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Cumberland Township near Round Top in Adams County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Battery L, 1st Ohio Light Artillery

Artillery Brigade - Fifth Corps

 
 
Battery L, 1st Ohio Light Artillery Monument image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Craig Swain, November 11, 2008
1. Battery L, 1st Ohio Light Artillery Monument
The front of the monument features crossed cannon framed by loading rammers. On top of the monument is a sculpture of stacked cannonballs. On the sides of the monument are Maltese crosses symbolizing the Fifth Corps.
Inscription. (Front):
Captain F. C. Gibbs
Battery
L, 1st Ohio Light Artillery
Artillery Brigade 5th Corps
Erected by the State of Ohio

(Back):
Battery L
1st Ohio Light Artillery
July 2. 3. 1863
Arriving on the field at 8 a.m. July 2, went into position under a brisk skirmish fire on the extreme right of Wolf Hill. Afterwards moved to north slope of Little Round Top, and there became hotly engaged with Longstreet's Corps then trying to turn the left. Held same position July 3.

This battery was recruited at Portsmouth Ohio, in the Autumn of 1861 by Captain L.N. Robinson. Was mustered out July 4. 1865. Took part in 12 important battles.
 
Erected 1887 by State of Ohio.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is July 1850.
 
Location. 39° 47.615′ N, 77° 14.182′ W. Marker is near Round Top, Pennsylvania, in Adams County. It is in Cumberland Township. Marker can be reached from Sykes Avenue, on the left when traveling north. Located just north of Little Round Top in Gettysburg National Military Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Gettysburg PA 17325, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. 98th Pennsylvania Infantry (within shouting distance of this marker); 155th Pennsylvania Volunteers
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(within shouting distance of this marker); 121st New York Infantry (within shouting distance of this marker); 146th New York Infantry (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Fifth Corps (about 300 feet away); Warren (about 400 feet away); Signal Corps U.S.A. (about 400 feet away); Artillery Brigade (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Round Top.
 
Also see . . .  The Memoirs of Lt. James Gildea. An account of the action written by one of the Battery's officers. (Submitted on January 4, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.) 
 
Additional commentary.
1. Captain Frank C. Gibbs' Official Report
Captain Gibbs made this statement regarding his battery's actions on July 2:

About the middle of the afternoon an orderly came rapidly up, asking our battery to come to the assistance of the Fifth Corps. I started on the trot, and reported to General Sykes, who ordered the battery to cover the valley. The rocky nature of the ground compelled us to unhitch our horses
Back of Monument image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Craig Swain, November 11, 2008
2. Back of Monument
and place our guns in position by hand; the left section, in charge of Lieut. H. F. Guthrie, on the left of a road leading from the valley, and on the right slope of Little Round Top (Weed's Hill); the center and right sections, in charge of Lieuts. James Gildea and William Walworth, on the right of said road. We had hardly placed our guns in position when the Fifth Corps was forced back by a terrific charge of Longstreet's corps, and came rushing through us, but began rallying on us as soon as they understood matters. Our front was hardly clear when the irregular, yelling line of the enemy put in his appearance, and we received him with double charges of canister, which were used so effectively as to compel him to retire. So rapidly were the guns worked that they became too hot to lay the hand on. But for the position of the battery, and the gallantry with which it was handled by the men, I have no doubt the enemy would have accomplished his purpose of breaking our lines at this point, and possibly changed the fortunes of the day.

From the Official Reports of the War of the Rebellion, Series I, Volume XXVII/1, page 662.
    — Submitted January 4, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.
 
Back of Monument image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Craig Swain, November 11, 2008
3. Back of Monument
Two platforms flank the monument. In the past artillery displays represented the battery position.
Battery L Position Indicated by Monument image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Craig Swain, November 11, 2008
4. Battery L Position Indicated by Monument
Looking from near the 155th Pennsylvania Monument down to Gibbs' Battery monument on the right. The location is also known as Gibbs' Ledge. Two of the battery's 12-pounder Napoleon guns were deployed on the shelf near the monument location in the afternoon of July 2. The artillerymen, assisted by infantry, brought the guns into position by hand due to the rough nature of the terrain. Note the intersection of Crawford Avenue and Wheatfield Road in the upper left of photo.
Gibbs' Battery Covers the U.S. Regulars image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Craig Swain, November 11, 2008
5. Gibbs' Battery Covers the U.S. Regulars
Looking west from near the 155th Pennsylvania Monument. The battery monument location is below the rocks in the right foreground. The intersection noted above is in the far right center. Note the high ground in the far left, across the valley, where several tablets (with white stone) to the U.S. Regulars are seen. In the later phases of the fighting in the Wheatfield, Col. Hannibal Day's Brigade of U.S. Regulars held on to a rise along Houck's Ridge, known as "Day's Hill." The Regulars were able to cover the retreat of other infantry units from the bloody Wheatfield. However, as Day's men fell back across Plum Run, Confederates surged forward threatening to take Little Round Top from the north end. The only unit in position to cover the regulars were the guns of Gibbs' Battery.
Gibb's Battery View of Day's Hill image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Craig Swain, November 11, 2008
6. Gibb's Battery View of Day's Hill
Looking from near the monument at Day's Hill. The white stones of the U.S. Regulars' tablets stand on the profile of the hill. As the Regulars retreated, Gibb's men waved and prompted the infantry to take cover and lay down. Some of the regulars later recalled hiding behind boulders as canister from the Ohio battery flew overhead to pause the Confederate pursuit.
Another View of Gibbs' Ledge and the Battery Monument image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Craig Swain, November 11, 2008
7. Another View of Gibbs' Ledge and the Battery Monument
The 155th Pennsylvania Monument, left, stands over the Battery L monument. This view illustrates the nature of the terrain on the north slope of Little Round Top.
Location of the Other Four Guns image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Craig Swain, November 11, 2008
8. Location of the Other Four Guns
The other 12-pounder Napoleons in Gibbs' Battery were posted north of what is today Wheatfield Road. This is approximately the trace of the "road up from the valley" noted by Gibbs. From here the other four guns (not at the monument location) had a good field of fire into the Wheatfield.
Right Flank Battery L, 1st Ohio Light Artillery image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Craig Swain, December 27, 2008
9. Right Flank Battery L, 1st Ohio Light Artillery
Next to the Battery C, 1st New York Light Artillery monument, north of Wheatfield Road is this marker for the right flank of Gibbs' Battery.
View from the Right Section of Gibbs' Battery image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Craig Swain, December 27, 2008
10. View from the Right Section of Gibbs' Battery
Looking across Plum Run Valley toward Day's Hill on a misty day. Wheatfield road crosses diagonally through the field of view.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 4, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 2,294 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. submitted on January 4, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.   9, 10. submitted on February 7, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.

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Mar. 18, 2024