Stephenson Grand Army of the Republic Memorial

• 1. Founder And Organization Origins

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  Dr. Benjamin F. Stephenson graduated from Rush Medical College before practicing medicine in Petersburg, Illinois. The Civil War began in 1861 when he became surgeon of the 14th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment. He eventually achieved the rank of major within that unit. Following his honorable discharge in 1864, Stephenson started a medical practice in Springfield, Illinois. He soon planned a national association for Union veterans. This new organization would be named the Grand Army of the Republic. Stephenson wrote its constitution and adopted the motto Fraternity, Charity, and Loyalty. The group remained open to all honorably discharged Union soldiers and sailors. Stephenson found little enthusiasm among Springfield veterans for this cause. He chose nearby Decatur to establish Post No. 1 on the 6th of April 1866. That date marked the fourth anniversary of the Battle of Shiloh where most charter members had fought. After the GAR attracted new members, Stephenson was relegated to adjutant general. He spent most of his time attending routine duties. At the time of his death in 1871, his medical practice was failing. He felt the GAR would never succeed.

• 2. Funding And Commissioning Process

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  Following Stephenson's death, the GAR grew into the country's most powerful single-issue political group by the late 19th century. Membership reached over 400,000 people across the nation. Leaders began plans to memorialize them and the organization itself in the early 20th century. General Charles Partridge and the National Tribune asked members to raise $35,000 for the project. Congress appropriated an additional $10,000 on the 4th of March 1907. GAR leaders wanted a tall, triangular granite shaft with three figures representing their motto. They left little leeway for artist creativity during the design phase. J. Massey Rhind immigrated to the United States in 1889 from Scotland. He became one of the country's best architectural sculptors at that time. The firm Rankin, Kellogg & Crane designed the central shaft of the memorial. Roman Bronze Works founded the reliefs for the structure. William Gray & Sons performed contracting duties for the entire memorial. P. R. Pullman and Company served as the contractor for the foundation. A Senate resolution passed in April 1902 allowed erection on public lands excluding Capitol grounds.

• 3. Dedication Ceremony And Attendees

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  The Stephenson memorial was formally dedicated at 2:30 pm on the 3rd of July 1909. Hundreds of elderly veterans attended wearing their military uniforms. Prominent attendees included President William Howard Taft and Senator William Warner. Colonel Henry M. Nevius gave an impassioned speech about sacrifices made by Union forces. He stated the flag had been raised from dust and mire after bloodshed. Taft paid tribute to veteran sacrifices and accepted the memorial on behalf of Americans. Warner told the crowd that the President talked like a comrade. He urged everyone to stand up for three cheers for the President. Both the president and Rhind received cheers when introduced to the crowd. The Marine Band played Tenting on the Old Camp Ground afterward. Veterans sang along with the music during this final ceremony. Brigadier General William Wallace Wotherspoon served as grand marshal of a parade. The procession marched from City Hall past the memorial west on Pennsylvania Avenue. It ended at 15th Street and New York Avenue.

• 4. Sculptural Design And Symbolism

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  A triangular shaft consisting of granite blocks stands tall over a concrete base. Each side of the shaft features a bronze relief sculpture. The front west side shows a Union soldier and sailor symbolizing Fraternity. The soldier holds a gun in his right hand while the sailor holds the American flag. The word FRATERNITY appears on the bottom of this relief. Below it sits a bust of Stephenson dressed in military uniform. This bust displays on a bronze medallion inside a circular niche decorated with foliage. An inscription flanked by Grand Army emblems sits below the Stephenson relief. The northeast side depicts a woman cloaked in a long robe protecting a child. She touches the child's shoulder with her left hand. The word CHARITY appears on the bottom of that relief. A woman holding a shield and drawn sword occupies the southeast side. The word LOYALTY is located on the bottom of that relief. Inscriptions include dates 1861 and 1865 above the soldier and sailor relief. Another line reads The Greatest Of These Is Charity below the charity figure.

• 5. Plaza Relocation And Modern Context

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  In 1987, the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation created Indiana Plaza by closing part of C Street. They decreased the width of Indiana Avenue and added landscaping to the area. The process required relocating the memorial and nearby Temperance Fountain. The Stephenson memorial now stands visible at the terminus of C Street. The fountain currently occupies where the Stephens memorial was previously located. The small public plaza lies across from the Archives Metro station. It bounds 7th Street to the west and Indiana Avenue to the north. Pennsylvania Avenue runs along the south side of this space. Two historic buildings bound the east side including Central National Bank. Sited directly north of the memorial is the historic Temperance Fountain. The memorial sits within a circular plaza surrounded by magnolia trees and ivy. Decorative lampposts stand at the three entrances to this space.

• 6. Historic Preservation Status

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  The memorial belongs to one of eighteen Civil War monuments in Washington, D.C. These structures were collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places on the 20th of September 1978. The District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites included it on the 3rd of March 1979. It also serves as a contributing property to the Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site. That site was established on the 30th of September 1965. The memorial and surrounding plaza are owned by the National Park Service. This federal agency falls under the Interior Department. They maintain the monument for public viewing today.