At the Battle of Gettysburg, the Florida Brigade (comprised of the 2nd, 5th, and 8th Florida Infantry Regiments), under the command of Colonel David Lang, participated in the heaviest fighting of July 2 and 3, 1863, including an advance in support of Pickett's Charge.

The monument states that of the 700 men in the Florida Brigade, 445 were killed, wounded, or captured. A more recent study concludes that the Florida Brigade started with 739 men and suffered 343 casualties. Either way, the Florida Brigade suffered among the highest percentage of casualties of any Confederate brigade at Gettysburg.

The Florida Monument was dedicated on July 3, 1963: the100th anniversary of the Florida Brigade's assault to assist Pickett's Charge. An iron marker with information on the Florida Brigade at the Battle of Gettysburg was erected on West Confederate Avenue in 1902 by the Gettysburg National Military Park Commission, and then replaced with a larger bronze marker in 1910.

A second Florida Brigade iron marker was erected by the Commission on Emmitsburg Road.

www.nps.gov/gett

Information Provided by the Florida Department of State.