17th Connecticut
Volunteer Infantry Regiment

Attached to the
2nd Brigade, 1st Division
Eleventh Army Corps

There are two monuments to the 17th Connecticut Volunteers on the Gettysburg batlefield. Both were dedicated on June 24, 1884 by the survivors of the regiment and the State of Connecticut.

The first is north of Gettysburg on Howard Avenue at Barlow's Knoll. (39.84544° N, 77.2262° W; map)

The second is southeast of town on Wainwright Avenue at the foot of East Cemetery Hill. (39.822632° N, 77.228115° W; map)

The flagpole on Barlow's Knoll also commemorates the 17th Connecticut.

About the Barlow Knoll monument

The monument on Barlow's Knoll is a white granite sarcohagus standing 8' tall and 7' wide. A relief of the Coat of Arms of the State of Connecticut is is in the middle of the front, flanked by two raised stone tablets inscribed with the names of those killed or mortally wounded in the battle. Two additional tablets are on either side of the monument, which marks the regiment's position on the afternoon of July 1st.

About the Wainwright Avenue monument

The 17th Connecticut's secondary monument is a 19' 8" tall granite shaft. The Coat of Arms of the State of Connecitcut is on the front of the lower portion, with a relief of the crescent moon symbol of the Eleventh Corps and a laurel leaf of victory on the upper shaft and the regimental number on the front of the cap. The monument marks the location where the colors of a Louisiana regiment were captured during the attack on July 2nd.

The 17th Connecticut at the Battle of Gettysburg

The 17th Connecticut was commanded at the Battle of Gettysburg by Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Fowler. He was killed on July 1st, and Major Allen Brady took command. The regiment brought 386 men to Gettysburg, of whom 20 were killed, 81 wounded and 96 missing.

See Major Brady's Official Report on the 17th Connecticut Volunteers at Gettysburg Monument map: Howard Avenue East From the Barlow's Knoll monument

From the raised stone tablet on the left front:

Lieut. Col. Douglas Fowler Sergt. Samuel Comstock Priv. Elephalet Mead " William S. Gregory Corpl. Henry Burns Priv. Michael Fox " William W. Westlake " Calvin Nobles

From the raised stone tablet on the right front:

Capt. James E. Moore Sergt. William O'Douchy, " August E. Bronson, " Bethel S. Barnum, Priv. Frank J. Benson, " Theodore Blackman, " Smith Delevan, " Daniel H. Purdy

17th Conn. Vol's.

From the right side:

Priv. Richard B. Taylor, " Rufus Warren " Joseph S. Whitlock, Corpl. Alvah E. Wilcox, Priv. William F. Bradley, " John R. Booth, " Stephen C. Crofut, " Wilbur B. Morgan, " John W. Metcalf

From the left side:

Sergt. Edwin D.Pickett Priv. John A. Black " Lawrence Carney, " Crassius M. Crabbe, Corpl. James Gordon, Priv. Francis C. Foote " James FLynn, " George H. Gurnsey, " Francis Nash, " John Welsh

From the rear of the Barlow's Knoll monument:

Erected by the survivors of the 17th Regiment Connecticut Volunteers 2nd Brigade 1st Division, 11th Corps In memory of their gallant comrades who fell here on the 1st day and on this battlefield on the 2nd and 3rd days of July, 1863

17th Conn. Vol's.

The Howard Avenue monument is signed, "W.H. Curtis, Stratford, Conn."

The flagpole commemorative tag reads:

Erected by the 17th Conn. Vol. Ass'n.

Monument Map: Wainwright Avenue From the front of the Wainwright Avenue monument:

17th Conn. Vol's

From the right (north (side):

This memorial is erected by the State of Connecticut to honor her brave sons.

From the rear:

After a fierce contest with Early's Division at Barlow's Knoll on July 1st, marked by monument there, this regment formed in the line of battle on East Cemetery Hill and on the evening of July 2nd, took position here and was engaged in repulsing the desperate night assault of Hayes and Hokes Brigades.