Union Corps at Gettysburg

 Identifying Corps Insignia at Gettysburg Battlefield

       These two position markers are for infantry troops from different states, yet both feature a five-pointed star. These two position markers, both on Culp's Hill, feature a unifying symbol. These symbols are found throughout the battlefield, and were used on the flags of the regiments from various states. The symbols united large groups in the corps of the army. The word corps comes from the Latin, corpus, for body. During the Civil War, the Army of the Potomac (Union) had seven infantry corps; the Army of Northern Virginia (Confederacy) had three infantry corps. Today's post will focus on the Union corps, of which there were twelve, but not all were present at Gettysburg. On the fields and in the forests of the National Military Park, you will find seven Union infantry corps represented.These are the First, Second, Third, Fifth, Sixth, Eleventh, and Twelfth. Each corps had three divisions, and each division was represented by a color. The first division of each corps had a red version of the corps' symbol; the second division had a white version, and the third division had a blue version. Thus brigades that were in the Third Division of the Twelfth Corps were identified with a blue star.

       Many monuments feature some version of the Corps' symbol. I was intrigued by this obviously intentional interpretation of the sphere, which is the symbol of the First Corps. That question sent me to research all the division and Corps symbols.

This monument featured a sphere in a color completely different from the rest of the monument -- red. Once you understand the Corps and division symbols, you can identify that this monument is to a brigade from the First Division of the First Infantry Corps of the Army of the Potomac. It honors the 2nd Wisconsin Volunteers.

This monument honors soldiers who were engaged on July 1, 1863, at the beginning of the three days of fighting.

It is located on Meredith Avenue, on the west side of town, just off the Chambersburg Pike (Route 30 west). To reach Meredith Avenue, turn left off of Route 30 west onto Stone Avenue which becomes Meredith Avenue.

Identifying the Corps by their insignia can tell a poignant story as you wend your way through the battlefield. The chart below will help you to understand the symbolism.

CORPS                                                                                SYMBOL

First Corps                                                                        a sphere

Second Corps                                                                     a trefoil (looks like a clover or a club) 

Third Corps                                                                        a lozenge (diamond shape)

Fifth Corps                                                                         a Maltese cross 

Sixth Corps                                                                         a cross

Eleventh Corps                                                                   a crescent

Twelfth Corps                                                                      a five-pointed star
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Can you locate the Corps symbol on this monument and identify which of the seven Union Infantry Corps present at Gettysburg it represents?

Just between the crossed flags, under the state seal is a sphere on this monument to the 24th Michigan, of the First Division, First Corps of the Army of the Potomac.

This detail shows how an artist incorporated the corps insignia into the design of the monument. Sometimes the Corps' symbol can't be missed; at other times, you have to look carefully to find those symbols. Knowing the symbols and finding them can help you to develop an even better appreciation of the monuments, and the men whose actions are commemorated by them.

On this monument, from Barlow Knoll, the corps insignia is at the top. The crescent is the symbol of the Eleventh Corps.  

On lower Culp's Hill, near the point where Williams Avenue turns off from Slocum is this monument to the 23rd Pennsylvania Infantry, known as Birney's Zouaves.
 The regiment had marched 37 miles from Manchester, Maryland and arrived on July 2. Although many regiments engaged on Culp's Hill have monuments featuring the star of the Twelfth Corps, Birney's Zouaves were members of the Sixth Corps, Third Division, as evidenced from the blue cross on this monument, which was dedicated in 1886.