Art

Item Description

$500.00 Value

Own a piece of history with this beautifully framed photo.

About the monument to the Irish Brigade

The monument is a Celtic cross supported by a granite base,standing 19' 6" tall. It was sculpted by William R. O'Donovan, a former Confederate soldier who fought at Gettysburg. The front of the cross is an ornate bronze ornamented by a 2nd Corps trefoil, the numbers of the three New York regiments, the Seal of the State of New York, and a harp flanked by eagles. At the foot of the cross lies a life sized Irish wolfhound, symbol of honor and fidelity. The monument was dedicated on July 2nd, 1888.

Father William Corby, a chaplain to the Irish Brigade, attended the dedication, held a mass for the veterans and blessed the monument. "We have unveiled this pile, and it will stand to perpetuate the fame of those heroes. To keep their memory green in the American heart, this Celtic Cross has been erected. It is an emblem of Ireland, typical of faith and devotion, and the most appropriate that could be raised to hand down to posterity the bravery of our race in the great cause of American liberty."

About the Irish Brigade at Gettysburg

The Irish Brigade was one of the legendary units of the Civil War. Three of its regiments were from New York. The other two were the 28th Massachusetts and the 116th Pennsylvania. With its numbers horribly thinned at Antietam and Fredericksburg, the three New York regiments could barely muster two weak companies each. But the Irish Brigade was still a force to be reckoned with when they were thrown in to support Sickles' collapsing line on the afternoon of July 2.

One of the memorable moments of the battle came as the men of the Irish Brigade knelt while the Brigade Chaplain, Father William Corby, stood atop a boulder and pronounced general absolution to the men.

They then attacked into the Wheatfield, charging across into the Rose Woods and the Stony Hill. The Confederate advance was temporarily halted just a it threatened to overwhelm the entire Union position, although the brigade was flanked by Confederate Reinforcements advancing from the Peach Orchard and forced to withdraw back across the bloody Wheatfield.

About Dale Gallon

Dale Gallon lives and works in Gettysburg, the site of the pivotal battle of the Civil War. A native of Southern California, Dale Gallon began his interest in art and military history at a young age. He graduated from the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles where he was given a scholarship from Hallmark Cards. While in California, he provided illustration for Boeing, Mattel, and taught art at the University of California Long Beach. His love of the Battle of Gettysburg drew him, his wife Anne, and their three sons to move to Gettysburg in 1984. It is said that great things can be accomplished if a person contains a passion for its cause. Dale has that passion and his artistic ability allows him to share it with others.