Confederate Memorial (Romney, West Virginia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Confederate Memorial |
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| Confederate Memorial Association Hampshire County, West Virginia |
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The Confederate Memorial in 2010
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| For the men of Hampshire County who died fighting for the Confederate States of America in the American Civil War. | |
| Unveiled | September 26, 1867 |
| Location | 39°20′33″N 78°45′56″W / 39.342638°N 78.765662°W |
| Designed by | Gaddes Brothers of Baltimore, Maryland |
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"The Daughters of Old Hampshire Erect This Tribute of Affection to Her Heroic Sons Who Fell in Defence of Southern Rights."
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 Confederate Memorial
Location in Romney, West Virginia
Confederate Memorial
Location in West Virginia
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The Confederate Memorial in Romney, West Virginia, is a special monument. It honors the people from Hampshire County who died fighting for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. The Confederate Memorial Association helped build this monument. They officially opened it on September 26, 1867.
Many people believe this memorial was the first one built in the United States to remember Confederate soldiers. They also say that Romney was the first town to publicly decorate Confederate graves. This first decoration happened on June 1, 1866. The idea for the memorial started in the spring of 1866. After the graves were decorated, people raised money to build the monument. By 1867, they had enough funds.
The monument has a special message carved into it. It says: "The Daughters of Old Hampshire Erect This Tribute of Affection to Her Heroic Sons Who Fell in Defence of Southern Rights." The Gaddes Brothers company from Baltimore built the memorial. Its parts arrived at Indian Mound Cemetery on September 14, 1867. The monument was dedicated just twelve days later. Building this memorial helped Hampshire County start fresh after the Civil War.
The memorial stands on a small hill. It has a base, a tall stone pillar called an obelisk, and a capstone. The monument lists 125 names of soldiers. These include captains, lieutenants, sergeants, and many privates. The memorial was cleaned and fixed up in 1984. Every year, on Hampshire County Confederate Memorial Day, it is decorated with a handmade evergreen garland and wreath.
Contents
Remembering Confederate Soldiers
The idea to honor the men from Hampshire County who died in the American Civil War began in early 1866. It was first discussed at the home of a former Confederate Colonel named Robert White in Romney. His brother, Christian Streit White, and other family members were also there.
Soon, more people in Romney liked the idea. Later in the spring of 1866, women from Hampshire County held a meeting. They formed the Confederate Memorial Association. Their goal was to honor the Confederate soldiers who had died. They also wanted to help the soldiers' families financially. At this meeting, they chose leaders and made plans. They also organized committees to decorate the graves of Confederate soldiers.
Most people in Hampshire County had supported the Confederacy during the war. But after the war, the county was part of West Virginia, which was a Unionist state. At that time, people who had supported the Confederacy were not allowed to vote or hold public jobs. Even with these challenges, and risking upsetting the authorities, members of the Confederate Memorial Association marched to Indian Mound Cemetery. They formally decorated the gravestones of Confederate soldiers on June 1, 1866. Not many people joined this first decoration. Some were afraid of trouble from the government.
This decoration in Indian Mound Cemetery is said to be the first public decoration of Confederate graves. However, other towns in the Southern United States also claim to have been first. Romney's event helped start a tradition that spread across the South during the Reconstruction Era. Soon, families of Union soldiers buried in Indian Mound Cemetery also began decorating their graves.
Raising Money for the Memorial
After the first grave decoration in 1866, people wanted a permanent monument for the Confederate dead. The Confederate Memorial Association started raising money. They held sewing circles, bazaars, and fairs. Confederate veterans and others in Hampshire County also helped. They put on shows and asked for donations.
Besides building the memorial, the association also raised money for widows and children of the Confederate soldiers. By October 15, 1866, they had collected $1,170.91 USD. From this, they gave US$421.58 to the widows and orphaned children. Fundraising continued until June 1867.
Choosing the Design
By June 6, 1867, the Confederate Memorial Association had enough money. They began choosing the design for the monument. They asked for ideas from Confederate veterans and other people in Hampshire County.
In July 1867, a committee from the association looked at many ideas for the memorial's message. They picked three final choices. The first said soldiers "died in defense of what they believed to be right." The second said they were "our sons and brothers, who fell as soldiers in the Confederate army." The third message was chosen. It reads: "The Daughters of Old Hampshire Erect This Tribute of Affection to Her Heroic Sons Who Fell in Defence of Southern Rights."
Building the Monument
Once the design and message were chosen, committees picked a builder. The Gaddes Brothers company from Baltimore won the contract. They were asked to make a white Italian marble monument. The memorial was designed, sculpted, and built for US$1,133.63.
According to historian Mary Bell Foote, the words "Southern Rights" were left out at first. This was because of strong feelings after the Civil War. Also, there were rules against such monuments. But after the parts were packed for shipping, the words "Southern Rights" were secretly carved into the white marble. The parts were then quickly covered and sent to Romney.
The memorial's parts arrived at Indian Mound Cemetery on September 14, 1867. Volunteers from Romney put it together. Bob Fisher was paid US$5.00 for building the earth mound around the monument. He also got US$4.11 for letting one of the Gaddes brothers stay at his home. William Sheetz was paid US$18.80 for building the memorial's base and foundation. Twelve days later, on September 26, the Confederate Memorial was officially opened in a public ceremony.
Where It Stands and What It Looks Like
The Confederate Memorial stands on a small hill. Five boxwoods trees surround it. It is located in the old part of Indian Mound Cemetery, near the entrance. Several family graves are around the memorial. A burial ground for both Confederate and Union soldiers from the Civil War is next to it.
The Confederate Memorial is a tall, thin stone pillar called an obelisk. It is about 4 square feet at its base and 12 feet tall. The monument's base has two large, fancy white marble blocks. On top is a sculpture of a draped urn. A carving on the smaller top block shows either Fame or an angel. This figure is placing a laurel wreath on a dying soldier who is holding his sword.
Below this carving, on the larger block, is the main message. It says: "The Daughters of Old Hampshire Erect This Tribute of Affection to Her Heroic Sons Who Fell in Defence of Southern Rights." The other three sides of the memorial have the names of 125 men from Hampshire County. These men died fighting for the Confederacy. The exact number of fallen soldiers was not known when the monument was built. The base of the memorial shows the year it was built: "1867".
Names on the Monument
The monument lists 125 names. These include four captains, seven lieutenants (one was a chaplain), three sergeants, and 119 privates. Since 1867, some names of Hampshire County's Confederate dead were found to be missing from the memorial. These names are now part of the "Confederate Honor Roll." This list includes all names on the memorial and other Confederate veterans. Each name is read aloud during the yearly ceremony on Hampshire County Confederate Memorial Day.
Here are the names carved into the Confederate Memorial:
| Military rank | Inscribed names |
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| Captains | G. F. Sheetz, A. Smith, G. W. Stump, J. M. Lovett |
| Lieutenants | M. Blue, J. Buzzard, J. Earsom, H. Engle, W. F. Johnson, J. N. Moorehead, F. D. Sherrard, Rev. J. S. Reese |
| Sergeants | B. W. Armstrong, J. C. Leps, G. Cheshire |
| Privates | A. T. Pugh, J. W. Park, S. Park, J. W. Poland, J. Peer, R. J. Parran, C. Parran, H. Powell, N. Pownall, J. W. Ream, G. W. Ruckman, L. Spaid, P. Stump, H. Senoff, A. Shingleton, J. Stewart, S. Swisher, E. Gaylor, M. Taylor, J. Taylor, E. P. Ward, I. Wolfe, J. Washington, M. Watkins, H. Wilson, G. Shoemaker, L. D. Shanholtzer, J. Strother, W. Unglesbee, B. Wills, J. Haines, J. F. Hass, M. Harmison, A. Hollenback, G. Hott, E. Hartley, B. Hare, –. Householder, M. V. Inskeep, J. Johnson, J. H. Johnson, T. Keely, J. Kern, S. Loy, E. Milleson, O. Milleson, S. Mohler, F. M. Myers, J. W. Marker, T. McGraw, I. Mills, J. Merritt, J. W. Pugh, O. V. Pugh, J. Kump, P. Noland, J. Rudolph, J. M. Reese, M. V. Reid, W. O. Lupton, J. Noreland, J. Starns, F. C. Sechrist, G. W. Strother, J. D. Adams, I. P. Armstrong, E. Allen, J. W. Baker, H. Baker, J. W. Barley, H. Bird, W. J. Blue, T. T. Brooks, R. Brown, J. W. Boro, I. D. Carroll, J. Cupp, J. S. Davis, J. A. Daily, J. Davy, S. Engly, J. Floury, J. Furlow, I. V. Gibson, R. C. Grace, T. T. Gross, R. Gill, J. P. Greitzner, A. Haines, J. J. Arnold, F. Abee, A. J. Baker, William Baker, J. Bumgarner, Morgan Brill, Mat Brill, G. Delaplains, J. Doughett, J. Engle, C. Garvin, G. R. Garvin, J. Hammock, T. Harrison |
Fixing the Memorial
In 1984, the Confederate Memorial was carefully fixed up. The monument had become dark over time due to weather. Its surfaces were cleaned and sealed to protect them. This repair work was paid for by donations. The names of those who donated were written in the same book used for the first donations in 1866. The repairs cost a total of US$2,850.
Hampshire County Confederate Memorial Day
The tradition of decorating Confederate graves in Indian Mound Cemetery has continued every year since June 1, 1866. It happens on the first Saturday in June. This day is known as Hampshire County Confederate Memorial Day or June Decoration Day.
On this day, people march down Main Street in Romney. They include people dressed as Civil War reenactors carrying Confederate flags. A handmade evergreen garland, 30 feet long, is hung from the Confederate Memorial. Evergreen wreaths are also placed. Flowers and Confederate flags are put on each Confederate gravestone. Reenactors usually place these decorations.
Speakers give talks to the people attending. A list of honored names is read aloud at the memorial. Then, a musket salute is fired. Many people who attend are descendants of the original members of the Confederate Memorial Association.
Why the Memorial Is Important
Building the Confederate Memorial helped Hampshire County recover after the Civil War. The memorial became a sign of the county's renewed hope. People in Hampshire County worked together to rebuild their towns, buildings, and businesses that were destroyed during the war.
The Confederate Memorial Association was part of a bigger effort across the American South after the war. Many groups, especially in Virginia, wanted to properly bury and honor Confederate soldiers. Historian Caroline E. Janney noted that these "Ladies' Memorial Associations" used their influence to remember the Confederate cause.
This memorial is one of the first monuments built to honor Confederate soldiers in the United States. Romney claims it has the first Confederate Memorial. However, Cheraw, South Carolina, also claims this. Their monument was dedicated two months earlier, on July 26, 1867. But the Cheraw memorial does not use the words "Confederacy," "Confederate," or "Southern."
Images for kids
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Headstones for Confederate war dead in the cemetery
See also
In Spanish: Monumento Conmemorativo Confederado (Romney) para niños
