Vandals hit Gettysburg National Military Park overnight, damaging three Civil War monuments and stealing a 120-year-old sword.

	Gettysburg National Military Park Above: Vandals pulled the top stone and sculpture off the 11th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Monument at Gettysburg National Military Park. Below: The bronze sculpture of a Zouave infantryman was toppled over. Click photos for larger image.

Park spokeswoman Katie Lawhon said the intruders pulled the top stone and sculpture off the 11th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Monument, which was dedicated on Oct. 8, 1885.

They also stole a sword from that monument. Ms. Lawhon said this morning that the sword was taken from a sculpted arm attached to the monument.

Park rangers hope the theft will help them solve the case. A healthy market exists for Civil War-era weapons, particularly from Gettysburg. Many collectors, though, are on the lookout for stolen items.

In addition to the Massachusetts memorial, vandals also damaged monuments to Pennsylvania and New York units that fought at Gettysburg.

They pulled down the bronze sculpture of a Zouave infantryman from the pedestal of the 114th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Monument. It was dedicated on July 2, 1886.

The third monument attacked by intruders also was a bronze sculpture. It featured a Civil War artilleryman from the monument to Smith's battery, also known as the 4th New York Battery.

The Smith's battery monument was dedicated on July 2, 1888.

Gettysburg is patrolled by national park rangers and civilian volunteers, who keep an eye on the battlefield and its 1,400 monuments and markers at night.

Even so, this is third time in 18 months that vandals have damaged Gettysburg monuments.

In January 2005, thieves stole a bronze sword from the 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry monument.

Intruders stole another sword from the Alexander Hays monument in September 2004.

Ms. Lawhon said neither sword was recovered, but a school raised money to replace the one stolen from the Hays monument.

The battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest of the Civil War. Some 51,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or vanished in three days of fighting. The battle was waged July 1-3, 1863.