Confederate Headquarters – Longstreet’s First Corps – McLaws’ Division
The monument to Kershaw’s Brigade of the Army of Northern Virginia is south of Gettysburg on West Confederate Avenue (West Confederate Avenue – Pt. 5 tour map). Tablets are on Brooke Avenue (Brooke Avenue tour map) and Emmitsburg road (West Confederate Avenue – Pt. 5 tour map).
Monument to Kershaw’s South Carolina Brigade on the Gettysburg battlefield
From the main monument
C. S. A.
Army of Northern Virginia McLaws’ Division
Kershaw’s Brigade
2nd 3rd 7th 8th 15th Regiments and 3d
Battalion South Carolina Infantry
July 2. Arrived at 3.30 P. M. and formed line here. Advanced about 4.30 to battle. The 8th and 2d Regiments and 3d Battalion shared in the attack on Peach Orchard and batteries near there on Wheatfield Road. The 7th and 3d Regiments were engaged in the long and severe conflict at and around the Loop. The 15th Regiment fought on Rose Hill and in the ravine and forest beyond. Late in the evening the Brigade took part in the general advance by which the Union forces were forced from the Wheatfield and across Plum Run Valley. At dark under orders it retired to Peach Orchard.
July 3. At Peach Orchard until noon then sent farther to front. At 1 P. M. under orders resumed position here extending line to right and keeping in touch with Hood’s Division on left.
July 4. About midnight began the march to Hagerstown Md.
Present about 1800 Losses 630
Location of the monument
The monument to Kershaw’s Brigade is southwest of Gettysburg on the west side of West Confederate Avenue. It is about 300 feet south of the parking area at the Warfield Ridge observation tower.
Position marker on Emmitsburg Road
Position marker for Kershaw’s Confederate Brigade at Gettysburg
From the marker on Emmitsburg Road
Kershaw’s Brigade
Brigadier General Joseph B. Kershaw’s South Carolina Brigade of McLaw’s Division, ordered on the afternoon of July 2, 1863, to attack the Union battle line north and east of the Rose Farm, 100 yards eastward, crossed the Emmitsburg Road in this area. By nightfall their attack, joined with those of other Confederate brigades, had forced the Union troops from the Peach Orchard and Wheatfield. Late on July 3 the brigade withdrew and went into position in the woods a quarter mile west.
Erected by “Project Southland” in cooperation with the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association 1970.
Location of the position marker on Emmitsburg Road
The marker is south of Gettysburg on the west side of Emmitsburg Road. It is about .25 miles south of the intersection with Millerstown Road/Wheatfield Road.
Position marker on Brooke Avenue
Army of Northern Virginia McLaws’ Division
Kershaw’s Brigade
2nd 3rd 7th 8th 15th Regiments and
3d Battalion South Carolina Infantry
July 2. Arrived on the field at 3.30 P. M. Formed line and advanced about 4.30 o’clock. The 8th and 2D Regiments and 3d Battalion shared in the attack on the Peach Orchard and batteries near there on Wheatfield Road. The 7th and 3d Regiments were engaged at and around the Loop. The 15th Regiment fought on Rose Hill and in the ravine and forest beyond. Late in the evening the Brigade took part in the advance by which the Union forces were forced from the Wheatfield and across Plum Run Valley. At dark under orders the Brigade retired to and occupied the Peach Orchard.
Location of the Brook Avenue marker
The marker is south of Gettysburg in the Rose Woods on the west side of Brooke Avenue. Brooke Avenue is an extension of Cross Avenue and Ayers Avenue, which are all one way. They must be entered from the east from Sickles Avenue or Wheatfield Road.
About Joseph B. Kershaw
Joseph B. Kershaw commanded Kershaw’s Brigade at the Battle of Gettysburg. He was born in Kershaw County, South Carolina, where he became a lawyer and served four years in the South Carolina Senate. Kershaw fought in the Mexican War, but was forced to return home due to severe illness.
At the beginning of the Civil War Kershaw commanded the 2nd South Carolina Infantry Regiment, which he led during the attack on Forth Sumter and at the Battle of Manassas (Bull Run). After running afoul of General Beauregard he was transferred to the west for several months. He returned to the east in February of 1862 and was promoted to brigadier general and given command of Bonham’s former brigade in what became the Army of Northern Virginia. Kershaw led his brigade in the Peninsula Campaign, the Second Battle of Manassas (Bull Run), Sharpsburg (Antietam), and Fredericksburg. He was detached with Longsreet’s Suffolk Expedition and missed the Battle of Chancellorsville.
Kershaw went west with Longstreet after Gettysburg and played a major role at Chickamauga. He took temporary command of his division after the Battle of Knoxville, which was made permanent when he was promoted to major general in June of 1864. He fought through the Overland Campaign and was sent to reinforce Jubal Early in the Shenandoah Valley, taking part in the Confederate defeat at Cedar Creek. After the collapse of the Confederate defenses around Richmond Kershaw and his division were captured at the Battle of Sayler’s Creek in the retreat to Appomattox.
Confederate Brigadier General Joseph B. Kershaw
See more on the history of the infantry regiments in Kershaw’s Brigade
2nd South Carolina – 3rd South Carolina – 7th South Carolina – 8th South Carolina – 15th South Carolina