American Civil War Monuments

Gettysburg National Military Park

Monument to the 2^nd,3^rd,4^th,5^th,& 6^th Vermont.

Photos and Text courtsey of LCWRT Member Charlie Moore

These five Vermont Regiments made up the First Brigade, of Howe’s Division, of Sedgwick’s 6^th Corps. They arrived about 5:00 P.M. on July 5^th after a march of 33 miles from Manchester Md.  Upon arriving they were placed on the extreme left of the Union line with only 1 regiment, the 5^th Vermont, placed on picket duty.  On the morning of July 3^rd they moved a short distance and took position with their right flank on the east slope of Big Round Top and their left flank on Taneytown Road.  They remained here until the end of the battle  The brigade, under the command of Col. Lewis Grant suffered only 1 casualty, that being one man wounded by artillery fire.  The brigade came to the battle with 1916 men.  

The inscription on the monument tells the complete story of this Vermont brigades casualties during their time of service. Of the total number of 11,137 who served with the brigade over its period of service, 4,704 became casualties.  2,439 gave their lives to the Union cause: 1,128 killed and mortally wounded in action, 1,009 died of disease, died in Confederate prisons, 302.  Another 2,265 were wounded but not mortally. Gettysburg was a complete anomaly for them.