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New York Monuments at Antietam

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There are two monuments to the 20th New York Infantry Regiment on the Antietam battlefield. A monument in the National Cemetery was dedicated in 1887. (National Cemetery tour map) A second monument was dedicated in 1910 and is just north of the Battlefield Visitor Center. (Visitor Center-Dunker Church tour map)

The 20th New York Infantry was commanded at Antietam by Colonel Ernst von Vegesack, a Swedish officer who earned the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Gaines’ Mill.

Monument to the 20th New York in the National Cemetery

Text from the front of the monument in the National Cemetery:

20th Regiment 

N.Y. Vols.
Turner Rifles
3d Brigade 2d Division
6th Corps
1861 – 1863

 From the left side (in German; the English version is below):

Zum andenken
an unsere
Gefallenen Kameraden

Enrichtet von den
Ueberlebenden des Regts.

From the right side (same text as the German on the left side):

Erected in memory 
of our 
fallen comrades. 
by the 
Survivors of the Regt.

From the rear:

Dedicated
September 17th,
1887.

Location of the monument to the 20th New York in the National Cemetery

The monument is about 50 yards southeast of the main gate of the National Cemetery (39°27’35.5″N 77°44’29.0″W).

Monument to the 20th New York by the Visitor Center

Text from the monument by the Visitor Center:

Twentieth Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry
Turner Rifles
Third Brigade Second Division
Sixth Army Corps

Hatteras, N.C., Norfolk, Va.; Seven Days Battles Before Richmond, Crampton’s Pass, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville.

The 20th Regiment N.Y. Vols.
was organized by the New York Turn – Verein
Mustered into U.S. Service
May 6, 1861
and Mustered out June 1, 1863

Casualties at the Battle
of Antietam
38 Killed
96 Wounded
11 Missing

Location of the monument near the Visitor Center

The monument is north of Sharpsburg about 30 yards north of the Vsitor Center (39°28’28.6″N 77°44’41.5″W).

See more about the history of the 20th New York Infantry Regiment in the Civil War