Confederate Artillery Batteries
The marker for the Amherst Artillery is east of Gettysburg on Benner’s Hill north of Hanover Road. (Tour map: Benner’s Hill) The battery was commanded at the Battle of Gettysburg by Captain Thomas L. Kirkpatrick.
Text from the marker:
Army of Northern Virginia
Ewell’s Corps Artillery Reserve
Nelson’s Battalion Kirkpatrick’s Battery
Amherst Virginia Artillery
One 3 Inch Rifle Three Napoleons
July 1. The Battery arrived too late on the field to participate in the engagement of the day.
July 2. Took position on Seminary Ridge 1/4 mile north of Chambersburg Pike. About 11 A. M. moved to the rear of Pennsylvania College and remained until night when the Battery returned to the position of the morning.
July 3. Ordered to the extreme left of the Confederate line. At midnight moved with Johnson’s Division to Seminary Ridge.
July 4. Took position on the ridge west of town and at midnight took up the line of march to Hagerstown.
No report of casualties or ammunition expended.
Location of the Marker
The marker is on Benner’s Hil, which is about a half mile east of Gettysburg via Hanover Road (Pennsylvania Route 116.) It is on the unpaved part of Benner’s Avenue (no vehicular traffic) that is north of Hanover Road. Park on the paved part of the Avenue south of Hanover Road, the cross the road and proceed north. (NOTE: Google has mislabeled this marker as the monument to Nelson’s Battalion, which is actually 85 feet to the south.)
See more on the history of the Amherst (Virginia) Battery in the Civil War.