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Gettysburg Sculptures
United States
Some interesting things were found when putting this page together. Please take a look below.
Click this Link to see the Alabama State Memorial Page.
Click this link to visit the sculptor of the Alabama State Memorial page Joseph W. Urner.
The Alabama State Memorial contingent November 12, 1933.
This photo taken on the day of the dedication has some what would be unnoticed items of interest.
In the background of the photo can be seen a car (Yellow Square). This tells us there was once an access road behind the memorial. The car looks like (and I am no expert) to be a Packard.
1932 Packard Twin Six
The trees in the left background of the 1933 dedication photo (Red X's) are still alive and well. The entire treeline has changed greatly since the event.
This 1953 postmarked postcard shows the Alabama State Memorial. To the right of the memorial is a bronze commemorative plaque.
Currently the plaque is gone. I am not sure where it went and what it was commemorating. I did contact the Gettysburg National Military Park inquiring its current location. Perhaps it can be replaced.
Often missed when viewing the memorial is the CSA (Confederate States America) belt buckle located on the backside of the belt being held by the young wounded soldier.
Depicted on the memorial are what appears to be a pair of 1841 Mississippi Rifles (although the 1841 was a two banded rifle). This rifle would be recognizable by its large brass patchbox on the stock. At the beginning of the Civil War the M1841 rifle would have been issued to many Alabama infantry regiments. The 15th Alabama's companies "A" and "B" were originally issues the 1841 Mississippi Rifle. Most of the Alabama Infantry regiments would later be supplied with the Pattern 1853 Enfield of Springfield rifles.
The sculptor, Joseph Urner included the Alabama State Flag on the breastplate of "Spirit of the Confederacy" surrounded by 4 stars. I am not sure what the four stars are to represent, however, Alabama was the 4th state to leave the union on January 11, 1861.
Alabama State Flag
Reviewing the photo above it appears the wreath in front of the memorial was removed from its stand (Blue circle) to accommodate the photo. "Alabama" can be seen on the top of the distorted wreath stand.
Elizabeth Bashinsky (Yellow Circle) past President of the UDC would give the oration.
I believe Mrs. Lewis Sewell in the center was the chairwomen of the Alabama memorial committee (Green circled). She wears a "Alabama" ribbon and has what appears to be 4 stars across her hat. Again, I am not sure the meaning of the four stars.
The gentleman (Red circle) is Hugo Lafayette Black. Black was a Alabama Senator and would also serve as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
The location of the Alabama Memorial was approved by the War Department in 1932. It was determind at that time "an opening will be made in the stone fence for the monument." Today we see the opening that was created for the memorial.
One of the many Gettysburg Battlefield legends is the older looking soldier to the left of the "Spirit of the Confederacy" depicts George Washington (see photo below for comparison) or looks like George Washington. I could find no mention in the many articles I reviewed of the likeness of Washington being included in the memorial. State indepenence being paramount, I am not sure those Alabamians would like to have a Virginian depicted on their memorial.
Bronze bust of George Washington for comparison.
At some point the rifle barrel at the base of the memorial has been altered. Today it is significantly shorter than the original as cast bronze.
The original length rifle barrel can be seen above. The longer barrel is actually casting a shadow on the granite portion of the memorial.
Again in the above view, the rifle barrel protrudes past the end of the memorial.
End view of the now shortened rifle barrel. (yellow square). In addition, if one looks carefully a seam where two sections of the bronze work meet can be seen (Red Arrow).
At some point the memorial was vandalized as one of the laurel leaves has been broken.
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Gettysburg Sculptures
United States