USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > History of Cuyahoga County soldiers' and sailors' monument. Scenes and incidents from its inception to its completion.--Description of the memorial structure, and roll of honor > Part 25
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SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' MONUMENT. 407
projectiles. The great bronze doors, which turn noise- lessly on pivots let into the solid walls of the structure, are set in relief with Army and Navy designs. And, finally, the lawn surrounding the whole has its beds of bright flowers, each one a representation of a badge designating one of the great corps into which the Union Army was divided. From the Union flag that drapes the bronze Liberty on the top of the shaft to the cover- ing of Nature on the earth below, everything is military, and all tends to direct the mind to the gallant men who fought for the Union.
" The feature of the Monument which at once im- presses itself the strongest upon the beholder is its re- alism. In the bronze groups on the outside and in the panels and medallions in the tablet room the persons depicted are shown exactly as they appeared during the War. The ladies of the Sanitary Commission are dressed in war-time costume and are shown at the age they were then. So with all the others. Lincoln, Grant, Sherman, Ohio's War Governors, and the Sailors and Soldiers shown in action appear exactly as they looked during the great conflict, with no attempt to soften roughness or change lines in order to get ideal beauty.
"A description of the Monument in its entirety would require much more space than can be devoted to the purpose. The structure does not in any essential respect follow the design of the conventional soldiers' monument, but it is in every way emblematical of the Army and Navy of the Civil War. To this end, con- ventionality was thrown to the winds, and the architect and his band of advisers went forward with plans for a structure which should, in all its details, be commemno- rative of the great War of the Rebellion, and the heroic part that the citizens of Cuyahoga County took in it. It was well understood at the time this decision was
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made that the art critics of the country would fail to see the beauty of such a monument, and that there would be an endless amount of criticism of the design. That such criticism was made, is well known. How- ever, the work went on with rapidity and dispatch, and the finished Monument, entirely unique and unusual in style and appearance, is to-day, with one exception, the largest and most comprehensive memorial of Union Soldiers in the country. Nothing that at all compares with it exists anywhere except at Indianapolis, where a whole State has united and spent a half million of dollars on a montinent to the Union Soldiers.
"Seen at a distance, the Monument presents the appearance of a massive shaft, reaching high into the air, and expanding into a square structure at the base. The lower part of the Monument, which is built of black Quincy granite, is surrounded by an esplanade of polished stone, one hundred feet square and five feet above grade. Leading to this are curving steps of the same material, which, but for a space on each of the four sides, would extend entirely around the base. The steps and esplanade are made of red Medina sandstone. At each side of the Monument, resting upon the top of a massive pedestal of Amherst stone which, in turn, stands upon the sweep of the esplanade, is a bronze group, of heroic size, representing one of the four main branches of the ariny service. Surmounting the top of the shaft, which is composed of great blocks of shining granite, is an Amazonian figure of Liberty, fifteen feet high. The lawn surrounding the whole is adorned with upwards of thirty large flower beds, in colors and designs to represent the different army corps badges and the badges of well-known ex-soldiers' societies."
The Plain Dealer describes the floral emblems, re- producing the army corps and society badges, as follows:
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HON. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.
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. The smooth green lawns and the beautiful beds of plants of various colored leaves about the Monument are not the least points of attractiveness. In order to carry out the general design and purpose of the Mont- ment, and thus continue to the greatest degree the harmony of parts, it was determined that the beds of flowers should represent badges worn by different army organizations. The plan has been fulfilled in a way that demonstrates that artistic gardening may be carried to a high degree. The colors of the badges are inade to appear by the bunching of sinall plants. These colors may be clearly distinguished as red, white or blue, these effects being produced by the leaves rather than by the flowers.
On the Superior Street side are five badges. The Grand Army of the Republic badge is seen in the cen- ter. It consists of an eagle and crossed cannons, suspended from these a United States flag, and under this a five-pointed star.
To the right of this is the Loyal Legion badge, composed of a gold bar with red, white and blue ribbon and a maltese cross hanging therefrom.
To the left of the center is the Women's Relief Corps badge-a red, white and blue ribbon with maltese cross hanging to it.
