The spirit of the monument for Alabama is located along West Confederate Avenue at the far right of the Confederate line. Other than the monuments for Virginia and North Carolina, this monument is the third oldest for the Confederacy. Alabama seceded from the Union on January 11th, the third state in three days to do so in 1861. Mississippi and Florida were the first of the two states to secede in January from the 9th to the 11th. The monument itself was dedicated in November 1933 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Sadly, this monument was one of the last that veterans saw erected at Gettysburg before their deaths. When it was dedicated, most soldiers were approaching at least ninety years old.
The location of this monument was where the brigade commanded by Brigadier General Evander Law began the march towards Little Round Top. The monument has three figures on it and each has it’s own meaning. The first statue is the “Spirit of Alabama” pointing the way forward. Another statue is a wounded soldier giving his cartridge box to his comrade that will continue towards victory.
The monument represents the approximately 6000 soldiers that fought here, with having about a quarter of them being causalities. Their march into formation started a long ways away from Gettysburg on July 2nd. Most of the Alabama’s regiments originated in New Guilford, Pennsylvania, on the morning of July 2nd at around 3am. They got the orders to march 25 miles in the heat and the humidity towards Gettysburg. As they approached town, they felt dirty, sweaty, hungry, and extremely tired as they continued to carry their supplies of 45 pounds on their back. However, the orders were to form into battle lines and charge up the hill.
Brigadier General Evander Law commanded the 4th, 15th, 44th, 47th, and 48th Alabama into battle. Some of these regimental commanders and soldiers were very vocal on their views on what they were fighting for. Others placed their lives and their actions within bibles or letters after the battle.
Here is what happened to their regiments on the afternoon of July 2nd: Most of the regiments reached between Devil’s Den and the flank of Little Round Top. The result of their attack was mostly to be captured by the 20th Maine and Col. Joshua Chamberlain or to retreat toward the Rose Woods.