The 4th New York
Independent Battery served as a member of Randolph’s Brigade in Third Corps, Army of the Potomac. The battery was commanded by Captain James E. Smith (1832 - 1893). Initially, the Fourth New York Independent Battery of Light Artillery was recruited and organized in New York City by Smith, who had previously served as a lieutenant in Varian's Battery, which was attached to the Eighth New York Militia. This battery — Varian's — enlisted April 19, 1861, for three months, and went to the front immediately. On its return some of the men re-enlisted under Captain Smith. Smith was a livestock merchant in New York City. In 1892 he published a history of his battery titled "A Famous Battery and its Campaigns 1861-1864, Fourth New Independent Battery". He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
At the July 1863 Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, his battery, consisting of six 10-pound Parrott guns, was posted on ridges above the Devil's Den area, looking over what would be called the "Triangular Field". Here, on the second day of the engagement (July 2, 1863), Captain Smith directed his guns as they fought to repulse the Confederate attack of General James Longstreet's Corps. Under Smith's command, the battery brought 135 men to the field and among them, 2 men were killed, 10 wounded & one man went missing as well as there being 11 horses killed.
The 4th New York Battery Tablet is on the left or west side of Crawford Road when traveling north. To the south is the one way intersection of Warren Avenue and to the north, the four way intersection of Wheatfield Road. The tablet is .24 miles north of the rocky mess that is Devil's Den. The tablet is flanked by two anonymous 10-pounder Parrott rifles. 
Parking is available along the avenue at intermittently enlarged shoulder areas. 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 @ 3:32 PM, EDT & @ an altitude of 525 feet, ASL. As always, I used my trusty and oft abused Canon PowerShot 14.1 Megapixel, SX210 IS digital camera for the photos.
These cast iron monuments were first built in 1900 and concluded in 1906 according to the NRHP nomination form. All of this tablet nonsense is very confusing and disorganized. 1910 seems to be the most reasonable, extremely conservative date so we will go with that. (These tablets are mentioned as early as 1902 in the yearly Commission reports.) It is amazing with all the work and effort exerted to make the Gettysburg National Military Park a reality, no one took the time to keep accurate records and correct installation dates. The work was done under the direction of the Gettysburg National 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 then transferred to the National Park Service in 1933. SOURCE
Draw the Sword using descriptive help from the NPS site (& me), offers the following description: Iron War Department tablet. Cast iron tablet with raised inscription painted in a contrasting color and mounted on fluted cast iron post. 4'4" high. Cast by Calvin Gilbert. The inscription on the 3.8' x 3.4' tablet narrates the events associated with Battery during the Battle. The diamond symbol of the Third Corps is at the top of the tablet.
These battery tablets were cast by Calvin Gilbert. Gilbert joined the 87th Pennsylvania Volunteers when the "Rebellion" broke out. Since he was musically inclined, he was made a member of the regimental band. In early 1863, he was promoted to the rank of Captain and sent to Washington D.C. for commissary duty. He served in that capacity until the war ended in 1865, and at war’s end earned the brevet rank of Major. 
After returning home to Gettysburg, Major Gilbert moved his family to the town of Chambersburg, where he served as the Superintendent of Schools. He also opened an iron foundry there in 1868. When Calvin learned, nearly thirty years later, in 1894, that the Gettysburg Foundry was available, he purchased it with a business partner & moved his family back to Gettysburg. For the next twenty years, the Calvin Gilbert Foundry created ironworks that are still seen today on many historic forts and national battlefields (this tablet), from upstate New York to Florida to Lookout Mountain. Gilbert lived to be 100 years old and attended the Last Reunion of the Blue and Gray for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg when he was 99. He was a most remarkable man and lived an amazing life.
There is an excellent excerpt in the American Guide Series about Gilbert attending the 75th reunion anniversary.
Look carefully on the reverse side of one of these tablets and his name might be there; I found a tablet or two like this. This one of course is devoid of his name. The inscription on the monument reads:
Army of the Potomac
Third Corps Artillery Brigade
Fourth New York Independent Battery
Six 10 pounder Parrotts
Capt. James E. Smith Commanding
July 2 Arrived from Emmitsburg at 9 a.m. Four guns posted on the heights above Devil's Den at 2 p.m. Two guns in this position. After the capture of three of the guns in the advanced position and the repulse of their support this section opened fire with great effect on the Confederate forces advancing up the valley. At 6 p.m. this section was moved to the right near Winslow's Battery and subsequently to the rear.
July 3 Not engaged.
Killed 2 men. Wounded 10 men. Missing 1 man.
11 horses killed. 240 rounds of ammunition expended.