At the west end of this section is the badge of the Union Veterans' Union, consisting of swords crossed under a circle, inclosing the letters U. V. U., and pendent therefrom a red, white and blue ribbon, from which hangs a circle with crossed guns and an anchor over it.
At the east end is the Sons of Veterans' badge. From a bar of metal, bearing the words 'Sons of Veterans,' hangs a shield composed of red, white and blue ribbon. Under this hangs an eagle, and a cross with the initials of the order upon it.
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The remaining gardens, twenty-four in all, or eight on each side of the Monument, represent the badges of all the Army Corps and the Signal Service. The number of each Army Corps, together with a description of its badge, follows. The badge of the First Corps is found at the northwest corner and continue southward and around the Monument in regular numerical order.
First Corps-A circle.
Second-Clover leaf.
Third-Diamond.
Fourth-Triangle.
Fifth-Maltese cross.
Sixth-Greek cross.
Seventh-Star and crescent.
Eighth-Six pointed star.
Ninth-Shield, with anchor and cannon across it.
Tenth-Bastioned fort.
Eleventh-Crescent.
Twelfth-Five pointed star.
Thirteenth-No badge.
Fourteenth-Acorn.
Fifteenth-Knapsack and cartridge box, with words. "40 rounds."
Sixteenth-Circular cross.
Seventeenth-Arrow.
Eighteenth-Trefoil cross.
Nineteenth-Square Maltese cross.
Twentieth-Five-pointed star.
Twenty-first-No badge.
Twenty-second-Five-armed cross.
Twenty-third-Shield.
Twenty-fourth-Heart.
Twenty-fifth-Square.
Signal Service-Two crossed flags and a torch.
The anchor and cannon in the Ninth Corps badge is accounted for on the ground that Gen. Burnside, the
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commander, had both Marines and Artillery in his corps. The Eleventh and Twelfth Corps were consolidated and inade the Twentieth, with Gen. Hooker in command. The badge of the Twelfth was adopted for the new Twentieth.
So plain are the designs of the various badges that the visitor will be entertained in examining the beds, this description held in hand for reference.
Capt. Levi T. Scofield told the Plain Dealer reporter the following interesting incidents of the construction of the Monument:
"It required years of study and research," he said, "in order to plan a structure that should be correct in all its details. It was necessary for me to study the entire acconterments of the Soldiers, including dress, equipage, trappings, ornaments and such trifling things as pouches, belts, buttons and other small things. I read books, I interviewed men connected with various branches of the Army, I made research through army records, especially in the War Department at Washing- ton, and finally I went to New York and bought a full set of acconterments at a store where nothing is sold but army relics. As a result of this work, the figures. and emblems of the Monument represent such as might actually have been seen during the War. In some parts of the country where soldiers' monuments have been built, the architects have gone to the nearest armory and borrowed equipment to use as models. This modern equipment is totally different from that used in the War, and such a monument would not represent the period from 1861 to 1865. In order to show how careful we were in all details, I will mention the trouble we had with such a trivial thing as a confederate officer's belt plate. In one of the groups is a confederate officer. I did not know the design for his belt plate and could find no one in the city who did know. Finally I
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happened upon a friend in Cincinnati who had a copy of the confederate army regulations. In this it was stated that the design on the officer's belt plate should be the seal of the confederate states. The next under- taking was to find a copy of that seal. I learned that the War Department had one at Washington as a relic, but I found through correspondence that under no con- sideration could it be removed. The correspondence was discouraging, but I insisted that I must have it, and finally prevailed upon them to make a drawing of it. From this we made the design, and then I presented the drawing to the Historical Society, at whose rooms it mnay now be seen.
"In the construction of a mortar in the naval group we worked from an actual set of working drawings and plans. They were made for us by the designers in the War Department at Washington, but as all the work had to be done after regular hours, we were obliged to give them double pay. This one feature of the Mont- ment cost a good round suin.
"I think that I am right in saying that there is not a detail in the entire Monument that is not correct.
