This regiment was commanded by Maj. Chauncey A. Lyman during the battle. The unit was part of the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, I Corps. The 7th PA Reserve Volunteer Infantry Monument is located on Mansfield Avenue on the north or right side of the road if you are traveling west. There is a string of these beautiful Pennsylvania monuments along this road as well as a host of other Civil War markers and sites worthy of a visit. This area is the second stop on the Antietam car/walking tour.
The SIRIS site describes this beautiful monument and figurative sculpture of a soldier as a full-length figure of a uniformed Union soldier stands atop a tapered pedestal on a tiered base. The figure is loading his musket held by the barrel in his proper left hand. His proper right hand draws out the ramrod. The monument was dedicated September 17, 1906 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and bears the tell-tale sculpture of a soldier. I noticed all the PA infantry monuments were dedicated on September 17 either in 1904 or like this one in 1906.
The sculpture is approximately 7 ft. in height with a width of about 3 feet. The base is approximately 9 feet in height with a width of 7 feet squared. The sculpture of the soldier is composed of Westerly granite with the base constructed of Barre granite. The monument was designed by the Van Amringe Granite Company. This company was responsible for the production of scores of monuments at Gettysburg as well as most of the PA monuments here at Antietam. The inscription on this memorial lists the complete service history of this unit and reads as follows:
36th Regiment in line, 2nd Brigade.
3rd Division, 1st Corps.
Organized June 26, 1861.
Mustered out June 16, 1864.
The regiment arrived on the field on the afternoon
of September 16, 1862.
Formed at this point on the morning of the 17th.
Advanced about 600 yards south and became engaged
with Hood's Confederate Division.
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Casualties at Antietam
Killed 12
Wounded 60
Total 72
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Recruited three companies in Philadelphia.
Two companies in Cumberland County.
Two companies in Lebanon County.
One company each in Luzerne-Clinton
and Perry Counties.
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Battles participated in:
Great Falls
Dranesville
Mechanicsville
Gaines Mill
Charles City Cross Roads
Malveren Hill
Gainesville
Second Bull Run
Chantilly
South Mountain
Antietam
Fredericksburg and Wilderness
From 1890s to 1960s veterans’ organizations erected monuments to commemorate the people and actions associated the Battle of Antietam (16-18 September 1862). The 137th PA Vol Infantry Monument contributes to the National Register District under Criterion A with the period of significance 1800-1899. The monument is designated as structure number 002.
The 7th Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Infantry Monument (1906) is significant under Criterion A because of its association with the commemoration of the Battle of Antietam. The monuments and markers at Antietam represent a wide sampling of late 19th and early 20th century military memorialization from the period when such monumentation was in its heyday.
This monument marks the location where the regiment formed on the morning of 17 September 1862. It advanced about 600 yards south of this point and became engaged with the Confederate troops. It honors those memebers that were killed during the battle. The Van Amringe Granite Company and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania designed the momument.
The 7th Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Infantry Monument was dedicated on 17 September 1906, and listed on the National Register on October 15, 1966, with a confirmation National Register form updated and approved by the Keeper on February 10, 1982. There are a total of 19 monuments and markers dedicated to the Pennsylvania troops at Antietam.
Short Physical Description
7th PA Reserve Vol Inf Monument is located on the north side of Mansfield Ave. It consists of a rough-and smooth-dressed granite base and pedestal with a granite statue of a soldier standing on an inclined surface and holding rifle in his left hand.
The 7th Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Infantry Monument is located on the north side of Mansfield Avenue. It consists of a two-tiered square base made of rough-and-smooth dressed granite. Atop the base is a 9’ tall pedestal. Made from Barre, Vermont granite, the pedestal is rough-cut on the base and diestone with a finely hammered plinth stone. A molding of Roman faces decorates the top of the pedestal.
Long Physical Description
A bronze plaque attached to the south face of the pedestal reads:“7TH REGIMENT PENNSYLVANIA/ RESERVE VOLUNTEER INFANTRY/ 36TH REGIMENT IN LINE, 2ND BRIGADE,/ 3RD DIVISION, 1ST CORPS./ ORGANIZED JUNE 26, 1861./ MUSTERED OUT JUNE 16, 1864./ THE REGIMENT ARRIVED ON THE FIELD ON THE AFTERNOON/ OF SEPTEMBER 16, 1862./ FORMED AT THIS POINT ON THE MORNING OF THE 17TH,/ ADVANCED ABOUT 600 YARDS SOUTH AND BECAME/ ENGAGED WITH HOOD'S CONFEDERATE DIVISION./ CASUALTIES AT ANTIETAM/ KILLED: 12/ WOUNDED: 60/ TOTAL: 72/ RECRUITED THREE COMPANIES IN PHILADELPHIA,/ TWO COMPANIES IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY, TWO/ COMPANIES IN LEBANON COUNTY, ONE COMPANY/ EACH IN LUZERNE, CLINTON AND PERRY COUNTIES./ BATTLES PARTICIPATED IN:/ GREAT FALLS, DRANESVILLE, GAINES MILLS, MECAHNICSVILLE, CHARLES/ CITY CROSS ROADS,/ MALVERN HILL, GAINESVILLE, SECOND BULL RUN/ CHANTILLY, SOUTH MOUNTAIN, ANTIETAM,/ FREDERICKSBURG, AND WILDERNESS/ VIRTUE, LIBERTY AND INDEPENDENCE/ ERECTED BY THE/ COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA.”
A Maltese Cross enclosed by the large round disk of the First Corps is sunk into the east side. Atop the pedestal stands a 7’ tall statue of an infantryman entitled “Drawing the Ramrod.” The soldier’s right hand is at the top of his musket, which is being held upright at his left side, about to draw out the ramrod prior to loading. The monument is in good condition.
My Source
1.
NRHP Nomination Form
2.
SIRIS
3.
Stone Sentinels
4.
Virtual Antietam
5.
Historical Marker Database
6.
National Park Service
7.
Antietam on the Web