The state of New York during the American Civil War was a major influence in national politics, the Union war effort, and the media coverage of the war. New York was the most populous state in the Union during the Civil War, and provided more troops to the Union Army than any other state, as well as several significant military commanders and leaders. New York provided 400,000-460,000 men during the war, nearly 21% of all the men in the state and more than half of those under the age of 30. Of the total enlistment, more than 130,000 were foreign-born, including 20,000 from British North American possessions such as Canada. 51,000 were Irish and 37,000 German. The average age of the New York soldiers was 25 years, 7 months, although many younger men and boys may have lied about their age in order to enlist.
By the time the Civil War ended in 1865, New York had provided the Union Army with 27 regiments of cavalry, 15 regiments of artillery, 8 of engineers, and 248 of infantry. Federal records indicate 4,125 free blacks from New York served in the Union Army, and three full regiments of United States Colored Troops were raised and organized in the Empire State—the 20th, 26th, and 31st USCT. More than 27,000 New Yorkers fought in the war's bloodiest battle, the three-day Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863. Nearly 1,000 men - 989 soldiers were killed in action, with 4,023 wounded (many of whom died of wounds or disease in the months following the battle). 1,761 New Yorkers were taken as prisoners of war, and many were transported to Southern prisons in Richmond, Virginia and elsewhere. It was the largest number of casualties for New York troops in any battle. During the entire war, New York provided more than 370,000 soldiers to the Union armies. Of these, 834 officers were killed in action, as well as 12,142 enlisted men. Another 7,235 officers and men perished from their wounds, and 27,855 died from disease. Another 5,766 were estimated to have perished while incarcerated in Southern prisoner-of-war camps.
The New York State Monument is located inside the Gettysburg National Cemetery, 333 feet southwest of the Baltimore Pike entrance. Parking is available in front of the cemetery at metered spots along the curb. There is also a lot located to the left of East Cemetery Hill (if facing it) in a tourist-tour business that always has space. I first visited this monument (and many times since) on Monday, September 10, 2013 @ 4:00 PM, EDT & @ an altitude of 596 feet, ASL. As always, I used my trusty and oft abused Canon PowerShot 14.1 Megapixel, SX210 IS digital camera for the photos, although I am not so sure I used it back then as I am rewriting this on 07 16 13.
The Draw the Sword site helped out by the NPS narrative and the SIRIS site offers the following description: This almost ninety-five-feet-high monument was designed as a classical triumphant column modeled after Trajan’s Column in Rome. The granite pedestal, shaft, and capital are mounted on an elevated base. The capital is surmounted by a sixteen-foot-tall bronze classical allegorical female figure. This figure, representing the state of New York, weeps as she places a wreath on the graves of fallen soldiers. Lower down on the shaft, a cast bronze eagle, mounted on the Seal of New York State, stands in front of a relief intended to represent the trophies of war. The base of the shaft is ornamented with a bronze trophy relief encircling the column. It is divided into four scenic bronze panels that depict the death of General John F. Reynolds, the wounding of Generals Winfield Scott Hancock and Daniel E. Sickles, and the Council of War called by General Henry W. Slocum. Vertical panels that detail the accoutrements of war separate these four panels. The square pedestal contains two Doric pilasters on each side. On the west, the pilasters frame a bronze Roll of Honor with a listing of New York’s dead officers. These pilasters support an architrave decorated with eleven bronze symbols of the New York State Corps that fought at Gettysburg. Above these symbols, an arched pediment frames the words “New York.” The female figure atop the monument, the bronze panels encircling the column, and the bronze trophy relief were designed and sculptured by Caspar Buberl.
Bronze plaques around the base list the names of every New York officer who fell at Gettysburg. The individual corps badges and the branches of service are also honored by bronze plaques. Around the thirty-three foot column is wrapped a bronze relief representing key moments in battle — the wounding of Sickles on July 2; the wounding of Hancock on July 3; Slocum’s council of War on Culp’s Hill on July 3; and finally the death of General Reynolds on the morning of July 1. It cost just over $59,000 and consists of Hallowell granite and bronze.
