Sculpted by Gary Casteel

1863 Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Monument Replicas
 
The 69th Pennsylvania Infantry (originally raised as the 2nd California) was a volunteer regiment in the Union army. Part of the famed Philadelphia Brigade consisting primarily of Irish, the 69th was the only Pennsylvania regiment authorized to carry a green "Irish" flag into battle. Companies I and K wore a very Americanized Zouave uniform consisting of a dark blue Zouave jacket with green trimming, green cuffs, and sixteen brass buttons down the front on both sides of the jacket, a sky blue Zouave vest, chasseur sky-blue trousers, and a dark blue kepi. This was one of the few Zouave uniforms that did not use red as the jacket trimming.
 
The unit played a large role at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863, where it served as a member of Webb's Brigade in Gibbon's Division of the Second Corps, Army of the Potomac, a Fighting 300 Regiment. The 69th Pennsylvania helped repel both Brigadier General Ambrose Wright's charge on July 2 and on July 3 it was stationed at the famous Angle on Cemetary Ridge and was in the forefront of the troops that helped repulse Pickett's Charge. During the climax of the charge, the 69th Pennsylvania was overwhelmed during brutal, close fighting, that one soldier said, "struck horror to us all."
 
At Gettysburg, the 69th was initially commanded by Colonel Dennis O'Kane. Born in Ireland, O'Kane was a tavern keeper in Richmond before the war. Colonel O'Kane was shot in the head at the wall and died the next day. The 69th Pennsylvania Monument now stands on the spot where he was mortally wounded. Under O'Kane's command, the 69th brought 329 men to the Gettysburg battlefield, and among them 40 men were killed, 80 wounded, and 17 went missing. Its casualties over the last two days of the battle were enormous, losing 143 men out of 258, including its colonel, lieutenant colonel, two captains, and a lieutenant. The regiment's ranking officer, Major Duffy, was seriously wounded but refused to give up command until the battle was over. The 69th finished the campaign under the command of Captain William Davis.
 
This monument was dedicated on July 3, 1887 and is located on the west side of Hancock Avenue near the Copse of Trees.