2nd Delaware Infantry Monument - Gettysburg, PA
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Math Teacher
N 39° 47.685 W 077° 14.824
18S E 307608 N 4407392
This sculpture is one of two monuments erected to Delaware commands present at the Battle of Gettysburg and marks the advance position held by the regiment & brigade after 4:30 p.m. on July 2, 1863
Waymark Code: WMHNPK
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 07/28/2013
Published By:Groundspeak Charter Member BruceS
Views: 8

At Gettysburg, the 2nd Delaware Infantry served as a member of Brooke’s Brigade in Caldwell’s Division of the Second Corps, Army of the Potomac. The unit mustered in October 17, 1861 and completed their term on July 1, 1864. All totaled, the 2nd Delaware Infantry Regiment lost 6 officers and 93 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 101 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. On the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, the regiment was involved in heavy fighting at the Wheatfield. The regiment was commanded by Colonel William P. Bailey (1825 - 1883). Bailey commanded the regiment until he was wounded on July 2nd in the Wheatfield. Lieutenant Colonel Strickler was also wounded, so Charles Christman then took command. Before the war he ran an importing business in New York City and was a corporal in Company C, 7th New York State Militia. Lt. Col. William P. Baily was promoted to the post of Colonel in October of 1862. At the battle of Fredericksburg on December 13, 1862, Bailey was his in the left breast by a piece of artillery shell. He suffered a partially paralyzed left arm. As a result, he served in a limited capacity during the Gettysburg campaign, mostly acting as a staffer in brigade headquarters under Brooke. For historical sake and not to speak ill of the dead, it is my understanding from the readings he was not looked on favorably as a good soldier and some characterized him as a coward who stayed safely at the rear of the line. I would have done the same thing. He retained his post until May 1864 when he tendered his resignation following the battle of Spottsylvania Courthouse. Baily died on Feb. 1, 1883 in North Plainfield, New Jersey. He is buried in Hillside Cemetery in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. While @ Gettysburg, the regiment brought 280 men to the battlefield and among them 11 were killed, 61 wounded and 12 went missing.

The 2nd Delaware Infantry Monument is located on the right or east side of Brooke Avenue if traveling North within Rose Woods. The monument is also located 79 feet south of the 64th New York Infantry Monument (MN142), which is also on the same side of the road. Just past and quite near the 64th N.Y. Infantry monument are also the Brooke's Brigade Tablet (MN473) and the 53rd Pennsylvania Infantry Monument (MN145-B) Parking is available on the side of the road at intermittently asphalt-or-dirt-enlarged shoulders. Take care to not park on anything remotely green looking as Park Police will happily ticket you. I visited this site on Monday, July 1, 2013 on the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg after 5:30 PM, EDT & @ an altitude of 501 feet, ASL. As always, I used my trusty and oft abused 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: Rough hewn granite marker with smooth faced triangular section on front with text inscription, and capped top with trefoil design on front. Monument is a 2.2 foot square rough granite shaft with an apex cap set on a 3.6 foot square rough hewn base. Overall height is 7.9 [possible mistake] foot. The shaft has a polished inscription panel on the south and a trefoil design on all sides of the cap.

The 2nd Delaware Infantry Monument was dedicated on June 10, 1886 by the State of Delaware and relocated in 1909. The monument is composed of Brandywine blue granite. Overall the monument is approximately 7 feet 9 inches x 3 feet 6 inches². William N. Miller was contracted for the production of this monument which was fabricated by Thomas Davidson. There is a lone inscriptions on the front which reads:

Position
held by
the 2nd Reg.
Del. Vol.
Infantry
4th Brig. 1st Div.
2nd Army Corps.
July 2nd
1863.

Erected by the State of
Delaware to commemorate
the gallantry of
her sons.
A.D. 1885.


The 2nd Delaware 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 MN143-A.

From the Nomination Form:
Marks advance position held by regiment & brigade after 4:30 p.m. on July 2. 1 of 2 mns to Delaware troops at Gettysburg. Located on Brooke Ave in Rose Woods. Marker locates skirmish line on July 3, 1863. Located W side of Hancock Ave, N. of Angle.

Short Physical Description:
Mn & position marker. Rough hewn base, 3'6" sq. Rough granite shaft 2'2" sq. w/ apex-cap. All 7'9" high. Polished inscription panel on S face of shaft. Trefoil design on cap, all faces. Position marker, rough sides, polished inscription on top, 2'5"x8"x1'4".

Long Physical Description:
Monument that has a position marker. Monument is a 2.2 foot square rough granite shaft with an apex cap set on a 3.6 foot square rough hewn base. Overall height is 7.9 foot. The shaft has a polished inscription panel on the south and a trefoil design on all sides of the cap. Position marker is rough sided with a polished inscription on the top, 2.5x8 foot. Monument is located on Brooke Avenue in the Rose Woods. Position marker is located on the west side of Hancock Avenue, north of the Angle.


My Sources
1. NRHP Nomination Form
2. SIRIS
3. Stone Sentinels
4. Virtual Gettysburg
5. Draw the Sword
6. Historical Marker Database
7. TOCWOC

Date Installed or Dedicated: 06/10/1886

Name of Government Entity or Private Organization that built the monument: State of Delaware

Union, Confederate or Other Monument: Union

Rating (1-5):

Related Website: [Web Link]

Photo or photos will be uploaded.: yes

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