General Andrew Atkinson Humphreys (November 2, 1810 – December 27, 1883), was a career United States Army officer, civil engineer, and a Union General in the American Civil War. He served in senior positions in the Army of the Potomac, including division command, chief of staff, and corps command, and was Chief Engineer of the U.S. Army. He commanded the 3rd Division of the Third Corps (Sickles’ Corps), Army of the Potomac.
The 1st Massachusetts Infantry Monument is located on the east side of Emmitsburg Road near its junction with Sickles Avenue. The Draw the Sword site helped out by the NPS narrative and the SIRIS site offers the following description: A portrait of General Humphreys striding forward from the Division Line that extended along the Emmitsburg Road on July 2, 1863. His proper left hand rests on a sword that hangs on his proper left side. The sculpture rests on top of a rough granite base adorned with an inscription plaque on the front and the Pennsylvania state seal on the back. The monument is one of several that the Pennsylvania State Assembly appropriated money for on July 24, 1913. Humphreys was a native of Philadelphia.
I visited a nice site which offered some interesting insight into the statue. For instance, The likeness of Humphreys is not of a young man. The sculptor has done a wonderful job of depicting the General who was 52 years old at the time of the battle of Gettysburg. I saw a picture of the general on the web page an the sculptor did a pretty darn good job making the statue look like the real thing. Note the determined look presented on the statue. Such suttle examples include the clenched gloved hand and the forward motion of the statue. The detail and animation of the statue include the lower portion of the coat opened as if caught by a passing breeze. These details add to the natural look of the statue. Schweizer has created many fine details in the uniform of Humphreys including the details of the sword and crease in the gauntlet. The detail in the bronze statue also include the Model 1851 Officers Sword Belt plate and officers quality belt as well as Staff officers Eagle Buttons.
The Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Commission (GBMC) would on October 16th, 1913 order three bronze portait statues from the Van Amringe Company of Boston Mass. to be erected on the Gettysburg battlefield. They included statues to General's Humphreys, Hayes and Geary all men of prominence and Division commanders from the state of Pennsylvania. These statues were cast and erected on the battlefiled and were to be dedicated on "Appomattox Day" 1915. It was not dedicated until July 1, 1919. The dimensions are: Sculpture: approx. 7 ft. x 34 in. x 33 in.; Base: approx. 8 x 7 x 7 ft. The sculpture is of bronze and has a granite base. The artists who worked on this statue are: Schweizer, J. Otto, 1863-1955, sculptor. Gorham Manufacturing Company, founder. Van Amringe Granite Company, fabricator.
The text of this marker reads:
Cadet U.S. Military Academy July 1 1827, Brevet Second Lieutenant 2d U.S. Artillery July 1 1831, Second Lieutenant July 1 1831, First Lieutenant August 16 1836, Resigned September 30 1836, First Lieutenant Topographical Engineers U.S. Army July 7 1838, Captain May 31 1848, Major August 6 1861, Lieut. Colonel of Engineers March 3 1863, Brig. General and Chief of Engineers U.S. Army August 8 1866, Retired June 30 1879.
Colonel and Additional Aide-de-Camp U.S. Volunteers March 5 1862, Brig. General April 28 1862, Major General July 8 1863, Honorably mustered out of volunteer service Sept. 1 1866, Brevetted Colonel U.S. Army December 13 1862 "for gallant and meritorious service at the Battle of Fredericksburg Va." Brig. General March 13 1865 "for gallant and meritorious service at the Battle of Gettysburg Pa." Major General March 13 1865 "for gallant and meritorious service at the Battle of Sailors Creek Va."
Born November 2 1810 at Philadelphia Pa.
Died December 27 1883 at Washington D.C.
The Brigadier General A. A. Humphreys Statue 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 MN201.
From the Nomination Form:
Honors the service of General A. A. Humphreys, division commander in Sickles' III Corps. Paid for by act of State Assembly. Placed N of Humphrey's Div line. Located on Emmitsburg Rd, near junction w/ Sickles Ave.
Short Physical Description:
Rough-hewn base, 7' sq; rough-hewn shaft, 3'9" sq, overall height 6'. Topped w/ bronze figure of Gen on foot, in process of stepping forward. Attired in military uniform w/ sword. Inscription tablet on W face of shaft. Bronze State seal on E face.
Long Physical Description
Bronze statue is a figure of Humphreys on foot in the process of stepping forward on a rough hewn granite shaft that rests on a seven foot square rough hewn base. An inscription tablet appears on the west side of the shaft and a bronze state seal is located on the east face. Sculptured by J. Otto Schweizer. Located on the east side of Emmitsburg Road near its junction with Sickles Avenue.
My Sources
1.
Draw the Sword
2.
SIRIS
3.
Virtual Gettysburg
4.
Historical Marker Database
5.
Stone Sentinels
6.
NRHP Narrative