Soldiers' National Monument
MONUMENT PROFILE
- Battlefield: Gettysburg National Military Park, Pennsylvania
- Location: Soldiers' National Cemetery
- Map Coordinates: +39° 49' 11.28", -77° 13' 52.32"
MONUMENT DETAILS
- Artists:
- Sculptor: Randolph Rogers
- Designer: James Goodwin Batterson
- Designer: George W. Keller
- Cornerstone Laid: July 4, 1865
- Dedicated: July 1, 1869
- Dimensions: Sculpture: H. 60 ft.
- Base: W. 25 ft. x D. 25 ft.
- Description:
The design of the monument, as executed by Mr. J. G. Batterson, of Hartford, Connecticut, is intended to be purely historical, telling its own story with such simplicity that any discerning mind will readily comprehend its meaning and purpose.
The superstructure is sixty feet high, and consists of a massive pedestal, twenty-five feet square at the base, and is crowned with a colossal statue representing the Genius of Liberty. Standing upon a three-quarter globe, she raises with her right hand the victor's wreath of laurel, while with her left she gathers up the folds of our national flag under which the victory has been won. Projecting from the angles of the pedestal are four buttresses, supporting an equal number of allegorical statues representing, respectively, War, History, Peace, and Plenty.
War is personified by a statue of the American soldier, who, resting from the conflict, relates to History the story of the battle which this monument is intended to commemorate.
History, in listening attitude, records with stylus and tablet the achievements of the field and the names of the honored dead.
Peace is symbolized by a statue of the American mechanic, characterized by appropriate accessories.
Plenty is represented by a female figure, with a sheaf of wheat and fruits of the earth, typifying peace and abundance as the soldier's crowning triumph.
The main die of the pedestal is octagonal in form, panelled upon each face. The cornice and plinth above are also octagonal, and are heavily moulded. Upon this plinth rests an octagonal moulded base bearing upon the face, in high relief, the national arms. The upper die and cap are circular in form, the die being encircled by stars equal in number with the States whose sons contributed their lives as the price of the victory won at Gettysburg.
- Cost: $50,000.00 for the Statue, in addition: to prepare the cemetery grounds, and complete reinternment of the dead around it, complete with headstones, fencing, and stone walls, and a lodge for the "porter": about $80,000.00, or a bit over $130,000.00 total. (without counting the cost of the Reynolds Statue, also purchased and installed at the same time.)
GETTYSBURG
JULY 1, 2, 3,
1863
------
JULY 1, 2, 3,
1863
------
IT IS RATHER FOR US TO BE
HERE DEDICATED TO THE GREAT
TASK REMAINING BEFORE US-
THAT FROM THESE HONORED DEAD
WE TAKE INCREASED DEVOTION TO
THAT CAUSE FOR WHICH THEY GAVE
THE LAST FULL MEASURE OF DEVOTION-
THAT WE HERE HIGHLY RESOLVE THAT
THESE DEAD SHALL NOT HAVE DIED
IN VAIN—THAT THIS NATION, UNDER
GOD, SHALL HAVE A NEW BIRTH OF
FREEDOM—AND THAT GOVERNMENT
OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE,
FOR THE PEOPLE, SHALL NOT PERISH
FROM THE EARTH. - LINCOLN,
- - - - - - - - - - - NOVEMBER 19, 1863
HERE DEDICATED TO THE GREAT
TASK REMAINING BEFORE US-
THAT FROM THESE HONORED DEAD
WE TAKE INCREASED DEVOTION TO
THAT CAUSE FOR WHICH THEY GAVE
THE LAST FULL MEASURE OF DEVOTION-
THAT WE HERE HIGHLY RESOLVE THAT
THESE DEAD SHALL NOT HAVE DIED
IN VAIN—THAT THIS NATION, UNDER
GOD, SHALL HAVE A NEW BIRTH OF
FREEDOM—AND THAT GOVERNMENT
OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE,
FOR THE PEOPLE, SHALL NOT PERISH
FROM THE EARTH. - LINCOLN,
- - - - - - - - - - - NOVEMBER 19, 1863
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
Photo of Assembly of the Soldiers' National Monument With Block & Tackle Frame & Scaffolding
Tipton Photo, Circa June 1869, Gettysburg National Military Park / NPS Photo.
