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). These pictures were included in their yearly Commission reports. 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. 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 original picture has been cropped and washed out to the point where it is not possible to find background differences between the picture tandem. I did notice, however, on the bottom of the original picture, there seems to be a rectangular, bronze tablet, which has disappeared in my 2012 picture. According to the NRHP page, the monument was altered in 1902 which may account for this difference.
The 1st New Jersey Brigade Monument is located on the right or due east side of Sedgwick Avenue, up a hill and in the woods and south 618 feet shy of the intersection with United States Avenue. The monument is located in a clearing and is exactly 280 feet from the road. I believe this area is called Weikert Hill. 
Parking is available at small, cutout shoulders along the road, some wide, some narrow. 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 5:19 P.M. I was at an elevation of 547 feet, ASL. I used a Canon PowerShot 14.1 Megapixel, SX210 IS digital camera for the photos. If I remember correctly, the monument faces the west, looking out over the hill, so I had to face southeast to get the correct angle, revealing the right side and the front of the monument, from my perspective. I stood about 20 feet away as this thing is really tall.
From a previous waymark about this monument:
The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 15th Regiments served as Torbert’s Brigade in Wright’s Division of the Sixth Corps, Army of the Potomac. The 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 15th were Fighting 300 Regiments. The brigade was commanded by Brig. Gen. Alfred Thomas Archimedes Torbert (July 1, 1833 – August 29, 1880). Torbert was a career United States Army officer, a Union Army General commanding both infantry and cavalry forces in the American Civil War, and a U.S. diplomat. After the war, Torbert served in a number of diplomatic posts: as U.S. Consul to El Salvador in 1869, U.S. Consul General in Havana in 1871, and U.S. Consul General in Paris in 1873.
Alfred Torbert drowned off Cape Canaveral, Florida, in the sinking of the S.S. Vera Cruz on August 29, 1880. Eyewitness accounts claimed he swam for over 20 hours. He died on the shore shortly thereafter. His body was recovered August 31, 1880, and he is buried in the Methodist Episcopal Cemetery, Milford, Delaware.
The Draw the Sword site helped out by the NPS narrative and the SIRIS site offers the following description: Round columnic sculpture with rough-hewn surfaces contains two relief plaques with portraits of General Philip Kearny and General Alfred T. A. Torbert. It was erected by the State of New Jersey and honors the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 15th Regiments. The Brigade actually purchased the entire Weikert Farm to preserve the position it held during the battle (this was, of course, later incorporated into the Park). Consisting of Gettysburg, Quincy, and Hallowell granite, it cost of $5,700.00. Seven feet in diameter, the tall column rises 40 feet. (end Draw the Sword). Basically, my impression of this thing is it looks like an old European castle or tower. There are windows or what look like windows in external relief of the granite (looking like separate piece of granite) containing bronze tablets. The front bronze tablet is contained in what looks like a Greek porch flanked by columns (flat of course). I particularly liked the relief of General Kearney. Surrounding the relief in a circle (bronze) are listed highlights from the General's impressive military career - Mouzaia, Mexico, Solferino, and Chantilly, where he was killed. There are two of these relief portraits and this one has Kearney facing the left (so as to distinguish it from the the one of Torbert which faces the right). The one of General Torbert also contain a circular ring of words cataloging the major battles in which he led the 1st New jersey Brigade including Crampton's Pass, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Gettysburg. This all makes for a very interesting, unique and imposing tower/monument.
This monument, as well as other New Jersey monuments @ the park, was dedicated on June 30, 1888 by the State of New Jersey . The monument is composed entirely of granite (with some bronze relief plaques) and has the following dimensions: approximately 38 feet in height and 22 feet in diameter. The Bureau Brothers foundry was used for the memorial but I could not recover the name of the sculptor or any other artisans who worked on the project. There are inscriptions on the front and reverse side of this monument which read:
(Front):First Brigade,
New Jersey Volunteers.
Brig. Gen. Alfred T.A. Torbert
1st. 2nd. 3rd. 4th. and 15th.
Regiments Infantry
1st. Brig. 1st. Div. 6th. Corps.
July 2, in reserve, July 3 and 4
detached from the Corps,
held this position.
Erected by the State of
New Jersey, A.D. 1888,
in testimony of the patriotism,
courage and patient endurance
of her volunteer soldiers.
(Back):"Kearny's
New Jersey Brigade"
fought in all important battles
of the Army of the Potomac
from May 1861 to the end of the
war at Appomattox Court House
in 1865. Total Strength 13,805,
including 10th. 23rd. and 40th.
Regiments
New Jersey Volunteers,
which were attached to the
Brigade.
The 1st New Jersey Brigade 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 MN271-D.
From the Nomination Form:
1 of 12 Civil War Monuments to NJ of the GBMA Era (1863 - 1895). Only one to honor 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, & 15th NJ regiments. Indicates general position held by Brigade Jul 2-3, 1863. Flank Markers denote specific line positions. Vista opened to monument 1902. Located E side of N Sedgwick Ave.
Short Physical Description:
Monument w/ 4 position markers. Base 7'diameter. Coursed, rough-cut shaft w/ decorative banding on turret design. Excised lettering base, minature temple surrounds front bronze tablet. Bronze tablet, back, bas-reliefs sides. All approx. 20' high. Eroded markers, 1' x1'-5" sq.
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