The 107th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Co. A, has formally announced plans to attempt to place a Monument at East Cemetery hill at Gettysburg, Pa. in the year 2003 to coincide with the 140th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.

The reenactment group, based out of Ft. Clinch, Fernandina, Fl. has been in existence for over a decade and is actively involved in historically accurate impressions as the 107th Ohio as well as generic infantry in the South East Region of the U.S.

The proposal came about as a challenge to group members by the former officer of the unit at elections at the Olustee, Fl. reenactment this past February. Lt. Wayne Watts, the current officer, will play a signicant role in the effort. The idea was proposed after several members made trips to Gettysburg and discovered that, while a monument was erected to the 107th at Barlow's Knoll for the fighting on July 1st, none had been erected on East Cemetery Hill where the 107th saw some of it's most vicious fighting on the afternoon and evening of July 2nd. The only known recognition of the Regiment's participation in the Battle, besides National Park Service information plaques, are the flank markers showing the Regiment's position at the onset of Confederate Gen. Jubal Early's assault on July 2nd. No monument is in place there.

The 107th Ohio, along with the 17th Ct., the 75th Ohio and the 25th Ohio, compromising Ames' Brigade, was postioned on the extreme left flank on the north side of East Cemetery hill, close to the Baltimore Pike. When Confederate Brig. Gen. Harry Hays' Lousiana Tigers assaulted the hill, they apparently overran the 25th Ohio as well as part of the 75th Ohio's line, and Hays' right flank came into contact with the 107th Ohio's right flank, forcing them back to the stone wall in front of Weidrich's Battery. There, they stood their ground as the fighting became very vicious and bloody hand to hand combat ensued. The 107th Ohio was credited with capturing the battle flag of the 8th Lousiana Tigers. The 107th's stand, supported by mixed elements of the 25th and the 75th Ohio, gained enough time for reinforcements to arrive and Weidrich's men to regain their guns and help repulse the attack.

Members of the group, recognizing the efforts of the original Regiment, decided the time had come to honor the bravery that the 107th Ohio exhibited at East Cemetery Hill over 135 years ago. A Monument Committee has been formed and the effort is in the beginning stages. The 107th is accepting donations for the effort and all donors will receive recognition. The Committee is in the process of contacting the National Park Service at Gettysburg to ascertain what guidelines should be met in order to establish the monument on East Cemetery Hill. Non-profit status is also being addressed for those contributers wishing to take advantage of the tax write-off. Funding will be used to commission an architect and a sculptor, as well as actually purchase the monument and transport it to Gettysburg to be placed, hopefully, during the 140th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Monument Update - April, 1999

We have sent Press Releases to Civil War News as well as Camp Chase Gazette. We have formed a Committee to investigate links to Ohio units, Ohio State and Federal Congress persons as well as Sons Of Union Veterans and CW Roundtable links. The Committee has chosen to pursue a non-profit link for those wishing to write off, tax-free contributions and that information is forthcoming. Information on Ohio State Legislature Members, their terms of service as well as contact information is also forthcoming and will appear on this site in the future.

The Committee will deal with and discuss matters of cost, architects and sculptors, as well as other aspects of the effort. As of yet, those projections and entities are unkown. Our first step will be to solicit contributions to fund a study to estimate costs, etc. Actions are already underway to contact the National Park Service and establish the guidelines for erecting a Monument at Gettysburg National Military Park. We have been in contact with Mr. Chuck Dale, Manager, Castillo de San Marcos NPS (Ft. Marion, as it was known during the Civil War, in St. Augustine, Fl.) Mr. Dale was helpful in supplying the address and phone number for GNMP. We are going to appeal to the Ohio State Legislature and the Ohio Governor for support for the Effort.

We have been in contact with the Army of the Ohio organization and received their blessing. We now have the Ohio Governor's address as well as the SUV Chapter Head up there. Interestingly enough, the planned date of erecting the Monument, if we are successful, will coincide (we hope) with the 140th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg as well as the Bicentennial of the State of Ohio.

We also want to establish a network of folks who had ancestors in the 107th and are interested in helping on the Effort.

It will be a long hard road, but the boys are committed.

Nov. 30, 1999

The last few months have been spent finding out what we have to do for the effort. Lt. Watts made a trip to Washington, D.C. and Randall K. Garvin worked with local NPS officials on an unrelated matter. Both Lt. Watts and Mr. Garvin came up with the same answer. A senator's help is required to go any furthur because of the moratorium on new monuments at Gettysburg. The Monument Effort is temporarily stalled until we can find a Congressperson sympathetic to our cause.

Those seeking more information or to contribute to the Monument Effort can contact the following individual:

Randall K. Garvin 1542 Mohawk Ct. Orange Park, Fl. 32065 (904) 276-2576 E-Mail: A107thOVI@aol.com