Union monuments - Pennsylvania Infantry

149th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment
"1st Regiment Bucktail Brigade"

There are three monuments to the 149th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment on the battlefield of Gettysburg. The first is on Chambersburg Road near the McPherson barn (top right) showing the location of the regiment on July 1.
Location: 39.83756 N, 77.25141 W; see map

A monument to the regiment's Company D is southwest of Gettysburg at the northern end of West Confederate Avenue at Middle Street (middle right).
Location: 39.829512, 77.244018 W: see map

A third monument south of town on Hancock Avenue (lower right) shows the regiment's position on July 3.
Location: 39.810125 N, 77.23577 W; see map

The 149th Pennsylvania was commanded at the Battle of Gettysburg by Lieutenant Colonel Walton Dwight. He was wounded on July 1. For some time that afternoon all of the regiment's officers on the field were killed or wounded. Company D had been detached as Provost Guard, and when it rejoined the regiment in the late afternoon its Captain, James Glenn, took command of the regiment.

In the first day's fighting along Chambersburg Pike the regiment suffered heavily from Confederate artillery. One shot killed three men, cutting Captain Alfred Sofiel in half. Lt. Col. Dwight sent the color party fifty yards north to draw fire away from the regiment. This worked, although when the Union line was forced to retreat the colors were lost, in spite of the heroic death of Color Sergeant Henry Brehm, who was shot down after he had fought off a party of attackers and was running to return the colors to the retreating regiment.

From the monument on Chambersburg Road (U.S. 30):

149th Pennylvania Infantry
(1st Regt. Bucktail Brigade)
2d Brig. 3rd Div. 1st Corps.

July 1st. The Regiment held this position from 11:30 a.m. until the Corps retired, resisting several assaults of the enemy, making two successful charges to the R.R. Cut and changing front to rear under fire.

July 2nd. Moved to support of the left and remained on picket all night. In the morning of the 3rd moved to left center where its other monument stands."

Carried into action 450.
Killed and mortally wounded 66. Wounded 159. Captured or missing in toal 336.
Mustered in Aug. 30th, 1862.
Mustered out June 24th 1865.

On July 1 Company D had been detached as Provost Guard for the division. It reached the field near the Schultz House where the Company D monument is located and made a stand for twenty minutes to cover the retreat of the regiment. The company's commander, Captain James Glenn, assumed command of the regiment on learning he was the only unwounded officer.

From the Company D monument:

Co. D. 149th Pa. Vol.
2. Brig. 3. Div. I.Army Corps
Headquarters Guards

Erected and presented to the
company by George W. Baldwin
in memory of his brother
Joseph H. Baldwin
who was killed here July 1, 1863, and
Alex M. Stuart
mortally wounded dying in
Gettysburg, July 6, 1863.

Co.D-149th Regiment Pa. Vols.
held this ground for 20 minutes
on the evening of July 1st 1863
against the right of Scales Brigade
by order of Maj. Gen. Abner Doubleday
Commanding 1st Army Corps.

From the front of the monument on Hancock Avenue:

149th Reg't Pa. Vol's
July 3rd 1863.

From the sides:

2nd Brigade

3rd Division
1st Corps

See more about the 149th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment in the Civil War