The 155th Pennsylvania Infantry served as a member of Weed’s Brigade in Ayres’ Division of the Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac, a Fighting 300 Regiment. The unit was commanded by Lt. Col. John H. Cain (1838-1903). Cain was born in Pittsburgh and was a bank teller in Tennessee. He returned to Pittsburgh to join Union army. At Gettysburg, the unit suffered six men killed and 13 wounded for a total of 19. During the Civil War, this unit from the Pittsburgh area and Clarion County participated in 33 engagements. During the war, 134 members of the unit were killed, 350 were wounded, and 167 died of disease. Total 651.
The 155th Pennsylvania Infantry Monument is located on the northern summit of Little Round Top, along Sykes Avenue, to the left if heading north. It is pretty treacherous own there and this is one of the more remote monuments that while beautiful, does not get a lot of business due to its dangerous location. This is one of 110 monuments in the Park for Pennsylvania units in the Gettysburg campaign. It marks the position held by the 155th unit on July 2-3, 1863.
The Draw the Sword site helped out by the NPS narrative and the SIRIS site offers the following description: Figure of a zouave loading his musket tops a tiered pedestal which sits atop a boulder. It marks the position held by the 155th unit on July 2-3, 1863. A former private from F company was chosen as the model for the zouave statue. His name was Samuel W. Hill. It has incised inscriptions and acanthus-type cornice. Flanking markers are flat topped, one foot square. The state appropriation money was used to erect this statue; the base was paid for by the regiment’s Veteran Association. Monument’s total cost was $3,000.00. The soldier’s hand and the top of the rifle were broken off due to vandalism. This was one of the first all-stone carved soldier statues.
One of the most distinctive features of the monument is the soldier in the French Zouave uniform. The Zouaves were an elite unit of Light Infantry which fought in North Africa. At the battle of Gettysburg, the 155th Pennsylvania did not wear the Zouave uniform. They wore the regular United States Army issued uniform of a dark blue nine button frock coat, (or four button sack coat), light blue pants, regular brogans (shoes), and a kepi (baseball style hat). The Zouave uniform was not adopted until 1864.
From Stone Sentinels (citation below)
In 1889 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided $1500 for each state regiment to provide monuments at Gettysburg. While many other regiments that already had monuments elected to use their funds to erect a second monument, the survivors of the 155th Pennsylvania decided to use the funds to add a statue to the top of the existing monument.
It was to be in the Zouave uniform, even though the regiment did not wear the uniform at Gettysburg. The 155th earned the right to wear the uniform in the months after the battle for its proficiency in drill, and it was such a source of pride that the survivors felt it to be an important part of the identity of the regiment. Gettysburg veteran Samuel W. Hill of Company F posed for the statue, which was dedicated on September 17, 1889.
The Zouave statue faces toward the enemy at the foot of Little Round Top and away from the front of the statue.
A third dedication was held on September 17, 2005, by Descendants, Reenactors & Friends of the 155th, who provided $7,000 worth of repairs and restoration of the monument. Since that time the monument has again been vandalized, with the tip of the statue's musket broken off.
The monument was dedicated on September 17, 1886, with funding provided by members of the regiment and their friends at a total cost, for the base and the statue, of $3000. Its original design did not include a statue, Ryegate Granite Works was the designer and contractor. The pedestal is made of Ryegate Granite, and the statue is made of Hardwick Granite. SIRIS lists the dimensions as: Overall: approx. 15 ft. 8 in. x 8 ft. x 6 ft. There are inscriptions on al four sides which read:
(Front):155th Pa. Vols.
Position occuped
July 2d. 3d. & 4th. 1863.
Organized at Pittsburg
Sept. 2nd. 1862.
Mustered out of service
June 6th. 1865.
(Left):3rd Brigade
Antietam, Fredericksburg,
Chancellorsville,
Gettysburg,
Rappahannock Station,
Mine Run, Wilderness,
Laurel Hill,
Spottsylvania,
North Anna River,
Tolopotomy
(Back):2nd Division
Engaged in 33 battles
Killed in action - 134.
Wounded 350.
Died of disease
and wounds - 167.
This pedestal
Erected by Survivors
1886.
(Right):5th corps
Bethesda Church,
Cold Harbor, Petersburg,
Weldon R.R., Peebles' Farm,
Hatchers Run
Boydton Plank Road,
Quaker Road,
White Oak Road,
Five Forks, Sailors Creek,
Appomattox
The 155th Pennsylvania Infantry Monument, also known as the Walcott's Battery 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 MN101-B.
From the Nomination Form:
Marks position held by 155th Pennsylvania Infantry on July 2 & 3 1863. 1 of 110 mns in Park to Pennsylvania commands in Gettysburg Campaign. Located on boulder on northerly slope of Little Round Top, approx. 300' from Warren Statue.
Short Physical Description:
Mn & 2 flank markers. Set on boulder. Base, 6' sq. Polished shaft, 3'5" sq. Topped w/ sculptured Zouave loading musket. Incised inscriptions, acanthus-type cornice. Statue's hand & musket barrel are broken. Flank markers, flat topped, 1'x1'x1'6".
Long Physical Description:
Monument that has two flanking markers. Monument is a polished granite shaft, 3.5 foot square topped with a sculptured Zouave loading a musket and set on a six foot base that rests on a boulder. It has incised inscriptions and acanthus-type cornice. Flanking markers are flat topped, one foot square. Located on a boulder on the northerly slope of Little Round Top.
My Sources
1.
NRHP Narrative
2.
SIRIS
3.
Stone Sentinels
4.
Virtual Gettysburg
5.
Draw the Sword
6.
Historical Marker Database
7.
Gettysburg Daily