69th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment Monument

This memorial in the Gettysburg National Military Park commemorates the 69th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment (2nd California Regiment "Philadelphia Brigade"), involved in the Battle of Gettysburg.

California was unable to supply its quota of Union soldiers. U.S. Senator Edwin Baker of California recruited Pennsylvania militiamen to fight in three regiments sponsored by his state. He commanded this regiment until his death in October 1861, after which the three were reorganized as the 69th, 71st & 72nd Pennsylvania regiments – the "Philadelphia Brigade".

The Battle of Gettysburg was fought from 1 to 3 July 1863 by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. The battle involved the largest armies (104,000 Union soldiers and 71,000 Confederate soldiers) of the entire war and is often described as the war's turning point. The battle resulted in a Union victory, ending the Confederate attempt to invade the North.
The battle involved the largest number of casualties of the entire war: in total over 6,600 men were killed, 33,000 wounded and 12,000 missing or captured. The losses were about equal on both sides.

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