Park officials at the Gettysburg Monument are asking for the public’s help after someone carved initials into a bronze plaque on Little Round Top. The vandalism defaced the 44th New York Infantry Monument (sometimes referred to as the “castle”).
The National Park Service says the damage happened on Sunday evening between 5 and 6 p.m. Photos of a man were posted as someone officials want to identify. If you have information, the park asks you to call 888-653-0009.
The 44th New York “castle” is one of Gettysburg’s most recognizable regimental monuments. The stone, castle-like tower erected in the 1890s contains bronze tablets honoring the unit.
Monuments like this are historic artifacts. Damage means lost history and expensive conservation restoration work. The National Park Service maintains detailed information about the monument and the wider battlefield.
The suspect is described in the park’s release as a white male with short dark hair and a full beard. Photographs released by park staff show the man apparently using a pocketknife to etch three letters (reported as “LJR”) into the plaque. Officials say those initials may be the person’s own, and they’re asking anyone who recognizes him to get in touch.
This isn’t an isolated problem. Vandalism and graffiti have occurred on the Gettysburg battlefield before. There have been incidents on Little Round Top and elsewhere that park preservation crews have had to remove.
Park staff and local police say community vigilance helps protect these historic places. If you see someone tampering with a monument, the safest and most useful response is to record a clear photo (from a distance), note the time and location, and report it to park staff or the number above. Do not confront the person.
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This is one of several Civil War monuments we visited while away from home. All monuments are important places and are sacred for what they represent. All of them offer historic information pertaining to our country. Any defacement to any of them is, by proxy, an injury to all of us and is reprehensible.
We were at Gettysburg and Little Round Top just weeks ago on our 5 week tour of PA.
What the heck is wrong with people?! Is there no common sense or respect anymore? If it is indeed the individual pictured, he’s no little kid that might not know better!
Hopefully they catch whoever did this and the individual must pay all the damages plus an additional “stupidity” fine! 🤬
No fine!!! A long sentence in prison since this is a National “Military” park. It should be a Federal Crime to deface or damage any monument.
Nothing should be vandalized anywhere. Sick that they don’t learn any better, and absurd that punishment is next to nothing. Yes, it’s worse with historic things, but it costs taxpayer money no matter what. I’m tired of seeing painted boulders, bridges, buildings, train cars, etc.
That includes the idiots that seem to think they can spray paint crap all over the place. One of our favorite hiking trails has a nice rock formation about 5 mile in. Last time we were there, someone “tagged” it, painting their gang symbols and other BS (what some call art) on it.
30 Days in the electric chair for that bozo!
It’s the “all about me” generation!
Thank you for the news, Gail! Seems sad that the urge to attach ones self to things is so overwhelming that graffiti, and other types of vandalism are so frequent. Have a great day and safe travels!