Alabama State Monument - Gettysburg, PA
N 39° 47.189 W 077° 15.249
18S E 306979 N 4406489
The Alabama State Monument, also known as the Alabama State Memorial, is an Alabama memorial in Gettysburg National Military Park that commemorates the state's Confederate units that took part in the Battle of Gettysburg.
Waymark Code: WME42P
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 03/31/2012
Views: 5
The monument stands where General Evander Law's brigade of Alabamans began their assault toward Little Round Top on July 2nd after a grueling 18 mile approach march. Alabama sent almost 6,000 men to Gettysburg with the Army of Northern Virginia. Of these, 2,249 became casualties.
The monument is located on the west or right side South Confederate Avenue if traveling south. The marker is located at the bottom handle of a large 'soup ladle' of a turn, at least that is what is looks like on a map. The monument is just before the Alabama State memorial (opposite side of the road and further south). It is here where S. Confederate Avenue curves in a wide arc then repeats itself and curves again in the opposite direction just like a sine wave. The memorial faces due east and is located very close to the road, however, parky is tricky around here so exercise caution. Please do not park on the grass, park on the side of the road. I cannot emphasize that enough! I visited this monument on March 10, 2012 at 4:45 PM, just before the clocks were set ahead for the Spring. I was at a 617 foot ASL elevation. The memorial is placed very close to the location that Law's Alabama Brigade formed in the afternoon of July 2, in preparation for an assault on the Federal lines.
The Draw the Sword site helped out by the NPS narrative and the SIRIS site offers the following description: Atop a large granite base stands a bronze figure group composed of an allegorical female figure representing the Spirit of the Confederacy (Another sources represents the female figure represents the spirit of Alabama) flanked a wounded soldier on her proper right and an armed soldier on her proper left. With her raised proper left arm she urges the armed soldier to continue fighting and with her lowered proper right arm she gently restrains the wounded soldier from further combat. The wounded soldier is passing a cartridge box to his comrade, representing determination to continue the struggle. The figures are installed against a granite wall which rests atop three granite steps. It was erected by the Alabama Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
The monument was erected on November 12, 1933 and was dedicated by the State of Alabama. The monument was sculpted by Joseph Urner at the Hammaker Brothers foundry. The monument is made of Gettysburg granite and Vermont granite with the allegorical figures made of bronze. SIRIS lists the dimensions as: Sculpture: approx. 7 ft. 9 in. x 10 ft. 9 in. x 35 in.; Base: approx. 33 in. x 11 ft. 4 in. x 5 ft. 2 in. There are inscriptions on the front, bottom of the base reads:
Alabamans!
Your names are inscribed on fames immortal scroll
Unveiled November 12, 1933 by the Alabama Division United Daughters of the Confederacy
The Alabama 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 MN366.
From the Nomination Form:
Civil War Monument occupies the general locality of that occupied by Evander M. Law's Alabama Brigade prior to their attack on the Round Tops on July 2, 1863. Located W of Confederate Avenue, S of its junction w/ Emmitsburg Road.
Short Physical Description:
Mn contains bronze statuary of 3 figures, backed by 12' high monolith, set on a 19'5" x 8'3" base. Bronze letters spell out "Alabamians!" along front of monolith. An inscribed dedicatory inscription appears along E of base.
Long Physical Description:
This monument contains bronze statuary of three figures, backed by a twelve-foot high monolith, resting on a 19.5 x 8.3 foot base. Bronze letters spell out “Alabamians” along the front of the monolith. An inscribed dedicatory inscription appears along the front of the base. Designed by Joseph Urner. Located west of Confederate Avenue, south of its junction with the Emmitsburg Road.
My Sources
1.
NRHP Nomination Form
2.
SIRIS
3.
Stone Sentinels
4.
Virtual Gettysburg
5.
Draw the Sword
6.
Historical Marker Database