Virginia State Memorial at Gettysburg National Military Park
The Virginia State Memorial is located at the Virginia Memorial stop on the Gettysburg Battlefield Tour (Stop 5). It is the largest Confederate state monument in the park. Sculpted by Frederick Sievers, it features a granite column topped with a bronze statue of Robert E. Lee on his horse, Traveler. At the base of the column is a sculpture of seven Virginia soldiers.
While the granite portion of the monument was in place in 1913, it took four more years for the statues and inscriptions to be completed. The monument was finally dedicated on June 8, 1917. It was the first Confederate state monument at Gettysburg.
Robert E. Lee statue atop the Virginia State Memorial at Gettysburg National Military Park
Sculpture of Virginia soldiers on the Virginia State Memorial at Gettysburg National Military Park
From this location on the battlefield, Robert E. Lee “supposedly” watched Pickett’s Charge on the afternoon of July 3, 1863, the final day of fighting at Gettysburg. The 6,000 troops here, which didn’t arrive until the evening of July 2nd, were part of Lieutenant General James Longstreet’s I Corp and under direct command of Major General George Pickett. Nearly all of Pickett’s men were from Virginia, as was Lee.
If you plan on photographing the Virginia State Memorial, visit in the morning. The monument faces east and will be lit by the sun at this time. The sun will be behind it in the afternoon and evening.
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Last updated on September 8, 2022
