Union Headquarters monuments > Artillery Reserve
The monument to the 2nd Volunteer Brigade of the Army of the Potomac’s Artillery Reserve is south of Gettysburg on the west side of Baltimore Pike, 130 feet southeast of the Evergreen Cemetery gatehouse. (East Cemetery Hill tour map)
The two Connecticut heavy artillery batteries in the brigade were left behind at Westminster, Maryland as it was believed they would not be suitable for the rapid movements of the campaign. However, Brigadier General Henry Hunt, Chief of Artillery for the Army of the Potomac, regretted not bringing them and felt they would have done good service.
Monument to the 2nd Volunteer Brigade, Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac
From the monument
Army of the Potomac
Artillery Reserve
Second Volunteer Brigade
Capt. Elijah D. Taft
1st Conn. Heavy Battery B
Capt. Albert F. Brooker
Not engaged
1st Conn. Heavy Battery M
Capt. Franklin A. Pratt
Not engaged
2d Conn. Battery
Capt. John W. Sterling
July 2. Reinforced Third Corps line and late in the day retired and formed line under Lieut. Col. F. McGilvery on left of Second Corps.
5th New York Battery
Capt. Elijah D. Taft
July 2 and 3. Engaged on Cemetery Hill.
Casualties Killed 1 Man Wounded 5 Men Captured or Missing 2 Men Total 8
Captain Elijah D. Taft
Captain Elijah D. Taft commanded the brigade at Gettysburg. Taft was a state legislator and militia officer from Brooklyn. He joined the 5th New York Light Artillery Battery in August of 1861 and mustered in as its captain in November. He commanded the battery through the Peninsula Campaign, Second Manassas, Antietam, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. After Chancellorsville the Army of the Potomac Reserve Artillery was organized into brigades. Taft was given command of the 2nd Volunteer Brigade and led it until May of 1864, when he return to command of the battery. Except for a short time in September of 1864 when he commanded the 19th Corps reserve artillery, Taft commanded the battery until the end of the war.
Location of the monument
The monument is on the south side of Gettysburg on the west side of Baltimore Street just south of the Cemetery Gatehouse. (39°49’13.7″N 77°13’44.2″W)