7th Michigan Infantry Monument - Gettysburg, PA
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Math Teacher
N 39° 48.707 W 077° 14.171
18S E 308588 N 4409259
This monument represent one of nine monuments dedicated to Michigan units that served at Gettysburg and the indicates position held by the 7th on July 2 & 3, 1863 when they repulsed attacks by Wright (July 2) & Longstreet (July 3) [Pickett's Charge].
Waymark Code: WMGHZF
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 03/10/2013
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member LSUMonica
Views: 4

The 7th Michigan Infantry served as a member of Hall’s Brigade in Gibbon’s Division of the Second Corps, Army of the Potomac, a Fighting 300 Regiment. The 7th Michigan Infantry was organized at Monroe, Michigan and mustered into Federal service for a three year enlistment on August 22, 1861. All totaled, the regiment suffered 11 officers and 197 enlisted men who were killed in action or motally wounded and 3 officers and 186 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 397 fatalities.

The unit was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Amos Steele (1834-July 3, 1863). Born in New York, he worked as a farm and militia officer in Mason, Michigan before the outbreak of the Civil War. After the conflict started, he was commissioned a Lieutenant in Company B, 7th Michigan Volunteer Infantry on October 31, 1862 and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was killed while in command of his regiment during the repulse of Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863. He fell near where the 7th Michigan Monument stands today south of the Copse of Trees on Cemetery Ridge. Under Steele's command @ Gettysburg, 165 men were engaged at Gettysburg and among them, 21 were killed, and 44 were wounded.

The 7th Michigan Infantry Monument is located on the left or west side of Hancock Avenue (RD310) if traveling north along the road at an area called The Angle. This monument is the eighth sculpture in a string of monuments that extend north across the green field to the United States Regulars Monument (MN235), which is 241 feet southeast of this position, and beyond. All totaled, there are about 1080 feet of green fields with a line of monumentation spread across it representing the line of union regiments who defended Cemetery Ridge at The Angle against Longstreet's assault also referred to as Pickett's Charge on July 3, 1863, the final day of the Great Battle. The 20th Massachusetts Infantry Monument is 127 feet south or left (if facing the east) of this monument. The 15th Massachusetts Infantry Monument (MN203-B) is the next sculpture south. Next is the 1st Minnesota Infantry Monument (MN239) and the 82nd New York Infantry Monument (MN239) follows that. Finally, the 20th New York State Militia (80th Regiment) Marker (MN798) finishes off the string of monumentation and is at the southern most point. Parking is plentiful and is available road-side at intermittently enlarged shoulder cut-outs, usually marked with white striping. Be sure to keep vehicles off the grass or you will be ticketed by park police. I visited this monument on Tuesday, August 7, 2012 at approximately 4:15 P.M. I was at an elevation of 581 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: Pedestal with cross-gable cap stands on a tiered, rough-hewn base. Relief elements include a trefoil II Corps insignia, assorted infantry items and crossed rifles. The Seal of the State of Michigan is affixed to the lower front face. Flanking markers are one foot square. It marks the position held by the 7th Michigan Infantry on July 2 & 3, 1863.

The monument was dedicated June 12, 1889 by the State of Michigan. The monument is composed of Westerly blue granite with bronze relief and has the following dimensions: The sculpture is 8 feet x 2 feet 8½ inches² and the base is approximately 5 feet 2 inches². The monument was sculpted by Joseph Pasetti and was fabricated by the Smith Granite Company out of Westerly, Rhode Island. The fact Westerly granite was used for the monument and it was manufactured by the Smith Granite Company is no coincidence. In 1845 Orlando Smith discovered a granite outcrop on the property owned by Joshua Babcock in Westerly, Rhode Island, and a year later purchased the site from him. He established a granite quarry shortly there after and by the 1850s was cutting granite monuments. In 1887 the Smith Granite Company was incorporated, with family members holding all the stock.. There is a brief inscription on the front and a more lengthy inscription on the back, all of which read:

(Front):
Seventh
Mich. Inf'ty
3rd Brig.
2nd Div. 2nd Corps

(Back):
Mustered in at Monroe, Mich. 22, 1861.
Mustered out at Jeffersonville, Ind. July 5, 1865.
Total enrollment, 1393 officers and men.
Killed in action 6 officers, 123 men.
Died of wounds 5 officers, 47 men
Died of disease 3 officers 154 men
Total 338

Participated in 37 skirmishes and general engagements from Ball's Bluff, Va. Oct. 21, 1861 to siege of Petersburg, Va. Apr. 3, 1865.

Regiment held this position during the engagement of July 2nd & 3rd. 1863. On the evening of the 2nd changed front to the left, meeting and aiding in driving back the enemy. On the 3rd assisted in repulsing Pickett's Charge, changing front to the right and assaulting the advancing force in flank.

Present for duty 14 officers 151 men
Total 165.
Casualties.
2 officers, 19 men killed; 3 officers, 41 men wounded.
Total 65.


The 7th Michigan Infantry Regiment 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 MN233-B.

From the Nomination Form:
1 of 9 Michigan monuments. Indicates position held July 2 & 3 1863. Repulsed attacks by Wright (July 2) & Longstreet (July 3). Located E of Hancock, S of Copse of Trees. LF&RF markers located N-S of Mn.

Short Physical Description:
Mn & 2 flank markers. 2 part stepped base 5'2" sq, rough cut w/tooled edge. 2 part tapered shaft. 1st part w/incised lettering around bronze state medallion, 2nd part excised detailing w/incised letters. Cross gable peak. All 8'H. LF&RF 1'sq x 1.5'H

Long Physical Description:
Monument that has two flanking markers. Monument is a two-part tapered granite shaft with a cross gable top and set on a two-part rough cut, tooled edge, 5.2 foot square stepped base. The lower part of the shaft has incised lettering around a bronze state medallion and the upper part has excised detailing with incised letters. Overall height is eight feet. Flanking markers are one foot square. Located east of Hancock Avenue south of the Copse of Trees.


My Sources
1. NRHP Nomination Form
2. SIRIS
3. Stone Sentinels
4. Virtual Gettysburg
5. Draw the Sword
6. Historical Marker Database
7. Wikipedia
8. Find a Grave

Date Installed or Dedicated: 06/12/1889

Name of Government Entity or Private Organization that built the monument: State of Michigan

Union, Confederate or Other Monument: Union

Rating (1-5):

Related Website: [Web Link]

Photo or photos will be uploaded.: yes

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