Soldiers and Sailors Monument (Boston)

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Monument in Boston City Park.

With the Soldiers and Sailors Monument ( German  "Monument to soldiers and sailors" ) in Boston city park Common commemorates the American state of Massachusetts of his in the American Civil War (1861-1865) fallen soldiers.

history

Bronze plaque: care for the wounded.
Inscription in the pedestal
The America crowns the monument. At her feet a bald eagle , heraldic bird of the USA .

The monument was created from 1874 by the American sculptor Martin Milmore (1844-1883) from Ireland . On September 17, 1877, it was ceremoniously unveiled on Flag Staff Hill ( German for "Flaggenmasthügel" ). The two northern states - Generals Joseph Hooker (1814–1879) and George B. McClellan (1826–1885) were among the approximately 25,000 visitors .  

The 38 meter high monument consists of a victory column made of white granite in the neoclassical style . The column stands on a square pedestal with an edge length of almost twelve meters. Bronze plaques attached to the side illustrate scenes from the war. The first "The Departure to War" shows a regiment marching past the Massachusetts State House . The second “ The Sanitary Commission ” illustrates medical care on the battlefield  (picture) . The third panel shows a naval battle between northern and southern states and the fourth is dedicated to the “return from war”. Here a veteran regiment passes the State House again to present its flags to Governor John Albion Andrew (1818–1867).

The pedestal was also adorned with a bronze figure at each corner, allegorically embodying peace , sea ​​power , history and land power . The figures are now missing. They have been dismantled and stored for protection.

Above the bronze plaques on the front (south) there is an inscription carved into the stone  (picture) :

"To the men of Boston
Who died for their country
On land and sea in the war
Which kept the Union whole
Destroyed slavery
And maintained the Constitution
The grateful city
has built this monument
That their example may speak
To coming generations."

"For the men of Boston
Who died for their country
By land and sea in the war That sustained
the Union
Destroyed slavery
And preserved the Constitution
Erected the grateful city
This monument
May their example speak
To the generations to come."

- Martin Milmore : Soldiers & Sailors Monument

Above the pedestal, at the foot of the column, there are four figures carved out of granite, which symbolize the four cardinal points of the reunited nation.

Right at the top of the column is "America"  , which is clearly based on Columbia (picture) . The more than three meter high women statue , crowned with thirteen stars, representing the thirteen colonies , mournfully but majestically looks south. In her left hand she holds the flag of the United States , in her right a drawn sword and a laurel wreath .

Web links

Commons : Soldiers and Sailors Monument  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ LibraryIreland.com (English), accessed August 19, 2019.
  2. ↑ a b Soldiers & Sailors Monument at CelebrateBoston.com (English), accessed August 19, 2019.

Coordinates: 42 ° 21 '19.7 "  N , 71 ° 3' 59.1"  W.