Confederate Private Monument facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Confederate Private Monument |
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|---|---|
| Artist | George Julian Zolnay |
| Year | 1909 |
| Medium | Bronze sculpture |
| Location | Nashville, Tennessee, United States |
| 36°8′52.37″N 86°48′45.39″W / 36.1478806°N 86.8126083°W | |
The Confederate Private Monument is a bronze sculpture located in Centennial Park in Nashville, Tennessee. It shows a private soldier from the Confederate States Army, which was the army of the Southern states during the American Civil War. The monument was designed by George Julian Zolnay. It was ordered in 1903, had its foundation stone laid in 1907, and was officially opened in 1909. In June 2019, the monument was vandalized.
About the Monument
The monument features a statue of a Confederate private soldier. He is wearing a military uniform and holding a rifle. The Smithsonian Institution says the soldier might be Sam Davis, a well-known Confederate scout. However, old newspaper stories from when the monument was built do not mention him.
The statue shows the soldier sitting on a rocky stone ledge. His rifle rests on the ground next to him. He faces forward, with his left hand resting between his knees. The soldier sits on a rough-cut stone, which is on top of a base that gets narrower towards the top. The monument also has a special plaque. This plaque lists the names of 540 members of the Frank Cheatham Bivouac.
Building the Monument
The idea for this monument started in 1902. Theodore Cooley, a member of the Frank Cheatham Bivouac, suggested it. The Frank Cheatham Bivouac was a group of former Confederate soldiers. By 1903, Cooley had gathered other veterans to work on the project. They hired George Julian Zolnay, a sculptor who had created many other Confederate statues. When Cooley passed away, Major B. M. Hord took over as the committee chairman.
The monument cost $4,000 to build. Zolnay, the sculptor, gave $500 of his own money. The Frank Cheatham Bivouac raised $1,000. The United Daughters of the Confederacy, another group, raised over $1,000. Smaller donations covered the rest of the cost. In 1907, the first stone of the monument was laid. This was done with special honors by the Grand Lodge of the State, a Masonic group.
The monument was officially opened on June 19, 1909, in Centennial Park. Many people attended the event. Henry Watterson, a famous speaker, gave a speech. He praised Tennessee for its courage during the Civil War. He compared battles like Shiloh and Murfreesboro to ancient Greek battles. Zolnay also spoke, mentioning his wife was from the South. Judge S. F. Wilson gave a speech about the bravery of the private soldiers. The monument was revealed to a large crowd, with the song "Dixie" playing.
Recent Vandalism
On June 17, 2019, the statue was damaged with red paint. The person or people who did this also painted "THEY WERE RACISTS" on the plaque. This plaque holds the names of the 540 Confederate veterans.
When this monument was put up in 1909, Tennessee had laws that separated people by race. This was called racial segregation. Public places like schools and parks, including Centennial Park, were segregated. African Americans were not allowed to use the public pool there. Today, some people believe that monuments like this one should be removed from public places. They point out that these monuments were often put up during a time when white supremacy was common.
