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Monuments at Gettysburg – 98th Pennsylvania Infantry
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on February 10, 2015
The 98th Pennsylvania Infantry Monument at Gettysburg, dedicated in 1889, is located near the John Weickert farmhouse. It was the second monument to the 98th Pennsylvania Infantry, the first being located on the north side of Little Round Top and dedicated in 1885. The drawing of the second monument (above) is from the 1889 article that appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Steve Recker’s Virtual Gettysburg Web Site has additional information about the monument and the 98th Pennsylvania Infantry.
A full description of the monument, its GPS coordinates, a picture, and some of the history of the 98th Pennsylvania Infantry can be found on the Stone Sentinels Web Site. There is also information there about the first monument.
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The following information about the regiment is from the Philadelphia Inquirer of 11 September 1889:
Where the 98th Stood.
On the evening of 1 July 1863, the 98th, in response to urgent calls, commenced a forced march from Manchester to Gettysburg, where it took position on the low wooded hillock to the right and front of Little Round Top. Here it held its position unmoved, and on the following day advanced a little, and although exposed to a terrible artillery fire, lost two officers and ten men only. These were killed by sharpshooters. The 98th was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George Wynkoop. At 1 o’clock the association will rededicate the monument on Little Round Top. The ceremonies will include an address by Commander Jacob A. Schmid.
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The commander of the 98th Pennsylvania Infantry at Gettysburg was John B. Kohler. He was 43 years old when he enrolled in the 98th at Philadelphia on 17 August 1861 as Captain of Company K. On 26 November 1862, he was promoted to Major of the regiment and on 2 July 1863, during the Battle of Gettysburg, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.
After Gettysburg, he was wounded in action at Fort Stevens, District of Columbia, 11 July 1864 and was killed in action at Cedar Creek, Virginia, on 19 October 1864. His widow, Elizabeth [Everbach] Kohler applied for a pension on 3 December 1864, which she received. According to pension records, the only service of John B. Kohler was in the 98th Pennsylvania Infantry, but a record has been located at the Pennsylvania Archives of service in the 21st Pennsylvania Infantry, Company K, as Captain, for a John Benedict Kohler, a stovemaker from Philadelphia, who served from 29 April 1861 through discharge on 8 August 1861, most likely the same person.
A place of burial has not yet been determined.
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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 98th 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 98th Pennsylvania Infantry, but was not part of the regiment during its days at Gettysburg. There could also be errors on the plaque.
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