1st Massachusetts Infantry Memorial, Gettysburg

On a historic landscape dotted with markers and memorials both grand and small, this one dedicated to the 1st Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry... more

by Douglas Taylor

Title

1st Massachusetts Infantry Memorial, Gettysburg

Artist

Douglas Taylor

Medium

Photograph - Fine Art Digital Photography

Description

On a historic landscape dotted with markers and memorials both grand and small, this one dedicated to the 1st Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania stands out for its distinctive shape, the magnificent craftsmanship of the carving, and the superb quality of the granite in which is was carved.

The memorial stands on a 9 foot wide base which supports the diamond symbol of the Third Corps, standing a total of 13′ 3″ high . The front of the diamond has a wonderfully realistic relief of a skirmisher climbing over a split rail fence. The granite used for this memorial is an exceptionally fine grained granite, very hard and durable, along with being intensely difficult to carve.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts erected the monument on June 30th, 1886, and it was dedicated two days later on July 2nd on the 23rd anniversary of the pivotal battle. Many states, both Northern and Southern funded a large number of memorials and markers for various battlefield sites to commemorate and glorify their soldiers who fought in the Civil War.

The regiment was originally part of Major General Irwin McDowell's Army of Northeastern Virginia and saw their first combat during the Battle of Blackburn's Ford. The 1st Massachusetts was then engaged during the First Battle of Bull Run. When Union forces surrounding Washington were reorganized, the regiment became part of the Army of the Potomac, with which it was associated for the rest of its term of service attached to the 2nd Division, III Corps. It was involved in the Peninsular Campaign fighting, and was present for virtually all of the major battles in which the Army of the Potomac fought, including the Second Battle of Bull Run, the Battle of Fredericksburg, the Battle of Chancellorsville, and the Battle of Gettysburg. It was here at Gettysburg that the 1st Massachusetts brought 384 men to the field, losing 16 killed, 83 wounded and 21 missing.

This photograph has been cropped to the traditional 4:5 ratio format for 8" X 10", 16" X 20" sized prints, all the way up to 48" X 60" fine art prints with astonishing detail.

Uploaded

June 6th, 2023