A large 1875 monument to soldiers killed in the Civil War stands near the northern end of the Chelsea Parade green in Norwich.
The monument features a caped infantryman standing with two hands wrapped around the barrel of his rifle. Unlike most monuments, in which the figure is gazing straight ahead, the Norwich soldier is looking downward and to his left, making him appear a bit more reflective or contemplative than the average monument figure.
The soldier, unusually large among the state’s Civil War monuments at 12 feet, stands atop an eight-sided column with ornate decorative elements near the top. The front (south) face bears the Connecticut and U.S. shields just below the soldier’s feet.
Four of the eight columns bear an estimated 160 names and regimental affiliations of local residents who were killed in the war. Unlike many Connecticut Civil War monuments, the Norwich monument does not feature a list of battles in which local residents participated.
The monument is surrounded by a tasteful iron fence that features four matching granite corners bearing the U.S. shield on the outer faces. At the time of our visit, earlier in March, seven wreaths lay at the base of the monument’s fence.
Near the south side of the monument’s base, a smaller granite marker indicates a time capsule was buried in 1959 to mark the city’s 300th anniversary. The time capsule is scheduled to be opened 50 years from now in 2059, which in all likelihood means someone besides us will have to report what they find.
The vintage postcard image posted below bears a 1908 postmark.
Source:
Connecticut Historical Society: Civil War Monuments of Connecticut
Tags: Norwich