-
View of the Soldiers' National Monument circa 1903
taken by the Detroit Photographic Company, LOC Photo
Genius of Liberty Statue, ©Michael Kendra, April 2002
Statue of War, ©Michael Kendra, April 2002
Statue of History, ©Michael Kendra, April 2002
Statue of Peace, ©Michael Kendra, April 2002
Statue of Plenty, ©Michael Kendra, April 2002
©Michael Kendra, April 2002
RELATED LINKS
Soldiers' National Monument in Need of Repairs | Gettysburg Daily
The Soldiers’ National Monument, sculpted by Randolph Rogers. This view was taken facing northeast at[...]
www.gettysburgdaily.com
Soldiers National Monument in the National Cemetery at Gettysburg
The Soldiers National Monument in the National Cemetery at Gettysburg, with photos, text from the monument, background information and map location.
gettysburg.stonesentinels.com
Dedication Day Setup: Soldiers National Cemetery | Gettysburg Daily
The Soldiers National Monument, sculpted by Randolph Rogers. This view was taken facing northeast at[...]
www.gettysburgdaily.com
Soldier’s National Monument Historical Marker
(A historical marker located in Gettysburg in Adams County, Pennsylvania.)
www.hmdb.org
The Soldiers' National Cemetery at Gettysburg
books.google.com
Soldiers' National Monument | HABS/HAER/HALS
www.nps.gov
citation information
The following information is provided for citations.
Article Title: | Soldiers' National Monument (Gettysburg) |
Article Subject: | Civil War Monuments, Structures, & Other Points of Interest |
Author: | ★Mike Kendra, @CivilWarTalk |
Website Name: | CivilWarTalk.com |
URL: | https://civilwartalk.com/threads/soldiers-national-monument-gettysburg.165537/ |
Publisher: | CivilWarTalk, LLC |
Original Published Date: | November 21, 2019 |
links to state and national monuments, and nearby landmarks
Located at Gettysburg National Military Park, in Adams County, Pennsylvania (rev.6/1/21)
National Monuments | Eternal Light Peace Memorial ★ Friend to Friend Masonic Memorial ★ High Water Mark Lincoln Speech Memorial ★ Soldiers' National Monument |
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U.S. State Monuments | |
C.S. State Monuments | |
Union Regimentals | CT ★ DE ★ IL ★ IN ★ ME ★ MD ★ MA ★ MI ★ MN NH ★ NJ ★ NY ★ OH ★ PA ★ RI ★ VT ★ WV ★ WI ★ U.S. Regulars |
Individual & Commemorative Monuments | Equestrian Monuments: ★ Hancock ★ Howard ★ Lee ★ Longstreet ★ Meade ★ Reynolds ★ Sedgwick ★ Slocum Standing Bronze Statues: ★ Barlow ★ Buford ★ Burns ★ Father Corby ★ Crawford ★ Doubleday ★ Geary ★ Gibbon ★ Greene ★ Hays ★ Humphreys ★ Robinson ★ Wadsworth ★ Warren ★ Webb ★ Wells Other Individual Monuments: ★ Armistead ★ Chapman ★ Collis ★ Cushing ★ Fuller ★ Rev. Howell ★ Humiston ★ Merwin ★ Nicholson ★ Sickles ★ Taylor ★ Vincent ★ Ward ★ Weed & Hazlett ★ Willard ★ Woolson ★ Zook |
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Landmarks | Black Horse Tavern ★ Cashtown Inn ★ Dobbin House ★ Evergreen Cemetery ★ Jennie Wade House ★ Lutheran Theological Seminary ★ McAllister's Mill ★ Railroad Station ★ Sachs Covered Bridge ★ Thompson House ★ David Wills House Farms: ★ Codori ★ Bliss ★ Brian ★ Daniel Schaefer ★ Hummelbaugh ★ Klingle ★ Lady ★ Leister ★ McLean ★ McPherson ★ Rogers ★ Rose ★ Rummel ★ Sherfy ★ Slyder ★ Snyder ★ Taney ★ Trostle ★ George Weikert ★ Wentz |
Points of Interest | New Museum & Visitor Center ★ Benner's Hill ★ Cemetery Hill ★ Copse of Trees ★ Culp's Hill ★ Devil's Den ★ Peach Orchard ★ Little Round Top ★ Big Round Top ★ Sachs Covered Bridge ★ Spangler's Spring ★ East Cavalry Field ★ Soldiers' National Cemetery ★ National Cemetery Annex Gone But Not Forgotten: Old Museum, Visitor Center, & Electric Map ★ Old Cyclorama ★ National Tower |
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