Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument (Rochester, New York)

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Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument
Soldiers and Sailors Monument (Rochester, New York).jpg
Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument (Rochester, New York)
43°09′12″N77°36′19″W / 43.15346°N 77.60529°W / 43.15346; -77.60529
LocationRochester, New York
DesignerLeonard Wells Volk
Dedicated dateMay 30, 1892

The Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is a monument in Washington Square Park in Rochester, New York. Designed by Leonard Wells Volk, [1] it was erected in 1892. [2] At the top of the 42-foot monument stands a bronze figure of Abraham Lincoln astride a granite shaft. [3] [4] Four bronze figures symbolize the infantry, cavalry, marines, and artillery. [4] The panels of the monument depict key moments of the American Civil War: the land battles at Fort Sumter, Gettysburg, and Appomattox, and the naval battle between the USS Monitor and CSA Virginia. [3] The total cost of the monument was $26,000. [4]

Contents

Dedication

The statue was dedicated on May 30, 1892, accompanied by a parade of 10,000 people, including war veterans and schoolboys. [3] [4] Speeches were delivered by U.S. President Benjamin Harrison, New York Governor Roswell P. Flower, and reformer Frederick Douglass. [3] [4] Also present at the ceremony were state Senator Cornelius R. Parsons, Rochester Mayor Richard J. Curran, and the president of the University of Rochester. [3] [4]

Harrison's dedication speech emphasized unity and reconciliation, referencing the North and South's "mutual respect" and "common country." [5] Harrison praised "Southern hearts" for their renewed "love of the old flag." [5] The president's 1,023-word address failed to mention slavery or abolition. [5]

References

  1. ↑ "Rochester Images - Many Roads to Freedom". www.libraryweb.org. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Soldiers and Sailors Monument". Democrat and Chronicle. 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Memorial Day, 1892, when President Benjamin Harrison dedicated the Soldier's and Sailor's Monument in Washington Square Park with Frederick Douglass. And Occupy Rochester". Talker of the Town. May 30, 2016. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Peck, William F (1908). History of Rochester and Monroe county, New York, from the earliest historic times to the beginning of 1907. Chicago: Pioneer publishing company. pp. 107–108. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 Harrison, Benjamin. "Address at the Dedication Ceremony for the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Rochester, New York". The American Presidency Project. UC Santa Barbara. Archived from the original on May 24, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2021.


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