GETTYSBURG, Pa.—Within 5,700 acres of Gettysburg National Military Park, 1,328 monuments, memorials, markers, and plaques stand as a reminder that the Union and Confederate sides each lost over 3,000 soldiers during three days of fighting, from July 1 to 3, 1863.
Some of the mostly stone commemorative indicators appear as large tombstones engraved with information about a particular state’s fighting force. A few sport bronze plaques and battle motifs, such as cannons or sabers, and several are actual bronze statues. Some, like the Alabama State Monument, the Virginia State Monument, and the Mississippi State Monument present a combination of engraved stone and bronze sculptures.
The Pennsylvania State Monument
At 110 feet tall and comprised of 3,840 tons of quarried granite from Mount Airy, North Carolina, the edifice is situated on Cemetery Ridge, a spot that figured prominently in the fighting at Gettysburg. Although the ridge is only 40 feet above the surrounding landscape, it extends for two miles. That higher vantage point, occupied by Union soldiers in 1863, was where multiple Confederate attacks occurred.
Dedicated in 1910, the 115-year-old monument has a square foundation with four 100-foot sides, each featuring a massive arch flanked by fluted Corinthian columns with scroll capitals. Above each arch is a carved, granite bas-relief, meaning a one-sided sculpture scene; these convey aspects of the Civil War military, including infantry, cavalry, and artillery. Eight bronze portrait statues of important Civil War figures are situated between columns, and their dark patina contrasts with the light granite. President Abraham Lincoln and Union Gen. George Meade are among the featured sculptures.
The interior of the arches is a pavilion and over that is a granite dome. A spiral staircase leads to an observation deck located at the dome’s base; from it, much of the battlefield can be seen.
Perhaps most extraordinary are the 90 bronze tablets positioned along the base of the monument. On them were painstakingly cast the names of the 34,530 Pennsylvania soldiers who fought at Gettysburg as well as the infantry in which they were involved and the captains, lieutenants, and sergeants in authority over them.
While the remarkable Pennsylvania State Monument was obviously intended to be a lasting acknowledgement of the state where the famous Civil War battle occurred, its apex—the colossal 7,500-pound “Winged Victory” sculpture constructed of melted cannons—proclaims a message of universal peace. The sword and palm branch the goddess holds symbolizes victory through peace.
The Pennsylvania State Monument is on the National Park Service (NPS) battlefield route. Visitors can download the NPS app and be guided through a two- to three-hour long highly informative driving tour of 16 stops on the battlefield, with options to walk up to monuments and view them more closely. Other than the visit to Gettysburg’s comprehensive museum, with its remarkable Gettysburg Cyclorama, touring the battlefield provides an in-depth and sensory living history experience.
When the weather outside is frightful this winter, you can stay warm in your vehicle while still learning about Gettysburg through its impressive monuments.
