Sculpted by Gary Casteel
 
1863 Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Monument Replicas
 
On July 1, 1863, the 14th Brooklyn broke camp and marched to what would prove to be the regiment’s most memorable encounter of the Civil War. As they approached the little crossroad town of Gettysburg, Col. Edward B. Fowler led the column along the Emmitsburg Road. Heading west, he heard the rumbling of artillery. Knowing the Confederate army was in the vicinity, he urged his men on to meet the expected threat. During the regiment’s advance, they were joined with Gen. James S. Wadsworth’s 1st Division (of the 1st Corps) and began tearing down the fences lining the road to clear a path through the field where in two days’ time Confederate Gen. George Pickett would become immortal.
 
The 14th reached the Lutheran Seminary, and Gen. John Reynolds waved them forward. Crossing the ridge near the McPherson farm through the retreating Union cavalry, Col. Fowler no sooner placed his men in line when they received a volley from the advancing brigade of Confederate Gen. James Archer. Aided by the 2nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, part of the Iron Brigade, on the left and the 95th New York Volunteer Infantry on the right, the struggle ensued through the wood lot and surrounding ridge near Willoughby Run.
 
Within minutes, Archer’s Brigade was flying in retreat. However, a new threat was developing in the rear of Col. Fowler’s Regiment. Confederate Gen. Joseph Davis’ Brigade had taken up a position in the unfinished railroad cut to the rear and was firing into the 14th Brooklyn. Col. Fowler turned the 14th and the 95th and, with the help of the 6th Wisconsin, charged the Confederate line trapping the Confederate troops in the depths of the newly cut trench.
 
Col. Fowler later recorded the July 1st events in his official after battle report, as follows:
 
On entering the field, the Ninety-fifth New York Volunteers and Fourteenth Regiment New York State Militia were formed on the left of the brigade, a house and garden intervening between them and the right wing. We were at once engaged by the enemy's skirmishers from woods to our left and front. We drove the enemy back, and I then found that the enemy were advancing on our right, and were then to our rear, and in possession of one of our pieces of artillery. I immediately ordered my command, Ninety-fifth New York Volunteers and Fourteenth New York State Militia, to march in retreat until on a line with the enemy, and then changed front perpendicular to face them, the enemy also changing front to meet us. At this time the Sixth Wisconsin Regiment gallantly advanced to our assistance. The enemy then took possession of a railroad cut and I gave the order to charge them, which order was carried out gallantly by all the regiments, by which the piece of artillery was recaptured. The advance was continued until near the cut, when I directed the Sixth Wisconsin to flank it by throwing forward their right, which being done, all the enemy within our reach surrendered--officers, battle-flag, and men. Those in line on the left of my line escaped by following through the railroad cut. I held this position until ordered to the rear to join the brigade.
 
As the sun set on that fateful day, the 14th would fall back and take up a new position on the heights near the cemetery, south of Gettysburg. For the next two days, they would fight beside the men of the Union 12th Corps at Culp’s Hill. Over three days of fighting, the 14th Brooklyn suffered a 68% combined loss, or 217 of the 318 men engaged.
 
During the years following the War, the veterans would return three times to Gettysburg and place monuments at the Railroad Cut, McPherson’s Ridge, and Culp’s Hill, to honor their regiment and to pay homage to those who had fought and died while wearing the uniform of Brooklyn’s “Red-Legged Devils”.
 
The monument was dedicated in 1893 and is located on the east side of Stone Avenue about 265 yards south of Chambersburg Road.ntersection with Steinwehr Avenue.