"A great deal of criticism has been offered against the statue of Liberty. Two things have been ridiculed -the extended foot of the figure, which is said to be too big, and the army overcoat in which she is arrayed. Now, without any bitterness, I must say that if the critics had studied the figure and had known whereof they were talking, they would not have criticised these points. Six months of hard work were put upon that figure in my studio. Every effort was made to preserve correct proportions and make a beautiful figure. The foot is not out of proportion. In standing on a level with the figure that fact is evident. The picture of the figure, taken before it was raised to its high position, shows a well-proportioned foot.
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"The feature of the army overcoat is not original with ine, but is copied after a famous French artist, who inade a female figure to represent Paris and clothed it in a full army uniform. The coat that my figure wears was recut and made to fit her by a tailor who came to the studio for that purpose. I fail to see any difference between it and the coats that the ladies wear in Winter. Both have long skirts and capes. The coat looked well upon her.
"Architects from all parts of the country have called upon me or sent letters speaking in praise of the Monument. They do not find features to criticise, but rather express commendation of the plan and the manner in which it has been executed."
THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR-SKETCHES OF THE SUBJECTS OF THE BUSTS AND MEDALLIONS.
Of the breaking out of the War, the part our county took in it, and brief sketches of the heroes immortalized in bronze busts, the Leader wrote :
" Cleveland began to fight the War of the Rebellion long before the flag was fired upon at Fort Sumter. The storm cloud in the South made an early impression on the minds of the Cleveland people, and the year 1861 had hardly commenced when active preparations for the expected struggle were begun. The files of the morning Leader of that time are full of the war spirit and the war preparations which were characteristic of that period. The first public meeting of any conse- quence in this connection was held at the Atheneum, 011 Wednesday evening, January 9, 1861, when several hundred persons were present, and the crisis felt to be at hand discussed at length. Addresses were made by F. T. Backus, A. G. Riddle, and others, and a set of resolutions was adopted calling upon the State Legisla- ture to take such steps as were necessary to at once
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place the militia of the State in proper condition so that whenever their services were needed they would be ready to go into the field in defense of the country. The resolutions were as follows :
" Resolved, That we are inclined to listen with respect to the complaints of the slave-holding States and to exercise moderation and conciliation, but we are not prepared to change the Constitution at the dictation of traitors.
" Resolved, That when legal and peaceful means are exhausted, we are prepared, not in the spirit of aggression or haste, but under constituted authority, to repel all attacks upon the capital, the reve- nue, and the public property.
" Resolved, That we call upon the Legislature, now in session at Columbus, to pass the laws necessary to completely and thoroughly organize the militia of the State, so that whenever occasion may call for it, they may be called speedily into service to protect the interests of the State and maintain the integrity of the law.
"A day or so previous to this meeting, a gathering of German citizens occurred when sixty-two signed their names to an agreement to place their services at the command of their adopted country in case it became necessary to defend the Republic. In order to properly achieve the result aimed at, the signers formed a rifle company and pledged themselves to unite with the first regiment of volunteers that was mustered into service in the State.
"From this time until the news came that Sumter had been forced to surrender, the city was fully alive to the situation, and the constantly-shifting events made the war feeling increase with the days. The journey of President-elect Lincoln through the city on Febri- ary 16, 1861, on the way to inauguration, was the occa- sion for a demonstration which gave all an opportunity of showing how they felt about the great crisis. The excitement caused by the firing on Fort Sumter was in- tense. From the time the first news was received until late the same night, the office of the Leader was sur-
MAJOR - GENERAL J. B. STEEDMAN.
