Union Monuments at Gettysburg > Maryland
The monument to the 1st Regiment Eastern Shore Maryland Infantry is southeast of Gettysburg on Culp’s Hill. It is on the east side of Slocum Avenue. (North Culp’s Hill Tour map) The State of Maryland dedicated the monument on October 25, 1888.
Monument to the 1st Regiment Eastern Shore Maryland Infantry at Gettysburg
About the monument
The white granite monument is 5′ high and about 8′ wide. On its front is a relief of a soldier lying behind the cover of a low pile of rocks. His rifle is ready to fire. A five pointed star, symbol of the Twelfth Army Corps, is above his head. The regiment’s story is inscribed on the rear of the monument. A round bronze Seal of the State of Maryland is inset in the center.
About The 1st Maryland Eastern Shore
Colonel James Wallace commanded the regiment. He was a slave owning lawyer and state legislator from Cambridge. Wallace resigned his commission in December of 1863 over the issue of arming African-Americans for the army.
The 1st Maryland Eastern Shore enlisted as a home guard regiment. It was ordered to Baltimore to join the Army of the Potomac at the time of the Gettysburg campaign. Company K was raised in strongly pro-southern Somerset and Worcester counties. They reminded the government of their terms of service and refused to go. On July 2nd as the regiment was moving up to positions on Culp’s Hill, the 67 members of Company K were disarmed, dishonorably discharged and given train fare back to Salisbury.
What happened on Culp’s Hill is the worst example of a state caught between two sides. Here on July 2 the Union 1st Maryland Eastern Shore faced the Confederate 1st Maryland Battalion. Color Sergeant Robert Ross of the Union regiment was a cousin to Color Sergeant P.M. Moore of the Confederate battalion. Moore was wounded several times and captured by his neighbors. The Confederate Marylanders suffered almost 200 casualties.
Colonel Wallace of the Union 1st Maryland wrote, “The 1st Maryland Confederate Regiment met us and were cut to pieces. We sorrowfully gathered up many of our old friends and acquaintances and had them carefully and tenderly cared for.”
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Attached to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Twelfth Corps, Army of the Potomac |  |
Form the front of the monument
1st Regt. Eastern Shore
Maryland Volunteer Infantry
Col. Jas. Wallace.
Lockwood’s Independent Brig.
12th Corps
Maryland’s Tribute to her loyal sons
Rear view of the monument
From the rear of the monument
Five companies held the
works in front of this
stone wall on the morning of
July 3, 1863, relieving other
troops and remaining
until about noon when
they were relieved.
The remainder
of the regiment
were in position
during the same
time about
three hundred yards
to the right.
Organized at Cambridge, Md. sept. 1861.
Consolidated with the 11th Md. Infy. Feb. 25th 1865.
Effective strength July 3d, 1863, 583.
Casualties
Killed 5, wounded 16, missing 2, total 25
Location of the monument
The monument to the 1st Regiment Eastern Shore Maryland Volunteer Infantry is south of Gettysburg on Culp’s Hill. It is on the east side of Slocum Avenue. The monument is about 270 yards north of the intersection with Williams Avenue. Slocum Avenue is one way northbound here. (39°49’09.0″N 77°13’10.9″W)