The New York State Monument was dedicated on July 2, 1893 by the State of New York. While the sculpture is bronze, the base of the monument is composed of Fox Island granite and Hallowell, Maine granite. I can only assume these materials were used for the column as well. The female sculpture is 13 feet in height and the base/column is 27 feet 8 inches in height. A number of well-respected artisans were employed in this unbelievable undertaking. The intricate relief panels and the bronze woman figure were sculpted by Caspar Buberl. Buberl (1834 – August 22, 1899) was an American sculptor. Buberl created dozens of Civil War statues and monuments for various cities and states, including several for New York veterans associations to be placed on the Gettysburg Battlefield. His impressive New York State Monument crowns Cemetery Hill, and a number of individual memorials for specific regiments dot the battlefield. Including this monument, I count 11 sculptures Buberl is responsible for at Gettysburg. The monument was fabricated by the Hallowell Granite Company. The work force of Maine's granite industry was multi-national, but within its ranks, Italian and Spanish carvers were regarded as peerless in statuary work, carrying on the long carving tradition of their home countries. The bronze statue and relief panels were cast at the Henry-Bonnard Bronze Company (founders). There are extensive inscriptions on the front and rear face which read:
(Front Face):
Excelsior
The State of New York
in commemoration of the Services
of its officers and soldiers
in the Battle of Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862
(Rear Face):
Record of New York State at Antietam
67 Regiments of Infantry
5 Regiments of Cavalry
14 Batteries of Artillery
2 Regiments of Engineers
New York's losses on this field were
65 officers and 624 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded
110 officers and 2687 enlisted men wounded and
2 officers and 277 men captured or missing, making a total of 3765.
General Officers from New York State in command
Corps Commanders
Maj. Gen. Edwin V. Sumner, 2nd C.
Maj. Gen. Fitz John Porter, 5th C.
Division Commanders
Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum
Maj. Gen. George W. Morell
Maj. Gen. Darius N. Couch
Brig. Gen. James B. Ricketts
Brig. Gen. Abner Doubleday
Brig. Gen. George S. Greene
Brigade Commanders
Brig. Gen. M.R. Patrick
Brig. Gen. Abram Duryee
Brig. Gen. Thomas F. Meagher
Brig. Gen. Geo. L. Hartsuff
Brig. Gen. Max Weber
Brig. Gen. Erastus B. Tyler
Brig. Gen. John Cochrane
Brig. Gen. Edward Ferrero
Brig. Gen. G. K. Warren
Col. Wm. H. Christian
Col. Walter Phelps, Jr.
Col. T. B. W. Stockton
Col. Joseph J. Bartlett
Col. H.S. Fairchild
Col. John Burke
Col. William B. Goodrich
Col. Wm. P. Wainwright
Lt. Col. Jonathan Austin
Lt. Col. James C. Lane
Erected A. D. 1919
Under the auspices of the New York Monument Commission
Co. Lewis R. Stegman, Chairman; Col. Clinton Beckwith,
Charles A. Shaw, U.S.C.; Brig. Gen. Charles W. Berry, Adj. Gen. S.N.Y.
The New York State 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 MN289.
From the Nomination Form:
1 of 19 state & national monuments. Dedicated to officers & soldiers of NY who fell during Gettysburg Battle. Located in National Cemetery NE of Soldiers' National Monument.
Short Physical Description:
Mn w/ statue. Mn base 27'8", stepped. 2 part shaft, 1st: sq w/ classical order motiffs, bronze tablets. 2nd: full order corinthian column w/ bronze alto-relievo, corps symbols, badges, sheilds. Topped by bronze NY statue. All 93'H.
Long Physical Description:
This almost ninety-five-feet-high monument was designed as a classical triumphant column modeled after Trajan's Column in Rome. The granite pedestal, shaft, and capital are mounted on an elevated base. The capital is surmounted by a sixteen-foot-tall bronze classical allegorical female figure. This figure, representing the state of New York, weeps as she places a wreath on the graves of fallen soldiers. Lower down on the shaft, a cast bronze eagle, mounted on the Seal of New York State, stands in front of a relief intended to represent the trophies of war. The base of the shaft is ornamented with a bronze trophy relief encircling the column. It is divided into four scenic bronze panels that depict the death of General John F. Reynolds, the wounding of Generals Winfield Scott Hancock and Daniel E. Sickles, and the Council of War called by General Henry W. Slocum. Vertical panels that detail the accoutrements of war separate these four panels. The square pedestal contains two Doric pilasters on each side. On the west, the pilasters frame a bronze Roll of Honor with a listing of New York's dead officers. These pilasters support an architrave decorated with eleven bronze symbols of the New York State Corps that fought at Gettysburg. Above these symbols, an arched pediment frames the words "New York." The female figure atop the monument, the bronze panels encircling the column, and the bronze trophy relief were designed and sculptured by Caspar Buberl.
My Sources
1.
NRHP Nomination Form
2.
SIRIS
3.
Stone Sentinels
4.
Virtual Gettysburg
5.
Draw the Sword
6.
Historical Marker Database
7.
Wikipedia