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Monuments at Gettysburg – 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on May 21, 2015
The 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry Monument at Gettysburg is located southeast of the town of Gettysburg on Highland Avenue.
A picture of the monument as shown above can be seen on Stephen Recker’s Virtual Gettysburg Web Site which has more information about the monument and the 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
A full description of the monument, its GPS Coordinates, additional photographs, and some of the history of the 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry, can be found on the Stone Sentinels Web Site.
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The program of the 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry at the monument dedication exercises was described in the Philadelphia Inquirer article of 11 September 1889, along with a brief history of the regiment in the Gettysburg Campaign:
Down at Deardorf Farm.
The 16th Cavalry, from interior western counties, was in Gregg’s Brigade at Gettysburg on the extreme right of the Union Army guarding the approaches in that quarter. On the 5th it was put in motion in pursuit of the enemy and captured many prisoners. It was under command of Captain John K. Robison in the Gettysburg Campaign. Beginning with a severe battle at Brandy Station, the marched northward 13 May 1863, and after passing Aldie on the 18th the regiment was in advance of General Pleasanton’s Corps and constantly engaged. On the 19th the regiment’s ammunition was exhausted. It was led to the attack, dismounted and drove the enemy from well-protected positions, losing one killed and ten wounded. In the fights of the following few days the enemy was driven into the Blue ridge. The 16th monument is on the line occupied on the 3rd on “Deardorf Farm,” at the junction of the roads, about 200 yards from the farm buildings.
The programme of the 16th Cavalry at 1:30 o’clock P.M. will include: Prayer, Lieutenant Norman Ball; “The Absent,” W. A. McDowell; sketch of regiment, T. D. Garman. Evening — “Campfire,” President J. L. Gregg; “Our Regiment,” Adjutant Company; “Camp Life,” Captain Charles H. Miller, Assistant Adjutant General.
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John K. Robison
Captain John K. Robison commanded the 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry at Gettysburg.
Robison, age 33, was from Juniata County, Pennsylvania, when he became Captain of Company F of the 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry. It was not until the 7 August 1863 that he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the Regiment. Months before his discharge, which occurred on 11 August 1865, he was breveted Brigadier General.
During the war, John Kincaid Robison was wounded three times: (1) at Auburn, 14 October 1863; at Hawes Shop, 28 May 1864; and at Farmville, 7 April 1865.
He died on 20 June 1917 and is buried at Westminster Presbyterian Cemetery, Mifflintown, Juniata 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 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry 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 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry, but was not part of the regiment during its days at Gettysburg. There could also be errors on the plaque.
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