Soldiers' Monument - Enfield, CT
Posted by: neoc1
N 41° 59.996 W 072° 36.008
18T E 698757 N 4652554
The Soldiers' Monument is located in the Thompsonville section of Enfield.
Waymark Code: WMD43T
Location: Connecticut, United States
Date Posted: 11/15/2011
Views: 5
The Enfield Soldiers' Monument, or more precisely the Enfield Civil War Monument, is a 6' high figure of a Union soldier sculpted by David Richards and cast by the M. J. Power Bronze Founder, foundry. He stands on an 11.5' by 7' by 7' granite base which is adorned with plaques and a bas relief sculpture of an eagle and shield with a military symbol representing a different branch of the armed forces on all four sides. The monument was erected by the City of Enfield in 1885.
A life-size figure of a uniformed Union soldier stands on a tapered pedestal. The moustached soldier is wearing a cap and a caped coat that reaches his knees. He holds a rifle vertically by the barrel with his left hand. The butt of the rifle rests by his left foot. His right hand is on his hip. The bas relief sculptures of the American eagle and shield have the following military symbols: an anchor representing the Navy, crossed sabres, representing calvary, crossed cannons, representing artillery and a bugle, representing infantry. of the four plaques on the base, two refer to the Civil War and one each to World War I and World War II. The entire monument is placed in the middle of a circular raised planter.
A plaque on the front is inscribed:
IN MEMORY OF THE MEN OF ENFIELD
WHO
ON LAND AND SEA
PERILED THEIR LIVES
FOR UNION
AND LIBERTY, 1861-1865
----------
ERECTED BY THE
TOWN OF ENFIELD
A.D. 1885.
The east side plaque is inscribed
ROLL OF HONOR
KILLED IN BATTLE
{Two columns of five names each}
DIED FROM WOUNDS
{Two columns of seven names each}
DIED IN SERVICE
AT ANDERSONVILLE PRISON, GA.
{Two columns of seven names and one centered name at the bottom}
The north side plaque, added later, is inscribed:
IN MEMORY OF THOSE
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
IN THE GREAT WAR
FOR WORLD-WIDE LIBERTY
1917-1919
KILLED IN ACTION
{Eight names}
DIED IN SERVICE
{Six names, the last is a female Red Cross nurse}
ERECTED BY THE TOWN OF ENFIELD 1922
The west side plaque, added later, is inscribed: (World War II)
ROLL OF HONOR
DIED IN SERVICE
{Two columns of fourteen names and centered name at the bottom}