
The
149th Pennsylvania Infantry Monument served as a member of Stone’s Brigade in Doubleday’s Division of the First Corps, Army of the Potomac, a Fighting 300 Regiment. The unit was commanded by
Colonel Walton Dwight (1837-1878). Dwight was in the lumber business in Coudersport. He was wounded during the first day at Gettysburg on July 1. He was a post-war mayor of Binghamton, New York. Under Dwight's command, 450 men were engaged and among them 53 were killed, 172 were wounded and 111 went missing. The 149th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment lost a total of 4 officers and 160 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 172 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. It is honored by three monuments at Gettysburg.
The
149th Pennsylvania Infantry Monument is located on the right or east side of
Hancock Avenue (RD310) if traveling north along the road. The monument is 62 feet east of the road in the grass. The monument is also located 68 feet northeast of the
Battery C, 5th U.S. Artillery - US Regulars Tablet (MN683-B).
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 3:31 P.M. I was at an elevation of 576 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: Smith Granite Company, fabricator. (I saw the foundry stamp on the side of the monument). Dedicated Oct. 20, 1886. Rectangular, horizontal monument contains a relief of a uniformed Union solider lying behind and among a broken fence and rocks. He is aiming his rifle with proper right hand on the trigger. The I Corps emblem is carved into the ends of the die. The sculpture indicates the position held by the 149th Pennsylvania Infantry on July 3, 1863 when supporting Stannard’s Brigade. Monument is a two-part granite shaft with a smooth finished taper that is topped with a gable peak that has a bas-relief of a soldier with a gun set inside a rough cut exterior and set on a 7×3.2 foot base. The taper of the shaft has an incised inscription. Designed by A. Pinardi. Monument was moved to this location in 1889 from original location on Reynolds Avenue.
The monument was dedicated October 20, 1886 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The monument is composed of Westerly granite and has the following dimensions: The sculpture is approximately 3 feet 1 inch x 5 feet 7 inches x 2 feet and the base is approximately 1 foot 8 inches x 7 feet 3 inches x 3 feet 8 inches. The monument was fabricated by the Smith Granite Company out of Westerly, Rhode Island. The fact Westerly granite was used for the monument and it was manufactured by the Smith Granite Company is no coincidence. Smith Granite Company In 1845 Orlando Smith discovered a granite outcrop on the property owned by Joshua Babcock in Westerly, Rhode Island, and a year later purchased the site from him. He established a granite quarry shortly there after and by the 1850s was cutting granite monuments. In 1887 the Smith Granite Company was incorporated, with family members holding all the stock.. There are simple incised inscriptions on the front and sides which list the name and order of battle for this regiment, all of which read:
(Front):149th Reg't Pa. Vol's
July 3rd 1863.
(Left):
2nd Brigade
(Right):
3rd Division
1st Corps
The 149th Pennsylvania 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 MN248.
From the Nomination Form:
1 of 110 Pennsylvania Mn. Indicates position of 149th PA Infty in support of Stannard's Brigade July 3, 1863. Located E side Hancock Avenue; relocated from Reynolds Ave. in 1889.
Short Physical Description:
Mn base 7'x3'2" rough-cut; Shaft: smooth finish taper to 2-part granite monolith, taper w/ incised inscription & topped w/ gable peak - has bas-relief of soldier w/ gun set inside rough cut exterior. Ends w/ circular finished area & incised lettering.
Long Physical Description:
Monument is a two-part granite shaft with a smooth finished taper that is topped with a gable peak that has a bas-relief of a soldier with a gun set inside a rough cut exterior and set on a 7x3.2 foot base. The taper of the shaft has an incised inscription. Designed by A. Pinardi. Located on the east side of Hancock Avenue. Relocated from Reynolds Avenue in 1889.
My Sources
1.
NRHP Nomination Form
2.
SIRIS
3.
Stone Sentinels
4.
Virtual Gettysburg
5.
Draw the Sword
6.
Historical Marker Database