This impressive Civil War Monument stands in front of the U.S. Post Office along Canterbury Road, which is also Highway 169, in Brooklyn, Connecticut. It is situated near another large monument for General Israel Putnam, just to the north, in front of the Brooklyn Historical Society Museum.
"SOLDIERS AND SAILORS MONUMENT, Brooklyn, consists of a low pedestal and tall shaft of light gray granite surmounted by a bronze soldier which was sculpted by Karl Gerhardt and cast by Ames Bronze Foundry. It is dedicated to all Brooklyn men who served in the Civil War.
The monument is located close to the road in front of the Post Office, which replaced a historic home. Rounded granite curbing defines the site. Gerhardt's equestrian statue of Israel Putnam, Esq., is next north along the street, divided from SOLDIERS AND SAILORS MONUMENT by a flagpole.
The two-stage base of SOLDIERS AND SAILORS MONUMENT, Brooklyn, supports a die on whose polished front face is incised the lettering recorded below. The Seal of Connecticut in bronze is over the die. On the north a corresponding bronze trophy of crossed cannon with the year dates 1861-1865 is on the face of the die, there being no lettering. On the west (rear) there is no trophy; the die is covered by the bronze plaque of names, which is above the presentation lettering (see below). On the south face of the die the trophy is a naval emblem in bronze.
The shaft, not tapered, is divided by the two raised bands of polished battle names. The cove of the cornice is embellished as a robust Victorian-era foliated capital.
The figure stands with his left knee slightly bent and left foot forward, a position known as in place rest. He holds his rifled musket, which has a sling, with its butt at a right angle to his left foot and extending over the edge of the statue base. Both hands are on the barrel, but separated, left over right. The left corner of the long overcoat is folded back, with cap box and bayonet suspended from the waist belt, and the cape is over the left forearm but thrown back over the right shoulder. The soldier is wearing the typical kepi, looking ahead slightly to his left.
According to report, the statue was blown off the shaft by the hurricane of 1938.
SOLDIERS AND SAILORS MONUMENT, Brooklyn, is significant artistically because it is the work of Karl Gerhardt and Ames Bronze Foundry. Source of the stone and identity of the stonecutter are not known.
Karl Gerhardt (1853-1940) was born in Boston but lived most of his life in Hartford, where he was a protege of Mark Twain. On Mark Twain's recommendation, and perhaps at his expense, Gerhardt traveled to Paris for study at age 18. Returning to the United States, he quickly received commissions for likenesses of Mark Twain, Henry Ward Beecher, and Ulysses S. Grant. Gerhardt was 24 years old in 1887 when he sculpted the figure for SOLDIERS AND SAILORS MONUMENT, Brooklyn, and the adjoining equestrian statue of Putnam.
SOLDIERS AND SAILORS MONUMENT, Brooklyn, is significant historically because it is a symbol of the honor and respect tendered to Brooklyn men who served in the war, and because it was the gift to his town from Thomas Smith Marlor (1839-1898).
Born in Leicester, England, Marlor was brought to New York City as an infant. He grew up to become a merchant and stockbroker. In 1861 he was one of the first members of the Gold Exchange. Marlor was able to retire in 1868, and two years later moved to Brooklyn. Thereafter, he served in the General Assembly several terms. In addition to giving SOLDIERS AND SAILORS MONUMENT, he donated the land for the adjoining monument to Israel Putnam, Esq. Both were dedicated on June 14, 1888.
