Alexandria, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
The Confederate Statue
By J. J. Prats, June 28, 2008
1. The Confederate Statue Marker
The unarmed Confederate soldier standing in the intersection of Washington and Prince Streets marks the location where units from Alexandria left to join the Confederate Army on May 24, 1861. The soldier is facing the battlefields to the South where his comrades fell during the War Between the States. The names of those Alexandrians who died in service for the Confederacy are inscribed on the base of the statue. The title of the sculpture is “Appomattox” by M. Casper Buberl.
The statue was erected in 1889 by the Robert E. Lee Camp, United Confederate Veterans.
Marker series. This marker is included in the Sons of Confederate Veterans/United Confederate Veterans, and the Virginia, Old Town Alexandria marker series.
Location. 38° 48.236′ N, 77° 2.833′ W. Marker is in Alexandria, Virginia. Marker is at the intersection of South Washington Street (Virginia Route 400) and Prince Street, on the right when traveling south on South Washington Street. Marker is on the southwest corner, at the Lyceum. Statue is in the middle of the intersection. Touch for map
By J. J. Prats, June 28, 2008
2. The Confederate Statue Marker and the Lyceum
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Lyceum (within shouting distance of this marker); The Methodist Episcopal Congregation of Alexandria (within shouting distance of this marker); The Patton-Fowle House (within shouting distance of this marker); Swann-Daingerfield House (within shouting distance of this marker); The Alexandria Lyceum (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Timberman Brothers (about 400 feet away); John Douglass Brown House (about 400 feet away); Dr. Bernard Stier, O.D. (1930-2005) (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Alexandria.
Regarding The Confederate Statue. From the Smithsonian Institution Research Information System: “The Robert E. Lee Camp introduced legislation into the Virginia House of Delegates, Jan. 9, 1890, to ensure that the statue would never be moved from its location, in the middle of the intersection of Prince and South Washington Streets. Numerous attempts were made in the late 20th century to remove the statue on the grounds either that it was an offensive reminder of slavery, or simply that its location in the middle of an intersection was impractical. After the base had suffered nicks from passing automobiles for several years, a
By J. J. Prats, June 28, 2008
3. The Confederate Monument
Inscription reads “Erected to the memory of the Confederate dead of Alexandria Va. by their surviving comrades, May 24th, 1889.” On the base it reads “This monument marks the spot from which the Alexandria troops left to join the Confederate forces. May 24, 1861.”
“The statue was designed by John Adams Elder, modeled after the figure in his painting ‘Appomattox,’ which depicts a Confederate soldier viewing the battlefields after the surrender of General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox, Virginia on April 9, 1865.”
Also see . . .
1. Confederate “Appomattox” Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia. Short essay and photographs by Willard Sturgill. “To ensure that the statue would not be moved at some future date, the UCV had legislation introduced into the Virginia House of Delegates which passed on January 9th, 1890 and which reads in part: ‘And whereas it is the desire of the said Robert E. Lee camp of Confederate Veterans and also the citizens and inhabitants of said City of Alexandria that such a monument shall remain in its present position as a perpetual and lasting testimonial to the courage, fidelity and patriotism of the heroes in whose memory it was erected… the permission so given by the said City Council of Alexandria for its erection shall not be repealed,
J. J. Prats Postcard Collection
4. Confederate Monument, South Washington Street, Alexandria, Va.
Postcard has no legend on back. It is a "genuine Curteich-Chicago ‘C.T. Art-Colorone’ post card" in the B.S. Reynolds Co. (Washington D.C.) scenic art series, No. 6 B-H623. Compare with Photo 5.
2. Confederate Monument Postcards. Postcards in the Alexandria Public Library collection. Click on each image to enlarge. (Submitted on June 28, 2008.)
3. The Confederate Statue. “The dedication ceremony was held on May 24, 1889. Virginia Governor Fitzhugh Lee, formerly a major general of cavalry in the Army of Northern Virginia and a nephew of General Robert E. Lee, delivered the dedicatory address. The Alexandria Gazette recorded the event: ‘The population was soon doubled by the large influx of visitors and former residents from every part of the compass. . . In addition to the extraordinarily large number landed by boat, parties from the neighboring counties in carriages and all sorts of vehicles poured into the streets from early morning and by noon the neighborhood of the statue was packed by a huge mass of humanity.’ ” (Submitted on June 28, 2008.)
