The weathered marker, along the Wheatfield Road, is inscribed "In memory of Lt Col. Henry C Merwin who fell mortally wounded where the monument of his regiment stands".
Spending over 160 years in an open field, facing west, has taken its toll on the monument's inscription.
The 27th Connecticut came to Gettysburg with less than 100 soldiers. The majority of the regiment had been captured during the Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia in early May 1863. As they began their advance through the Wheatfield the 27th Connecticut Infantry Regiment, in Colonel John Brooke's Brigade, moved in a southwest direction. On the map, the "27 CT" can be seen almost directly under the "B" in Brooke. It was near here the 27th loses it's Regimental Commander Lieutenant Henry C. Merwin. Following the advance on the map, the 27th Connecticut pushes forward through the Wheatfield and and well into the Rose Woods.
Views of the 27th Connecticut's advance across the Wheatfield.
Advance towards the camera and right to left.
As the 27th Connecticut advanced to the west, left on the map, Captain Jedediah Chapman is killed in this area. The area of the marker is in the above right photo and left (west) of the paved road.
This Tipton photograph shows the monument stones at the spot where Lieutenant Colonel Henry Merwin and Captain Jedediah Chapman of the 27th Connecticut Infantry Regiment were killed.
The 27th Connecticut advanced west, away from the camera, up the ravine of Rose Woods.
Near the summit is another tablet which marks the advanced position.
The line encountered Brigadier General Paul Jones Semmes' Georgia soldiers near the western edge of the Rose Woods where Colonel Brooke's advance began to fall back.Brigadier General Paul Jones Semmes is wounded in the July 2, 1863 fighting in the Wheatfield. He would die of those wounds on July 10, 1863.
General Semmes' letter to his wife July, 9, 1863.
Transcript
Martinsburg Va 9 July 1863
My Dearest Wife,
I telegraphed you 3 day: “Seriously wounded. Main danger over. Stay at home. Will write.”
I was wounded on the 2 inst. at Gettysburg, Penn. I arrived here in an ambulance yesterday, a distance of 60 miles. Abrm, Wm. Cleveland & Cody are with me – will write soon again. The wound has done remarkably well though I traveled part of 4 days in an ambulance – which was very uncomfortable. not leaving it after being placed in it at the Hospital until I got here I now write flat of my Back in a Comfortable room in a private family who treat me with kindness.
I was wounded in the leg but stopped the flow of blood in the field by a Tournequet applied by myself and drawn by one of my men of the 10 Ga & lost but little blood.
Col Mann—Lee Chambers Hd—killed—Jack Jones kill—& a long list.
My Brigade suffered severely and behaved well
Much love to all
Your affec Hd
Paul J. Semmes
Ellis escaped—
God will fully spare my life. We all have cause to be thankful to Him.
The 27th Connecticut Infantry Regiment
27th Connecticut
The 27th Connecticut Infantry Regiment Monument's distance from the National Civil War Museum, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: 44.7 miles.
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