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Saturday, May 24, 2008

The Blue and the Gray

TWO CIVIL WAR memorials are located near each other in Saint Louis' Forest Park. One is dedicated to the Union side, the other to the Confederate. Here are photos of these monuments, along with their inscriptions.

General Franz Sigel statue, in Forest Park, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA

TO REMIND
FUTURE GENERATIONS
OF THE HEROISM OF THE
GERMAN-AMERICAN PATRIOTS
OF ST. LOUIS AND VICINITY
IN THE CIVIL WAR OF
1861 TO 1865

GENERAL FRANZ SIGEL



Confederate Monument, in Forest Park, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA - front

TO THE MEMORY
OF THE
SOLDIERS AND SAILORS
OF THE
SOUTHERN CONFEDERACY,

WHO FOUGHT TO UPHOLD
THE RIGHT DECLARED BY
THE PEN OF JEFFERSON
AND ACHIEVED BY THE
SWORD OF WASHINGTON

WITH SUBLIME SELF SACRIFICE,
THEY
BATTLED TO PRESERVE
THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE STATES
WHICH WAS WON FROM
GREAT BRITAIN,
AND
TO PERPETUATE THE
CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT
WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE
FATHERS

ACTUATED BY THE PUREST
PATRIOTISM
THEY PERFORMED DEEDS
OF PROWESS SUCH AS
THRILLED THE HEART OF
MANKIND WITH ADMIRATION

"FULL IN THE FRONT OF WAR THEY STOOD,"
AND DISPLAYED A COURAGE
SO SUPERB
THAT IT GAVE A NEW AND
BRIGHTER LUSTER TO THE
ANNALS OF VALOR.

HISTORY
CONTAINS NO CHRONICLE
MORE ILLUSTRIOUS THAN
THE STORY OF THEIR
ACHIEVEMENTS,
AND ALTHOUGH,
WORN OUT BY
CEASELESS CONFLICT
AND
OVERWHELMING NUMBERS,
THEY WERE FINALLY
FORCED TO YIELD.

THEIR GLORY, "ON BRIGHTEST PAGES
PENNED BY POETS AND BY SAGES,
SHALL GO SOUNDING DOWN THE AGES."

"WE HAD SACRED PRINCIPLES TO MAINTAIN AND RIGHTS
TO DEFEND FOR WHICH WE WERE IN DUTY BOUND TO DO
OUR BEST, EVEN IF WE PERISHED IN THE ENDEAVOR."

ROBERT E. LEE

ERECTED IN THE MEMORY OF
THE SOLDIERS AND SAILORS
 OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES
BY THE UNITED DAUGHTERS
OF THE CONFEDERACY
OF SAINT LOUIS.

3 comments:

  1. Mark, that confederate memorial text is wonderfully poignant. Thanks for posting.

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  2. Yes, and the Nazi soldiers performed some incredibly brave acts, and like the Confederates, they were motivated by racism, elitism and white supremacy. Evil people, evil people. How sad you think they were great.

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  3. Anonymous before you compare Confederates to Nazi's I suggest that you do a little research and understand the thinking of the time period. If you for any reason believe that the collective Northern forces were kind, gentle and accepting of the black man into northern society I think you need a history review. Some of the most racist areas of this country were and still are in the very North, that you seem to be defending...We have a long way to go!!!!!!

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