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Monuments at Gettysburg – 68th Pennsylvania Infantry
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on November 25, 2014
The 68th Pennsylvania Infantry Monument at Gettysburg is located on Emmitsburg Road near the Peach Orchard. It is one of two monuments to this regiment and was the first to be erected and dedicated, by members of the regiment in 1886. The second monument, not pictured here, was dedicated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1888. The drawing of the monument (above) is from the Philadelphia Inquirer article describing the regimental histories and ceremonies. For a picture of the monument, see Steven Recker’s Virtual Gettysburg Web Site which has more information about the monument and the 68th Pennsylvania Infantry.
A full description of the monument, its GPS coordinates, a photograph, and some of the history of the 68th Pennsylvania Infantry can be found on the Stone Sentinels Web Site. The second monument is also pictured there with similar information.
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On 11 September 1889, the Philadelphia Inquirer included the following information on the 68th Pennsylvania Infantry in its article on the monument dedications:
A Position Held at All Hazards.
The 68th position, taken on the night of the 1st, was along the slight riedge extending diagonally across the open plain between Seminary and Cemetery Ridges and stretching obliquely back to a wood through a rocky ravine in front of Round Top. In an angle near the house of John Wentz, in one of the most exposed parts of the field, the 68th was placed, a conspicuous mark for artillery which later carried away its men at every discharge. This position was the key which had to be held at all hazards and the 68th could not but choose to stand there and be shot away, with no opportunity to reply. Colonel Tippin was in command of the regiment, but when General Graham was wounded took command of the brigade. In that orchard the colonel and major were wounded and ten other officers were killed and wounded, leaving but four to bring the regiment out of the field. On the 3rd the regiment was held in reserve on the left centre and was not engaged, though exposed to the terrible artillery fire. Colonel Tippin had his horse shot under him on this day and the loss was about 60 percent of the men engaged. In October of that year, near Centreville, Colonel Tippin was taken prisoner and confined at Libby Prison for nine months.
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Andrew Hart Tippin commanded the 68th Pennsylvania Infantry at Gettysburg. He was born Christmas Day 1822 in Philadelphia, where he resided at the time of the Civil War. He enrolled in the regiment as its Colonel on 1 September 1862, the position he held at the time of the Battle of Gettysburg. As stated above, he was taken prisoner and confined at Libby in Richmond from 14 October 1863 through 25 June 1864. His Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card from the Pennsylvania Archives, which contains some of the information about him, is pictured below.
Andrew Hart Tippin died on 6 February 1870 and is buried in Pottstown Cemetery, Pottstown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. 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 68th 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 68th 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 clippings are from the on-line resources of the Free Library of Philadelphia.
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