Gettysburg Monuments

[ErnieMac]

One thing to keep in mind is that without the involvement of the Veterans and their drive to commemorate their actions the battlefield parks might not have been preserved as they are today.

 

[bdtex]

One thing to keep in mind is that without the involvement of the Veterans and their drive to commemorate their actions the battlefield parks might not have been preserved as they are today.

That thought was very much on my mind after seeing this thread last night.

 

[Patrick H]

Maybe in the future there will be a device to make them blend to the background area. In the future for sure.

I know the existing monuments won't be removed and might only be relocated a bit if a road needs to be built, etc. But there's a way to make future monuments less instrusive: Make them nearly flush mounted at ground level, like the monument stones in many cemeteries. They wouldn't be nearly as grand, but they'd still mark important spots and they'd do it without visual intrusion.

I have mixed feeling about seeing these monuments. It's kind of like seeing four or five cell phone towers at each Interstate highway intersection. I don't want to give up the phone signal, but I'd like it better if all the antennas were on one single tower at each intersection. Similarly, I like wayside markers telling me where I am and what happened there, and I don't even mind the occasional monument. I would just prefer to see them all in a less intrusive form.

 

[Jimklag]

I know the existing monuments won't be removed and might only be relocated a bit if a road needs to be built, etc. But there's a way to make future monuments less instrusive: Make them nearly flush mounted at ground level, like the monument stones in many cemeteries. They wouldn't be nearly as grand, but they'd still mark important spots and they'd do it without visual intrusion.

I have mixed feeling about seeing these monuments. It's kind of like seeing four or five cell phone towers at each Interstate highway intersection. I don't want to give up the phone signal, but I'd like it better if all the antennas were on one single tower at each intersection. Similarly, I like wayside markers telling me where I am and what happened there, and I don't even mind the occasional monument. I would just prefer to see them all in a less intrusive form.

I don't get it. Are you going to make a movie? These places wouldn't have been saved in their current condition without the monuments. They wouldn't have nearly as many visitors without them and the park experience would not be as good. Who wants a monument that you have to step on to find?

 

[Patrick H]

I don't get it. Are you going to make a movie? These places wouldn't have been saved in their current condition without the monuments. They wouldn't have nearly as many visitors without them and the park experience would not be as good. Who wants a monument that you have to step on to find?

No, I'm not going to make a movie. The general opinion of most who've answered this is that monuments enhance their experience. As I said right at the outset, I mean no disrespect and I am curious how people feel about the monuments. I am sure monuments enhance your experience on a battlefield and they do for many others as well. But I don't think we can say that everyone feels that way. That would assume too much. And I'm not necessarily advocating flush mounted monuments, either. I posted that in response to mofederal's suggestion that there might be a future devise to make them blend in more.
It's very interesting to read everyone's thoughts. I think @pamc153PA's insight was especially good.

 

[bdtex]

I have not been to Gettysburg yet and don't wanna pull this thread into drift mode,but others have mentioned Vicksburg,Shiloh and Chickamauga/Chattanooga and I have been to those sites/NMPs. As has been mentioned,if veterans organizations and states hadn't done what they did with monuments at some battlefields,I don't imagine the amount of acreage saved and preserved at those battlefields would be nearly what they are today. Again,I have not been to Gettysburg,but I know at Chickamauga and Shiloh,there are places you can go and stand and view vast acreages of battlefield with minimal distraction from monumentation. That being said,it's really a matter of different strokes for different folks too. My personal preference is battlefields with less monuments and there are plenty to visit. Personally,that's why I enjoyed Raymond,MS,Champion Hill,Port Hudson,Mansfield,Cold Harbor,Gaines' Mill,Five Forks and Spring Hill so much. That being said,I enjoyed Chickamauga/Chattanooga,Vicksburg and Shiloh a heckuva lot too.

