Pittsfield, Mass., honors its Civil War heroes with a statue of a standard-bearer atop a 25-foot-tall monument at the intersection of North Street and Park Place.
The monument, at the west end of a park, was dedicated on Sept. 24, 1872. The front (west) face of the monument bears the inscription “For the dead a tribute, for the living a memory, for posterity an emblem of loyalty to the flag of their country.” The front face also bears a bronze depiction of the United States seal.
The south face bears a bronze plaque, in the shape of a shield, listing the names of 52 people killed during the conflict. The names are arranged alphabetically within 10 regiments that are engraved, uniquely among the Civil War monuments we have examined so far, with cursive lettering.
The east face has a bronze depiction of the Massachusetts seal, and a dedication carved into the monument reading “With grateful recognition of the services of all her sons who upheld the honor and integrity of our beloved country in her hour of peril, the town of Pittsfield erects this monument in loving memory of those who died that the nation might live.” The east face has been stained with appears to be oil.
The north face bears a shield similar to the north face, listing names from seven regiments.
The standard-bearing bronze figure atop the monument was sculpted by Launt Thompson, who was also responsible for a number of other statues, including one of Civil War Maj. General John Sedgwick at West Point.
The Civil War monument stands at the west end of a small park. At the east end, a monument honors the men and women who served in the Vietnam war.
For today’s post, we take our first look at a monument outside the state of Connecticut by highlighting the War of the Rebellion monument in Stockbridge, Mass.
The monument, located at the intersection of West Main and Pine streets, is a brownstone obelisk, topped by a bronze eagle sculpture, that was dedicated in 1866.
The front (south) face of the monument bears the dedication “To her sons, beloved and honored, who died for their country in the great war of the rebellion, Stockbridge, in grateful remembrance, has erected this monument.”
The front also features an ornate carving of two flags, crossed swords, a wreath and a soldier’s haversack. This face also lists the battles of Gettysburg and the Wilderness (Va.), and bears the U.S. and Massachusetts seals.
The east face of the monument honors 15 residents killed during the war. Of these, 14 were listed with Massachusetts units and one was affiliated with a New York unit. The east face also lists the battles of Spotsylvania and Petersburg (Va.).
The north face bears the dedication “to bravery and patriotism,” and lists the battles of Antietam (Md.) and Chancellorsville (Va.)
The west face lists 13 names, including 10 affiliated with Massachusetts units and three with Connecticut units, along with the battle of Donelson (a fort in Tennessee) and soldiers who were lost at Andersonville (a Confederate prisoner of war camp in Georgia).
A small cannon has been mounted in front of the monument’s south face.
Tags: Massachusetts
On Sunday afternoon, Norwalk returned an 1878 French cannon to the top of the World War monument on the city’s green.
The cannon, which had been captured by German forces in World War I and recaptured by the French, was presented as a gift to the city of Norwalk in 1921. The cannon stood atop the monument until the monument was moved in 1949 from Belden Avenue to its present home at the intersection of East Avenue and Park Street. At that time, the cannon was shifted to a former VFW building.
The eight bronze plaques bearing the monument’s dedication as well the names of local residents who fought and died in World War I also appear to have been cleaned since we visited the monument in early March (the bottom image in this post was taken then).
During that visit, we noticed that the plaque on the front face referred to a cannon that clearly was not there. We first assumed the cannon, like many Civil War artillery pieces, had been donated to a World War II scrap metal drive, but were glad to read about plans to restore the cannon to the top of the monument.
Organizers welcomed the restored cannon with a concert by the West Point Band, as well as remarks by a representative of the French government and local officials.
Tags: Norwalk
On the 65th anniversary of the D-Day invasion, the city of Bridgeport dedicated a new memorial honoring the 550 local residents lost in World War II.
The new monument, made from polished black granite, was dedicated during a ceremony Saturday morning that featured World War II veterans and local officials who gathered on the Broad Street side of McLevy Hall.
In the video at the top of this post, you can watch the unveiling of the monument Saturday morning. A bit later, you’ll see the placement of a wreath in front of the monument by Bridgeport mayor Bill Fitch and his father, who served in a destroyer during the Normandy invasion on D-Day.
Standing near the monuments to World War I and the Vietnam War, the World War II memorial bears the dedication “to those who made the ultimate sacrifice so that others would live.”
The monument also features three panels listing local residents killed in the conflict, as well as two panels with images from the war.
