1st Pennsylvania Cavalry Monument - Gettysburg, PA - American Civil War Monuments and Memorials on Waymarking.com

The 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry served as a member of McIntosh’s Brigade in Gregg’s Division of the Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac. The unit was commanded by Colonel John P. Taylor (1827-1914). Under Taylor's command, 344 men were engaged at Gettysburg and among them, 2 went missing.

The 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry Monument is located along Hancock Avenue (RD310), on the right or east side of the road if traveling traveling north. The monument is 33 feet to the south of the Brigadier General A. S. Webb Monument. This position is also exactly 150 feet north northeast of the High Water Mark Monument (MN230). The monument faces due west, in the direction where the Union position was defended on July 3, 1863. This area is an absolute beehive of activity as this site represents the best of what Gettysburg has to offer, both historically and monumentally. Parking is plentiful and is available road-side at intermittently enlarged shoulder cut-outs, usually marked with white striping. Be sure to keep vehicles off the grass or you will be ticketed by park police. I visited this monument on Tuesday, August 7, 2012 at approximately 4:49 P.M. I was at an elevation of 619 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 the SIRIS site offers the following description: A bronze figure of a kneeling soldier holding his rifle at the ready is installed atop a rectangular granite base. It was modeled off of a soldier in Company L named Joseph Lindemuth. The base is adorned on the front with a bronze Pennsylvania state seal and a bronze Cavalry Corps insignia. The shaft has bronze tablets, bas-relief, and medallions. Located just to the right and left of the base are two small square markers.

The monument was dedicated September 2, 1890 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The monument is composed of granite with the bronze sculpture and has the following dimensions: The sculpture is approximately 56 x 20 x 3056 x 20 x 30½ inches in height and the base is approximately 24 x 52 x 63 inches. The monument was sculpted by Henry Jackson Ellicott and finished at the Bureau Brothers foundry, a relatively famous company contracted to finish numerous monuments at the Gettysburg Battlefield. There are inscriptions on all sides save the rear, all of which read:

(Front):First Pennsylvania Cavalry
1 Brigade 2 Division Cavalry Corps
Army of the Potomac
(Right):
Recruited in Montgomery, Berks, Blair, Cumberland, Juniata, Mifflin, Centre, Clinton, Greene, Fayette, Washington and Allegheny Counties

Participated in 66 engagements among which are the following:
Dranesville, Strasburg, Harrisonburg, Cross Keys, Cedar Mountain, Thoroughfare Gap, Gainesville, 2 Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Brandy Station, Aldie, Middleburg, Gettysburg, Shepherdstown, Muddy Run, Culpeper, Rapidan River, Sulphur Springs, Auburn, Bristoe Station, Mine Run, Todd's Tavern, Davenport, Fortifications of Richmond, Hawes' Shop, Cold Harbor, Trevillian Station, White House, St. Mary's Church, Reams' Station July 12, 1864, Malvern Hill, Charles City Cross Road, Reams' Station August 26, 1864, Hatcher's Run, Dinwiddie Court House, Paines' Cross Roads, Amelia Springs, Sailor's Creek, Farmville, Appomattox

(Left):Mustered in July-Sept. 1861 Re-enlisted Jan-Feb. 1864
Consolidated with the 6. and 17. Pena. Cavalry to form the 2. Provisional Penna.
Cavalry June 17 1865 Mustered out August 7 1865At the opening of the artillery fire on the afternoon of July 3 the regiment was in line to teh left and rear of this position with orders from Gen. Meade to "charge the assaulting column should it succeed in breaking the infantry line in front."Present at Gettysburg 30 officers and 388 men
Total enrollment 1500
Killed and died of wounds Officers 8 Men 37
Wounded Officers 22 Men 256
Died of disease, etc. Officers 2 Men 106
Captured or missing Officers 4 Men 102
Total Casualties 537

The 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry 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 MN225-B.

From the Nomination Form:
1 of 110 Mn to PA. Erected as Commemoration to 1st PA Cavalry, position was at left rear of this site. Held in reserve for action if Webb's PA Infty line was broken. LF&RF Mkrs 78' N-S of Mn. Located E side Hancock Av near Copse of Trees.

Short Physical Description:
Mn & 2 Flank Mkrs. MN: base 5'3"x4'4", truncated shaft finished & rough-cut granite w/ bronze tablets, bas-relief, medallions, topped by dismounted Cav. soldier. Flk Mkrs 1'sq x 1'6"H.

Statue cleaned & treated. Mkrs chipped, faint inscription.

Long Physical Description:
Monument that has two flanking markers. Monument is a truncated shaft of finished and rough cut granite topped by a dismounted bronze cavalry soldier and set on a 5.3x4.4 foot base. The shaft has bronze tablets, bas-relief, and medallions. Sculptured by H. L. Ellicott. Flanking markers are one foot square. Located on the east side of Hancock Avenue, near the Copse of Trees.

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