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rounded with an excited crowd, almost wild to know all that could be told with reference to the event. The halls, stairs, and sidewalks were filled with an eager, inquiring mass of people. On the day following the publication of the news, an appeal published in the editorial columns of the Leader served to rouse to the highest pitch the fighting blood of the Forest City. It was as follows :
"'To Arms ! Men of Ohio! The flag of our country, the flag that has never yet lowered to a foreign foe ; the flag that has for eighty years been the ensign to which the oppressed and downtrodden of earth have looked with eager and wistful eye; the flag that tells of heroic struggles and noble deeds of valor on many a hard- fought field, and many a staunch old ship ; the flag to which many a dying Soldier has turned his glazing eye and thanked his God that it still floated upon the breeze that kissed his gory brow ; the flag that your fatliers baptized in holy consecration with their blood-this flag has been torn down from its standard and left to trail in the dust beneath the banner of a rebellious host ! Shall it remain there? or will you rescue it from its degradation and once again give it to the breeze, proud- ly defiant of native or foreign foes? This is a question which you must have a voice in deciding. You must share in the glory or the infanny of the conflict. You can be idle spectators no longer. Ohio must be in the van of the battle. When the call comes for volunteers, fifty thousand men must be ready to shoulder the inus- ket and march to the scene of war. The fiery impulse of youth and the cool discretion of manhood will alike be wanted. There are no political lines to be drawn here. 'Are you a true American?' and 'Have you a heart, hand, and foot ready to keep step with the music of the Union ?' are all that need to be asked. All who can answer yes to these may strike hands in the com-
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mon canse and march shoulder to shoulder where duty leads the way.'
" The formation of volunteer companies began at once and went forward with remarkable speed. The Cleveland Grays, who had been in existence for a num- ber of years at that time, were among the first to offer their services to the Government, and they were at once notified to report at Columbus at the earliest possible moment. Their departure from the city on Thursday afternoon, April 18, was made the occasion of a grand outburst of patriotic feeling, when an immense crowd of people saw them off. Previous to the departure of the Grays, a mass-meeting was held in the Public Square, attended by the Grays and a large portion of the population of the city. Addresses were made by a number of prominent citizens, and some of the officers of the company also spoke. Other military organiza- tions than the Grays were present, as follows : Five com- panies of the Cleveland Light Artillery, under Colonel Barnett, the Dragoons, the Zouave Light Guards, under command of Captain Robinson, the Sprague Cadets, under Sergeant Sanford, in the absence of Major De Villiers, the commanding officer. The Grays were in command of Lieutenant Ensworth, Captain Paddock being in New York. After the exercises in the Square, the line of march was taken to the depot, where a train on the Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinnati Railroad was to convey the troops to Columbus. The scenes at the depot were most affecting, and the departure of the first company stirred up the war spirit to a high pitch.
"New companies were formed almost daily, and soon there were a dozen or more of them soliciting volunteer members. On the Sunday following the departure of the Grays for Columbus, special services were held in the churches of the city, when the crisis that had come
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upon the country was referred to in sermons that breathed the fire of patriotismn. A meeting for the pur- pose of organizing a Home Guard was held, and plans for the proper formation of the companies were adopted. The object of the Home Guard was stated to be the promotion of the enlistment of trained men into the service of the country, but no member of the Guard was thereby exempted from more active service when- ever the emergency should arise. Among the military companies which were either fully formed or in process of organization at this time were the Light Artillery Companies, five in number, the Cleveland Rifle Grena- diers, the Cleveland Light Guards, the Buckeye Rifles, the Continental Rifles, the German Rifles, the Hibernian Gnards, the Zouave Light Guard, the Tod Artillery, the West Side Eagles, the Perry Light Infantry, and the Light Guards, Junior, of the West Side.
"During this time the excitement was not confined to Cleveland by any means. All the smaller towns and villages about the city were full of the spirit of patriot- isin and companies were being formed in all of theil. Within a week after the departure of the Grays, volun- teers from the surrounding country began pouring into the city, and Camp Taylor, which was the first receiv- ing station here, was soon well populated. Upwards of 5,000 Soldiers were stationed at Camp Taylor within two weeks after the fall of Sumter. The volunteer Soldiers did not remain there long, but were directed to report nearer the front without delay, and thus there was a constant stream of the new companies coming in and passing out of the city. The towns of Olmsted, Strongsville, Chagrin Falls, Bellevue, Richmond Cen- ter, Painesville, Elyria, Bedford, and others all did their duty. The needs of the Soldiers were more at first than the Government could supply and there were
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many calls for blankets and other articles from time to time. These calls were responded to with generosity by the citizens and women of Cleveland.
