Brigadier General John White Geary

The monument to Brigadier General John Geary is southeast of Gettysburg on on Culp's Hill. It was created by J. Otto Schweitzer and dedicated in 1915 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Location: 39.817226 N, 77.219926 W; see map

Geary commanded the Second Division of the Union Twelfth Army Corps, famous as the "White Star Division."

From the tablet on the front of the monument:

Captain 2d Pennsylvania Infantry December 21 1848. Lieut. Colonel January 7 1847. Colonel November 3 1847. Honorably mustered out July 21 1848.

Colonel 28th Pennsylvania Infantry June 28 1861. Discharged for promotion May 11 1862.

Brig General U.S. Volunteers April 25 1862. Honorably mustered out January 15, 1866. Brevetted Major General U.S. Volunteers January 12 1865 'for fitness to command and promptness to execute.

Born December 30 1819 at Mt. Pleasant Pa. Died February 8 1873 at Harrisburg Pa.

The Seal of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in bronze is on the rear of the monument.

John Geary served in the Mexican War with General Scott's advance to Mexico City, and was eventually promoted colonel of his volunteer regiment. Between the wars he was Mayor of San Francisco (Geary Street is named after him) and Governor of Kansas Territory.

With the outbreak of the Civil War Geary became Colonel of the 28th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. He was promoted to brigade and division command, and was twice wounded at Cedar Mountain.

After Gettysburg Geary was transferred west with the 12th Army Corps. He commanded his division in Sherman's march to the sea and was military governor of Savannah.

After the war he served two terms as Republican Governor of Pennsylvania (even though he was a lifelong Democrat). He died in 1873.