The 124th New York Infantry was also known as The Orange Blossoms. The unit was officially mustered into United States Service on September 5, 1862, by Col. Augustus van Horne Ellis, the regiment was made up of volunteers from the surrounding towns and a core of veterans from the 71st New York State Militia. During the battle of Gettysburg, it served as a member of Ward’s Brigade in Birney’s Division of the Third Corps, Army of the Potomac, a Fighting 300 Regiment. The regiment was commanded by Colonel Augustus Van Horne Ellis (1827-1863), a sea Captain from New Windsor. A.V.H. Ellis was born in New York City and educated in the city's public schools. He later attended Columbia University. Prior to the outbreak of the Civil War, he was a lawyer in New York City. On September 5, 1862, Ellis became the first colonel of the newly raised 124th New York Infantry. The regiment had been recruited from mainly Orange County. After training and drilling, the 124th joined the Army of the Potomac in Northern Virginia. Ellis and his men saw no heavy fighting until May 1863. Then, at the Battle of Chancellorsville, he gave the 124th the nickname of "Orange Blossoms". He admonished the soldiers, "Let the girls of old Orange hear a good report of this day's work." The regiment lost 40% of its strength at Chancellorsville.
In the thick of the fighting by the Devil's Den, Colonel Ellis ordered the staff's horses brought up and he, Major James Cromwell and Adjutant Henry Ramsdell mounted. When a captain protested that they were making targets of themselves Major Cromwell replied, "the men must see us today." Both he and Colonel Ellis were killed, but the 124th bought an hour's time for the south flank of the Army of the Potomac. Lieutenant Colonel Francis M. Cummins (1822-1884) took command of the regiment despite also being wounded.. Under their collective commands, 279 men were engaged @ Gettysburg and among them, 28 were killed, 57 were wounded and 5 went missing. All totaled during service, the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 9 officers, 93 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 2 officers, 45 enlisted men; of disease and other causes 1 officer, 94 enlisted men; total, 12 officers, 232 enlisted men; aggregate, 244; of whom 11 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy.
The 124th New York Infantry Monument is located on the north or left side of Pleasanton Avenue if traveling east, due north of the Pennsylvania State Monument, (which is located on the east or right side of Hancock Avenue), near the Hummelbaugh farm & East of Hancock Avenue. Both monuments being south of Gettysburg. This particular monument is off of the road, and is pushed out onto the grass 143 feet away form the road. They mow the lawn to make a path to the monument. The front inscription faces west, in the direction of the once attacking enemy, so one would need to face east to read it. The monuments front face runs perpendicular to the grassy path. This location is a hot-bed of activity and one of the best examples of a hands-on history lesson of the Civil War one could hope to find. All along both sides of the road are these types of tablets, memorials, monuments, sculptures, and all manner of cannons, rifles and guns. 
Parking is available at enlarged shoulder cutouts on the right side of the road, directly across from the various monuments. Be sure to keep vehicles off the grass or you will be ticketed by park police. I visited this monument on Thursday, July 5, 2012 just after 6:00 P.M. I was at an elevation of 575 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: Marker placed 1888-1889 along Pleasanton Avenue near the Hummelbaugh farm marks July 3d position. Position marker marks location occupied by remnant of regiment on July 3, 1863. E. F. Carr & Company, contractor. A rectangular table adorned on front with a circular bronze seal of the state of New York. A diamond-shaped bronze plaque appears on the sides. Denotes the regimental position during “Pickett’s Charge” on July 3.
The monument was dedicated on July 2, 1888 by the State of New York. The monument is composed of granite with some bronze elements and has the following dimensions: Overall: The monument is about 6 feet 6 inches high and 3 feet wide; its sides are about a foot or so wide, its base is about a foot and a half high by three and a half wide by almost two feet deep. Together, the monument is a total of about 8 feet high. The E.F. Carr & Company were contracted to produce the monument. There is an inscriptions on front face which reads:
124th
New York Infantry.
(Orange Blossoms)
2nd Brigade, 1st Division,
3rd Corps.
Occupied this position
during Pickett's Charge.
July 3, 1863.
The 124th New York 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 MN256.
From the Nomination Form:
For some reason, in the electronic transfer of the nomination form and accompanying documents, this particular monument was dropped. I know for sure it is a contributing structure as I confirmed this from the SIRIS site. Use your imagination.
Short Physical Description:
N/A
Long Physical Description:
N/A
My Sources
1.
NRHP Nomination Form
2.
SIRIS
3.
Stone Sentinels
4.
Virtual Gettysburg
5.
Draw the Sword
6.
Historical Marker Database
7.
Wikipedia