William Wells Monument
The William Wells monument at Gettysburg. It is located near the base of Big Round Top. At the time of the battle, Wells was a Major commanding a battalion in the 1st Vermont Cavalry. Brigadier General Elon Farnsworth, Wells’ brigade commander, elected to ride with Wells’ battalion in his fateful assault on July 3, 1863. For his actions during the charge, Wells would receive a Medal of Honor on September 8, 1891.
This is an excellent photograph considering the area where it’s located. The location is heavy wooded with a narrow road running through it. Kudos to the Norwich Grad for pulling the chesnuts out of the fire..! I hardly knew of any cavalry actions prior to my staff ride experience this past summer. Gettysburg is a must see. Thanks for sharing this! It brought back many good memories of the class & trip.
The button arrangement on his coat suggests a major general. Was he later promoted?
Yes, Wells ended the war a Brevet Major General of volunteers.