There are a few cannons located on McPherson Ridge when you start the Auto Tour. Upon researching cannons during the COVID years, I was able to find real and fake cannon tubes. As you turn onto Reynolds Avenue, there is a line of monuments mainly on the right side. These monuments are overlooking the Seminary Ridge and representing the location of the Union soldiers on the morning of July 1st. Prior to reaching Chambersburg Pike, there are monuments to three cannon batteries that were here firing cannon balls, shot, shell, or canister fire towards the approaching Confederates.
The first battery of cannons are associated with a stone monument for the 2nd U.S. Artillery, Battery A. This group of cannons were commanded by Lt. John H. Calef, also known as Calef’s Battery. This battery was associated with the Cavalry Corps and would usually have 6 three inch rifles associated with the monument. However, at this monument, there are only two, and both of them are fake.
The second battery is represented by a large stone monument for the 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery, Battery B. They were commanded by Captain James H. Cooper, and also known as Cooper’s Battery. They were associated with the 1st Corps, Artillery Brigade. Within this battery, there were 4 three inch rifle cannons. There are currently no cannon tubes next to this monument.
Above is the third monument dedicated to cannons on McPherson Ridge is for the 1st New York Light Artillery, Battery L. This monument is controversial because it also includes Battery E for the loss of causalities within their unit. This Battery is named Reynold’s Battery. This is not named after General John Fulton Reynolds, who was the commander of the First Corps Infantry. This battery, commanded by Captain Gilbert H. Reynolds, was organized in Rochester, New York. This battery had 141 soldiers in total and brought six 3″ ordnance rifles to the field. These cannons below are the real ones on the battlefield:
- Cannon # 658 that was made in 1863, and it weights 816 pounds. It was signed off by JHVF.
- Cannon # 471 that was made in 1862, and it weighs 816 pounds. It was signed off by JMW.
- Cannon # 180 that was made in 1862, and it weighs 817 pounds. It was signed by JMW.
This monument has four cannons next to it, and only one of them is fake. The soldiers within this battery signed three year enlistment papers in November 1861. At Gettysburg, the battery lost 17 men total, with 15 of them being wounded. The other two soldiers were killed here. One died during battle on July 1st, while the other was mortally wounded and died on July 7th. Overall though the Civil War, they loss 12 men to diseases and 11 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded.