The "Memorials With Meaning: Part 2 - The Civil War" Story

Lancaster, Pennsylvania's monument on the square.  Very early photo - date unknown.

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a bit more about the Civil War Monument that stands in the center of Lancaster's Square in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  The statue features "The Genius of Liberty" in the center of the monument with sculptures of a Calvary Man, Artillery Man, Infantry Man and a Naval Man surrounding the central sculpture of the Genius of Liberty.  I have written about the monument in the past, but have never mentioned where the figures were made and of what material.  Jack Brubaker, known in Lancaster as "The Scribbler,"  writes a column in the local newspaper every Sunday and recently passed along some information about the statues.  

Artillery Man on North-East corner.

It was back in 1871, six years after the Civil War ended that the Lancaster County Monumental Association decided they should have a monument to honor those who fought in the Civil War.  It was finally decided that Batterson, Canfield and Co. from Hartford, Connecticut along with monument designer, Lewis Haldy, from Lancaster, would place the monument in the center of the square in Lancaster.  

Cavalry Man on South-West corner.

The monument would have a Greek Revival design with granite infantry, navy, artillery and cavalry men standing around a base and a Genius of Liberty standing with drawn sword at the top of a tall shaft.  The statues would look similar to monuments erected in other towns, since the granite companies, with many in New England and East Tennessee, were supplying figures to many other towns and cities.  

Navy man on South-East corner.

It was discovered that the Babcock-Smith Museum, located on Granite Street in Westerly, Rhode Island, had records from Lancaster showing that Batterson, etc. had an order book showing locations where their statues were shipped.  The monument's figures were carved in New England and Lewis Haldy set them into a rock-solid base in Penn Square.  The four military figures were more or less mass produced Civil War sculptures.  And, most of these statues could be ordered from catalogs.  

Infantryman on the North-West corner.

Records are hard to find as to whom may have produced the original sculpture.  The Genius of Liberty was alleged to have been made by Augustin Dumont.  It too was mass produced and can be found on many other monuments around the country.  As to whom may have worked on the monument in Lancaster's Square, names were never recorded and have been lost for eternity.  I still find myself taking photos of the monument just about everytime I walk around town looking for an interesting story.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

A more recent view of the monument.