 

[pamc153PA]

No, I'm not going to make a movie. The general opinion of most who've answered this is that monuments enhance their experience. As I said right at the outset, I mean no disrespect and I am curious how people feel about the monuments. I am sure monuments enhance your experience on a battlefield and they do for many others as well. But I don't think we can say that everyone feels that way. That would assume too much. And I'm not necessarily advocating flush mounted monuments, either. I posted that in response to mofederal's suggestion that there might be a future devise to make them blend in more.
It's very interesting to read everyone's thoughts. I think @pamc153PA's insight was especially good.

Thanks, @Patrick H.

 

[Billy Yank]

The best things they've done (really) is tear down the observation tower. Remove most of the overgrowth. Re-plant the Peach Orchard. Re-build the fences.

I will admit hwvr., that the monuments make it difficult for filming/visualizing reenactments. Gettysburg is one of my favorite places in the entire world. The monuments are reminders.

 

[Willoughby Run]

I agree with Pam and Loyalty. The monuments speak to how the soldiers remembered their fight here, and frequently include symbols representing their struggle. A few examples are:

The 12th Massachusetts monument, which includes an empty cartridge box and bayonet, symbolizing that they used up their ammunition and defended with bayonet: http://gettysburg.stonesentinels.com/union-monuments/massachusetts/12th-massachusetts/

The 69th Pennsylvania monument, which includes a chain that links small stones representing the unit's regiments, symbolizing that they did not break in repulsing the charge: http://gettysburg.stonesentinels.co...ania/pennsylvania-infantry/69th-pennsylvania/

The 78th and 102nd New York monument (or 102nd and 78th New York, depending on what side of the monument you are looking at), which incorporates a representation of the face and paw of lion, symbolizing how bravely and fiercely they fought: http://gettysburg.stonesentinels.com/union-monuments/new-york/new-york-infantry/78th-102nd-new-york/

By the way, I'm pretty sure that there is a moratorium on new monuments in the park.

Charlie

 

[James N.]

... When viewing the monuments, I often find myself thinking as much about the old soldiers and the emotions that led them to place the monuments as I do about their younger selves fighting on the Battlefield. (Sallie's statue is a case in point. Part of its appeal to visitors is its mystique: her name appears nowhere on the monument, prompting visitors to ask who? and why? She's such a striking individual representation of a dog that she must certainly have been real, and not symbolic like the elegant wolfhound of the Irish Brigade. But if we consider the meaning of the monuments, it makes perfect sense that Sallie's statue has no name. The soldiers placed her there only for themselves. They knew her, would never forget her. For them, she needed no name.) As I try to imagine the thoughts that would inspire old men to build these monuments, I find myself connecting to their experience as veterans, and back in time as soldiers, on a level that I might not consider if I were viewing only the fields and picturing the action of battle. Here in the 21st century, the monuments are touchstones--literally--to the men who fought here.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Some of the monuments are too big. I'm fine with Wilder Tower but don't care for the size of the PA monument on Cemetery Ridge. There's an overly large one at Vicksburg too.

Mostly I find them appropriate and tasteful. The only battlefield monuments I would want to see removed are ones like the Peace Monument at Gettysburg that is an eyesore and has nothing to do with the battle.

 

[Billy Yank]

View attachment 151709
A popular favorite:

 

[civilken]

it's all in the eye of the beholder I personally love the monuments and enjoy reading each one I still have a lot to go. But whenever I get one and read the story or the Regiment that fort there it brings the battle to life and the lives that were shed in that particular area every monuments is a story we all know the generals how about the private that might have shed his life on that spot.

 

[Patrick H]

View attachment 151710 View attachment 151709
A popular favorite:

I believe it's probably a popular favorite. Do you have close ups of it? I'd like to see them. I know I'm going to seem like a trouble maker (and that's not my intention), but this statue seems stiff and unnatural to me--and totally unrealistic for the way the officer is exposing himself against the skyline. However, I don't know the stories of Gettysburg and maybe this officer really stood on that rock and defied someone to take a shot at him. If so, he was braver than I am! I am admitting that I am pretty ignorant about some of these sites. I'm also saying that I seem to be among the few who don't find these monuments to be enhancements. See, I'm thinking: "If we're going to have this statue, let's at least give him some life in his pose". This statue doesn't appear to have that life in my view. Some battlefield monuments are, indeed, staggeringly beautiful works of art. But they aren't all created with equal brilliance and beauty.

