Soldiers National Monument was the first monument placed at Gettysburg. The first piece was laid on July 4, 1865, and the completed monument was dedicated on July 1, 1869. Overlooking the grounds of the Soldiers National Cemetery, it was commissioned to pay tribute to all of the lives that were lost during the battle. The statues that adorn it represent peace, war, plenty and history.
Of all of the monuments found at Gettysburg, this is one is the largest. The monument was dedicated on September 27, 1910. It features statues of the generals that came from the state, as well as President Lincoln. At the base of the statue, the names of more than 34,000 Pennsylvanians who served in the Battle of Gettysburg are inscribed on bronzed tablets. A staircase leads to the top of the monument, which provides a view of the entire battlefield. The monument is located on Hancock Ave. at Pleasonton Ave. in the National Military Park.
This monument is not dedicated to Lincoln himself but rather to the Gettysburg Address. In that speech, Lincoln called to mind the freedoms and equality that all people are guaranteed under the Declaration of Independence. He also spoke of the greatest sacrifice that was made during the Battle of Gettysburg--death. He emphasized that the men who died in battle did so to preserve the nation and that it was the livings responsibility to ensure that this preservation be upheld. The monument contains a bust of Lincoln, as well as the eternal words from his speech. This monument is located in Soldiers National Cemetery.
This was the first of the Confederate monuments placed at Gettysburg, and its the largest of the Confederate monuments. At the top of the monument sits General Robert E. Lee, perched on a horse. It appears as if he is surveying the Union lines. At the base of the memorial are seven Confederate soldiers who look as if they are ready to battle. The memorial pays tribute to the 19,000 Virginian men who fought in the Battle of Gettysburg. The monument is located on West Confederate Ave. in the National Military Park.
