Rapides Parish Confederate Monument, (sculpture).

Rapides Parish Confederate Monument, (sculpture).

Unknown (Italian), sculptor.

Jones, James, contractor.

R. J. Jones & Sons, contractor.

Slocum Construction Company, contractor.

Rapides Parish Confederate Monument, (sculpture).

Confederate Memorial Statue, (sculpture).

Dedicated March 21, 1914. Relocated 1962.

Figure and shaft: Georgia white marble; Base: Georgia white marble.

Figure and shaft: approx. H. 30 ft.; Base: approx. 3 ft. 2 in. x 11 ft. 4 in. x 11 ft. 2 in.

(Lower front of base, raised lettering:) 1861 (CSA monogram) 1865/DEDICATED TO THE/CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS/OF RAPIDES PARISH./THEIR MEMORY IS ENSHRINED/IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE/AND THE RECORD OF THEIR/SUBLIME SELF-SACRIFICE AND/UNDYING DEVOTION TO DUTY, IN/THE SERVICE OF THE SOUTHLAND/IS THE PROUD HERITAGE, OF A/LOYAL POSTERITY./ERECTED BY THE/THOMAS OVERTON MOORE CHAPTER,/DAUGHTERS OF THE CONFEDERACY,/ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA./ANNO DOMINI 1914./---/"FAITHFUL TO OUR FALLEN HEROES."/CONFEDERATE (One side of lower base, raised lettering:) "GOD OF OUR FATHERS,/KNOWN OF OLD,/LORD OF OUR FAR FLUNG/BATTLE LINE,/BENEATH WHOSE AWFUL/HAND, WE HOLD/DOMINION O'ER PALM AND/PINE-/LORD GOD OF HOSTS, BE/WITH US YET,/LEST WE FORGET-LEST/WE FORGET." (Lower rear of base, raised lettering:) IN LOVING MEMORY OF THE/MOTHERS, WIVES, SISTERS AND/SWEETHEARTS OF THE GALLANT/SOLDIERS OF RAPIDES,/IT WAS THE TEACHING OF THE/SOUTHERN HOME, WHICH PRODUCED/THE SOUTHERN SOLDIER, THE/DEEP FOUNDATION OF WHOSE/CHARACTER WAS DEVOTION TO/DUTY AND RELIANCE ON GOD,/"BY THE SIDE OF EVERY SOUTHERN/SOLDIER, THERE MARCHED/A SOUTHERN WOMAN." (Other side of lower base, raised lettering:) "YE KEPT THE FAITH!/'TWAS GLORIOUS THUS TO DIE/AND WOMAN'S LOVE HAS/RAISED A LOFTY STONE,/TO TELL THE TRUTH TO/THOSE WHO PASS IT BY!" unsigned

A youthful Confederate soldier stands wearing a uniform with a slouch hat, resting both hands on the barrel of his rifle, which is pointing skyward. The butt of the rifle rests by his proper right foot. A bedroll is slung over his proper left shoulder, crossing to his proper right side, and he wears a back pack. A tree trunk rises to the thigh of the soldier's proper right leg. The soldier is mounted upon a tall shaft with an capital decorated with elaborate scroll work and featuring a relief of a large Confederate flag on the front. The shaft rests atop a tiered, multi-stepped base.

History -- United States -- Civil War

Figure male -- Full length

Occupation -- Military -- Soldier

Dress -- Uniform -- Military Uniform

Object -- Other -- Flag

Outdoor Sculpture -- Louisiana -- Alexandria

Rapides Parish Courthouse, 701 Murray Street, Alexandria, Louisiana

Formerly located Alexandria City Hall, 3rd Street, Alexandria City Hall Square, Alexandria, Louisiana 1914-1962.

The monument is dedicated to the Confederate soldiers of Rapides Parish, and to their "mothers, sisters, and sweethearts" as well. It was erected by the Thomas Overton Moore Chapter #640, United Daughters of the Confederacy, who raised funds for its purchase. The monument was sculpted in Italy, and was originally installed in front of the "old" Alexandria City Hall. In 1962, when the building was torn down to make way for the "new" Alexandria City Hall, the monument was removed and cleaned by B & B Memorial Company. It was then moved to its current site, and a commemorative plaque honoring the soldiers was installed at the old site. At the new site, the soldier was placed without the shaft atop a foundation of bricks, the foundation laid by James Jones of R. J. Jones & Sons, contractors of the new Alexandria City Hall. However, controversy arose and the Thomas Overton Moore Chapter #640 reerected the monument in its entirety. The monument was cleaned in 1995, by Donald Collins Construction Company and rededicated in May, 1996 by the Thomas Overton Moore Chapter #640 of the UDC.

IAS files contain history of monument compiled by Jacqueline Raxsdale-Treubig of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Thomas Overton Moore Chapter #640, dated Feb. 28, 1996; and rededication program.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Louisiana survey, 1996.

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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