Richmond County Confederate Monument, (sculpture).

Richmond County Confederate Monument, (sculpture).

Markwalter, T., architect.

Fontana, Antonio, carver.

VanGunder and Young, designer.

Richmond County Confederate Monument, (sculpture).

Our Confederate Dead, (sculpture).

Dedicated Oct. 31, 1878.

Digital Reference:

Figures: Carrara marble; Base: Georgia granite; Foundation: brick.

5 figures. Overall: approx. 71 x 10 x 10 ft.; Base: approx. 5 x 20 x 20 ft.

(On front of base, incised lettering:) OUR/CONFEDERATE DEAD (On north side of base:) IN MEMORIAM/"NO NATION ROSE SO WHITE/AND FAIR:/NONE FELL SO PURE OF CRIME (On south side of base:) WORTHY/to have lived and known/our Gratitude:/WORTHY/to be hallowed and held/in tender Remembrance:/WORTHY/the fadeless Fame which/CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS/WON./who gave themselves in life/and Death for us:/For the Honor of Georgia./For the Rights of the States./For the Liberties of the People./For the Sentiments of the South./For the Principals of the Union./as these were handed down to/them by the Fathers of/OUR COMMON COUNTRY. (On rear of base:) ERECTED/A.D.1878/BY/THE LADIES/MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION/OF AUGUSTA./IN HONOR OF THE MEN OF/RICHMOND COUNTY./WHO DIED/IN THE CAUSE OF THE/CONFEDERATE STATES. unsigned

A tall tapered shaft topped with a figure of Private Barry Benson holding a rifle in front of him. He is dressed in his Civil War uniform, and carries a pouch on his back side and a bayonet strapped to his proper left hip. The sculptures of four Confederate generals stand around the bottom of the shaft on projecting ledges at each of the four corners. Between each general, the sides of the shaft contain reliefs of Confederate emblems including the coat of arms of the Confederacy and the seal of the State of Georgia.

Standing on the front left side of the base is a sculpture of General Robert E. Lee in uniform with a sash across his chest, holding a gun in his proper left hand and a hat in his proper right hand. On the south side of the base, there is a relief inscribed with "DEO VINDICE" within a band with a flag, a horse, and a soldier inside. Below the band are guns on either side with a drum and cannon balls in between. Beneath this is a trumpet.

Standing on the rear right corner of the base is a sculpture of Thomas R. R. Cobb, holding his proper left hand on his sword and his proper right hand on binoculars at his chest. On the rear of the base, there is a relief of laurel leaves flanked by two flags with crossed rifles and two cannons beneath.

Standing on the rear left corner of the base is a sculpture of William Henry T. Walker in uniform, holding his gloves in his proper right hand and holding his sword with his proper left hand. On the north side of the base, is a relief inscribed with "CONSTITUTION" in an arch over three columns. In front of each column is a standing female figure. Between the columns, on the right is a soldier, and on the left is a farm and field workers.

Standing on the front right corner of the base is a sculpture of Stonewall Jackson, his proper right hand tucked into the front of his jacket. On the front of the base, between Jackson and Lee, is a relief of two intertwined flags and a crossed gun and sword. The base rests on top of a square foundation with six steps leading up to each side.

History -- United States -- Civil War

Portrait male -- Benson, Berry -- Full length

Portrait male -- Lee, Robert E. -- Full length

Portrait male -- Jackson, Stonewall -- Full length

Portrait male -- Walker, William Henry T. -- Full length

Portrait male -- Cobb, Thomas R. R. -- Full length

Occupation -- Military -- Soldier

Occupation -- Military -- General

Occupation -- Education

Dress -- Uniform -- Military Uniform

Emblem -- Coat of Arms

Outdoor Sculpture -- Georgia -- Augusta

Administered by City of Augusta, City Engineer, 530 Green Street, 7th Floor, Augusta, Georgia 30901

Located 700 block of Broad Street, Augusta, Georgia

The sculpture cost approximately $17,331 to $20,934, and honors the Confederate dead of Richmond County. The Ladies Memorial Association of Augusta raised the funds needed for the sculpture project. The association purchased the design for the sculpture from VanGunder and Young of Philadelphia for $500. Architect T. Markwalter of Augusta was awarded the contract to execute the design and Antonio Fantana carved the marble figures in Italy.

Although Private Berry Benson posed for a photograph that was used to create the Confederate soldier at the pinnacle of the shaft, the figure is meant to represent all Confederate enlisted men. Other figures around the shaft of the base are intended to be Confederate symbols, including: General Robert E. Lee, leader of the Confederate Army, who represents the Confederacy; Stonewall Jackson, Confederate general, who symbolizes the Confederacy and the State of Virginia; Thomas R. R. Cobb, who symbolizes the State of Georgia; and William H. T. Walker, who represents Richmond County and the City of Augusta.

IAS files contain excerpts from Ralph W. Widener's "Confederate Monuments: Enduring Symbols of the South and the War Between the States," Washington, D. C.: Andromeda Associates, 1982, pg. 44; Isabell Smith Buzzett's "Confederate Monuments of Georgia," Atlanta: Atlanta Chapter No. 18, United Daughters of the Confederacy, 1984, pg. 5; Frank M. McKenney's "The Standing Army," Alpharetta, GA: W. H. Wolfe Associates, 1993, pg. 100-103; Marguerite F. Fogleman's "Historical Markers and Monuments of Richmond County," Augusta, GA: Richmond County Historical Society, 1986, pg. 98; Edward J. Cashin's "The Story of Augusta," Augusta, GA: Richmond County Board of Education, 1980, pg. 146-147; Salem Dutcher and Charles C. Jones, Jr.'s "Memorial History of Augusta, Georgia," Spartansburg, SC: The Reprint Company, 1980, pg. 180-181; and an article from the Augusta Chronicle, Nov. 1, 1878, pg. 1. For related reading see John L. Maxwell's "Handbook of Augusta," 1878, pg. 51-58.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Georgia survey, 1994.

Widener, Ralph W., "Confederate Monuments: Enduring Symbols of the South and the War Between the States," Washington, D. C.: Andromeda Associates, 1982, pg. 44.

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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