There are hundreds of non-sculpted monumentation for the various Confederate States & Union units which fought at Gettysburg. There are about 10 different variations of tablets, markers and monoliths by my reckoning. Six designs represent brigade (2), division (2), corps (2), & army headquarters (2), each different in a subtle way so as to distinguish between armies. Battalion/battery/advance position markers and regimental monuments for United States Regulars & Confederate have their own distinct design (2), bringing the total to ten designs at the battlefield. The bronze tablets (the brigade monuments) were created by Albert Russell & Sons Co. of Newburyport, Massachusetts. The granite bases which accompany the various tablets were created by the Van Amringe Company out of Boston, Massachusetts. The cast iron tablets were of course manufactured by the aforementioned Calvin Gilbert. The 1910 Gettysburg Commission report lists the awarded contracts to these companies (not Gilbert) for the tablets.
All of these tablets were designed by architect Colonel Emmor Bradley Cope (July 23, 1834 - May 28, 1927). He designed pretty much every tablet for both the Union and Confederate armies, each one distinct, with several different varieties. He is buried in 
Evergreen Cemetery in Gettysburg, as well he should be as this park and most of the things seen here today were designed by him and as such, are his legacy. These monuments/tablets were erected just after the turn of the century during the first & beginning of the second decade of the 20th century. Each one has since been preserved or restored at least twice since the turn of the 21st century. The plaques and tablets were erected by the Gettysburg Park Commission (established by the War Department). The Gettysburg Park Commission is also referred to as the Gettysburg National Military Park Commission or the Gettysburg National Park Commission, to clear up any confusions, especially my own.
On October 1, 1898, the Gettysburg National Park Commission in a letter to the Secretary of War gave recommendations for continuing the task of organizing and progressing the work of the Gettysburg National Military Park. Every November they wrote their annual report which outlined the work of the GNPC for that year. The following is an excerpt from that report relevant to this waymark. The link at the end of the paragraph will take you to the entire report. The method of marking the positions of troops on this field, as approved by the War Department, is to place the principal tablet or monument of each command at the position occupied by the command in the main line of battle, and to mark the several important positions subsequently reached by each command in the course of the battle by subordinate and ancillary tablets, with appropriate brief inscriptions giving interesting details and occurrences and noting the day and hour as nearly as possible. SOURCE
Most of the Commission reports have been digitized and can be found HERE. The initial 1893 report up to and including 1921 can be found here. 1922 to 1926 are missing and have yet to be discovered. The years 1927 to 1933 were discovered in 1996 and are also included. To my knowledge this is the most comprehensive list of documents that illustrate the development and formation of the park.
Information about these specific types of monuments:
CONFEDERATE BATTERY AND BRIGADE TABLETS (ADVANCED POSITION MARKERS)
These tablets are 3’8" x 3’4" in dimensions, with carefully prepared inscriptions cast in raised letters painted in white (contrasting the black background) describing the part taken in the battle by each artillery battery, their position and stating its numbers and losses so far as practicable to obtain. The Union & Confederate tablets are virtually identical. Most of the CS battery markers state the losses were not reported in detail. The tablets are mounted on iron pillars or fluted cast iron posts about 3 feet high, grouted in the ground, and the tablets are inclined at a suitable angle so that the inscriptions can easily be read by persons riding or driving on the avenue. Every tablet is 4’4" in height. The advance position markers were cast by Calvin Gilbert. SOURCE & SOURCE. These tablets usually have accompanying artillery pieces which flank the tablet on either side. There can be as little as one cannon and as many as four.
The 4th New York Battery Tablet 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 catalogued as contributing structure number MN555-B.
From the Nomination Form:
One of 100 cast iron tablets designed by E.B. Cope marking positions of batteries and brigades along avenue system not otherwise marked by monumentation. Tablets designating artillery positions have 1-4 mounted cannons flanking them. Incorrectly marks position of section Smith's Battery July 1863.
Short Physical Description:
Cast iron tablet with raised inscription painted in contrasting color & mounted on fluted cast iron post. 4'4" high; 3.8' x 3.4' tablet, inscription narrates events associated w/ Battery during Battle. Two cannons flank W & E sides of tablet. Located on W side of Crawford Ave.
Long Physical Description:
Cast iron tablet with raised inscription painted in a contrasting color and mounted on fluted cast iron post. 4'4" high. Cast by Calvin Gilbert. The inscription on the 3.8' x 3.4' tablet narrates the events associated with Battery during the Battle. Two cannons flank the tablet (one on east, one on west). Located on the west side of Crawford Ave. The historic position of the battle battery was NW of the site at the summit of Houck's Ridge.
