High Water Mark of the Rebellion Monument

High Water Mark of the Rebellion Monument
historic district contributing structure
The front tablet on the High Water Mark of the Rebellion Monument is on a pedestal (bottom) in front of the Copse of Trees
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
County Adams
NPS unit Gettysburg National Military Park
Landform Cemetery Ridge
Location Copse of Trees [1]

 - coordinates 39°48.747′N 77°14.143′W / 39.812450°N 77.235717°WCoordinates: 39°48.747′N 77°14.143′W / 39.812450°N 77.235717°W
Dedicated 1892
 - Ent'd-Doc'd January 23, 2004
Historic District
GNMP structure 		75000155 (Gettysburg))
MN230 [2]
Designer John B. Bachelder
For the place of the turning point of the American Civil War which this marker commemorates, see High-water mark of the Confederacy.

The High Water Mark of the Rebellion Monument[2] is a Gettysburg Battlefield memorial which identifies the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia units of the infantry attack on the Battle of Gettysburg, third day, with a large bronze tablet, as well as the Union Army of the Potomac's "respective troops who met or assisted to repulse Longstreet's Assault." The memorial is named for the line of dead and wounded of Pickett's Charge which marked the deepest penetration into the Union line at The Angle when "4,500 men threw down their arms and came in as prisoners".[3] The line is now generally marked with unit monuments which are also historic district contributing structures. The High Water Mark monument is accessible via Hancock Avenue which has parking spaces alongside, and a path leads to the site from a parking lot at the Cyclorama Building at Gettysburg.

History

The monument's designer identified the turning point of Pickett's Charge, as "unquestionably the “high water mark of this battle, and of the war!” "[3] After Bachelder's monument proposal was denied by the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association 2 years in a row, it was approved in the 3rd year.[4] Erected by April 27, 1892, the monument was recast to add 2 missing units[5] and then dedicated with a speech by former Governor Beaver advocating the battlefield become a National Park. The Marine Corps Band provided music, short addresses were by "Gens. Schofield, Slocum, Webb, Veazey, and" others, and Samuel M. Swope presented the monument to John M. Vanderslice of the GBMA.

An 1895 tablet (MN389) was added to the memorial to identify the GBMA directors,[2] and the memorial was the site of an 1897 lecture by James T. Long to 7,097 excursionists at The Angle.[6]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Battle of Gettysburg memorials.

References

  1. ↑ "High Water Mark" (HMdb.org webpage, marker 16160). Retrieved 2011-02-11. Located in front of the "Copse of Trees" on Cemetery Ridge in Gettysburg National Military Park.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Bachelder, John B (1892), High Water Mark of the Rebellion Monument (NPS.gov webpage about monument), Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association, retrieved 2011-02-11, rear tablet added 1895 (MN389) listing directors of Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association. All 9'H.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bachelder, John Badger (1873). Gettysburg. What to see How to see it. (Google books). Retrieved 2011-01-17. (also available at HathiTrust.org)
  4. ↑ Krauth, Jno. M. (June 16, 1886). "Board meeting minutes" (1982 transcription). Minute Book, Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association, 1872-1895. Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
  5. ↑ "Battlefield Notes" (Google News Archive). The Star and Sentinel. April 27, 1892. Retrieved 2011-06-28. The front tablet of the "High-water" marker is to be taken down and re-cast, with larger and more distinct lettering. The names of two batteries are to be added : Edgell's New Hampshire and Hill's West Virginia. This will remedy the one defect of the Marker. The change will be made prior to the dedication on June 2.:3
  6. ↑ Weeks, Jim (2003). Gettysburg: Memory, Market, and an American Shrine (Google Books). p. 92. Retrieved 2011-03-14.