Friend to Friend Masonic Memorial facts for kids
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| Coordinates | 39°49′15.5″N 77°13′54.5″W / 39.820972°N 77.231806°W |
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| Location | Gettysburg National Cemetery |
| Designer | Ron Tunison |
| Type | Historic structure |
The Friend to Friend Masonic Memorial is a special monument at the Gettysburg Battlefield. It shows a famous moment after a big battle called Pickett's Charge. In this scene, a Union Army captain named Henry H. Bingham helps a seriously wounded Confederate general, Lewis Addison Armistead. What makes this moment special is that both men were Freemasons, part of a worldwide brotherhood.
Even though they were fighting on opposite sides, General Armistead asked Captain Bingham to pass on some personal items, like his spurs and watch, to another general, Winfield Scott Hancock. General Hancock was also a Freemason and a good friend of Armistead's before the war. Armistead died two days later from his wounds. This memorial reminds us that even during a war, bonds of friendship and brotherhood can still exist.
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The Story Behind the Memorial
The memorial shows an event known as the "Armistead-Bingham incident." This happened during the Battle of Gettysburg, one of the most important battles of the American Civil War. After a huge attack called Pickett's Charge, Confederate General Armistead was badly wounded.
Captain Bingham of the Union Army came across him. It is said that Armistead used a special sign to ask for help, which Bingham recognized as a Masonic sign. Even though they were enemies in battle, their shared connection as Freemasons was important.
A Promise Kept
General Armistead was shot twice. He gave his personal items, like his spurs and watch chain, to Captain Bingham. He asked Bingham to give them to General Hancock, who was also a Freemason and a close friend of Armistead's from before the war.
General Hancock was also wounded around the same time. Because of their injuries, the two old friends could not meet before Armistead died. Bingham made sure to pass on Armistead's message and items.
Early Records of the Event
The story of this meeting was first recorded in 1870. An artist named James Walker painted a large picture called The Repulse of Longstreet's Assault at the Battle of Gettysburg. This painting showed Armistead giving his watch and spurs to Captain Bingham.
Later, in 1887, a marker for Lewis A. Armistead was placed at the "high water mark of the Confederacy." This is the furthest point the Confederate army reached during Pickett's Charge. The 1993 movie Gettysburg also showed this emotional meeting. In the movie, Armistead tells Bingham to tell General Hancock, "I have done him and you all an injury which I shall regret the longest day I live."
Memorial Description
The sculpture shows Captain Bingham kneeling beside General Armistead. It captures the moment of their meeting. On the back of the monument, there is a plaque with a special message.
The plaque explains that the monument was given by the Grand Lodge of Freemasons of Pennsylvania. It is dedicated to all Freemasons from both the Union and the Confederacy. It says that their "unique bonds of friendship enabled them to remain a brotherhood undivided, even as they fought in a divided nation." This means that even though they fought on different sides, their shared values as Freemasons kept them connected as brothers.
