DEDICATION OF The GETTYSBURG MONUMENT
102D REGIMENT INFANTRY* SEPTEMBER 11, 1889
ADDRESS OF CAPTAIN SAMUEL L. FULLWOOD
COMRADES of the One hundred and second Pennsylvania:-By the liberal
action of the State of Pennsylvania, we have been brought together upon
this historic ground to dedicate this beautiful monument indicating the
position occupied by our regiment in the battle of Gettysburg. It is
fitting in our dedicatory proceedings that some statement should be made of the part taken by the regiment, not only in the battle but in the
tactical and strategic movements preceding and associated with this
great pivotal struggle of the rebellion.
On the 13th June, 1863, the Sixth Corps was upon the south side of the
river at Fredericksburg, confronting the command of A. P. Hill, while
the rest of our army lay along the Rappahannock river up to Rappahnnock
Station. Early's command was on that day as far north as Front Royal at
the mouth of the Shenandoah Valley, with Longstreet at Culpepper. On the
night of June 13, our corps moved to Dumfries and on the 17th was at
Fairfax; 24th at Centreville; on the 24th and 25th the army crossed the
Potomac at Edwards' Ferry, concentrating near Frederick, Maryland. On
the 29th our corps was at New Windsor, while on that evening Stuart's
Cavalry was at Westminster, eight or nine miles east, which place the
corps reached early on the morning of June 30. Westminster was made the
base of supplies for the army, and a detachment of about one hundred men
made up of details from every company in the regiment, under Lieutenants
David A. Jones and Jacob Drum remained in Westminster as a guard for the
Sixth Corps' trains, while the corps, on July 1, moved eight miles north
to Manchester, Maryland, forming the right wing of the army. About 9
o'clock that night the corps was ordered to hurry forward to Gettysburg,
where the army was being concentrated, our regiment returning to
Westminster in charge of part of the corps' trains, where, upon our
arrival that night, we were posted on picket, and as support to a
Connecticut battery on the west of the town where we remained throughout
the 2d and 3d. On July 2, about 4 p. m., the detachment which had
remained at Westminster was sent forward to Gettysburg in command of
Lieutenant R. W. Lyon (who had been up to that time acting as regimental
adjutant) as a guard for the ammunition train of about forty wagons and
there being urgent need of the ammunition the horses were kept at their
highest speed all night, reaching Gettysburg, a distance of thirty-six
miles, at daybreak of the 3d.
Upon reporting to General Wheaton, then commanding the division, the
detail was ordered to report to Colonel David J. Nevin, commanding
brigade, who assigned it to the Sixty-second New York,
Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton. It was placed on the left of the
Sixty-second just at the time that regiment was being deployed as
skirmishers, and was marched to the left to the ground occupied by the
monument, where it remained on skirmish duty throughout the day, being
under fire almost continually but not directly engaged. The detachment
shared in all the duties performed by the Sixty-second New York,
remaining in line of battle all of the 4th of July, and at dawn of the
5th the brigade was advanced across Plum Creek, our detachment leading,
in pursuit of the enemy. The pursuit was continued by the Sixth Corps to
Fairfield Pass, where the enemy was about to be attacked when another
course was determined upon, General Sedgwick recalled, and the corps
headed for Frederick, the regiment rejoining at Middletown.
While this stone is one of many to mark the general line of battle, yet
the long list of engagements inscribed upon it, in many of which our
regiment took a more active part than here, suggests another purpose. To
the passerby that list is but the names of twenty-nine battles, more or
less famed in the history of the war, but as we read, Fair Oaks, Malvern
Hill, Salem Heights, Wilderness, Cold Harbor, Cedar Creek, we remember
with sadness, and yet with a soldierly pride, that on these fields
Kenney, Poland, Mooney, Large, Patterson, Kirkbride, Drum, the
McIlwains, Coleman, and one hundred and seventy-one others of our
comrades laid down their lives to save the Union.
The regiment has just one monument, and it is entirely proper that it
should stand, not in busy city square or pleasure park, nor even in
secluded cemetery, but where the gallant men it honors were always to be
found, upon the line of battle. Nearly a generation has passed since
President Lincoln stood on this field and uttered the immortal words at
the dedication of the first battle monument erected here, "the world
will little note, nor long remember, what we say: but it can never
forget what they did here."
*Organized principally at Pittsburgh in August, 1861, to serve three
years. On the expiration of its term of service the original members
(except veterans) were mustered out, and the organization composed of
veterans and recruits retained in service until June 28, 1865, when it
was mustered out.
Submitted by:
Lt. Col. (Ret) Wayne Wachsmuth, Licensed Battlefield Guide Gettysburg National Military Park and Great Grandson of J. B. Martin 102nd PA Volunteers.
Photo of the memorial pending.