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Monuments at Gettysburg – 49th Pennsylvania Infantry
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on October 28, 2014
The 49th Pennsylvania Infantry Monument at Gettysburg is located south of the town of Gettysburg on Howe Road. It was dedicated as part of the group of monuments paid for by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1889. The view of the monument (above) is from a Philadelphia Inquirer article of 11 September 1889 on the festivities for the monument dedications. For a picture, see Steven Recker’s Virtual Gettysburg Web Site which has more information about the monument and the 49th Pennsylvania Infantry.
A full description of the monument, its GPS coordinates, a photograph, and some of the history of the 49th Pennsylvania Infantry can be found on the Stone Sentinels Web Site.
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Although the 49th Pennsylvania Infantry dedicated its monument in 1889, the Philadelphia Inquirer article of 11 September 1889 did not mention anything about any ceremonies that involved the regiment.
The 49th Lost Not a Man.
The 49th, dropping the Pipe Creek Plan, hastened from Westminster to Gettysburg, arriving at daylight on the 2nd, and immediately went to the support of the Fifth Corps. Russell’s Brigade was posted on the left of the line, the 49th on the right and front, with its right resting on the Taneytown Road. Ar 3 P.M. the division was ordered to the support of the Fifth Corps and formed on the right of Round Top, but the enemy had now been repulsed and driven back at all points and the battle was at an end. The regiment suffered no loss, though under heavy artillery fire during the afternoon of the 3rd. In the pursuit on the night of the 7th the men of the 49th, faint with fasting, crossed Cotocton Mountain over a by-road through unspeakable darkness and torrents of rain. Many staggered by the way, and at the top the column halted for them to catch up. At Middletown the regiment drew rations and shoes and got a full night’s rest. After the surrender of Lee the regiment, facing toward Johnston, marched 100 miles in four days and four hours. Returning to Hall’s Hill, Washington, the regiment camped for two weeks, and was there mustered out of service.
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Thomas M. Hulings (1835-1864)
Thomas M. Hulings was born on 7 February 1835 and was from Lewistown, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. He commanded the 49th Pennsylvania Infantry at Gettysburg. Major Hulings began his service with the regiment on 24 October 1861 at Camp Griffin, Virginia, and before Gettysburg he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, the rank he held at the time of the battle. Unfortunately, on 10 May 1864 he was killed in action at Spottsylvania Court House, Virginia.
Lieutenant Colonel Hulings is buried at Green Mount Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland. More information about him can be found at his Findagrave Memorial.
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Around the base of the Pennsylvania Memorial at Gettysburg are a series of plaques which, by regiment and company, note the names of every soldier who was present at the Battle of Gettysburg. The plaque for the 49th Pennsylvania Infantry is pictured below. By clicking on the plaque it should enlarge so the names can be more clearly read. If a name does not appear, it could be that the soldier did serve in the 49th Pennsylvania Infantry, but was not part of the regiment during its days in Gettysburg. There could also be errors on the plaque.
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The news clipping and article are from the on-line resources of the Free Library of Philadelphia.
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