During the American Civil War, over 475,000 soldiers in the Union Army were from the state of New York, more than any other state.[1] Many New York soldiers participated in the Battle of Gettysburg, and New York constitutes the largest state group in the Gettysburg National Cemetery.[2] Following the war, the state erected many monuments and memorials honoring their soldiers who died in the battle.[3][2] In the late 1800s, the government of New York appropriated US$50,000 for the erection of a large monument in the cemetery.[4] The New York Monuments Commission, headed by former Union General Daniel Sickles, solicited designs from several prominent sculptors, offering $500 for the winning design and $300 and $200 for the second and third place entries, respectively.[4] Sculptor Caspar Buberl, who was well-known at the time for his military monuments,[4] was selected to design the monument.[2][5] Construction on the monument was underway by 1891.[4] The stonework was executed by the Hallowell Granite Works, while the Henry-Bonnard Bronze Company cast the bronze-works.[6][5]New York City-based sculptor Maurice J. Power was contracted to design some of the bronze pieces on the monument.[6] H. A. Zabriskie, an assistant to General Sickles, served as the directing engineer for the overall project.[4] The monument was dedicated on July 2, 1893.[5][2][note 1] According to the New York Monuments Commission, the total cost for the monument was $59,095.30.[6][note 2]
Later history
In 1995, the monument was surveyed as part of the Save Outdoor Sculpture! project.[5] In mid-2011, the statue at the top of the monument was repaired and cleaned, and in June of the following year, the monument underwent steam-cleaning and a coating of protective wax was added to the bronze pieces.[7]
Design
The monument is primarily in the form of a victory column, modeled after Trajan's Column,[1] topped by a bronze statue.[5] The total height of the structure is approximately 93 feet (28 m).[2][1][note 3] It is one of the tallest monuments at the site, even exceeding the height of the Soldiers' National Monument.[4] The statue at the top is of a woman, resembling one of the women found in the Coat of arms of New York,[2] holding flowers for the dead in one hand and a staff in the other.[5] She stands approximately 13 feet (4.0 m) tall and faces towards the New York section of the National Cemetery.[1]
"NEW YORK" is inscribed on the front of the monument's base, while a bronze plaque affixed to the front bears the following inscription: "TO THE OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS / OF THE / STATE OF NEW YORK / WHO FELL IN THE / BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG JULY 1,2,3, 1863 / MANY OF WHOM ARE HERE BURIED. / THIS MONUMENT IS / ERECTED BY A GRATEFUL COMMONWEALTH", in addition to a listing of casualties. A plaque on the rear of the base bears the names of officers from the state who died at Gettysburg.[5] A number of Corps Badges are also present on the base.[2] In total, this base, made of Hallowell granite, measures approximately 27 feet 8 inches (8.43 m) tall.[5] Each side of the base measures roughly 27.5 feet (8.4 m).[4] Above the base, wrapped around the start of the column is a ring of bronze tablets that depict four scenes from the battle: the wounding of General Daniel Sickles, the wounding of General Winfield Scott Hancock, the death of General John F. Reynolds, and a war council convened by General Henry Warner Slocum.[2] This bronze drum measures 9 feet 9 inches (2.97 m) tall and has a diameter of 5 feet 3 inches (1.60 m).[4] Above this bronze imagery is another bronze ornament, composed of the seal of New York, battle flags, and an eagle.[2] The column, which issculpted from Fox Island granite,[5] rises approximately 33 feet (10 m) tall and is made up of four sections.[6]
