Cumberland Township near Gettysburg in Adams County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Second Division
Second Corps
— Army of the Potomac —
Photographed By Craig Swain, December 27, 2008
1. Second Division, Second Corps Tablet
A bronze trefoil, symbol of the Second Corps, appears above the tablet.
Second Corps
Second Division
Brig. General John Gibbon, Brig. General William Harrow
First Brigade Brig. Gen. Wm. Harrow, Col. Francis E. Heath
Second Brigade Brig. Gen. A.S. Webb
Third Brigade Col. H.J. Hall
One Co. Mass Sharpshooters
July 2 Arrived between 6 and 7 a.m. and went into position on line between Cemetery Hill and Round Top Third Division on right and First Division on left. Second Brigade constituting the right Third Brigade the left and First Brigade in reserve. Sharp skirmishing continued through the day and Artillery fire at intervals until near sunset when the Third Corps having been driven back Wright's Georgia Brigade furiously attacked the Division and was repulsed with loss including many prisoners. The Twelfth Corps coming to the support of the left.
July 3 Artillery firing until 9 a.m. and sharp skirmishing during the day. At 1 p.m. Confederates concentrated the fire of over 100 guns on the Second and Third Divisions and after two hours of uninterrupted firing charged with a force of over 15,000 Infantry which was repulsed with great loss of life prisoners and flags. The Division remained in position with no further engagement than skirmish firing.
Casualties including Division Staff and unattached troops. Killed 25 officers 319
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Erected 1910 by Gettysburg National Military Park Commission.
Topics. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is July 2, 1863.
Location. 39° 48.623′ N, 77° 14.143′ W. Marker is near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in Adams County. It is in Cumberland Township. Memorial is on Hancock Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Located south of the "Copse of Trees" and near the U.S. Regulars Memorial on Cemetery Ridge 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. Battery B, 1st New York Light Artillery (within shouting distance of this marker); 82nd New York Infantry (within shouting distance of this marker); 149th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers (within shouting distance of this marker); 150th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers (within shouting distance of this marker); 1st Regiment Minnesota Volunteers (within shouting distance of this marker); 20th New York State Militia (within shouting distance of this marker); First Brigade (within shouting distance of this marker); Battery C, Fifth U.S. Artillery (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gettysburg.
Photographed By Craig Swain, December 27, 2008
2. Gibbon's Division Tablet
Also see . . . Report of Brig. Gen. John Gibbon. General Gibbon explained the repulse of Wright's Confederate Brigade in his official report:
The enemy came on with such impetuosity that the head of his column came quite through a vacancy in our line to the left of my division, opened by detaching troops to other points. By the steadiness, however, of the troops in the immediate vicinity, and the timely arrival of the Twelfth Corps, this advance was checked and driven back with considerable loss, the pursuit being continued for some distance beyond our lines, and all the guns overrun by the enemy retaken. (Submitted on February 22, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
3. General John Gibbon
General Gibbon, an 1847 West Point graduate, wrote the Artillerist's Manual before the war. After commanding artillery early in the Civil War, he commanded the famous Iron Brigade of First Corps. Promoted to command 2nd Division I Corps after the battle of Antietam, Gibbon was wounded at Fredericksburg. Gibbon transferred to command the 2nd Division II Corps when returning to the army after Chancellorsville. Wounded again at Gettysburg, Gibbon returned to command the division through the 1864 campaign season. By war's end he commanded the XXIV Corps.
Here at Gettysburg, Gibbon faced his cousin, Confederate J. Johnston Pettigrew, who led part of the July 3 assaults.
(Civil War photographs, 1861-1865 / compiled by Hirst D. Milhollen and Donald H. Mugridge, Washington, D.C. : Library of Congress, 1977. No. 0915, Call Number: LC-B814- 1464)
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Here at Gettysburg, Gibbon faced his cousin, Confederate J. Johnston Pettigrew, who led part of the July 3 assaults.
(Civil War photographs, 1861-1865 / compiled by Hirst D. Milhollen and Donald H. Mugridge, Washington, D.C. : Library of Congress, 1977. No. 0915, Call Number: LC-B814- 1464)
Click for more information.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 22, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 812 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 22, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.
