The south and west sides of the Pennsylvania State Monument. We previously showed some details on the right or south side of the monument. Today we will walk to the left or west or front side of the monument. Some of our photographs were taken the day after the December 19, 2009 “blizzard”… This view was taken facing north at approximately 11:00 AM on Sunday, December 20, 2009.

…and some of them were taken on a much clearer Christmas Day, 2008. This view was taken facing north at approximately 9:45 AM on Thursday, December 25, 2008.

We have previously shown the left of north side of the monument. With snow… This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 11:00 AM on Sunday, December 20, 2009.

…and without snow. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 2:00 PM on Thursday, December 25, 2008.

Back to the front or southwest side. With snow… This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 11:00 AM on Sunday, December 20, 2009.

… and without snow. The monument and cannon in front of (west of) the monument represent the position of Hexamer’s Battery A, First New Jersey Light Artillery of the Sixth Army Corps. At the battle of Gettysburg it was commanded by Lieutenant Augustine N. Parsons, and helped to repulse Pickett’s Charge on July 3, 1863. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 2:00 PM on Thursday, December 25, 2008.

Once again, we’ll start at the top and work our way down. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 11:00 AM on Sunday, December 20, 2009.

“The Goddess of Victory and Peace,” or simply, “Victory.” This view was taken facing east at approximately 9:45 AM on Thursday, December 25, 2008.

There are four monoliths on the monument, one on each side depicting a different branch of the military service. This one on the west side represents the Infantry. This view was taken at approximately 9:45 AM on Thursday, December 25, 2008.

The scene depicted is of the Pennsylvania Bucktails of Stone’s Brigade at the McPherson Farm on July 1, 1863. This view of a model of the monolith was taken circa 1910.

The names on the outside of the monument represent Army, Corps, and Division Commanders from Pennsylvania. The left or northwest corner of the monument has the name of the commander of the Army of the Potomac, Major General George Gordon Meade. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 9:45 AM on Thursday, December 25, 2008.

The name on the right or southwest corner of the monument is for Major General John F. Reynolds. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 9:45 AM on Thursday, December 25, 2008.

On the front of the monument, below the Bucktails monolith, and above the archway, is the Pennsylvania State Seal, first designed in 1778. Some changes were made over the years and this depiction was officially adopted by the Commonwealth in 1875. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 9:45 AM on Thursday, December 25, 2008.

The statue of President Abraham Lincoln is underneath the word “Meade” on the left or northwest side of the monument, During the Gettysburg Campaign, Lincoln was frequently at the telegraph office in the War Department. According to U.S. Military Telegrapher David Homer Bates, “All the news we received dribbled over a single line of wire via Hagerstown; and when Meade’s headquarters were pushed beyond that place through the necessity of following Lee’s advance…This view was taken facing northwest at approximately at approximately 11:00 AM on Sunday, December 20, 2009.

“…we lost telegraphic communication altogether, only regaining it by the Hanover Junction route, a day or two later. From that point to Hanover there was a railroad wire.” J. Otto Schweizer, produced the Lincoln statue, and also the statues of Pleasonton and Gregg on the east side of the Pennsylvania Monument. This view of the Lincoln statue model was taken circa 1910.

“Thence to Gettysburg the line was on the turnpike, and the service was poor and desultory.” This view was taken facing east at approximately 9:45 AM on Thursday, December 25, 2008.

“Lincoln was in the telegraph office hour after hour during those anxious days and nights, until, on the morning of July 4, he penned his welcome announcement to the country that Meade had won a notable victory.” This view was taken facing east at approximately 9:45 AM on Thursday, December 25, 2008.

The statue of Andrew Gregg Curtin (1817-1894) is on the right (southwest) side of the monument underneath the word “Reynolds.” Curtin was Governor of Pennsylvania as a Republican from 1861-1867. Following the end of his two terms as Governor, Curtin switched to the Democratic party. He served from 1881-1887 as a Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives. This view was taken facing northeast 11:00 AM on Sunday, December 20, 2009.

The Curtin statue was created by William Clark Noble (1858-1938). This is one of four identical statues of Governor Curtin. The others are located at Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, where Curtin was born and died; the State Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and the site of Camp Curtin in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. This view was taken circa 1910.

Governor Curtin was a driving force behind acquiring the land for the Soldiers’ National Cemetery at Gettysburg. He appointed Gettysburg resident David Wills his agent to conduct burial operations and plan the dedication ceremony on November 19, 1863. Curtin was present for the dedication ceremony and sat on the platform with President Lincoln. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 2:00 PM on Thursday, December 25, 2008.

Curtin was the uncle of two United States General who fought at the Battle of Gettysburg: Brigadier General John Irvin Gregg, and Brigadier General David McMurtrie Gregg, whose statue is on the east side of the Pennsylvania Monument. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 2:00 PM on Thursday, December 25, 2008.

Below the Curtin statue is this section… This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 2:00 PM on Thursday, December 25, 2008.

Below the Lincoln statue is this section… This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 2:00 PM on Thursday, December 25, 2008.

This picture shows two waysides in front of the Pennsylvania monument. The taller one in the background was replaced by the new one in the foreground… This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 2:00 PM on Thursday, December 25, 2008.

…as shown by this later picture. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 11:00 AM on Sunday, December 20, 2009.

On our next Pennsylvania Monument post we’ll go up the steps to take you inside the monument. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 11:00 AM on Sunday, December 20, 2009.

These are the steps that we meant. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 11:00 AM on Sunday, December 20, 2009.