The two monuments, side by side, are not in as fine a setting as might be expected. They are simply by the side of the road. Conjecture suggests that the site-selection process may have turned on the philanthropy of Marlor; also, the roadway and general site may have been altered over the years." SOURCE
This bronze sculpture of a Civil War Soldier, standing atop a 30-foot grey granite square column, is described by the Smithsonian Art Inventories Catalog as follows:
A low pedestal and tall shaft of light gray granite surmounted by a bronze soldier, sculpted by Gerhardt and cast by Ames Bronze Foundry. The figure stands, with proper left leg slightly forward. Butt of rifle, at right angles to proper left foot, extends over the edge of the statue base. He wears a long overcoat, folded back, with kit and bayonet suspended from the belt. The two-stage base supports a polished die and a bronze Seal of Connecticut. On the north side of the base, a corresponding bronze trophy of crossed cannon with dates 1861-1865. On the rear of the base, a bronze plaque of names; and on the south side of the base, a bronze navy emblem." SOURCE
The etched granite plaque on the front of the monument reads:
ERECTED TO THE MEMORY
OF ALL THE BRAVE MEN OF BROOKLYN
WHO FOUGHT ON LAND OR SEA
FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE UNION
The Brooklyn men honored are listed on a bronze plaque, that reads:
JOHN Q ADAMS
EDWARD ALLEN
NELSON F ALLEN
STEPHEN W ALDRICH
W H M ARNOLD
LORENZO B ARNOLD
ANGELL A AUSTIN
OWEN BATTEY
GEO BALDWIN
ANDREW J BOTHAM
W J BOUTCHER
IRA BURGESS
PARDON B BROWN
CHAS C BUTTS
LEWIS G BURTON
CHESTER C BURTON
PRESCOTT H BAKER
GEO S BROWN
THOS K BATES
EDWIN E CARTER
EDWARD M CHAPMAN
W M CHASE
SIM C CHAMBERLAIN
FRANCIS B CLARK
W H CLARK
ELISHA H CONGDON
DAVID M COLVIN
HENRY COPELAND
JAMES COPELAND
CHAS COPELAND
W E CHAMBERS
GEO H CURTIS
HENRY R COXALL
JAS H CAIN
W B CLEVELAND
CHAS H CLARK
THOS COPELAND
CHAS H CHAPMAN
HENRY H DAVISON
JOHN C DAVIS
JOHN DAVIS
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BENJ B DALE
THOS DALEY
FRANCIS P DOWLING
VAN BUREN DYE
JOHN DONAHUE
DANIEL L DONAHUE
ANTHONY DANIELS
GEO W DAVISON
DAVID EMERSON
ERASTUS M ELDRIDGE
JOHN FLYNN
LEWIS FORKEY
VINE R FRANKLIN
AUGUSTUS FULLER
JUDSON M FISHER
EARL W FISHER
EDWARD GALLUP
HENRY GEER
PETER GERMANS
ARCHIBALD GORDON
AUSTIN HARRIS
ALDEN HARRINGTON
LEWIS HART
JOHN W HILL
JOHN A HOPKINS
THOS HUNTINGTON
JOHN HUTCHINSON
ANDREW J HALL
JOHN C HUNTINGTON
B FRANK HARDING
JAS IRELAND
ROWLAND JONES
HIRAM S JOHNSON
CLARK W JAMES
DANIEL JENNINGS
JERRY JOHNSON
ANDREW W J KIMBALL
JAS W KIMBALL
RINALDO P KENYON
CHAS KEMP
SAMUEL W LAWTON
DAVID D LATHROE |
DANIEL LANDRIGAN
EMOR LEWIS
GEO LEAVITT
WARREN W LILLIE
MICHAEL LOGAN
FRANCIS B LUCAS
SAMUEL J LEWIS
EDWIN C MAIN
HAZEL E MATHEWSON
ALBERT E MALBONE
ANTHONY MILLER
STEPHEN MORSE
MICHAEL MURRAY
NORMAN MAGNE
FRANCIS J MILLARD
ALBERT MOFFAT
JOHN C MAIN
THOS NEFF
HAMILTON E NEFF
ANDREW J NEFF
TIMOTHY O'LEARY
PATRICK OWENS
W K PATRICK
JOHN D PUTNAM
CHAUNCEY PHILLIPS
SAMUEL E PERRY
LUCIUS P. PHILLIPS
GEO H PRESTON
THEODORE D POND
GEO E POND
WM PUTNAM
ASA S PUTNAM
HARRISON W RICHMOND
HIRAM W. RICHMOND
ALBERT ROBBINS
WM ROBBINS
JOS H ROBBINS
HAVILAH ROBBINS
ALFRED E REYNOLDS
W H SALISBURY
CHAS F SHOALES
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GEO A SMITH
CHAS W SNOW
JAS H SPAULDING
JOHN C STOWELL
MARVIN SWEET
EDWARD SWEET
PLAMER SHOALES
LEWIS SHOALES
WM STEERE
JOS SMALL
EDWARD P SHOALES
DANIEL I TARBOX
STEPHEN H TRIPP
HARRIS A TUCKER
EDGAR TOWN
JAS TAYLOR
OSCAR P TOWN
SMUEL B TRIPP
PHILLIP TUCKER
ELHANAN WATSON
FRANK WALDO
HENRY A WALKER
CHAS S WEBB
THOS WESTBROOK
JOHN A WILLIAMS
GEO M WILLIAMS
JAS B WHITCOMB
CALVIN WOODWARD
JAS B WOODWARD
ROBERT WHITE
CHAS E WILLIAMS
SAMUEL H WILLIAMS
SYLVANUS M WOODWARD
EDWIN A WHITCOMB
HENRY WILLIAMS
JOHN J WITTER
CHAS S WHEELER
ELISHA A WOODWARD
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Higher up on the four-sided column, with two bands and two per side, are the following:
ANTIETAM
GETTYSBURG
COLD HARBOR
NEW BERN
WINCHESTER
DREWRY'S BLUFF
PETERSBURG
CEDAR CREEK