Civil War Blog

Posted By Norman Gasbarro on April 23, 2015

The 150th Pennsylvania Infantry Monument at Gettysburg is located west of the town of Gettysburg on Stone Avenue.  It was dedicated in 1889 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is the second monument to this regiment at Gettysburg;  the first monument is located on Hancock Avenue and was dedicated in 1888 by the regiment’s survivors.

The drawing of the monument pictured above is from a Philadelphia Inquirer article of 11 September 1889.

A picture of the monument can be seen on Stephen Recker’s Virtual Gettysburg Web Site which has more information about the monument and the 150th Pennsylvania Infantry.

A full description of the 1889 monument, its GPS Coordinates, additional photographs, and some of the history of the 150th Pennsylvania Infantry, can be found on the Stone Sentinels Web Site.  There is also a picture and information about the first monument.  In addition, there is information about Medal of Honor recipients Lieutenant Colonel Henry S. Huidekoper and Corporal J. Monroe Reisinger from this regiment

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The article appearing in the Philadelphia Inquirer on 11 September 1889 told some history of the regiment and gave the names of those on the podium and the subjects of their speeches at the commemoration exercises:

The 150th Imperishable Fame.

The 150th Bucktail Regiment was recruited in Philadelphia, Crawford, Union and McKean counties.  After crossing the Rappahanock the 150th remained at White Oak Church until the middle of June, and in its really first battle at Gettysburg won fame imperishable.  Reaching the seminary on the night of the 1st, the 150th moved forward half a mile to the crest of the hill, where its only protection from the frightful shelling that followed was a light fence.  Colonel Wistar took wounded Colonel Stone’s place in command of the brigade, and Lieutenant Colonel Huidekoper then commanded the 150th.  The enemy advanced within fifty years, when he stopped and continued firing.  Then a new line was seen approaching from the west.  A charge was necessary to free the brigade from the first column and prepare for the second.  The first line was driven off in confusion and the colors of the 149th were recaptured.  Colonel Wister was wounded in the face, Colonel Huidekoper losing his arm, Adjutant Ashhurst in the shoulder, Lieutenant Perkins in the thigh and Lieutenant Chancellor had his leg torn off.  The retreat began soon after and in Gettysburg the colors of the 150th, afterward found in Jeff Davis’s baggage, were captured, Corporal Gutelius being shot down with them in his arms.

The dedication ceremonies of the 150th, at 10 o’clock, will consist of prayer, Rev. H. M. Kieffer, D. D.; preliminary address, Brevet Brigadier General Langhorne Wister; “The 150th in the Battle of Gettysburg,” Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Chamberlain,“Organization of the Bucktail Brigade,” Sergeant William R. Ramsey, Company F; Benediction, Rev. J. A. Humes, Company H.

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Henry S. Huidekoper

The commander of the 150th Pennsylvania Infantry at Gettysburg was Lieutenant Colonel Henry S. Huidekoper, who took over for Colonel Langhorn Wister as he moved to command the brigade on 1 July 1863.

Huidekoper began service in the 150th Pennsylvania Infantry on 30 August 1862 as Captain of Company K, which actually never went into the field and was detailed as a bodyguard to President Abraham Lincoln.  But instead of commanding this bodyguard detachment through his service, Captain Huidekoper was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment on 5 September 1862 and sent into the field.  On the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, he was wounded which took him out of action and resulted in the loss of an arm.  A more detailed blog post on Lieutenant Colonel Huidekoper was presented here on 26 September 2012.  See:  Henry S. Huidekoper – Medal of Honor Recipient and Advocate of Veterans.

Additional information can also be found about him at his Findagrave Memorial.

George W. Jones

The Captain of Company B of the 150th Pennsylvania Infantry, George W. Jones, took over for Huidekoper when he was wounded.  A brief biography of him can be found at his Findagrave Memorial.

Jones died on 26 November 1913 and is buried at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery, Cheltenham, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

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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 150th 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 150th Pennsylvania Infantry, but was not part of the regiment during its days at Gettysburg.  There could also be errors on the plaque.

Category: Memorials
Tags: Monument