The 11th Pennsylvania Reserves was also known as The 40th Infantry. During the battle of Gettysburg, it served as a member of Fisher’s Brigade in Crawford’s Division of the Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac, a Fighting 300 Regiment. The unit was commanded by Colonel Samuel M. Jackson (1833-1907), a merchant from Apollo; served post-war in the state legislature. The brigade had 392 men engaged at Gettysburg with 3 killed and 38 wounded.
The 11th Pennsylvania Reserves (40th Infantry)Monument is located right off of Wheatfield Road along Ayers Avenue. The marker is on the left or southeast of the road if traveling southwest along the road. This site is also the eastern most corner of the Wheatfield, which border is defined on its east side by Ayers Road. When I visited the field was overgrown with tall grass, wildflowers and ticks making it difficult to walk inside and visit the several monuments and position markers. The monument faces northwest looking across the road, which also runs northwest. Parking is available at small, cutout shoulders along the road, some wide, some narrow. Be sure to stay off the grass or you will be tickete by park police. I visited this monument on Thursday, July 5, 2012 at 1:06 P.M. I was at an elevation of 558 feet, ASL. I used a 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: A Celtic style monument. Monument: granite with marble tablet and bronze plaques. Monument to 11th Pennsylvania Reserves comprised of two supporting monolith piers decorated with inset Maltese crosses), topped by a pediment-shaped rock with bronze Pennsylvania state shield). Between the two piers, another rock pillar is decorated with a large palm leaf. Granite monument is composed of two, 3.3×8.2 foot supporting piers with incised Maltese Crosses, corps insignia, and gable cap set on a 4.9 foot rough hewn base. Overall height is 10.4 foot. A polished panel with incised inscriptions is located between the piers. Flanking markers are apex topped, one foot square. The location of the monument marks the general position of the 11th Reserve unit on the evening of July 2, 1863 when they counterattacked Confederates in the Valley of Death, driving westward through Wheatfield. The regiment took position in line with McCandless’ Brigade along stone wall to rear of monument.
The monument was erected on September 1, 1890 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The monument is of granite with marble tablet and bronze plaques. Overall, the granite monument's dimensions are approximately 11 ft. 4 in. x 4 ft. 6 in. x 4 ft. 6 in. I could not find out who sculpted or fabricated the monument. There are inscription on the front and rear which read:
(Front):11th. Pennsylvania Reserves
40th. Infantry
3d. Brigade 3d. Division 5th. Corps
Mustered in May 9 - July 5. 1861
Mustered out June 13 1864
Recruited in Cambria, Indiana, Butler, Fayette
Armstrong, Westmoreland, and Jefferson Counties.
Present at Gettysburg 25 officers and 367 men.
Killed 1 officer and 4 men
Wounded 2 officers and 33 men
Total enrollment 1200
Killed and died of wounds 11 officers and 185 men
Died of disease etc. 1 officer and 113 men
Wounded 19 officers 260 men
Captured or missing 31 officers 727 men
(Totals) 61 officers and 1285 men
Total casualties 1346
(Back):July 2d. in the evening charged from
the hill in rear to this position and
held it until the afternoon of July 3rd.
when the Brigade advanced through
the woods to the front and left
driving the enemy and capturing many prisoners
Mechanicsville, Gaines' Mill, Glendale
or New Market Cross Roads, Malvern Hill,
Groveton, 2d. Bull Run, South Mountain,
Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg,
Bristoe Station, Rappahannock Station,
Mine Run, Wilderness, Spotsylvania,
North Anna, Totopotomy, Bethesda Church
The 11th Pennsylvania Reserves (40th 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 MN135-B.
From the Nomination Form:
Marks general position of 11th Pennsylvania Infantry on p.m. of July 2, 1863 when they counterattacked Confederates in Valley of Death. 1 of 110 mns in Park to PA commands. Located on E side of Aryes Ave, near Wheatfield Rd.
Short Physical Description:
Mn & 2 flank markers. Rough hewn base, 4'9" w/2 supporting piers, 3'3"x8'2" w/ incised Maltese crosses, corps insignia and gable cap. All 10'4" high. Between piers polished panel w/ incised inscriptions. Flank markers, apex topped, 1'x1'x1'5".
Long Physical Description:
Monument that has two flanking markers. Granite monument is composed of two, 3.3x8.2 foot supporting piers with incised Maltese Crosses, corps insignia, and gable cap set on a 4.9 foot rough hewn base. Overall height is 10.4 foot. A polished panel with incised inscriptions is located between the piers. Flanking markers are apex topped, one foot square. Located on the east side of Ayres Avenue near Wheatfield Road.
My Sources
1.
NRHP Nomination Form
2.
SIRIS
3.
Stone Sentinels
4.
Virtual Gettysburg
5.
Draw the Sword
6.
Historical Marker Database