98th PA Monument in Rock Creek Park ~ Washington DC
6625 Georgia Ave., between Whittier & Van Buren Streets, NW
Battle of Fort Stevens
Dedicated: July 13, 1891 (Dedication Ceremony)
Sculptor: P.R. and Company, Philadelphia, PA
*Text below was copied from the NPS website.
The monument was erected by the 98th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry who served with the Union Army during the Battle of Fort Stevens. The monument was the first dedicated at the cemetery in 1891. The regiment was part of the reinforcements sent from the Army of the Potomac in Petersburg, Virginia to reinforce the undermanned garrisons in Washington D.C. The veterans arrived on the July 11, 1864, and took part in the attack that drove the rebel army from the gates of Washington the following evening, concluding the battle.
INSCRIPTIONS:
[FRONT]
In Memory of Our Comrades Killed and Wounded in Battle on This Field
July 11th & 12th 1864
98th Reg’t. P.V.
1st Brig. 2nd Div. 6th Corps
[SIDE]
Killed in Battle
July 11th & 12th 1864
Frederick Walter Co.
Bernhard Hoerle
Sergt. George Marquet
Corpl. Henry Poelser
Michael Bruner
Charles Sehaus
George Merkle
Joseph Schnitzler
[SIDE]
Wounded in Battle
July 11th & 12th 1864
Col. John F. Ballier
Lt. Col. John B. Kohler
Capt. Wm. Wilson Co.K
Lt. Geo. Schuler G
Samuel Thompson A
Corpl Charles Veneman A
Sergt. Frank Reiner C
Frederick Denker C
Corpl. William Aberle D
Jacob Reiner D
George Klumpp D
William Caus E
Daniel Kirsch E
[SIDE]
Wounded in Battle
July 11th & 12th 1864
Corpl. J. Schweitzer Co. E
Corpl. I. Fred. Loedle E
Frederick Frank E
William Fratz G
Sergt. Christian Brandt G
Frank Maier G
Sergt. John Wagner G
Sergt. John G. Greul H
Arthur Corvan H
Sergt. Jacob Goetz K
Sergt. William Bayer K
Frank Weingartner K
Christian Worster K
Sergt. John G. Kaiser K
John Gress K
FUN FACTS
- The first monument (this one!) dedicated to soldiers who were killed or wounded during the Battle of Fort Stevens was erected by the state of Pennsylvania to honor the 98th Pennsylvania Volunteers.
- Thirty veterans from PA and the 25th NY Cavalry attended the July 13, 1891 dedication. (Prior to the ceremony, veterans of the battle had been participating in a reunion at Fort Stevens.)
- The monument design references the classical world and its use is symbolic for Christian belief in the eternity of the spirit.
- This design was first used as a battlefield memorial at Vicksburg and Manassas in 1864/65 and at Gettysburg in 1882/86.
FACTS FOR THE REALLY DEDICATED
Erected in 1891, the monument is an eight-foot high granite obelisk mounted on a rough-stone base measuring one-foot high. Embossed text with the name of the regiment is located at the base of the obelisk on the west side. A bronze regimental seal is also located on the west side of the monument below text which states, “In Memory of our comrades killed and wounded in battle on this field July 11th & 12th 1864.” The names of the wounded and killed are inscribed on the north, south and east sides. Embossed crosses are located on each side of the monument just below the obelisk point. The monument is located in the northwest section of the cemetery facing Georgia Avenue between the two New York monuments.