Union monuments - Pennsylvania Infantry

72nd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment
"Third California Regiment"
"Baxter's Fire Zouaves"
"Philadelphia Fire Zouaves"

Two monuments to the 72nd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment are south of Gettysburg at The Angle.

The main monument is at the stone wall of The Angle.
Location: 39.813359 N, 77.236317 W; see map.

The secondary monument is 70 yards to the east.
Location: 39.813032 N, 77.2357 W; see map.

The regiment was commanded at the Battle of Gettysburg by Colonel Dewit Clinton Baxter. He was wounded on July 2, and Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Hesser then took over. The 72nd was part of the 2nd Corps - 2nd Division - 2nd Brigade, the "Philadelphia Brigade."

The placement of the 72nd's monument was at the center of a controversy that eventually reached all the way to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. It stems from the fact that the 72nd fell back from the stone wall at The Angle during Pickett's Charge to a position now marked further back by a secondary monument. General Webb, the new commander of the brigade, tried to advance the 72nd but was unable to do so, struggling unsuccessfully with the color-bearer and finally giving up and going over to the nearby 69th Pennsylvania.

The regiment would not advance but it also would not retreat further, and suffered heavily stopping Pickett's men. Finally they pushed forward to their original position.

The rules of the battlefield commission stated that units must place their monuments on their main line of battle, which was interpreted as the rearward position. But the 72nd's veterans were insistent that their monument be at the Angle where their fighting started and ended. After three years of deliberations the court ruled in favor of the veterans, and the monument was dedicated at The Angle on July 4, 1891.

From the front of the main monument:

72nd Pennsylvania Infantry
Philadelphia Fire Zouaves
Mustered in Aug. 10, 1861
Mustered out Aug. 24, 1864
Total enrollment —— 1600
Killed and mortally wounded 195
wounded ---- 558
Died of disease & in rebel prisons 70
Captured or missing ---- 165
Total loss ---- 988

2nd Corps

From the left side:

July 2, 1863.
The Regiment reached this Angle at 1 a.m.,
took position in rear of this monument
supported Cushing's Battery
A, 4th U.S. Artillery.
At 6 p.m. assisted in repulsing
an attack of the enemy and in
making a counter-charge, driving
them beyond the Emmitsburg road,
capturing 250 prisoners.

2nd Division

From the right side:

July 3, 1863.
The Regiment assisted in repulsing the
the charge of the enemy on the angle at
3 p.m. and in capturing many standards
and prisoners
During the cannonading which preceded the charge
the regiment was in line 60 yards to the left and rear
of this monument when the rebels forced the troops
from the first line the 72nd fought its way to the front
and occupied the wall
Present at Gettysburg 458, killed & mortally wounded 62
Wounded 133 ---- Missing 2
Total of killed, wounded and missing 197.

72nd Penna. Infantry

From the rear:

Yorktown.
Fair Oaks.
Peach Orchard.
Savage Station.
Glendale.
Malvern Hill.
Chantilly.
Antietam.
Fredericksburg.
Chancellorsville.
Gettysburg.
Mine Run.
Wilderness.
Spottylvania.
North Anna.
Tolopotomy.
Cold Harbor.
Petersburg.

2nd Brigade

From the nearby secondary monument:

Erected by 72nd Regt. P.V.

The ground of the last assault
the Philadelphia Brigade
Gen. Alexander Webb
held this angle July 2d and 3d 1863
casualties in the battle 495
----
The 72d Penn. Vol's
"Philadelphia Fire Zouaves"
Colonel D.W.C. Baxter
lost 10 officers and 182 men
out of 473 present for duty
the regiment erects this tribute
to the memory of fallen comrades
Philadelphia Brigade.

See more about the 72nd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment during the Civil War