The Confederate Monument, (sculpture).

The Confederate Monument, (sculpture).

Doyle, Alexander, 1857-1922, sculptor.

Doud, Gorda C., designer.

The Confederate Monument, (sculpture).

1885-1896. Dedicated Dec. 7, 1898.

Sculpture: Russellville limestone, granite, and bronze; Base: Russellville limestone over brick.

Sculpture: approx. 80 x 35 x 35 ft.; Base: approx. 5 1/2 x 40 x 40 ft.

(Inscribed:) By: Gorda C. Doud, Executed: Alexander Doyle (Around diameter of column base:) 1861-1865 (raised) CONSECRATED TO THE MEMORY OF THE CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS AND SEAMEN (incised) (Center base, south side, incised:) "FAME'S TEMPLE BOASTS NO HIGHER NAME,/NO KING IS GRANDER ON HIS THRONE;/NO GLORY SHINES WITH BRIGHTER GLEAM,/THE NAME OF 'PATRIOT' STANDS ALONE."/C.T.R. (Center base, east side, incised:) WHEN THIS HISTORIC SHAFT SHALL CRUMBLING LIE/IN AGES HENCE, IN WOMAN'S HEART WILL BE,/A FOLDED FLAG, A THRILLING PAGE UNROLLED,/A DEATHLESS SONG OF SOUTHERN CHIVALRY."/I.M.P.O. (Center base, north side, incised:) THESE SEAMEN OF CONFEDERATE FAME/STARTED THE WONDERING WORLD;/FOR BRAVER FIGHT WAS NEVER FOUGHT,/AND FAIRER FLAG WAS NEVER FURLED."/ANON. (Center base, west side, incised:) THE KNIGHTLIEST OF THE KNIGHTLY RACE/WHO SINCE THE DAYS OF OLD,/HAVE KEPT THE LAMP OF CHIVALRY/ALIGHT IN HEARTS OF GOLD."/F.O.T. (Northeast cornerstone, incised:) THIS CORNER STONE WAS LAID BY/JEFFERSON DAVIS./PRESIDENT OF C.S.A./APRIL 29, 1886. signed

Columnar monument with bronze female figure at top, bronze relief around lower/middle section, and four granite male figures spaced around lower section on individual stepped plinths. The bronze female figure at top symbolizes Patriotism, holding a flag in her proper left hand, and a sword in her proper right hand. The stone column on which she stands is a modified Corinthian capital with volutes, eagles, swags of fruit, olive and acanthus leaves and banded with two oak leaf wreaths bound with ribbon. The base features a gadrooned band above floral swags with ribbons, dentil molding and bands of stars. The bronze relief depicts battlefield scenes with half life-size figures in action on ground with rifles, swords, on horseback and firing cannons.

The four free-standing life-size granite male figures stand on individual stepped plinths, each wearing uniform, hat, and moustache. The figure on the north side is a seaman or sailor with proper right hand raised to eyes looking through binoculars, proper left knee bent, proper left hand and hip resting on ship's cleat. The figure on the west side is a cavalryman standing astride with proper right leg forward, sword in lowered proper right hand, and proper left hand holding sword case. The figure on the east side is an artilleryman standing with proper right foot resting on cannon holding gun powder stuffer in proper right hand, and proper left hand on hip/sword case.The figure on the south side is an infantryman standing with both hands on rifle barrel resting on ground in front. The four plinths on which the soldiers stand are symmetrically placed and decorated with relief carving of wreaths with ribbons and framed by two-part console brackets decorated with stylized oak leaves.

History -- United States -- Civil War

Figure female -- Full length

Allegory -- Civic -- Patriotism

Figure group -- Male

Occupation -- Military -- Sailor

Occupation -- Military -- Soldier

Dress -- Uniform -- Military Uniform

Architecture exterior -- Military -- Battlefield

Object -- Other -- Flag

Object -- Weapon -- Sword

Object -- Weapon -- Gun

Object -- Weapon -- Cannon

Animal -- Bird -- Eagle

Outdoor Sculpture -- Alabama -- Montgomery

Administered by State of Alabama, Alabama Historical Commission, Department of Finance, 468 South Perry Street, Montgomery, Alabama 36130

Located Alabama State Capitol, Corner of Bainbridge Avenue & Monroe Street, Montgomery, Alabama

Erected by the Ladies' Memorial Association of Montgomery. Funded by private contributions, the State of Alabama, and the Historical and Memorial Association of Confederate Soldiers. Cost: $46,000. IAS files contain newspaper articles from the Montgomery Advertiser, Nov. 20, 1940; the Montgomery Advertiser, Feb. 28, 1945; the Montgomery Advertiser, Feb. 14, 1947; and the Montgomery Advertiser, Aug. 10, 1947, all of which detail the funding of the monument. Although the monument has never been moved from its original location, proposals to relocate the monument were discussed; IAS files contain articles from the Montgomery Advertiser and the Alabama Journal from 1947-1966 which discuss the controversial proposals to relocate the monument.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Alabama survey, 1992.

Index of American Sculpture, University of Delaware, 1985

State of Alabama, Dept. of Archives & History, 1976.

Ockenden, I. M. Porter, 1861-1900 The Confederate Monument on Capitol Hill, Montgomery, Alabama.

The Montgomery Advertiser, Aug. 10, 1947.

The Montgomery Advertiser, Feb. 14, 1947, pg. 1.

The Montgomery Advertiser, Feb. 28, 1945.

The Montgomery Advertiser, Nov. 20, 1940.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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