Sunbury in Delaware County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Major General William Starke Rosecrans / Glacial Erratics

Major General William Starke Rosecrans Face of Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By J. J. Prats, May 13, 2018

1. Major General William Starke Rosecrans Face of Marker

Shown behind the marker is a statue of General Rosecrans astride a horse. The statue is mounted on the glacial erratic described on the back of the marker.

Inscription. Major General William Starke Rosecrans. W.S. Rosecrans, soldier, engineer, architect and inventor, was born in Kingston Township in 1819. After graduation from West Point in 1842, he served in the Engineering Corps then taught at West Point. As a civilian, he engineered a river lock system and perfected lamp oil. During the Civil War, Rosecrans command Union Armies of the Ohio, the Cumberland, and the Missouri, and developed a popular war-time ambulance. “Old Rosy” led his troops to victory at Iuka, Corinth, Stones River and Tullahoma. He helped raise $789,000 for soldiers relief and designed St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Columbus. He later served as Minister to Mexico, Registrar to the U.S. Treasury and as a Congressman from California. He died in 1898 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

"Stand by your flag and country, my men!” —Rosecrans at the Battle of Stones River, October 4, 1862

Glacial Erratics. The base of this statue is a 40,000 pound glacial erratic pushed to central Ohio from Northern Ontario by the Wisconsin glaciers from 110,000 to 10,000 years ago. It is formed from ancient volcanic magma more than 2.5 billion years ago. It is one of the five largest glacial erratics in Ohio.

Ohio’s largest crystalline erratic is located three miles

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

east of Sunbury. This large, oval-shaped granite boulder is 22 feet long, 18 feet wide and 8 feet high with a circumference of 72 feet. The weight of the exposed portion of the erratic is about 200 tons.

Erected 2013 by Big Walnut Area Historical Society, Rosecrans Command Headquarters, Delaware County Foundation, and The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 19-21.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Government & Politics • Man-Made Features • Natural Features • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series list. A significant historical date for this entry is October 4, 1862.

Location. 40° 14.571′ N, 82° 51.565′ W. Marker is in Sunbury, Ohio, in Delaware County. Marker is at the intersection of East Cherry Street (Ohio Route 37) and Columbus Street, on the right when traveling west on East Cherry Street. It is on the Sunbury Village Square. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Sunbury OH 43074, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Sunbury Veterans Memorial (a few steps from this marker); Sunbury, Ohio / Sunbury Town Hall (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Purple Heart Memorial (about 800 feet away); Ohio Fallen Heroes Memorial

Glacial Erratics Face of Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By J. J. Prats, May 13, 2018

2. Glacial Erratics Face of Marker

(about 800 feet away); Marilyn “Corky” Olinger (approx. 0.7 miles away); William Harrison “Billy” Southworth (approx. 0.7 miles away); Galena War Memorial (approx. 2.2 miles away); Galena (approx. 2.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sunbury.

Also see . . .
1. About the Major General William Starke Rosecrans Memorial. This page contains photos of the boulder being moved to and placed on the square and of the sculptor working on the equestrian statue. (Submitted on May 13, 2018, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.)

2. Wikipedia Entry for William Rosencrans. “Given command of the Army of the Cumberland, he fought against Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg at Stones River, and later outmaneuvered him in the brilliant Tullahoma Campaign, driving the Confederates from Middle Tennessee. His strategic movements then caused Bragg to abandon the critical city of Chattanooga, but Rosecrans’ pursuit of Bragg ended during the bloody Battle of Chickamauga, where his unfortunately worded order mistakenly opened a gap in the Union line and Rosecrans and a third of his army were swept from the field. Besieged in Chattanooga,

Ohio’s Largest Crystalline Erratic image. Click for full size.

Close-up of photo embedded in the marker

3. Ohio’s Largest Crystalline Erratic

Rosecrans was relieved of command by Grant.” (Submitted on May 13, 2018.)

Marker, Statue on Erratic, and the 1868 Sunbury Town Hall image. Click for full size.

Photographed By J. J. Prats, May 13, 2018

4. Marker, Statue on Erratic, and the 1868 Sunbury Town Hall

General W.S. Rosecrans on his horse Bony image. Click for full size.

Bronze by Alan Cottrill photographed by J.J. Prats, May 13, 2018

5. General W.S. Rosecrans on his horse Bony

This larger-than-life bronze by Alan Cotrill was dedicated September 28, 2013

General Rosecrans and His Horse Bony image. Click for full size.

Bronze by Alan Cottrill photographed by J.J. Prats, May 13, 2018

6. General Rosecrans and His Horse Bony

Major General William Starke Rosecrans / Glacial Erratics Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Glenn Peterson, February 7, 2024

7. Major General William Starke Rosecrans / Glacial Erratics Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on February 12, 2024. It was originally submitted on May 13, 2018, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 984 times since then and 95 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on May 13, 2018, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 7. submitted on February 8, 2024, by Glenn Peterson of Vermilion, Ohio.