Additional comments.
1. List of Names on Base of Statue
(west side)
Seventeenth Virginia Infantry
Company A — Capt. A.J. Humphreys, Sgt. Addison Saunders, Sgt. W. T. Morrill, Corp. J.H.L. Sangster, Frank Abbot, E.V. Fairfax, Robt. H. Green, Eph. Hartley,
By J. J. Prats, June 28, 2008
5. The Confederate Soldier Observes the Traffic on Washington Street
Company E - Sgt. Jas A. Proctor, Corp. W.M. Harper, Corp. Jas. E. Molair, Corp. Gee. T. Warfield, Jno. Allison, Jos. Bushby, Jos. Calmes, Jno. T. Cook, B.F. Emerson, Jno. Greenwood, H. Kidwell, W.T. Padgett, Jos. Penn, A.E. Skidmore, Jos. Williams, A. Woolls
Company G - Lieut. W.E. Gray, Lieut. Saml. B. Paul, Lieut. Jno. F. Addison, Sgt. Jas. W. Ivor, Corp. P. Doyle, D. Dohoney, P. Harrington, Jno. Horrigan, Jas. Keating, Jno. Murphy, Wm. Purcell
Company H - Lieut. Thos. V. Fitzhugh, Sgt. W. H. Boyer, Sgt. W.A. Lovelace, Corp. E.G. Barbour, Jas. E. Grimes, Corp. W.H.H. Smith, J.W. Baldwin, F.S. Ballenger, C.P. Ballenger, E.S. Beacham, R.E. Buchanan, Chas. R. Burgess, W.A. Castleman, Hayden Fewell, Wm. J. Higdon, P. Lannon, W.H. Lunt, D. McDermont, Jno. T. Mills, Jno. S, Murray, B.F. Padgett, Wm. Terrett, Monroe Whittington
Company I - Jno. S. Hart, A. Gousher, Jno. Slemmer
(east side)
Alexandria Artillery — Ed. Calmes, E. Frank Elliott, Jas. Greenwood, P. Foster, W. Harding, Thos. Murphey, Richard Owens, T. A. Petty, Robt. Posey,
Col. Wm. Orton Williams, C.S.A.; Col. Lewellyn Powell, C.S. Arty; Lt. Col. S.W. Presstman, Eng. Corps; Lt. Col. W.F. Lee, 33rd Va. Infty.; Maj. Johnston
By J. J. Prats, June 28, 2008
6. The Confederate Monument
Names of the Confederate dead of Alexandria are inscribed on the east and west faces of the base.
James W. Jackson’s name was added to the east side of the statue in 1900. He was the proprietor of the Marshall House who was killed on May 24, 1861, during the occupation of the city.
— Submitted June 28, 2008.
2. Attempt to relocate statue.
In September 2016, the Alexandria Town Council voted to move this statue from its busy crossroads to the nearby Alexandria History Museum - The Lyceum. The state legislature, a few months later, told the council that there was no reason to think the legislature would approve an exemption from a state law that prohibits the relocation of war memorials.
The statue has long been a sore point for some Alexandria residents, who say it glorifies the
By J. J. Prats, June 28, 2008
7. The Confederate Soldier Faces South
Inscription on north face of base reads “They died in the consciousness of duty faithfully performed.”
— Submitted February 6, 2017, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
Categories. • War, US Civil •
By J. J. Prats, June 28, 2008
8. The Confederate Soldier
By J. J. Prats, June 28, 2008
9. The Confederate Soldier
By J. J. Prats, June 28, 2008
10. The Confederate Statue
“Appomattox” by Caspar Buberl (1834–1899). 1889 bronze is approx 8 feet tall on a 10½ foot granite base.
More. Search the internet for The Confederate Statue.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2017. This page originally submitted on June 28, 2008, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 10,771 times since then and 143 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 28, 2008, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 4. submitted on July 17, 2008, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. submitted on June 28, 2008, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.
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