The
147th Pennsylvania Infantry served as a member of Candy’s Brigade in Geary’s Division of the Twelfth Corps, Army of the Potomac. This regiment was formed from Companies L, M, N, O and P of the 28th Regiment, and three new companies which enlisted at Harrisburg. This regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Ario Pardee, Jr. (1839-1901), a civil engineer from Hazelton who also had the unpleasant experience of having worked in the coal mines. Under his command the 147th brought 298 men to the Gettysburg Battlefield and among them 5 were killed and 15 were wounded. All totaled, the regiment lost during service 7 Officers and 71 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officers and 61 Enlisted men by disease for a total 142 dead soldiers.
Ario Pardee, Jr. (October 28, 1839 – March 16, 1901) was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He rose to fame during the Battle of Gettysburg, where he led the defense of a portion of Culp's Hill on July 3, 1863. A monument on the Gettysburg Battlefield commemorates the spot as "Pardee Field." He retained command at the Battle of Gettysburg, during which he was engaged in the fighting on Culp's Hill on July 2, and July 3, 1863. This field on Culp’s Hill has been named for him. Pardee received promotion to the brevet rank of brigadier general on January 12, 1865, for the Battle of Peachtree Creek. He was discharged from the service on June 13 of that year. After the Civil War, Pardee returned to Pennsylvania. There he went back into the coal business as a partner with his father and his brother Calvin. Ario Pardee Jr. died at Wyncote, Pennsylvania, on March 16, 1901. He was buried in the churchyard of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania.
The 147th Pennsylvania Infantry Monument is on the left or west side of Sykes Avenue (RD362) if traveling north and just before the Wheatfield Road intersection where the road magically changes names to Sedgwick Avenue. If looking a the four-way intersection, this monument rests at the lower left hand corner or the southwest corner of the intersection. I suppose this site could be considered the most northern slope of Little Round Top.
Parking is available along the road at intermittently enlarged shoulder areas. Take care to not park on anything remotely green looking as Park Police will happily ticket you. I visited this site on Monday, July 1, 2013 on the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg @ 3:06 PM, EDT & @ an altitude of 624 feet, ASL. As always, I used my trusty and oft abused Canon PowerShot 14.1 Megapixel, SX210 IS digital camera for the photos.
The Draw the Sword site helped out by the NPS narrative and the SIRIS site offers the following description: This monument is a smaller version of the main regiment monument in the shape of the XII Corps Star with inscription incised on its faces. The monument marks the position held by the 147th Pennsylvania regiment on the evening of July 1, 1863, until they moved to Culp’s Hill on the morning of July 2nd. Dedicated on October 13, 1885. It is three foot high and three foot from point to point. Inscriptions are incised on the north and south faces. Flanking markers are apex topped, one foot square. I think what is important to note here is this is not the primary monument yet as a simple position marker it is listed as a contributing structure most likely because of its uniqueness and complexity relative to other Gettysburg position markers.
The 147th Pennsylvania Infantry Monument was dedicated on October 13, 1885 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The monument is composed of Westerly granite and rest on a natural boulder. The sculpture is approximately 1 feet 10 inches x 3 feet². The sculpture was fabricated by the Gettysburg Battlefield-famous Smith Smith Granite Company out of Westerly, Rhode Island. The fact Westerly granite was used for the monument and it was manufactured by the Smith Granite Company is no coincidence. Smith Granite Company In 1845 Orlando Smith discovered a granite outcrop on the property owned by Joshua Babcock in Westerly, Rhode Island, and a year later purchased the site from him. He established a granite quarry shortly there after and by the 1850s was cutting granite monuments. In 1887 the Smith Granite Company was incorporated, with family members holding all the stock.. There are inscriptions on the front and back which read:
(Front):147th
Regiment Infantry
Pennsylvania Veteran Vols.
Night of July 1
1863.
(Back):1st Brigade 2nd Division
12th Army Corps
The 147th Pennsylvania Infantry Monument is a contributing feature to the Gettysburg National Military Park Historic District which is nationally significant under NR Criteria A, B, C & D. Areas of Significance: Military, Politics/Government, Landscape Architecture, Conservation, Archeology-Historic. Period of Significance: 1863-1938. The original National Register Nomination was approved by the Keeper March 19, 1975. An update to this nomination was approved by the Keeper on January 23, 2004. The monument is identified as structure number MN105-B.
From the Nomination Form:
Marks position of 147th Pennsylavania Infantry on p.m. July 1, 1863 until it moved to Culp's Hill on a.m. of July 2. 1 of 110 mns in Park to Pennsylvania commands in Gettsyburg Campaign. Located on W side of Sykes Ave on N slope of Little Round Top.
Short Physical Description:
Mn & 2 flank markers. Granite marker is shape of XII Corps star, 3' high, 3' from point to point, 1'10" wide. Inscriptions incised on N & S faces. Flank markers, apex topped, 1'x1'x1'6", inscription on W face.
Long Physical Description:
Monument that has two flanking markers. Monument is a granite marker in the shape of the XII Corps star. It is three foot high and three foot from point to point. Inscriptions are incised on the north and south faces. Flanking markers are apex topped, one foot square. Located on the west side of Sykes Avenue on the north slope of Little Round Top.
My Sources
1.
NRHP Nomination Form
2.
SIRIS
3.
Stone Sentinels
4.
Virtual Gettysburg
5.
Draw the Sword
6.
Historical Marker Database
7.
Wikipedia