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 believe this monument was taken in the early 1900s as other late 19th century monuments can be seen in the distance. As far as differences in the two pictures, everything with the monument is the same., but in the background, a fence is missing and considerable growth has taken place over the last 110 years.
The 2nd Battery, Connecticut Artillery Monument is located on the west or left side of Hancock Avenue if traveling north, just past the Pennsylvania State Monument, located on the east or right side of he road. The Pleasanton Avenue intersection is just north of this position. The front inscription faces the east, so you would be facing the west to read it. Additionally, there are two 3-inch Parrott Rifles flanking the monument which point to the west as well. This location is a hot-bed of activity and one of the best examples of a hands-on history lesson of the Civil War one could hope to find. All along both sides of the road are these types of tablets, memorials, monuments, sculptures, and all manner of cannons, rifles and guns. Parking is available at enlarged shoulder cutouts on the right side of the road, directly across from the various monuments. 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 just before 6:00 P.M. I was at an elevation of 575 feet, ASL. I used a Canon PowerShot 14.1 Megapixel, SX210 IS digital camera for the photos. This was one of the easiest photo to match up as the original photographer faced due west and stood in the road about 8 feet away when he snapped his picture. I did the same.
From a previous waymark about this monument:
The 9th Michigan Artillery served as a member of Robertson’s Brigade in the Pleasanton’s Corps, Army of the Potomac. The artillery unit was commanded by Captain Jabez J. Daniels (1830-1880), a merchant from Hudson, Michigan. Under his command, 119 men (and 6 Ordnance Rifles) were engaged at the Battle of Gettysburg and among them, 1 was killed and 4 were wounded.
The Draw the Sword site helped out by the NPS narrative and the SIRIS site offers the following description: Rectangular vertical marker has rough-hewn edges and is tapered at the top. On the front face is a relief of a wagon wheel, uniform cap and crossed rammers. A polished artillery insignia appears at the top and a State Seal in bronze in installed at the bottom. Monument is a two-part granite shaft set on a 6.11×5 foot base that has incised inscriptions and a bronze medallion. The lower part of the shaft has incised inscription and the upper part has a bas-relief obverse with incised inscription on the reverse. Flanking markers are one foot square.
The monument was dedicated on June 12, 1889 by the State of Michigan. The monument is composed of Westerly granite, the base, of regular old granite, with some bronze elements and has the following dimensions: The sculpture is approximately 7 feet x 3 feet 7 inches x 2 feet one inch and the base is approximately 6 feet eleven inches x 5 feet in width. The Smith Granite Company was used for the fabrication process. This company had their hand in a multitude of the monuments all over the battlefield. There are inscriptions on the front and back of the monument which read:
(Front):Ninth Mich. Bat'y. I. First Art'y.
1st Brig.
Horse Artil'y.
Cavalry Corps
(Back):Mustered in at Detroit, Mich.
Aug. 29, 1862.
Mustered out at Detroit, Mich
July 14, 1865.
This monument marks the position
held by the Ninth Mich. Battery,
from 12-30 p.m. July 3 until 7 a.m.
the following morning.
322 rounds of shot, shell
and canister expended.
Casualties
One man killed and four wounded.
Battery sustained a loss of 23 horses
killed in this engagement.
Army Potomac.
from Dec. 1862 to Oct. 1863.
Army Cumberland
From Nov. 1863 until close of service in 1865.
The 9th Michigan Battery 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 MN263-D.
From the Nomination Form:
1 of 9 Civil War Monuments to Michigan of the GBMA Era (1863 - 1895). Indicates 9th Michigan Battery position July 3, 1863 at noon, firing at 12:30PM continually until 5:30PM. Located W side of Hancock Avenue, RF&LF markers located 46'S & 32'N, respectively.
Short Physical Description:
Mn w/2 flanking markers (1ft. sq. x 1'6"H) & 2 iron rifled cannon on cast iron carriages. 2 part garinte shaft set on a 6'5" x 5' base that has incised inscriptions & bronze medallion. Lower part of shaft has incised inscription, upper part has bas-relief obverse w/incised inscription on reverse.
Long Physical Description:
Monument that has two flanking markers and two flanking wrought iron rifled cannon mounted on cast iron carriages. Monument is a two-part granite shaft set on a 6.11x5 foot base that has incised inscriptions and a bronze medallion. The lower part of the shaft has incised inscription and the upper part has a bas-relief obverse with incised inscription on the reverse. Flanking markers are one foot square. Located on the west side of Hancock Avenue.
My Sources
1.
NRHP Nomination Form
2.
SIRIS
3.
Stone Sentinels
4.
Virtual Gettysburg
5.
Draw the Sword
6.
Historical Marker Database