The Tennessee State Memorial dedicated at Gettysburg Pa. July 3, 1982
The Tennessee State Monument Dedicated July 3, 1982.
Gen. Donald A. Ramsay Commander-in-Chief Confederate High Command, Dept. of War Memorials state of Tennessee.
As the story goes, a Civil War Centennial reenactment was being held in July, 1963 at Gettysburg Pennsylvania. Thousands of reenactors and visitors came to Gettysburg to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the battle. Donald Ramsay the commander of the Tennessee contingent of reenactors attending the event was alarmed to find that Tennessee did not have a state memorial at Gettysburg. And with the state of Texas near completion of their memorial, Tennessee would be the only southern state without a memorial at Gettysburg. With these findings, Ramsay issued an on the spot order. "Upon the return to Nashville, we will begin negotiations in order to fund a State monument on this hallowed ground honoring those who fought here for their beliefs and convictions."
Ramsay would form a committee known as the Confederate High Command Department of War Memorials to review the idea of a state memorial at Gettysburg. Seeking support, the committee would meet with Governor, Frank Clement where he indicated "I will do anything I can to help". On December 29, 1965 the State of Tennessee would grant a charter of incorporation to the committee giving them official status.
The committee would would meet and ask for the endorsement of many political and private individuals to build a coalition of supporters. It would not be until February 26, 1968 when then Governor Buford Ellington would sign Senate Joint Resolution #69. This resolution was to direct "the State Building Commission to study and consider for submission to the U.S. National Park Service certain designs for a Tennessee Regimental Monument to be erected in Gettysburg National Park. This to commemorate the participation of Tennesseans in the Battle of Gettysburg".
The resolution also pointed out the monument was to be built through voluntary funds, "this is the way Americans would want it, particularly Tennesseans".
The State Building Commission acting as an agent for the state would meet with Mr. Clayton Dekle, State Architect for a design. Thru his professional contacts, Dekle would commission artist and sculptor Dr. Felix de Weldon to create the Tennessee monument. Dr. de Weldon was famous for many sculptures including the Marine Corps War Memorial near Arlington Virginia.
The Confederate High Command would submit their concept for the state memorial to Dr. de Weldon. Some items the committee requested of de Weldon were:
1. The base will be in the shape of Tennessee, approximately seventy five feet long and twenty five feet wide.
2. On the pedestal in the center will be a large rock type pedestal holding the three figures of soldiers. These three men will signify the first, seventh and fourteenth Tennessee Infantry Regiments.
3. The left figure will be an infantryman holding a 1812 type musket...this man will appear to be in his late fifties, there were many that were this age or older. The middle figure will be the color bearer signifying the three regimental colors carried to the Stone Wall in Pickett's Charge. He will be a young man in his twenties of which there were so many. The third figure will be a little fellow, a drummer boy, in his early teens.
4. The three figures placed on the center rock will weigh over over forty tons and be twelve feet in height.
With this information Dr. de Weldon would design the proposed memorial. The design included all of the ideas given to him by the Committee and also included walkways and shrubbery. Estimated cost approximately $200,000.00 dollars.
Ramsay would form a committee known as the Confederate High Command Department of War Memorials to review the idea of a state memorial at Gettysburg. Seeking support, the committee would meet with Governor, Frank Clement where he indicated "I will do anything I can to help". On December 29, 1965 the State of Tennessee would grant a charter of incorporation to the committee giving them official status.
The committee would would meet and ask for the endorsement of many political and private individuals to build a coalition of supporters. It would not be until February 26, 1968 when then Governor Buford Ellington would sign Senate Joint Resolution #69. This resolution was to direct "the State Building Commission to study and consider for submission to the U.S. National Park Service certain designs for a Tennessee Regimental Monument to be erected in Gettysburg National Park. This to commemorate the participation of Tennesseans in the Battle of Gettysburg".
The resolution also pointed out the monument was to be built through voluntary funds, "this is the way Americans would want it, particularly Tennesseans".
The State Building Commission acting as an agent for the state would meet with Mr. Clayton Dekle, State Architect for a design. Thru his professional contacts, Dekle would commission artist and sculptor Dr. Felix de Weldon to create the Tennessee monument. Dr. de Weldon was famous for many sculptures including the Marine Corps War Memorial near Arlington Virginia.
The Confederate High Command would submit their concept for the state memorial to Dr. de Weldon. Some items the committee requested of de Weldon were:
1. The base will be in the shape of Tennessee, approximately seventy five feet long and twenty five feet wide.
2. On the pedestal in the center will be a large rock type pedestal holding the three figures of soldiers. These three men will signify the first, seventh and fourteenth Tennessee Infantry Regiments.