Please don't beat me up if I don't automatically know what all these monuments are. I freely admit how clueless I am about the eastern sites. But, I can show you monuments and unmarked sites in my neck of the war that would leave the vast majority of civilwartalk.com members clueless, too.

 

[cash]

I believe it's probably a popular favorite. Do you have close ups of it? I'd like to see them. I know I'm going to seem like a trouble maker (and that's not my intention), but this statue seems stiff and unnatural to me--and totally unrealistic for the way the officer is exposing himself against the skyline. However, I don't know the stories of Gettysburg and maybe this officer really stood on that rock and defied someone to take a shot at him. If so, he was braver than I am! I am admitting that I am pretty ignorant about some of these sites. I'm also saying that I seem to be among the few who don't find these monuments to be enhancements. See, I'm thinking: "If we're going to have this statue, let's at least give him some life in his pose". This statue doesn't appear to have that life in my view. Some battlefield monuments are, indeed, staggeringly beautiful works of art. But they aren't all created with equal brilliance and beauty.

Please don't beat me up if I don't automatically know what all these monuments are. I freely admit how clueless I am about the eastern sites. But, I can show you monuments and unmarked sites in my neck of the war that would leave the vast majority of civilwartalk.com members clueless, too.

It's Gouverneur K. Warren, and it depicts him standing on the rock and finding out Longstreet's corps had marched around the flank of the Union Army at Gettysburg, and then he sent for troops to occupy Little Round Top, with the troops arriving just in the nick of time.

 

[Buckeye Bill]

I have visited the Gettysburg National Military Park seven times. With every visit, I experience something new and exciting. This NPS venue and the surrounding area is truly a gold mine! I adore the monuments, tablets and markers. I have spent a ton of time photographing them. I am looking forward to my next visit. And this leads me to my main point, Pat......

The one thing I absolutely love about this park is the fact that this park is one giant memorial to the Federal and Confederate soldiers. This park is THEIR park and WE get to share it! It is an honor to experience THEIR memorial....

Just my .02 cents,
Bill

 

[infomanpa]

The 69th Pennsylvania monument, which includes a chain that links small stones representing the unit's regiments, symbolizing that they did not break in repulsing the charge:

The chain actually identifies the companies of the 69th Pennsylvania, which itself is a regiment. Your avatar shows a cap from company D of the 14th regiment.

 

[infomanpa]

The monuments are extremely helpful as landmarks when envisioning the battle, but I too, believe that some are over the top. Like.....

Some of the monuments are too big. .......don't care for the size of the PA monument on Cemetery Ridge.

Yes, it looks like the Taj Mahal in Pennsylvania.

 

[Billy Yank]

It's Gouverneur K. Warren, and it depicts him standing on the rock and finding out Longstreet's corps had marched around the flank of the Union Army at Gettysburg, and then he sent for troops to occupy Little Round Top, with the troops arriving just in the nick of time.

Thank-you for weighing-in Gen. Cash. As to Captain Patrick H's comment about the statue of Gen. G. K. Warren being "stiff and unnatural," I'd like to point-out that commanding officers in the heat of battle are frequently in the habit of walking & standing erect and appearing fearless so as to inspire confidence. Hancock was another great example of this while slowly walking his horse up and down the lines during the artillery barrage on Day 3 to show courage.

 

[cash]

Thank-you for weighing-in Gen. Cash. As to Captain Patrick H's comment about the statue of Gen. G. K. Warren being "stiff and unnatural," I'd like to point-out that commanding officers in the heat of battle are frequently in the habit of walking & standing erect and appearing fearless so as to inspire confidence. Hancock was another great example of this while slowly walking his horse up and down the lines during the artillery barrage on Day 3 to show courage.

I should say also that this statue depicts Warren prior to Longstreet's attack, so it would not be in the heat of battle.