- Joined
- Feb 23, 2013
- Location
- East Texas
Since yesterday was the anniversary of the first major battle of the war, the July 21, 1861 First Manassas/Bull Run I thought I would feature one of the very first monuments erected to commemorate a Civil War battle. This was erected on Henry House Hill in the summer of 1865 by Federal troops stationed in the Northern Virginia area around Washington, D. C. and is one of a pair. (The other very similar monument is at the area of the Deep Cut and was intended to commemorate the second battle fought in August, 1962.) Note the placement of large artillery shells on the top and at the corners as part of the design.
The photo on the sign at right was taken during the dedication ceremonies in 1865. As can be seen in the photo below, the monument was built adjacent to the site of the wartime Henry House which had been damaged during the battle and dismantled during the winter of 1661-62 for building materials, though it was rebuilt postwar.