9th Massachusetts Battery

Three monumrents to the Ninth Massachusetts Battery are south of Gettysburg on Wheatfield Road (above right), at the Trostle Farm (right center) and in Zeigler's Grove (below right). see map

Form the front of the Wheatfield Road monument:

Ninth Mass.
Battery
Captain Bigelow
July 2, 1863.
Killed - Wounded
2 Officers 1
3 Non-Comm Officers 6
5 Enlisted Men 13
10 Total 20
80 Horses

From the tablet on the rear:

9th Massachusetts Battery
Capt. John Bigelow
1st position left gun Wheatfield Road
4:30 to 6 p.m. July 2, 1863.

Shelled Confederate Batteries on
Emmitsburg Road also the enemy around
Rose Farm buildings. Enfiladed with
canister Kershaw's Brigade C.S.A.
moving across field in front from Em-
mitsburg Road to woods on left where
battle was raging in front of Round Tops.

6 p.m. - alone on field. Graham's Brigade
3rd Corps forced from Peach Orchard
had retired by detachments.

By 'prolonge firing' retired before
Kershaw's skirmishers and Barksdale's
Brigade C.S.A. 400 yards.

2nd position angle of stone wall near
Trostle's House where the Battery was
halted by Lieut. Colonel McGilvery and
ordered to hold enemy in check until line
of artillery could be formed 560 yards in
the rear. Was without support and hemmed
in by stone wall. Enemy closed in on flanks.
Man and horses were shot down when finally
overcome at 6:30 p.m. Lieut.-Colonel McGilvery
had batteries unsupported in position near
the Weikert House covering opening in lines
between Round Tops and left of 2nd Corps 3/4
mile occasioned by withdrawal of Graham's
Brigade.

7:15 p.m. Willard's Brigade 2nd Corps and
later Lockwood's Brigade 12th Corps came
to support of artillery.

8 p.m. the enemy finally repulsed.

From the monument by the Trostle Farm:

2nd position

6 p.m.
July 2, 1863.

Ninth Mass. Battery
Capt. Bigelow
"By prolongue retired firing"
from the crossroads 400 yds. distant
without infantry support before
Barksdale's Confed. Brigade.
Final stand made across this road.

The monument is carved in the likeness of an artillery ammunition chest.

From the monument in Ziegler's Grove:

Ninth Mass. Battery
Caprt. Bigelow
July 3d and 4th 1863.
Two guns
Lt. Milton comdg.
Only officer and guns
effective after engagement
on Trostle's farm, July 2nd, 1863

The battery was commanded by Captain John Bigelow, who was wounded on July 2nd. Lieutenant Richard S. Milton then took command. The 9th brought 110 men to the field serving six 12-pounder Napoleons. It was part of Artillery Reserve, 1st Volunteer Brigade.

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