Colonel George L. Willard

The monument to Colonel George Willard is south of Gettysburg in Plum Run swale between the Pennsylvania State monument and the Codori Farm. see map

From the monument:

Colonel Willard
125th
N.Y. Infantry
was killed
at this place on the
evening of July 2nd 1863
while leading in a charge the
3d Brig. 3d Div. 2nd Corps"

Erected by the survivors of
the 125th N.Y. Infantry, 1886

George Willard was the son and grandson of generals. He had served as an enlisted man in the Mexcian War, received a commission in 1848, and was a captain in the 8th United States Infantry at the outbreak of the Civil War.

Promoted to major of the 19th U.S., he took leave to become colonel of the 125th New York. A month later they were surrendered at the Union debacle at Harpers Ferry, through no fault of their own earning the nickname of the "Harpers Ferry Cowards."

Left in limbo until his regiment was exchanged, Willard took over command of the brigade a week before Gettysburg when Alexander Hays was promoted to division command.

On July 2nd Willard was ordered to lead his brigade in a counter-charge against Barksdale's Mississippians. Shouting "Remember Harpers Ferry!" the brigade repulsed the Mississippians, recaptured several Union cannon, and mortally wounded Barksdale. But Willard was also killed, struck in the head by an artillery shell as the brigade was pulling back to Union lines. His body was carried to a farmhouse on Taneytown Road, where it was wrapped in linen and sent home for burial.

Colonel Eliakim Sherrill of the 126th New York took over the brigade until he, too, was killed the following day during Pickett's Charge. In the words of their division commander, Alexander Hays, "The history of this brigade's operations is written in blood... the acts of traitors at Harpers Ferry had not tainted their patriotism."

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