"Incidents increasing the excitement began to occur. A young man arrived in the city from Memphis. He had been ordered to leave that city or take the alterna- tive of joining the rebel army. He managed to escape just in time and his arrival added fuel to the flame, which even then burned at white heat. The war feel- ing showed itself in the presentation of innumerable things needed by Soldiers, the recipients being usually men who had in some manner won the especial respect of the donors. Captain W. R. Creighton, who later be- caine a colonel and won great renown as a fighter, was, on April 28, presented with a fine silver-mounted re- volver, by the compositors of the Leader office. Other presentations of various articles were being made all the time, and the articles varied from stands of colors to weapons and wearing apparel. The children of the public schools were soon possessed of the prevailing spirit, and flags soon waved over the school buildings. One was raised at the Rockwell School on the last day of April, with accompanying exercises of a patriotic na- ture. The Hudson Street School and other schools in the City soon had their flags, and the children were early interested in the cause of patriotismn.
"One of the interesting events of the first year of the War in Cleveland was the discussion of the question of whether the Fourth of July should be celebrated as usual or not. There was a variety of opinions on this subject, some thinking that the times demanded otlier things of the people. The general opinion, however, was that no time could be better for the proper celebra- tion of the Nation's birthday, when the need of rousing patriotic feeling was the greatest. This view of the case prevailed and the committee on the celebration
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arranged plans which were as complete and patriotic as the times would allow.
"Cuyahoga County's part in the struggle of the Union was an important one. It furnished some of the first Soldiers that went to the front and a constant supply thereafter during the War. It sent inany brave inen into battle, and the record inade by the county during the great struggle is one to be proud of."
"COL. WILLIAM R. CREIGHTON.
" In Woodland Cemetery is a tall monument familiar to many of the people of Cleveland, commemorative of the bravery and fate of the fallen members of the regi- ment.
" The reputation of the "Fighting Seventh " is in- separably connected with that of Colonel William R. Creighton. He fell at the bloody battle of Ringgold, Ga., after he had led his command up a rocky hill in the face of almost certain annihilation, and had been compelled at last to order them back to a place of safe- ty. His death was a shock that at first seemed likely to disorganize the command, and honors uncounted were showered upon his cold clay at the funeral in this city. His is one of the bronze busts which adorn the niches in the walls of the tablet room of the Monument.
" Colonel Creighton was born at Pittsburg, in June, 1837. He removed to Cleveland when he was seven- teen years of age, and at the time of the outbreak of the War was a compositor in the Herald office.
"At the time, being a Lieutenant in the Cleveland Light Guards, he organized a company with that organ- ization as a nucleus and soon had so many applications for membership that another company and then a third was recruited. This was the beginning of the Seventh Regiment. The Regiment, when its full quota of men had been obtained, marched down the streets of the
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city on the way to the train on a beautiful Sabbath morning in May, 1861. It was the first full regiment that left the city and the town turned out in full force to bid the men good-bye. The regiment went to Camp Dennison, near Cincinnati, and was there when the call for three-years' troops came. With few exceptions the members of the regiment volunteered for the three- years' time service, and Colonel Tyler, the commander of the regiment, preceded the organization to West Vir- ginia, where it had been ordered, and Lieutenant-
Colonel Creighton took the inen to Clarksburg. After the battle of Cross Lanes and the pursuit of the rebel General Floyd, Colonel Tyler was promoted and Creigh- ton became the commander of the regiment. Colonel Creighton led his regiment, which was the first in the famous charge of the third brigade at the battle of Winchester, and after losing his horse by having it shot from under him, he took a musket and fought with his men on foot. He led the regiment in five desperate charges at the battle of Fort Republic and in the battle of Cedar Mountain he handled his men with notable bravery and skill. He was severely wounded in this engagement, and was compelled to leave the field. He returned home to await the healing of his wound, but reported to the regiment while his arm was still in a sling. He participated in the battles of Dumfries, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Lookout Mountain, and Mission Ridge, everywhere leading his men with re- markable skill and bravery. After the last-namned bat- tle, the pursuit of Bragg and the terrible encounter at Ringgold came. Bragg's rear guard was posted on the summit of Taylor's Ridge, a naked eminence, where it was folly to attempt to climb in the face of shot and shell without the use of artillery to cover the assault. But in the excitement of the moment the command was given and then Creighton mnade a speech to his men.
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