Gettysburg Daily

New York State Auxiliary Monument Repointed

The New York State Auxiliary monument on Cemetery Ridge, with an “Area Closed” sign in front of it on Tuesday afternoon. This view was taken facing east at approximately 2:15 PM on Tuesday, August 9, 2011.

As we’ve shown you with the Alabama State monument last week, monuments that have grouting and masonry work will need those joints/grouting repaired after a time. This “repointing” of the monument is currently being undertaken on the New York State Auxiliary Monument on Cemetery Ridge.

The New York Auxiliary Monument was dedicated on September 9, 1925 at a cost of $27,875. This view was taken facing east at approximately 2:15 PM on Tuesday, August 9, 2011.

The intent of the monument is to honor those not honored on the much larger New York State Monument in the Soldiers National Cemetery, which was erected in 1893. It is basically a “in case we forgot you” monument from the state of New York. This view was taken facing east at approximately 2:15 PM on Tuesday, August 9, 2011.

The main area where the repointing work is taking place is the base of the monument. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 2:15 PM on Tuesday, August 9, 2011.

Visitors are able to step onto this base to view the names and this has likely resulted in a lot of foot traffic and weathering over the years. You can see the newly done joints in the top portion of this photo. This view was facing northeast at approximately 2:15 PM on Tuesday, August 9, 2011.

This view was facing northeast at approximately 2:15 PM on Tuesday, August 9, 2011.

Interestingly enough, if you make this image larger you will notice the first two names on the top-left of the monument are to Major General Daniel Sickles and Daniel Butterfield. We think it’s safe to say that they had been honored elsewhere on the field by this monument’s erection in 1925, so it is interesting to see their inclusion here. This view was facing northeast at approximately 2:15 PM on Tuesday, August 9, 2011.

This goes for a few other names on the monument as well — the four panels on the right side here list each New York Regimental commander at Gettysburg. It is probably safer to say that monument honors all New Yorkers who commanded military units at Gettysburg from the ranks of Major to Major-General. This view was taken facing east at approximately 2:15 PM on Tuesday, August 9, 2011.

This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 2:15 PM on Tuesday, August 9, 2011.