The panels listing the local heroes are framed by two small waterfalls symbolizing the war’s Atlantic and Pacific theaters. The waterfalls feed a small pool just above the monument’s base. At night, the monument is lit by a series of small lights embedded in the monument’s frieze.
The monument also honors the contributions of Bridgeport’s large manufacturers and employers to the war effort. For instance, the Corsair airplanes featured in the upper third of the far-left panel were manufactured in the city. In addition, 37 local companies are listed on the four panels that comprise the monument’s base (The fact that many of the companies listed on the monument have left Bridgeport, been acquired or closed altogether reflects the shift of manufacturing away from the northeastern United States and, eventually, out of the country).
The monument was designed by U.S. Navy Commander Ted Grabarz, who spoke during the dedication ceremony.
During the dedication ceremony, a block-long section of Broad Street was closed to traffic and filled with seated veterans and family members. People also watched the ceremony from the plaza in front of the City Hall annex building across the street.
The reasons for the long delay after the war’s conclusion to build a World War II monument aren’t clear. The effort gained momentum about four years ago when a committee was formed by the previous mayoral administration, and the current mayor maintained the project’s momentum.
The area around the monument was renovated into a tasteful plaza that includes a walkway of memorial bricks honoring local veterans. The monument’s organizers say additional bricks will be installed in time for Veterans’ Day ceremonies.
Navy Cmdr. Ted Grabarz, the designer of the monument
Tags: Bridgeport
An obelisk in Terryville’s Hillside Cemetery honors the service of local residents killed in the Civil War.
The dedication date of the monument, in the Terryville section of Plymouth, was not recorded. But like its neighbor on the Plymouth green, its unadorned design indicates it was probably erected in 1865 or 1866.
Bronze tablets listing residents killed during the war were added in 1983 because the original inscriptions had faded and were difficult to read.
The monument does not have a formal dedication message, other than the word “Soldiers” on its front (southwest) face. The bronze plaque above this dedication lists the names, ages and dates of death of six residents who were lost in the war.
The southeast and northeast face of the monuments both honor six residents, and five people are honored on the northwest face of the monument.
Looking at the ages of the Civil War heroes from Terryville reminds us of the relative youth of the soldiers involved in the conflict (as well as those serving the nation today). Of the 23 people listed on the monument, 11 died in their twenties, and six were killed in their teens. Three men were killed in their thirties, and three more in their forties.
A number of veterans from the Civil War and later conflicts are buried in the section surrounding the monument.
Source:
Connecticut Historical Society: Civil War Monuments of Connecticut
Tags: Plymouth, Terryville
One of the state’s oldest Civil War monuments stands on the green in Plymouth.
Although the dedication date of the monument was not recorded, local tradition and its appearance indicate it was completed shortly after the Civil War ended in 1865.
The monument is a tasteful obelisk, similar to the monuments in Northfield and North Branford that were both dedicated in 1866. The front (south) face bears the dedication “Erected to perpetuate the memory of those who lost their lives in the war of 1861” (this is an uncommon reference to the conflict, which is usually described as the “war to preserve the Union” or as the “war of the rebellion”).
As the Northfield obelisk does, the Plymouth monument also bears Lincoln’s name on its front face.
The south face of the Plymouth monument also bears eight names, including one who is honored for his service as a chaplain. The east, north and west faces each list the names of 10 residents who served in the war.
The corners of the obelisk are framed with carved cannons, a design element not seen in the Northfield or North Branford monuments.
Source:
Connecticut Historical Society: Civil War Monuments of Connecticut
Tags: Plymouth
An allegorical figure holds a United States shield high above Salisbury’s green as part of the town’s 1891 Civil War monument.
The figure stands atop a square granite base featuring cannon muzzles protruding from each side of the base in an arrangement that is not duplicated on other Connecticut Civil War monuments.
The inclusion of cannons in the original design of the monument (for many monuments, government surplus cannons were added long after the monument was dedicated) honors not only the service of local residents, but also Salisbury’s importance as a source of high-quality iron that was frequently used to cast cannons.
The front (south) face of the monument features a bronze state seal and the dedication “To her loyal sons who fought for the Union, Salisbury erects this memorial 1891.” The south face also lists the battles of Cold Harbor (Va.) and Olustee (Va.)
