was installed in August of 1897 and formally dedicated on September 6, 1897. The monument is composed of granite and bronze for the statues atop the base. The sculpture overall is approximately 7 x 4 x 3 feet and the base is approximately 14 x 8 x 7 feet. A number of artisans labored over this monument. Giuseppe T Moretti (1857-1935) was the principle sculptors. The Gorham Manufacturing Company was the foundry used to cast the statue and Hoffman and Prochazka were the contractors used for the project. There are four, bronze-inscribed plaque which run around the base and a few inscription running along the top, also in bromze, all of which read:
(Front):New York - Gettysburg
Second Fire Zouaves
Major Michael W. Burns commanding
Sickles' Excelsior Brigade
Colonel William R. Brewster
——————
Second Division
Brig. General A.A. Humphreys
—————
Third Corps
Major General D.E. Sickles
—————
Mustered in July 10 1861
Mustered out June 29 1865
(Right):The Fourth
Excelsior Regiment
was conducted to this position by
Major H.E. Tremain
of the Third Corps staff
about 5.30 p.m. on July 2 1863
its loss on this field was
killed 4 officers
and 47 enlisted men
wounded 11 officers
and 92 enlisted men
missing 8 aggregate 162
(Left):The Second
Fire Zouaves
served with
the Army of the Potomac
and participated in its campaigns
from Yorktown 1862
to Appomattox 1865
Total enrollment 1350
Total casualties 711
————
Erected 1897
————
Known also as
the Fourth Regiment of
Sickles Excelsior Brigade
(Back):Volunteer Fire Department
New York City
Organized 1658
Disbanded 1865
This monument was erected at the instance
of the volunteer fireman of the City of New York
represented by the figure on the left
in grateful recognition of the services rendered
by the Second Fire Zouaves on this field
in defense of the Union July 2 1863
Board of Trustees
Under Chapter 397 Laws of New York 1897
Robert B. Nooney - George W. Anderson - Richard Cullen
Mathew Stewart - Peter J. Hickey - Michael F. Wynn
Thomas Fair - John Sidell - Francis McCarthy
The 73rd 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 MN185.
From the Nomination Form:
1 of 90 mns in Park honoring NY commands in Gettysburg Campaign. Marks position reached by 73 NY, 2nd Fire Zouaves of Excelsior Brigade on July 2, 1863. Located in field E of Emmitsburg Rd & N of Wheatfield Rd what was Sherfy's Peach Orchard.
Short Physical Description:
Rough-hewn base, 8'x7', statues & shaft, 4'x3', 7' high. All 14' high. 2 bronze figures, fireman & infantyman atop base. Bronze inscription tablets, 3'x2' on E/W, 2'x2' on N/S. State seal at base on W side.
Long Physical Description:
Monument is a seven foot granite shaft and bronze statues of a fireman and infantryman on a 8x7 foot rough hewn base. Bronze inscription tablets are located on all sides and a state seal is on the west side of the base. Overall height is 14 foot. Sculptured by Joseph Moretti. Located east of Emmitsburg Road and north of Wheatfield Road.
My Sources
1.
NRHP Nomination Form
2.
SIRIS
3.
Stone Sentinels
4.
Virtual Gettysburg
5.
Draw the Sword
6.
Historical Marker Database