Union Monuments at Gettysburg > Maryland

“Rigby’s Battery”

The monument to Rigby’s Battery A, First Maryland Light Artillery is south of Gettysburg on Powers Hill. It was dedicated in 1888 by the State of Maryland.

Battery A was commanded at the Battle of Gettysburg by Captain James H. Rigby. It was part of 4th Volunteer Brigade of the Artillery Reserve, and brought six Ordnance Rifles to the field on July 2. The battery fired 211 rounds during the battle, engaging Confederate infantry around Culp’s Hill and artillery on Benner’s Hill. It lost no casualties.

There is also a monument to Maryland’s Battery A at Antietam.

The monument can be reached by a trail into the woods behind the 77th New York Infantry monument which can be seen from Granite Schoolhouse Road.

From the front of the monument:

Maryland’s Tribute to her loyal sons.

Rigby’s Maryland Battery A

From the right side of the monument:

Losses in action
killed 5 – wounded 18 – missing 3.
Total 26.
—-
Strength at Gettysburg
Officers 4 – enlisted men 102.

View from the battery’s position looking to the northeast from Benner’s Hill.

Rear view of the monument.

From the rear:

Principal engagements:
Seven Days Battles Before
Richmond Va. 1862,
Crampton’s Gap Md. Sep. 4 1862
Antietam Md. Sep. 17, 1862
Fredericksburg Va. Dec. 13, 1862
2nd Fredericksburg May 3-4 1863
Gettysburg Pa. July 2-3, 1863.

Rigby’s Battery A
1st Maryland Light Artillery
Capt. James H. Rigby
Occupied this position on the morning of July 2nd, 1863 and remained in battery until the termination of the battle engaging a  battery of the enemy on the 2nd, and on  the morning of the 3rd shelling the woods  in front for nearly three hours assisting  in driving out the enemy.

From the left side:

Organized at Baltimore Md.
October 1861.
Consolidated with Battery B
Maryland Light Artillery
March 11, 1865.

Location of the monument to Rigby’s Battery

The monument is such of Gettysburg on Powers Hill. Park along Granite Schoolhouse Lane and climb the hill to the monument to the  77th New York Infantry Regiment. A trail behind the New York monument leads to the the monument to Rigby’s Battery, and beyond to the two other batteries on the hillside.