The east face has a plaque listing four columns of infantry and artillery soldiers, and honors the battles of Port Hudson (La.) and Winchester (Va.) The north face lists infantry soldiers and the battles of Gettysburg and Drewry’s Bluff (Va., spelled as “Drury’s Bluff” on the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument in Greenwich). The west face lists infantry soldiers, and the battles of Antietam and Petersburg (Va.)
Along with listing local soldiers who fought with a variety of Connecticut regiments, the monument’s west face also honors Salisbury natives who fought with infantry, cavalry and artillery units in Illinois, Rhode Island, New York, Massachusetts, Ohio and the regular U.S. Army.
The figure atop the monument holds a United States shield aloft, and faces south. Broken shackles and a chain are visible near the figure’s left foot, similar to the shackles at the base of the Statue of Liberty.
The Salisbury monument is known variously as the Columbia, Union and Freedom monument, depending on which source you consult. Rather than picking a side or adding to the confusion, we decided we wouldn’t be incorrect by describing it simply as the “Civil War Monument”.
The monument’s sculptor, George Bissell, was also responsible for ornate Civil War monuments in Waterbury and Winchester (if you wanted a simple monument, Bissell was not the person to contact).
Source:
Connecticut Historical Society: Civil War Monuments of Connecticut
Tags: Salisbury
An 1871 obelisk and two cannons on Woodbury’s South Green honor the sacrifice of local residents killed in the Civil War.
The understated design of the monument predates the popularity of adding figures to the tops of Civil War monuments, and the Woodbury monument is similar to obelisks erected in North Branford and Northfield (both of which were dedicated in 1866).
The front (west) face of the monument bears the dedication “in memory of Woodbury soldiers who died in the rebellion of 1861,” as well as the names, ranks and dates of death of eight local residents killed in the conflict. The south face lists 12 names, while the east and north faces both list 13 names.
The front face also bears the seal of the state of Connecticut, and the names on all four faces are surrounded by an ornamental border.
The monument’s architect, Robert W. Hill, also designed the state armory in Waterbury, the Thomaston Opera House and the Winchester Soldiers’ Monument.
The cannons, whose markings are difficult to discern, were added to the green well after the monument was dedicated.
Plaques on three boulders north of the Civil War monument honor local residents who served in the World War. Near the tips of the green, a boulder honoring World War I veterans lists the names of 65 men and one woman, and indicates that two men were killed in the conflict.
The World War monument is flanked by two boulders bearing plaques listing the names of men and women who served in World War II, including about a dozen residents who died in the war.
Source:
Connecticut Historical Society: Civil War Monuments of Connecticut
Tags: Woodbury
Watertown honors the sacrifice of its Civil War veterans with a 1908 monument rising above DeForest Street (Route 6).
The monument features a round granite column topped by a bronze eagle. The front (southeast) face of the shaft is decorated with three wreaths and two flags rising above the dates of the Civil War. The dedication, carved into granite, reads: “In commemoration of the patriotism and valor of the men of Watertown who, in the hour of peril, offered their lives that the republic might live, thus winning the gratitude of their fellow-citizens, the admiration of succeeding generations and a place among the nation’s heroes; this monument is erected that their example may serve as an inspiration to heroic deeds in all coming time.”
Three bronze plaques on the monument base bear about 104 names (some of which are now difficult to discern) and regimental affiliations. One of the units, the 29th, was comprised primarily of African-American volunteers, and the Watertown monument was one of the first in the state to highlight their service (the unit is also honored with a monument in Danbury that was profiled in late April and a monument in New Haven that we haven’t visited yet).
Atop the monument, a bronze eagle sits on a sphere. The column is also topped by decorative ornamentation, as well as United States shields on each of its four faces.
Large evergreens that surrounded the base when the monument was examined by the Connecticut Historical Society have since been replaced by tasteful shrubbery.
Across the street, the town dedicated a monument in 1921 to honor its World War I veterans. The boulder bears two bronze plaques , as well as a plaque commemorating the four local residents killed in Vietnam.
The vintage postcard below does not have a postmark. The view behind the monument has not changed substantially over the years. We tried to duplicate the image, but between Route 6 traffic and unfavorable light, weren’t able to.
Source:
Connecticut Historical Society: Civil War Monuments of Connecticut
Tags: Watertown
Today, on Memorial Day, we pause to remember the sacrifice of the Connecticut veterans who gave, in the words of President Lincoln, “the last full measure of devotion.”
(click images to enlarge)
Tags: Middletown