3. The left figure will be an infantryman holding a 1812 type musket...this man will appear to be in his late fifties, there were many that were this age or older. The middle figure will be the color bearer signifying the three regimental colors carried to the Stone Wall in Pickett's Charge. He will be a young man in his twenties of which there were so many. The third figure will be a little fellow, a drummer boy, in his early teens.
4. The three figures placed on the center rock will weigh over over forty tons and be twelve feet in height.
With this information Dr. de Weldon would design the proposed memorial. The design included all of the ideas given to him by the Committee and also included walkways and shrubbery. Estimated cost approximately $200,000.00 dollars.
Dr. Felix de Weldon's original design for the Tennessee State Memorial at Gettysburg Pa. The proposed base would have been 75 feet in length and 25 feet wide. Today the actual base of the Tennessee Memorial is 16 feet in length.
Dr. de Weldon's maquette of the three soldiers that would have been on the original design of the Tennessee Memorial.
|
The figures on the final Gettysburg Tennessee memorial dedicated in 1982
|
 One of three marble stars atop the Tennessee Memorial. One representing each of the Tennessee infantry Regiments that fought at Gettysburg.
Again, the state legislators indicated only private funds were to be used to build the monument. It became apparent that it would be difficult to raise the funds to build Dr. de Weldon's proposed memorial. Several state resolutions were introduced by the Tennessee senate to help pay construction costs but these were turned down.
With these setbacks, Ramsay would chose to rethink the monument to bring its cost under $50,000. A substantial redesign was required with only a few original concepts incorporated in the current monument. These original concepts included the base incorporating the shape of Tennessee and the three figures as original conceived only now engraved on the surface of the vertical slab. On the reverse would be a list of the Tennessee Regiments being honored and their losses at Gettysburg. With the re-design completed, Carnelian Select Granite from North Dakota was shipped to the Decherd Marble & Granite Company of Winchester, Tennessee for fabrication. When completed the monument consisted of an upright granite slab 10 feet wide and 8 feet high resting on a granite base 16 feet long and 5-1/2 feet wide. Per the original design the base was carved in the shape of the State of Tennessee. The 16 foot base was to symbolize Tennessee's entry into the Union as the sixteen state. Atop the monument are three granite stars. Each representing one of the three Tennessee Infantry Regiments that fought at Gettysburg. These stars were prepared by the Candora Marble Co. of Knoxville and are made of Tennessee pink marble quarried in Blount County. Mason Dixon Lines would donate freight services to deliver the monument to Gettysburg. Their vise-president Luther McClain called the gesture "appropriate." The monument would be erected on site by the Chester Chapman division of J.D.C. Sales, Biglerville, Pa. with groundbreaking October 2, 1981. The Tennessee State Memorial would be dedicated at 2:30 P.M. on July 3, 1982 as hundreds looked on. During the unveiling instead of the use of a tarpaulin or canvas veiling over the memorial the monument was draped with cotton sheets donated by Tennesseans and sewn together. Mrs. Ursula Beach noted "the sheets have our names sewn on them, and after the unveiling they will be returned to those who donated them." As part of the monument dedication a scroll with the names of everyone that contributed funds to the monument would be placed in the memorial's base and sealed in a 4 inch diameter crypt. 
Original program for the Dedication of the Tennessee State Memorial.
Today the Tennessee State Memorial stands approximately 400 feet south of the North Carolina Memorial along West Confederate Avenue. It figures "charge" the northern line on Cemetery Ridge. Although it is not the grand vision originally designed, the memorial stands proudly to honor three Tennessee Infantry Regiments that sustained heavy casualties during the battle of Gettysburg. For Donald Ramsay, a vision for a Tennessee State monument had been fulfilled.
The Tennessee State Memorial can be seen in the background just south of the North Carolina State Memorial.
|
The Tennessee State Memorial just after construction by the Chester Chapman division of J.D.C. Sales Inc. Groundbreaking for the construction of the memorial was in October, 1981.
Do to the lack of funds the Tennessee State Memorial was redesigned by Donald A. Ramsay. The final cost for the memorial was $35,000.
The logo of the Mason and Dixon freight lines depicts Grant and Lee shaking hands. This freight line would transport the finished memorial to Gettysburg.
The names of those who donated to the memorial were placed in a circular crypt during the dedication ceremonies.
The south side of the Tennessee State Memorial lists the losses of the three infantry regiments that fought at Gettysburg.
The south side of the Tennessee State Memorial. This photo was taken just after the construction of the monument.
|