111th New York Infantry Monument - Gettysburg, PA - Figurative Public Sculpture on Waymarking.com

One of the nicest things about these monument grounds are the original statues. Some are of real people, mostly generals. Others, like this one, are representative of soldiers who served here during the Battle of Gettysburg. Draw the Sword, with descriptive help from the NPS site, offers the following description: A bronze figure of a Civil War soldier advancing forward on the battlefront with his rifle cocked and ready to shoot. His canteen and ammunition pouches are slung over his shoulder, and his cap is titled back on his head.

The 111th New York Infantry served as a member of Willard’s Brigade in Hays’ Division of the Second Corps, Army of the Potomac, a Fighting 300 Regiment. The unit was commanded by Colonel Clinton D. MacDougall (1839-1914). MacDougall was born in Scotland and was a banker in Auburn. He was wounded on July 3 at Gettysburg (Lieutenant Colonel Isaac M. Usk took command until he, too was wounded, when Caption Aaron P. Seeley took over the regiment.) and again at Petersburg. After the war he served in the U.S. Congress; he is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. The 111th, along with its sister regiments in the brigade, had been branded as the "Harpers Ferry cowards" for their surrender - through no fault of their own - as part of the garrison of Harper's Ferry during the Antietam campaign in 1862. Paroled but forced to spend a miserable winter in a Union prisoner of war camp in Chicago until exchanged, the brigade was looking for a chance to clear their name - and more than did so at Gettysburg. The regiment brought 390 men to the field of which 58 were killed, 177 were wounded and somehow, 14 went missing.

The sculpture rests on a rectangular base adorned on the front with a circular bronze relief depicting the state seal. A trefoil symbol adorns the north and south sides of the base (that's the second corps symbol). The monument marks the position held by the regiment on July 3, 1863 at the time of Longstreet’s assault. Memorial cost $2,400.00. Monument is a battered shaft of smooth and polished granite set on a 8.2×5.10 foot rough cut stepped base with tooled edge. The shaft has excised letters with a bronze medallion and tablet, and capped with a bronze infantryman. Overall height is 14.3 feet. Sculptured by Casper Buberl. Flanking markers are one foot square. The 111th New York Infantry Monument is located on the west side of Hancock Avenue in Ziegler’s Grove. (if you are traveling south down North hancock Road), just past Ziegler's Grove in Gettysburg National Military Park. The monument is on the Bryan Farm property @ Cemetery Ridge.

The monument stands at the spot where the regiment’s colors stood during the battle on July 3; on this spot, four color bearers and two officers fell defending Cemetery Ridge during “Pickett’s Charge.” The monument was dedicated June 26, 1891 by the State of New York and was sculpted by Caspar Buberl (1834 - 1899), fabricated by Frederick & Field utilizing the Henry-Bonnard Bronze Company foundry, The monument is composed of bronze and the base of Quincy granite with the following dimensions: Sculpture: approx. 6 ft. 9 in. x 3 ft. x 2 ft. 2 in.; Base: approx. 14 ft. 3 in. x 8 ft. 2 in. x 5 ft. 10 in. The two-sided inscription reads:

(Front):111th New York Infantry.
3rd Brigade, 3rd Division
2nd Corps.
(Back):111th New York Infantry
Arrived early morning July 2nd 1863, position near
Ziegler's Grove. Went to relief of 3rd Corps in afternooon;
took this position that evening and held it to close of battle.
Number engaged (8 companies) 390
Casualties
Killed 58 Wounded 177 Missing 14 Total 249
Recruited in Cayuga and Wayne Counties.
Mustered in at Auburn August 20, 1862.
Engagements - Bolivar Heights and all battles of 2nd
Corps from Gettysburg to Appomattox.
Total enrollment ——— 75 officers ——— 1730 men
Losses ——— Killed and died 12 officers, 394 men
Wounded ——— 26 officers, 531 men
Total 863
Mustered out June 5, 1865.

The 111th New York 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 MN210-B.

From the Nomination Form:

1 of 90 Monuments to New York. Indicates position held Jul 3, 1863 of 111th NY Infty. Aided in repulse of Pettigrew's CSA Div, moving up during cannonade. LF&RF markers 42'& 86' N-S of Mn. Mn located W side N Hancock Avenue at Brian Barn.

Mn & 2 Flank Markers. Mn: Stepped base, 8'2"x5'10" rough-cut w/ tooled edge. Battered shaft of smooth & polished granite, excised letters w/ bronze medallion & tablet, Capped w/ bronze inftyman. All 14'-3"H. LF&RF 1'sq x1'-6"H. Chipped.

Monument that has two flanking markers. Monument is a battered shaft of smooth and polished granite set on a 8.2x5.10 foot rough cut stepped base with tooled edge. The shaft has excised letters with a bronze medallion and tablet, and capped with a bronze infantryman. Overall height is 14.3 feet. Sculptured by Casper Buberl. Flanking markers are one foot square. Located on the west side of north Hancock Avenue at the Brian Barn.