Gettysburg Daily

Smith’s 4th NY Restoration Complete: Statue Returned to Monument

Lucas Flickinger, Supervisor of the Monument Preservation Branch of the NPS Maintenance Department (blue helmet), Brian Griffin (white helmet on right), and two other NPS employees (Joe Catchings and Michael Wright), work to set the completed bronze artilleryman onto the 4th New York monument at Devil’s Den. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 10:30 AM on Monday, November 28, 2011.

On an overcast Monday morning, we were on-hand to watch as a crew of National Park Service employees seated the bronze artilleryman of the 4th New York monument into its rightful place, after the vandalism of five years ago. We’ll show you a few photos, as well as some video of this event.

To see previous entries on this topic:

Smith’s 4th NY Restoration at the GNMP Monument Shop: Part 2 on October 28, 2011.
Smith’s 4th NY Restoration at the GNMP Monument Shop: Part 1 on October 27, 2011.
Smith’s New York Battery Monument and 11th Massachusetts: Five Years Later on February 16, 2011.
Ball Placed Back on Top of Monument to Knap’s Pennsylvania Battery on July 9, 2009.
Smith’s New York Battery Monument Still Awaits Restoration on May 31, 2008.

If you take a look at the first picture in this posting, you’ll notice 3 metal rods that need to fit into the granite holes on the monument base. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 10:30 AM on Monday, November 28, 2011.

After lifting the statue a few times … This view was taken facing east at approximately 10:30 AM on Monday, November 28, 2011.

… it was finally set in place. The Devil’s Den witness tree is in the background. This view was taken facing south at approximately 10:30 AM on Monday, November 28, 2011.

The event was attended by a few members of the public and local media. This view was taken facing west at approximately 10:30 AM on Monday, November 28, 2011.

Crawford Avenue was closed for much of Monday morning, limiting attendance. This view was taken facing north at approximately 10:30 AM on Monday, November 28, 2011.

One of the last steps was for Brian Griffin to attach the ramrod.

This view was taken facing south at approximately 10:30 AM on Monday, November 28, 2011.

Here is a video (approximately 5 minutes) that shows a few scenes of the work that was performed Monday morning.

This view was taken facing west at approximately 10:30 AM on Monday, November 28, 2011.

This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 10:30 AM on Monday, November 28, 2011.

After securing the rammer, the work was almost complete. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 10:30 AM on Monday, November 28, 2011.

All that remained was to break down the scaffolding. This view was taken facing south at approximately 10:30 AM on Monday, November 28, 2011.

This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 10:30 AM on Monday, November 28, 2011.

This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 10:30 AM on Monday, November 28, 2011.

And at last, a completed view of Smith’s 4th New York Battery at Devil’s Den. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 10:30 AM on Monday, November 28, 2011.

We are able to speak briefly to Brian Griffin, who was heavily involved in the restoration work on the monument, but with whom were unable to talk to when we visited the monument shop in October. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 10:30 AM on Monday, November 28, 2011.

Brian traveled both to the foundry in Montana and the identical statue in Manchester, New Hampshire, which we discussed in previous postings on the 4th NY restoration.

The crew was able to pose in front of the monument once everything was secured. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 10:30 AM on Monday, November 28, 2011.

From left to right: Joe Catchings, Brian Griffin, Luke Flickinger, and Michael Wright. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 10:30 AM on Monday, November 28, 2011.